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 .
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.
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 1-16 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 Claim 1 (similarly in Claim 13), the applicant recites “the modular motor assembly defines a through bore passing through the motor and the motor controller.” A motor controller is understood in the art as an electronic device that regulates an electric motor’s speed, torque, direction, position, etc. The applicant provides no structure to describe such motor controller. Therefore, it is unclear how a motor controller “would define a through bore passing through the motor controller”.
Claims 2-12 & 14-16 are rejected based on the dependency from Claim 1 or 13.
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.
Claims 1-9 and 12-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Clendenen (US 2011/0068661).
Regarding Claim 1, Clendenen discloses a modular motor assembly [18] (FIG. 1-2, ¶ [0037]; The method and apparatus described herein facilitate manufacturing a compact motor controller 150, therefore minimizing an amount of space in motor assembly housing 18 (shown in FIG. 1) occupied by motor controller 150 and/or minimizing a height of motor assembly housing 18) comprising:
(a) a motor [12] including a rotor [30] rotatably coupled with a stator [26] (FIG. 1-2; ¶ [0017]; Motor 12 includes a stationary assembly 26 including a stator or core 28 and a rotatable assembly 30 including a permanent magnet rotor 32 and a shaft 34); and
(b) a motor controller [18] removably coupled to the motor [12] at a mating interface [54] (FIG. 1-2, ¶ [0017]; Motor controller 14 is configured to be positioned at least partially within an end cap 16. A motor assembly housing 18 includes end cap 16 and a housing shell 20), wherein:
(c) the modular motor assembly [18] defines a through bore passing through the motor [b1 – through bore in 26] and the motor controller [b2 – through bore in 18] (FIG. 2), and
(d) the through bore [b1-b2] is configured to transfer torque to a removable shaft [34] inserted into the through bore (FIG. 1, [0017]; Motor 12 includes a stationary assembly 26 including a stator or core 28 and a rotatable assembly 30 including a permanent magnet rotor 32 and a shaft 34. A fan (not shown) or other device to be driven such as means for moving air through an air handling system engages shaft 34).
Regarding Claim 2, Clendenen discloses the modular motor assembly of claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1], wherein:
the modular motor assembly [18] includes an electrical pathway between a source of electricity and a load in the motor [12] (FIG. 1-2, ¶ [0021]; A wiring harness 90 and a connector 92 are utilized to connect motor assembly 10 to an electrical power source); and
decoupling the motor controller from the motor [12] at the mating interface [54] disrupts the electrical pathway (FIG. 1 shows the assembly decoupled).
Regarding Claim 3, Clendenen discloses the modular motor assembly of claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1], wherein the motor controller further comprises:
a set of power wires for providing electricity to the modular motor assembly [18] from the source of electricity (FIG. 1-2, ¶ [0021]; A wiring harness 90 and a connector 92 are utilized to connect motor assembly 10 to an electrical power source).
Regarding Claim 4, Clendenen discloses the modular motor assembly of claim 3 [see rejected Claim 3],
wherein the set of power wires [wires shown for 91 and 66] for providing the electricity consists of a positive wire and a negative wire (FIG. 1, ¶ [0020]; induction motor 12, integrated induction motor and motor control unit assembly 10 may include any suitable type of electric motor including, but not limited to, induction motor 12, a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, an electronically commutated motor (ECM), a brushless alternating current (BLAC) motor, or a stepper motor. Any BLDC, ECM or BLAC or a stepper motor operate with negative and positive current and therefore, the wires shown for 91 and 66 comprises both positive and negative wires).
Regarding Claim 5, Clendenen discloses the modular motor assembly of claim 3 [see rejected Claim 3],
wherein the electrical pathway extends from the set of power wires [wires shown coupled to 66] to a detachable coupling [66] at the mating interface [54] and then to the load in the motor [12] (FIG. 2, [0018]; Motor controller 14 is connected to winding stages 62 of stationary assembly 26 by interconnecting a winding end turn connector 66 and a motor control unit connector 68. Motor controller 14 applies a voltage to one or more of winding stages 62 at a time for commutating winding stages 62 in a preselected sequence to rotate rotatable assembly 30 about an axis of rotation).
Regarding Claim 6, Clendenen discloses the modular motor assembly of claim 5 [see rejected Claim 5],
wherein the load in the motor [12] comprises the coils [62] of conductive wire (FIG. 2).
Regarding Claim 7, Clendenen discloses the modular motor assembly of claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1],
wherein the motor controller [18 – refer to element “b” above] further comprises a circuit board including hardware for controlling the motor [12] (FIG. 2, [0018]; Motor controller 14 includes a plurality of electronic components 58 and a connector (not shown) mounted on a component board 60, for example, a printed circuit board).
