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 . This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant' s communication filed October 23, 2024. In view of this communication, claims 1-14 are now pending in the application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 5, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 27, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 22, 2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
¶ [0050], Line 6: “sector-shaped magnet 550” should read “sector-shaped magnet 560”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 4: “a third sequence third spokes” should read “a third sequence of third spokes”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-8, and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claims 2-8, and 11-14, each claim recites the limitation “a stator” in first line of each claim. It is unclear whether these recitations of “a stator” refer back to the limitation “a stator” in either claim 1, in the instances of claims 2-8, or claim 10, in the instances of claims 11-14, on which the claims depend, or a separate instance of “a stator”. For the purpose of examination, these limitations are being interpreted as reading “the stator”.
Regarding Claim 10, the limitation “M/2” recited in lines 6 and 10 lacks a definition for the variable “M”, rendering the claim indefinite. For the purpose of examination, this limitation is being interpreted as any number of groups of first spokes.
Claims 11-14 are rejected due to their dependence on Claim 10.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, and 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Smith et al. (US 5982074 A, hereafter referred to as Smith).
Regarding Claim 1, Smith discloses (see Figures 3, and 17-20) a stator (12, C13L6) for an axial flux electrical machine (Abstract: “An axial field motor/generator”), comprising:
a multi-layered substrate (129, C11L14-16: “As illustrated in FIG. 16, each layer or lamination of the alternative stator assembly comprises a substrate 129 made of a suitable dielectric materia”), including at least first (131, C11L41) and second conductive layers (137, C11L41) that are electrically insulated from one another (147, C12L8-11: “A plastic sheet 147 between laminations bonds the laminations together when heated and subjected to pressure, and also electrically insulates arms 137 of one lamination from arms 131 of an adjacent lamination.”);
the first conductive layer (131, C11L41) including a first sequence of circumferentially distributed first spokes (131, C11L41), each first spoke (131, C11L41) having a radially inner end and a radially outer end and being inclined in a first circumferential direction;
the second conductive layer (137, C11L41) including a second sequence of circumferentially distributed second spokes (137, C11L41), each second spoke (137, C11L41) having a radially inner end and a radially outer end and being inclined in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction;
at least one electrical phase winding (C11L2-7: “The resulting multiple-layer printed circuit stator assembly functions in the same manner as stator assembly 12, described above with respect to other embodiments. In that regard, this alternative stator assembly may have any suitable number of phases and any suitable number of windings per phase.”), each electrical phase winding being provisioned at least partially by an alternating sequence of the first (131, C11L41) and second spokes (137, C11L41) wherein radially outer ends of the first spokes (131, C11L41) are electrically connected to adjacent radially outer ends of the second spokes (137, C11L41) and radially inner ends of the first spokes (131, C11L41) are electrically connected to adjacent radially inner ends of the second spokes (137, C11L41) (C11L42-44: “Each end of an arm 131 is electrically connected to an end of an arm 137 via an inter-side through-hole 139.”).
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Regarding Claim 2/1, Smith has been discussed above.
Additionally, Smith discloses (see Figures 17 and 20 above) that each electrical phase winding (C12L3-5: “Although a conductor phase assembly may consist of only the windings of a single lamination, such as that shown in FIG. 17”) comprises an alternating sequence of the first (131, C11L41) and second spokes (137, C11L41) which spans 360*N physical degrees, N being an integer > = 1 (see Figures 16-17, the electrical phase winding spans 360 degrees).
Regarding Claim 5/1, Smith has been discussed above.
Additionally, Smith discloses (see Figure 17 above) that each of the first (131, C11L41) and second spokes (137, C11L41) is arcuate in form between the spoke radially inner end and radially outer end (see Figure 17 above, each first and second spoke is substantially arcuate in shape, forming a curving patter between terminal points).
Regarding Claim 6/5/1, Smith has been discussed above.
Additionally, Smith discloses (see Figure 16 above) that the stator (12, C13L6) is formed by a printed circuit board (PCB) having conductive copper-foil layers (C11L21-28: “A preferred printed circuit material is a flexible plastic material, commonly referred to as "flex PC," in which substrate 129 is a thin sheet-like plastic to which is bonded a thin layer of copper. Substrate 129 is preferably less than about 0.010 inches (10 mils) thick, and arms 131 are preferably less than about 0.005 inches (five mils) thick. Printed circuit material having a four mil copper layer has been used.”).
Regarding Claim 7/1, Smith has been discussed above.
Additionally, Smith discloses (see Figure 17 above) that each of the first (131, C11L41) and second spokes (137, C11L41) is linear in form between the spoke radially inner end and radially outer end.
Regarding Claim 8/1, Smith has been discussed above.
