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
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding Claim 1, line 13, “at at” should be “on at”.
Regarding Claim 15, line 15, “at at” should be “on at”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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:
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.
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 1, 7 – 9, 11 – 12, and 14 – 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruprecht et al. (DE 102018215787 A1) in view of Ruppert (US 20220263370 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Ruprecht et al. discloses a stator (10) for an electric machine (14) with a stator body (18) which is formed around a main axis (axial direction 9) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 5), comprising:
a plurality of radially oriented individual teeth (22) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1);
a polyphase stator winding (30) having a plurality of single tooth coils formed from a winding wire (31) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1),
wherein a single tooth coil is arranged in each instance at one of the individual teeth (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1);
a plurality of winding bodies (32) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1),
wherein each winding body has a winding area for the single tooth coil formed by a base portion (base portion between supporting walls 47 and 48) contacting one of the individual teeth by its front side (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1) and two limit portions (supporting walls 47 and 48) which radially limit the winding area and are connected to the base portion (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1);
a connector ring (40) arrangement configured to interconnect the single tooth coils (Ruprecht et al. Para [0022] lines 2 – 3),
which is secured to the plurality of winding bodies at an axial front side of the stator (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 5),
wherein the connector ring arrangement has at least one supporting portion (radial webs 65) which faces the winding areas and via which the connector ring arrangement is supported at at least one of the limit portions in radial direction to form a radial connection (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a discloses a radial web 65 is inserted into receiving pocket 50 of the supporting wall 47, and forms a radially and axially connection with the receiving pocket 50 of the supporting wall 47);
a plurality of winding terminal tabs (also radial webs 65) of the connector ring arrangement configured to connect the single tooth coils (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a);
wherein the at least one wire end portion (58, 59 respectively) are clampingly fixed between one of the limit portions and a respective supporting portion (support dome 95) at a clamping location in to shorten a free wire length of the wire end portion (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a disclose support domes 95 and receiving pocket 50 clamp and shorten the free wire at a clamping location).
Ruprecht et al. do not disclose:
at least one wire end portion of the winding wires is bondingly joined at an end thereof by its free wire end to an associated winding terminal tab at a joining location.
Ruppert discloses:
at least one wire end portion (conductor ends 6) of the winding wires (3) is bondingly joined at an end thereof by its free wire end (also conductor ends 6) to an associated winding terminal tab (connection sections 8) at a joining location (Ruppert Para [0028] lines 9 – 21 disclose the conductor ends 6 are positioned and welded to connection sections 8 of the interconnecting ring 7).
Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose wire ends of a coil therefore, Ruppert constitutes as prior art. Ruppert discloses a stator having a plurality of windings with a plurality of conductor ends and a interconnecting ring that has a plurality of connection sections that are welded to the plurality of conductor ends. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have at least one wire end portion of the winding wires is bondingly joined at an end thereof by its free wire end to an associated winding terminal tab at a joining location of Ruppert for the purpose of having a permanent and mechanically strong electrical joint between the at least one wire end portion of the winding and the winding terminal of the connector ring.
Regarding Claim 7, Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose the stator according to claim 1.
Ruprecht et al. does not disclose:
wherein the wire end portion is clampingly fixed at the clamping location at least in axial direction by an interference fit between the limit portion and the supporting portion.
Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert structurally disclose:
wherein the wire end portion is clampingly fixed at the clamping location at least in axial direction by an interference fit (of Ruppert Para [0014] wholre paragraph discloses the conductor ends can be pushed axially into the clamped or latched recess) between the limit portion and the supporting portion (of Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a).
It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the wire end portion is clampingly fixed at the clamping location at least in axial direction by an interference fit between the limit portion and the supporting portion of structurally disclosed Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert for the purpose of making sure the wire end portions are secured in the clamping location.
Regarding Claim 8, Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose the stator according to claim 1, wherein one of the limit portion and the supporting portion has a wire guide aperture (receiving pockets 50 have a groove 49) configured to guide the wire end portion (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a),
and wherein the wire end portion is received in a positive engagement at least in circumferential direction in the wire guide aperture (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a).
Regarding Claim 9, Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose the stator according to claim 8, wherein the wire guide aperture is a V-shaped or U-shaped guide groove (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a discloses a U-shaped groove on the receiving pockets 50).
