DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claims 10, 14 and 18-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 10, ll. 5 and 7, “each first recess” should be “each of the first recesses.”
Claim 14, ll. 6 and 8, “each first recess” should be “each of the first recesses.”
Claim 18, ll. 7 and 9, “each first recess” should be “each of the first recesses.”
Claim 19, ll. 8 recites “a first recess,” which was already recited in ll. 6 of the same claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
Applicant is advised that should claim 14 be found allowable, claim 18 will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 10-12, 14 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tang et al. (US 2020/0144874 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Tang discloses a stator lamination (¶ [0022] steel laminations) for a stator (stator core 54) of a rotating electric machine (50), comprising:
a yoke region (66) with a radially inner edge (53) and a radially outer edge (61);
a plurality of first recesses (62) arranged in an outer area of the yoke region (66) along the radially outer edge (61);
each first recess (62) having a radially outer limit with a curvature aligned with the radially outer edge (61; FIG. 3, 4); and
webs (60) formed between each first recesses (62) and the radially outer edge (61), the webs (60) are elastically deformable in radial direction for cooperating with a mounting surface of a stator housing (52) and provide a spring action (¶ [0026]).
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Regarding claim 11/10, Tang was discussed above in claim 10. Tang further discloses the radially outer edge (61) is formed in an undulating manner (FIG. 4), and an outside recess (58) is formed in each instance in circumferential direction between two first recesses (62).
Regarding claim 12/10, Tang was discussed above in claim 10. Tang further discloses the webs (60) have a substantially constant width in an area of an extension of the first recesses (62; FIG. 4; the arms 68 and 70 have substantially constant width).
Regarding claim 14, Tang discloses a stator (stator core 54) for an electric machine (50) comprising:
a plurality of stator laminations (¶ [0022] steel laminations), comprising:
a yoke region (66) with a radially inner edge (53) and a radially outer edge (61);
a plurality of first recesses (62) arranged in an outer area of the yoke region (66) along the radially outer edge (61);
each first recess (62) having a radially outer limit with a curvature aligned with the radially outer edge (61; FIG. 3, 4); and
webs (60) formed between each first recess (62) and the radially outer edge (61), the webs (60) are elastically deformable in radial direction for cooperating with a mounting surface of a stator housing (52) and provide a spring action (¶ [0026]),
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wherein the plurality of stator laminations (steel laminations) are axially stacked along a central axis of the stator (stator core 54) and form a stator lamination stack (¶ [0022]).
Regarding claim 16/14, Tang was discussed above in claim 14. Tang further discloses a stator housing (52), wherein the stator lamination stack (steel laminations) is joined to the stator housing (52) such that the webs (60) of the stator laminations which contact the stator housing (52) are elastically tensioned relative to the stator housing (52) within an entire operating temperature range (¶ [0021]-[0022]).
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Regarding claim 17/16, Tang was discussed above in claim 16. Tang further discloses the operating temperature range is between - 45°C and +90°C (¶ [0021] lower than room temperature to higher than room temperature, where room temperature is 20°C-25°C).
Regarding claim 18, Tang discloses an electric machine (50), comprising:
a stator (stator core 54) comprising:
a plurality of stator laminations (¶ [0022] steel laminations), comprising:
a yoke region (66) with a radially inner edge (53) and a radially outer edge (61);
a plurality of first recesses (62) arranged in an outer area of the yoke region (66) along the radially outer edge (61);
each first recess (62) having a radially outer limit with a curvature aligned with the radially outer edge (61; FIG. 3, 4); and
webs (60) formed between each first recess (62) and the radially outer edge (61), the webs (60) are elastically deformable in radial direction for cooperating with a mounting surface of a stator housing (52) and provide a spring action (¶ [0026]),
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wherein the plurality of stator laminations (steel laminations) are axially stacked along a central axis of the stator (stator core 54) and form a stator lamination stack (¶ [0022]).
Regarding claim 19, Tang discloses a motor vehicle (¶ [0013]), comprising:
an electric machine (50), comprising:
a stator (stator core 54) comprising:
a plurality of stator laminations (¶ [0022] steel laminations), comprising:
a yoke region (66) with a radially inner edge (53) and a radially outer edge (61);
a plurality of first recesses (62) arranged in an outer area of the yoke region (66) along the radially outer edge (61);
a first recess (62) having a radially outer limit with a curvature aligned with the radially outer edge (61; FIG. 3, 4); and
webs (60) formed between the first recess (62) and the radially outer edge (61), the webs (60) are elastically deformable in radial direction for cooperating with a mounting surface of a stator housing (52) and provide a spring action (¶ [0026]),
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wherein the plurality of stator laminations (steel laminations) are axially stacked along a central axis of the stator (stator core 54) and form a stator lamination stack (¶ [0022]).
Claims 10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Asano et al. (JP 2002-101579 A).
Regarding claim 10, Asano discloses a stator lamination (laminated stator core) for a stator (10) of a rotating electric machine (FIG. 1), comprising:
a yoke region (16) with a radially inner edge (inner radial side of tooth tip 15) and a radially outer edge (11o);
a plurality of first recesses (17, 34) arranged in an outer area of the yoke region (16) along the radially outer edge (11o);
each first recess (17, 34) having a radially outer limit with a curvature aligned with the radially outer edge (11o; FIG. 1, 6);
and webs (see annotation below) formed between each first recesses (17, 34) and the radially outer edge (11o), the webs are elastically deformable in radial direction for cooperating with a mounting surface of a stator housing (shrink-fitted into a shell)and provide a spring action (prevents vibration).
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Regarding claim 13/10, Asano was discussed above in claim 10. Asano further discloses second recesses (34; radial inward) are provided in an outer area of the yoke region (16) radially inwardly of the first recesses (34; radial outward), wherein elastically deformable webs (see annotation above) are formed between the first recesses and the second recesses (FIG. 6).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang et al. (US 2020/0144874 A1) in view of Horizumi et al. (US 2013/0342065 A1).
Regarding claim 16/14, Tang was discussed above in claim 14. Tang does not disclose a stator lamination is arranged inside of the stator lamination stack at an offset in circumferential direction relative to an axially adjacent stator lamination, without being arranged in register with one another.
Horizumi discloses a stator lamination (11) is arranged inside of the stator lamination stack (11-16) at an offset in circumferential direction relative to an axially adjacent stator lamination (12-16), without being arranged in register with one another (¶ [0002]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Tang in view of Horizumi to disclose a stator lamination is arranged inside of the stator lamination stack at an offset in circumferential direction relative to an axially adjacent stator lamination, without being arranged in register with one another, for the advantages of reducing cogging torque (¶ [0002]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINKI CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-0521. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Seye Iwarere can be reached at (571) 270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MINKI CHANG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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