Additionally, Smith discloses (see Figures 17-20 above) including third (131, C11L41) and fourth conductive layers (137, C11L41) each of which is electrically insulated from each other and each of the first (131, C11L41) and second conductive layers (137, C11L41) (147, C12L8-11: “A plastic sheet 147 between laminations bonds the laminations together when heated and subjected to pressure, and also electrically insulates arms 137 of one lamination from arms 131 of an adjacent lamination.”), wherein: the third conductive layer (131, C11L41) includes a third sequence of circumferentially distributed third spokes (131, C11L41), each third spoke (131, C11L41) having radially inner and outer ends and being inclined in the first circumferential direction, wherein each third spoke (131, C11L41) is arranged in an overlapping relationship with a corresponding one of the first spokes and electrically connected in parallel with the corresponding one of the first spokes (C12L12-17: “As illustrated in FIG. 19, terminal through-holes 141 of all laminations are electrically connected together, and terminal through-holes 143 of all laminations are electrically connected together, thereby electrically connecting the windings in parallel to form a conductor phase assembly.”); the fourth conductive layer (137, C11L41) includes a fourth sequence of circumferentially distributed fourth spokes (137, C11L41), each fourth spoke (137, C11L41) having radially inner and outer ends and being inclined in the second circumferential direction, and wherein each fourth spoke (137, C11L41) is arranged in an overlapping relationship with a corresponding one of the second spokes (137, C11L41) and is electrically connected in parallel with the corresponding one of the second spokes (137, C11L41) (C12L12-17: “As illustrated in FIG. 19, terminal through-holes 141 of all laminations are electrically connected together, and terminal through-holes 143 of all laminations are electrically connected together, thereby electrically connecting the windings in parallel to form a conductor phase assembly.”).
Regarding Claim 9, Smith discloses (see Figures 3-5, and 17-20) an axial flux electrical machine (Abstract: “An axial field motor/generator”), comprising:
at least one stator (12, C13L6) and at least one rotor (14/15, C5L48) electromagnetically coupled to the at least one stator (12, C13L6);
each stator (12, C13L6) including a multi-layered substrate (129, C11L14-16: “As illustrated in FIG. 16, each layer or lamination of the alternative stator assembly comprises a substrate 129 made of a suitable dielectric materia”), including at least first (131, C11L41) and second conductive layers (137, C11L41) that are electrically insulated from one another, wherein the first conductive layer (131, C11L41) including a first sequence of circumferentially distributed first spokes (131, C11L41), each first spoke (131, C11L41) having a radially inner end and a radially outer end and being inclined in a first circumferential direction; the second conductive layer (137, C11L41) including a second sequence of circumferentially distributed second spokes (137, C11L41), each second spoke (137, C11L41) having a radially inner end and a radially outer end and being inclined in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction; and at least one electrical phase winding (C11L2-7: “The resulting multiple-layer printed circuit stator assembly functions in the same manner as stator assembly 12, described above with respect to other embodiments. In that regard, this alternative stator assembly may have any suitable number of phases and any suitable number of windings per phase.”), wherein each electrical phase winding is provisioned by an alternating sequence of the first (131, C11L41) and second spokes (137, C11L41) wherein radially outer ends of the first spokes (131, C11L41) are electrically connected to radially outer ends of the second spokes (137, C11L41) and radially inner ends of the first spokes (131, C11L41) are electrically connected to radially inner ends of the second spokes (137, C11L41) (C11L42-44: “Each end of an arm 131 is electrically connected to an end of an arm 137 via an inter-side through-hole 139.”); and
each rotor (14/15, C5L48) including a series of permanent magnets (54, C5L49) of alternating polarity.
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Regarding Claim 10, Smith discloses (see Figures 3-4, and 17-20 above) a stator (12, C13L6) for an axial flux electrical machine (Abstract: “An axial field motor/generator”), comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) (129, C11L15) (C10L59-63: “In another alternative embodiment of the stator, each stator assembly comprises multiple layers or laminations, each preferably formed of printed circuit material that has been suitably etched to form the conductor pattern and electrical interconnections between layers described below.”), including at least first (131, C11L41) and second conductive layers (137, C11L41) that are electrically insulated from one another (147, C12L8-11: “A plastic sheet 147 between laminations bonds the laminations together when heated and subjected to pressure, and also electrically insulates arms 137 of one lamination from arms 131 of an adjacent lamination.”);
at least one electrical phase winding (C11L2-7: “The resulting multiple-layer printed circuit stator assembly functions in the same manner as stator assembly 12, described above with respect to other embodiments. In that regard, this alternative stator assembly may have any suitable number of phases and any suitable number of windings per phase.”), each electrical phase winding being formed at least in part from an alternating sequence of circumferentially distributed first (131, C11L41) and second spokes (137, C11L41), wherein the first spokes (131, C11L41) are disposed in the first conductive layer in M/2 circumferentially distributed groups of N first spokes (131, C11L41), wherein each of the first spokes (131, C11L41) has a radially inner end and a radially outer end and is inclined in a first circumferential direction, and wherein the second spokes (137, C11L41) are disposed in the second conductive layer in M/2 circumferentially distributed groups of N second spokes (137, C11L41), wherein each of the second spokes (137, C11L41) has a radially inner end and a radially outer end and is inclined in a second circumferential direction opposite the first circumferential direction, wherein the radially outer ends of the first spokes (131, C11L41) are electrically connected to radially outer ends of the second spokes (137, C11L41) and radially inner ends of the first spokes (131, C11L41) are electrically connected to radially inner ends of the second spokes (137, C11L41) such that the alternating sequence of the first (131, C11L41) and second spokes (137, C11L41) spans 360*N physical degrees, N being an integer > = 1 (see Figures 16-17, the alternating sequence of first and second spokes spans 360 degrees).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of the Libault et al. (US 10505422 B2, hereafter referred to as Libault).
