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 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.
Claim(s) 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Liao (CN 212210639).
Regarding claim 1, Liao disclose:
A stator assembly (abstract) comprising:
a stator including pin conductors encircling the stator for conducting current around the stator (Figs 1-3,9);
at least one terminal (1, Fig 1);
at least one wire (3) being adapted to connect one of the at least one terminal (1, Fig 1, abstract) to a source of alternating current (star point copper bar, abstract);
at least one terminal contact (2) connected to one of the at least one wire, (3)
wherein the at least one terminal contact (2) is connected to the at least one terminal (1); and
means for dampening vibrations (abstract -plastic reduction of vibrations) between the at least one terminal (1) and the at least one wire (3).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2-4 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (CN 212210639) in view of Kataoka et al. (US 2008/0169713).
Regarding claim 2/1, Liao disclose the invention as discussed above, except wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a portion of the at least one wire that encircles the terminal.
Kataoka et al. disclose an apparatus wherein the means for dampening vibrations (para 70) is a portion of the at least one wire (5141, Figs 10-11B) that encircles the terminal (532 – dotted lines).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify Liao wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a portion of the at least one wire that encircles the terminal, as Kataoka et al. disclose.
The motivation to do so is that it would improve the reliability of the connections between the terminal pins and the coil (para 70 of Kataoka et al.).
Regarding claim 3/1, Liao disclose the invention as discussed above, except wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a spiral portion of the at least one wire that damps vibrations in an X-direction, a Y-direction, and a Z-direction.
Kataoka et al. disclose an apparatus wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a spiral portion of the at least one wire that damps vibrations in an X-direction, a Y-direction, and a Z-direction (Figs 10-11B, para 70).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify Liao wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a spiral portion of the at least one wire that damps vibrations in an X-direction, a Y-direction, and a Z-direction, as Kataoka et al. disclose.
The motivation to do so is that it would improve the reliability of the connections between the terminal pins and the coil (para 70 of Kataoka et al.).
Regarding claim 4/1, Liao disclose the invention as discussed above, except wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a spiral segment of the at least one wire adjacent the terminal.
Kataoka et al. disclose an apparatus wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a spiral segment of the at least one wire adjacent the terminal (Figs 10-11B, para 70).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify Liao wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a spiral segment of the at least one wire adjacent the terminal, as Kataoka et al. disclose.
The motivation to do so is that it would improve the reliability of the connections between the terminal pins and the coil (para 70 of Kataoka et al.).
Regarding claim 13, Liao disclose:
An e-machine (abstract) comprising:
a stator (abstract);
a plurality of pin conductors encircling the stator (Figs 1-3,9) that conduct current around the stator for a plurality of phases of alternating current (abstract);
at least one terminal (1, Fig 1);
at least one wire (3) connects the at least one terminal (1) to a source of alternating current; and
at least one terminal contact (2) connecting the at least one wire (3) to the at least one terminal (1, Fig 1, abstract).
Lio does not teach wherein the at least one wire includes a spiral segment adjacent to the at least one terminal contact.
Kataoka et al. disclose an apparatus wherein the at least one wire includes a spiral segment adjacent to the at least one terminal contact (Figs 9-10B, para 70).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify Liao wherein the at least one wire includes a spiral segment adjacent to the at least one terminal contact, as Kataoka et al. disclose.
The motivation to do so is that it would improve the reliability of the connections between the terminal pins and the coil (para 70 of Kataoka et al.).
Regarding claim 14/13, Liao in view of Kataoka et al. disclose the invention as discussed above. Liao does not teach wherein the spiral segment of the at least one wire encircles the terminal.
Kataoka et al. teaches a device wherein the spiral segment of the at least one wire (5141, 5142, Fig 11A) encircles the terminal (532).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify Liao in view of Kataoka et al. wherein the spiral segment of the at least one wire encircles the terminal, as Kataoka et al. disclose.
The motivation to do so is that it would improve the reliability of the connections between the terminal pins and the coil (para 70 of Kataoka et al.).
Regarding claim 15/13, Liao in view of Kataoka et al. disclose the invention as discussed above. Liao does not teach wherein vibrations in an X-direction, a Y-direction, and a Z-direction are damped by the spiral segment.
Kataoka et al. disclose an apparatus wherein vibrations in an X-direction, a Y-direction, and a Z-direction are damped by the spiral segment (Figs 10-11B, para 70).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the invention to modify Liao in view of Kataoka et al. wherein vibrations in an X-direction, a Y-direction, and a Z-direction are damped by the spiral segment, as Kataoka et al. disclose.
The motivation to do so is that it would improve the reliability of the connections between the terminal pins and the coil (para 70 of Kataoka et al.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-12 and 16,17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: In claim 5/4 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…wherein the terminal contact is a circular disk, wherein the spiral segment is provided in a portion of the at least one wire that extends in an axial direction.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
In claim 6/4 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…wherein the terminal contact is a circular disk, wherein the spiral segment is provided in a portion of the at least one wire that extends in a radial direction.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
In claim 7/1 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a flexible joint disposed between the terminal contact and the wire, the flexible joint including a receptacle, a terminal plug that is received in the receptacle, a plurality of ball bearings disposed around the terminal plug inside the receptacle, and a spring acting on the receptacle to exert a contractive force on the ball bearings and the terminal plug.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
In claim 8/1 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…wherein the means for dampening vibrations is a wire clamp including a top jaw and a bottom jaw that define a cavity and that are held together by a fastener, wherein the wire includes a disk-shaped terminal end that defines a hole through which the fastener extends, and wherein a plurality of ball bearings are received in an upper circular race defined between the top jaw and an upper surface of the disk-shaped terminal end and a lower circular race defined between the bottom jaw and a lower surface of the disk-shaped terminal end, wherein the fastener applies a clamping force that holds the disk-shaped terminal end between the top jaw and the bottom jaw.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
In claim 16/13 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…wherein the terminal contact is a circular disk, and the spiral segment is provided in a portion of the wire that extends radially outwardly from the terminal contact.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
In claim 17/13 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…wherein the terminal contact is a circular disk, wherein the spiral segment is connected to the terminal contact, and wherein the spiral segment is provided in a portion of the wire that extends in an axial direction.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
In claim 9 inter alia, the specific limitations of “…at least one flexible joint includes a receptacle that defines a cavity, wherein the receptacle receives the at least one terminal contact, wherein the at least one terminal contact is connected to the receptacle through at least one ball bearing, wherein current flows between the at least one wire and the at least one terminal through the at least one ball bearing.”, in the combination as claimed are neither anticipated nor made obvious over the prior art made of record.
Claims 10-12 are also allowable for depending on claim 9.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see PTO-892 for details.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAISHADH N DESAI whose telephone number is (571)270-3038. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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NAISHADH N. DESAI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2834
/NAISHADH N DESAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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