Regarding Claim 11, Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose the stator according to claim 1, wherein one of the two limit portions has a wire deflection contour configured to deflect the wire end portion (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a discloses a wire deflection contour in the clamping location formed between the receiving pocket 50 and support dome 95),
and wherein the wire end portion is deflected in direction of the clamping location at a deflecting location via the wire deflection contour (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a discloses a wire deflection contour in the clamping location formed between the receiving pocket 50 and support dome 95).
Regarding Claim 12, Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose the stator according to claim 1, wherein the connector ring arrangement has an insulation body (annular plastic body 61) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a) in which at least one busbar (conductor elements 62 with connection pins 66) having the winding terminal tabs is arranged (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 3),
and wherein the supporting portion is formed directly at the insulation body (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a).
Regarding Claim 14, Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose the stator according to claim 1, wherein each of the single tooth coils has exactly two of the wire end portions (58, 59) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a),
wherein a first of the one wire end portion forms a winding start and a second of the one wire end portion forms a winding end (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1),
and wherein the two wire end portions are joined with a winding terminal tab at a joining location and are clampingly fixed between the limit portion and the supporting portion at a clamping location in each instance (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a).
Regarding Claim 15, Ruprecht et al. disclose an electric machine (14) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 5) comprising:
a rotor (12) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 5) ;
and a stator (10) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 5), comprising:
a plurality of radially oriented individual teeth (22) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1);
a polyphase stator winding (30) having a plurality of single tooth coils formed from a winding wire (31) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1),
wherein a single tooth coil is arranged in each instance at one of the individual teeth (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1);
a plurality of winding bodies (32) (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1),
wherein each winding body has a winding area for the single tooth coil formed by a base portion (base portion between supporting walls 47 and 48) contacting one of the individual teeth by its front side (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1) and two limit portions (supporting walls 47 and 48) which radially limit the winding area and are connected to the base portion (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 1);
a connector ring (40) arrangement configured to interconnect the single tooth coils (Ruprecht et al. Para [0022] lines 2 – 3),
which is secured to the plurality of winding bodies at an axial front side of the stator (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 5),
wherein the connector ring arrangement has at least one supporting portion (radial webs 65) which faces the winding areas and via which the connector ring arrangement is supported at at least one of the limit portions in radial direction to form a radial connection (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a discloses a radial web 65 is inserted into receiving pocket 5 0of the supporting wall 47, and forms a radially and axially connection with the receiving pocket 50 of the supporting wall 47);
a plurality of winding terminal tabs (also radial webs 65) of the connector ring arrangement configured to connect the single tooth coils (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a);
wherein the at least one wire end portion (58, 59 respectively) are clampingly fixed between one of the limit portions and a respective supporting portion (support dome 95) at a clamping location in to shorten a free wire length of the wire end portion (Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a disclose support domes 95 and receiving pocket 50 clamp and shorten the free wire at a clamping location).
Ruprecht et al. do not disclose:
at least one wire end portion of the winding wires is bondingly joined at an end thereof by its free wire end to an associated winding terminal tab at a joining location.
Ruppert discloses:
at least one wire end portion (conductor ends 6) of the winding wires (3) is bondingly joined at an end thereof by its free wire end (also conductor ends 6) to an associated winding terminal tab (connection sections 8) at a joining location (Ruppert Para [0028] lines 9 – 21 disclose the conductor ends 6 are positioned and welded to connection sections 8 of the interconnecting ring 7).
Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose wire ends of a coil therefore, Ruppert constitutes as prior art. Ruppert discloses a stator having a plurality of windings with a plurality of conductor ends and a interconnecting ring that has a plurality of connection sections that are welded to the plurality of conductor ends. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have at least one wire end portion of the winding wires is bondingly joined at an end thereof by its free wire end to an associated winding terminal tab at a joining location of Ruppert for the purpose of having a permanent and mechanically strong electrical joint between the at least one wire end portion of the winding and the winding terminal of the connector ring.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruprecht et al. in view of Ruppert and further in view of Takei (US 20170271937 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose the stator according to claim 1.
Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert does not disclose:
wherein the free wire length of the wire end portion is shortened such that a natural frequency of the wire end portion is shifted outside of a frequency range of an operating frequency of the electric machine.