Regarding Claim 3/2/1, Smith has been discussed above.
Smith does not explicitly disclose that N numbers of the first spokes are grouped together and N numbers of the second spokes are grouped together to form M stator poles, and wherein each phase winding comprises an alternating sequence of said first and second spokes selected from alternating ones of said first and second spoke groupings.
However, Libault, in the same field of technology, does disclose that N numbers of the first spokes (91A, C6L18-19) are grouped together and N numbers of the second spokes (91B, C6L18-19) are grouped together to form M stator poles (C6L18-19: “Each phase of the stator therefore comprises two semi-phases constituted by the conductive tracks 91 (91A and 91B).”), and wherein each phase winding comprises an alternating sequence of said first (91A, C6L18-19) and second spokes (91B, C6L18-19) selected from alternating ones of said first (91A, C6L18-19) and second spoke (91B, C6L18-19) groupings (C6L18-19: “Each phase of the stator therefore comprises two semi-phases constituted by the conductive tracks 91 (91A and 91B).”).
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the stator disclosed by Smith such that N numbers of the first spokes are grouped together and N numbers of the second spokes are grouped together to form M stator poles, and wherein each phase winding comprises an alternating sequence of said first and second spokes selected from alternating ones of said first and second spoke groupings, as disclosed by Libault, in order to reduce the cost of the motor (C2L65-C3L7: “However, in the case of a stator of an axial-flow electric motor this thickness limit can limit the performance of the motor. In fact, for a given intensity of electric current, the less the thickness of the stator, the greater the density of current passing though it. When the density of electric current is excessive, the rise in temperature of the circuit by Joule effect can destroy the latter. If a thickness of the stator greater than 3 millimeters is necessary, the manufacturing equipment for printed circuits should be adapted, which would significantly raise tooling costs.”) (C3L20-21: “The present invention aims to rectify at least one of these drawbacks.”).
Regarding Claim 4/3/2/1, Smith in view of Libault has been discussed above.
Additionally, Libault discloses (see Figure 9 above) that an aggregate number T1 of the first spokes is T1=N*M/2*Ph and an aggregate number T2 of the second spokes is T2=N*M/2*Ph, where Ph is the number of electrical phases and M is the number of stator poles per phase (C2L1-2: “Since this number is a pair, it is said that the motor has 2p poles, p being a whole number greater than zero.”) (C3L29-30: “According to an embodiment each semi-phase comprises two sets of conductive tracks;”) (C3L17-19: “Each phase of the stator therefore comprises two semi-phases constituted by the conductive tracks 91 (91A and 91B).”) (C2L11-13: “Several phases distributed evenly and angularly, activated alternatively produce constant torque irrespective of the angle of position of the rotor relative to the stator.”).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the stator disclosed by Smith such that an aggregate number T1 of the first spokes is T1=N*M/2*Ph and an aggregate number T2 of the second spokes is T2=N*M/2*Ph, where Ph is the number of electrical phases and M is the number of stator poles per phase, as disclosed by Libault, in order to reduce the cost of the motor (C2L65-C3L7: “However, in the case of a stator of an axial-flow electric motor this thickness limit can limit the performance of the motor. In fact, for a given intensity of electric current, the less the thickness of the stator, the greater the density of current passing though it. When the density of electric current is excessive, the rise in temperature of the circuit by Joule effect can destroy the latter. If a thickness of the stator greater than 3 millimeters is necessary, the manufacturing equipment for printed circuits should be adapted, which would significantly raise tooling costs.”) (C3L20-21: “The present invention aims to rectify at least one of these drawbacks.”).
Claims 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of the Libault et al. (US 10505422 B2, hereafter referred to as Libault).
Regarding Claim 11/10, Smith has been discussed above.