Regarding Claim 8, Clendenen discloses the modular motor assembly of claim 7 [see rejected Claim 7],
wherein the motor controller [18 – refer to element “b” above] further comprises at least one of a set of data ports and a set of data wires coupled to the circuit board (¶ [0024]; Second circuit board 162 includes a second plurality of electrical components 220 electrically coupled by leads and/or traces (not shown in FIG. 4) included within second circuit board 162).
Regarding Claim 9, Clendenen discloses the modular motor assembly of claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1],
wherein the through bore [b1-b2] is further configured to self-center the keyed shaft inserted into the through bore (FIG. 2 shows “the through bore is further configured to self-center the keyed shaft inserted into the through bore”).
Regarding Claim 12, Clendenen discloses the modular motor assembly of claim 1 [see rejected Claim 1],
wherein the motor is an external rotor motor (Claim 17; An electric motor and motor controller assembly).
Regarding Claim 13, Clendenen discloses a motor controller [18] (FIG. 1-2) comprising:
a housing [40], wherein the housing [40] comprises a mating interface [16] that includes an electrical connection configured to power a motor [12] coupled to the motor controller [14] at the mating interface [54] (FIG. 1-2, ¶ [0018]; Motor controller 14 applies a voltage to one or more of winding stages 62 at a time for commutating winding stages 62 in a preselected sequence to rotate rotatable assembly 30 about an axis of rotation);
a circuit board [printed circuit board] disposed within the housing [40], the circuit board including hardware for controlling the motor coupled to the motor controller (FIG. 2, [0018]; Motor controller 14 includes a plurality of electronic components 58 and a connector (not shown) mounted on a component board 60, for example, a printed circuit board); and
a through bore [b1-b2 – refer to rejected Claim 1, element “c” above] passing through the mating interface [54] and a surface of the housing [40] opposing the mating interface [54], the through bore configured to align with a through bore passing through the motor [12] coupled to the mating interface [54] (FIG. 2).
Regarding Claim 14, Clendenen discloses the motor controller of claim 13 [see rejected Claim 13], further comprising:
a set of electrical lines [electrical lines for 66] for providing electricity to the electrical connection at the mating interface [54] (FIG. 1-2, ¶ [0021]; A wiring harness 90 and a connector 92 are utilized to connect motor assembly 10 to an electrical power source).
Regarding Claim 15, Clendenen discloses the motor controller of claim 14 [see rejected Claim 14],
wherein the set of electrical lines for providing the electricity consists of a positive wire and a negative wire (FIG. 1, ¶ [0020]; induction motor 12, integrated induction motor and motor control unit assembly 10 may include any suitable type of electric motor including, but not limited to, induction motor 12, a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, an electronically commutated motor (ECM), a brushless alternating current (BLAC) motor, or a stepper motor. Any BLDC, ECM or BLAC or a stepper motor operate with negative and positive current and therefore, the wires shown for 91 and 66 comprises both positive and negative wires).
Regarding Claim 16, Clendenen discloses the motor controller of claim 13 [see rejected Claim 13],
wherein the motor controller further comprises at least one of a set of data ports and a set of data wires coupled to the circuit board (¶ [0024]; Second circuit board 162 includes a second plurality of electrical components 220 electrically coupled by leads and/or traces (not shown in FIG. 4) included within second circuit board 162).
Regarding Claim 17, Clendenen discloses a motor [12] (FIG. 1-2) comprising:
a rotor [30] rotatably coupled with a stator [26], wherein the stator [26] is electrically coupled to an electrical connection at a mating interface [52] at an end of the motor [12] (FIG. 1-2, ¶ [0018]; Motor controller 14 applies a voltage to one or more of winding stages 62 at a time for commutating winding stages 62 in a preselected sequence to rotate rotatable assembly 30 about an axis of rotation); and
a through bore [b1-b2] passing through the rotor [30] and the stator [26] (FIG. 1-2), wherein:
the through bore [b1-b2] is aligned coaxially with an axis of rotation of the rotor [30] (FIG. 1); and
the through bore [b1-b2] is configured to transfer torque to a removable shaft [34] inserted into the through bore [b1-b2] when the stator receives electricity from the electrical connection (FIG. 1-2, ¶ [0018]; Motor controller 14 applies a voltage to one or more of winding stages 62 at a time for commutating winding stages 62 in a preselected sequence to rotate rotatable assembly 30 about an axis of rotation).
Regarding Claim 18, Clendenen discloses the motor of claim 17 [see rejected Claim 17],
wherein the electrical connection is configured to receive the electricity from a motor controller coupled to the motor [12] at the mating interface (FIG. 2, [0018]; Motor controller 14 is connected to winding stages 62 of stationary assembly 26 by interconnecting a winding end turn connector 66 and a motor control unit connector 68. Motor controller 14 applies a voltage to one or more of winding stages 62 at a time for commutating winding stages 62 in a preselected sequence to rotate rotatable assembly 30 about an axis of rotation.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-11 & 19-20 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH ORTEGA whose telephone number is (469)295-9083. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TULSIDAS C. PATEL can be reached at (571)272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSEPH ORTEGA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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