Takei discloses:
wherein the free wire length of the wire end portion is shortened such that a natural frequency of the wire end portion is shifted outside of a frequency range of an operating frequency of the vehicle (Takei Para [0056] last sentence).
Ruprecht et al. and Takei structurally disclose:
wherein the free wire length of the wire end portion is shortened such that a natural frequency of the wire end portion is shifted outside of a frequency range of an operating frequency (of Takei Para [0056] last sentence) of the electric machine (of Ruprecht et al. Fig. 5).
Ruprecht et al., Ruppert, and Takei disclose shortening of lead wires therefore, Takei constitutes as prior art. Takei discloses neutral lead wires shortened such that their natural frequency is outside a frequency range of an operating frequency of a vehicle. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the free wire length of the wire end portion is shortened such that a natural frequency of the wire end portion is shifted outside of a frequency range of an operating frequency of the electric machine of structurally disclosed Ruprecht et al. and Takei for the purpose of preventing resonance fatigue and mechanical failure.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruprecht et al. in view of Ruppert and further in view of Adachi et al. (US 5682070 A).
Regarding Claim 10, Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose the stator according to claim 1.
Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert do not disclose:
wherein the wire end portion is bondingly connected to the limit portion and/or the supporting portion at the clamping location.
Adachi et al. discloses:
wherein the wire end portion is bondingly connected at the clamping location (Adachi et al. c. 18, l.15 – 18 disclose the lead wires 53as, 5ae can be welded after clamped together).
Ruprecht et al. and Adachi et al. structurally disclose:
wherein the wire end portion is bondingly connected (of Adachi et al. c. 18, l.15 – 18) to the limit portion and/or the supporting portion at the clamping location (of Ruprecht et al. Fig. 2a).
Ruprecht et al., Ruppert, and Adachi et al. disclose clamping conductor ends therefore, Adachi et al. constitute as prior art. Adachi et al. disclose lead wires and lead wire connection parts can be welding together after clamping. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the wire end portion is bondingly connected to the limit portion and/or the supporting portion at the clamping location of structurally disclosed Ruprecht et al. and Adachi et al. for the purpose securely and permanently connecting the wire end portions to the limit portion and/or supporting portion.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruprecht et al. in view of Ruppert and further in view of Chikaraishi et al. (US 20230119735 A1).
Regarding Claim 13, Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert disclose the stator according to claim 1.
Ruprecht et al. and Ruppert do not disclose:
wherein each of the plurality of the winding bodies have at least one fastening portion and the connector ring arrangement has a plurality of fastening receptacles,
and wherein the fastening portions are fixed in axial direction partially in a respective associated fastening receptacle to form an axial connection.
Chikaraishi et al. discloses:
wherein each of the plurality of the winding bodies (tooth covering parts 42) have at least one fastening portion (screw-boss parts 47) (Chikaraishi et al. Fig. 6) and the connector ring arrangement (busbar unit 36) has a plurality of fastening receptacles (second screw-boss parts 69) (Chikaraishi et al. Fig. 4),
and wherein the fastening portions are fixed in axial direction partially in a respective associated fastening receptacle to form an axial connection (Chikaraishi et al. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4).
Ruprecht et al., Ruppert, and Chikaraishi et al. disclose a connector ring therefore, Chikaraishi et al. constitutes as prior art. Chikaraishi et al. discloses a plurality of tooth insulators having screw boss parts and a busbar unit having second screw boss parts fastened together. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein each of the plurality of the winding bodies have at least one fastening portion and the connector ring arrangement has a plurality of fastening receptacles, and wherein the fastening portions are fixed in axial direction partially in a respective associated fastening receptacle to form an axial connection of Chikaraishi et al. for the purpose of axially securing the connector ring to the plurality of winding bodies.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 – 6 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.
Regarding Claim 3, the prior art discloses various stators with clamps to shorten a free-wire end. However, the structure in combination with previously recited features, having wherein the clamping location is arranged at more than 40% and less than 60% of the free wire length of the wire end portion is not disclosed/suggested in the prior art. Thus, the invention recited above is neither anticipated nor rendered obvious by the prior art.
Regarding Claims 4 – 6, they are dependent on claim 3 therefore, they are also objected.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THEODORE L PERKINS whose telephone number is (703)756-4629. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00am- 17:00pm.
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/THEODORE L PERKINS/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TERRANCE L KENERLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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