Smith does not explicitly disclose that an aggregate number T1 of the first spokes is T1=N*M/2*Ph and an aggregate number T2 of the second spokes is T2=N*M/2*Ph, where Ph is the number of electrical phases and M is the number of poles per phase.
However, Libault, in the same field of technology, does disclose (see Figure 9) that an aggregate number T1 of the first spokes is T1=N*M/2*Ph and an aggregate number T2 of the second spokes is T2=N*M/2*Ph, where Ph is the number of electrical phases and M is the number of poles per phase (C2L1-2: “Since this number is a pair, it is said that the motor has 2p poles, p being a whole number greater than zero.”) (C3L29-30: “According to an embodiment each semi-phase comprises two sets of conductive tracks;”) (C3L17-19: “Each phase of the stator therefore comprises two semi-phases constituted by the conductive tracks 91 (91A and 91B).”) (C2L11-13: “Several phases distributed evenly and angularly, activated alternatively produce constant torque irrespective of the angle of position of the rotor relative to the stator.”).
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the stator disclosed by Smith such that an aggregate number T1 of the first spokes is T1=N*M/2*Ph and an aggregate number T2 of the second spokes is T2=N*M/2*Ph, where Ph is the number of electrical phases and M is the number of poles per phase, as disclosed by Libault, in order to reduce the cost of the motor (C2L65-C3L7: “However, in the case of a stator of an axial-flow electric motor this thickness limit can limit the performance of the motor. In fact, for a given intensity of electric current, the less the thickness of the stator, the greater the density of current passing though it. When the density of electric current is excessive, the rise in temperature of the circuit by Joule effect can destroy the latter. If a thickness of the stator greater than 3 millimeters is necessary, the manufacturing equipment for printed circuits should be adapted, which would significantly raise tooling costs.”) (C3L20-21: “The present invention aims to rectify at least one of these drawbacks.”).
Regarding Claim 12/11/10, Smith in view of Libault has been discussed above.
Additionally, Smith discloses (see Figure 17 above) that each of the first (131, C11L41) and second spokes (137, C11L41) is arcuate in form between the radially inner end and radially outer end of the spoke (see Figure 17 above, each first and second spoke is substantially arcuate in shape, forming a curving patter between terminal points).
Regarding Claim 13/12/11/10, Smith in view of Libault has been discussed above.
Additionally, Smith discloses (see Figures 17-20 above) third (131, C11L41) and fourth conductive layers (137, C11L41) each of which is electrically insulated from each other and each of the first (131, C11L41) and second conductive layers (137, C11L41) (147, C12L8-11: “A plastic sheet 147 between laminations bonds the laminations together when heated and subjected to pressure, and also electrically insulates arms 137 of one lamination from arms 131 of an adjacent lamination.”), wherein: the third conductive layer (131, C11L41) includes a third sequence third spokes (131, C11L41), each third spoke (131, C11L41) having radially inner and outer ends and being inclined in the first circumferential direction, wherein each third spoke (131, C11L41) is arranged in an overlapping relationship with a corresponding one of the first spokes and electrically connected in parallel with the corresponding one of the first spokes (C12L12-17: “As illustrated in FIG. 19, terminal through-holes 141 of all laminations are electrically connected together, and terminal through-holes 143 of all laminations are electrically connected together, thereby electrically connecting the windings in parallel to form a conductor phase assembly.”); the fourth conductive layer (137, C11L41) includes a fourth sequence of fourth spokes (137, C11L41), each fourth spoke (137, C11L41) having radially inner and outer ends and being inclined in the second circumferential direction, and wherein each fourth spoke (137, C11L41) is arranged in an overlapping relationship with a corresponding one of the second spokes (137, C11L41) and is electrically connected in parallel with the corresponding one of the second spokes (137, C11L41) (C12L12-17: “As illustrated in FIG. 19, terminal through-holes 141 of all laminations are electrically connected together, and terminal through-holes 143 of all laminations are electrically connected together, thereby electrically connecting the windings in parallel to form a conductor phase assembly.”).
Regarding Claim 14/13/12/11/10, Smith in view of Libault has been discussed above.
Additionally, Smith discloses (see Figures 17-18 above) that the first (131, C11L41), second (137, C11L41), third (131, C11L41) and fourth spokes (137, C11L41) are connected at their radially outer ends by a circumferential series of straight vias (139, C11L44) and are connected at their radially inner ends by another circumferential series of straight vias (139, C11L44).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jacques et al. (US 3223868 A) discloses relevant prior art in Figure 1.
Burr et al. (US 3219861 A) discloses relevant prior art in Figures 3-4.
Iwaya et al. (US 20120133474 A1) discloses relevant prior art in Figures 1-6.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLIE FRANK MANN whose telephone number is (703)756-1275. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 4:30PM PST.
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/C.F.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/ALEXANDER A SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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