DETAILED ACTION
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 17 July 2026. In view of this communication, claims 1-20 are now pending in the application, with claims 8-20 being withdrawn from further consideration.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, corresponding to claims 1-7, in the reply filed on 17 July 2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) submitted on 04 December 2025 was/were filed before mailing of the first action on the merits. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Disclosure
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 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(s) 1-2 and 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Iersel et al. (US 2023/0053415 A1), hereinafter referred to as “Van Iersel”, in view of Hayashi (JP 2015-132360 A), hereinafter referred to as “Hayashi”.
Regarding claim 1, Van Iersel discloses an in-wheel electric motor [100] (fig. 3-4; ¶ 0110), comprising:
a stator [102] (fig. 3; ¶ 0096, 0110);
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a rotor [110] circumscribing the stator [102], the rotor [110] configured to rotate relative to the stator [102] (fig. 3; ¶ 0093, 0110); and
a raceway bearing assembly [114] located between the rotor [110] and the stator [102] (fig. 3-4; ¶ 0114), the raceway bearing assembly [114] including:
a first inner race [404] mounted on the stator [102] (fig. 4; ¶ 0114-0116);
a second inner race [406] mounted on the stator [102] (fig. 4; ¶ 0114-0116);
an outer race [408] mounted on the rotor [110], the outer race [408] spaced apart from the first inner race [404] and second inner race [406] (fig. 4; ¶ 0114-0116); and
a plurality of balls [416,418] located between the first inner race [404], the second inner race [406], and the outer race [408] (fig. 4; ¶ 0115-0116).
Van Iersel does not disclose the raceway bearing assembly having first and second inner and outer race wires.
Hayashi discloses a raceway bearing assembly (fig. 3; ¶ 0062-0063) including a first inner race wire [262], a second inner race wire [264], the second inner race wire [264] spaced apart from the first inner race wire [262] (fig. 3; ¶ 0064-0065);
a first outer race wire [221], the first outer race wire [221] spaced apart from the first inner race wire [262] and second inner race wire [264] (fig. 3; ¶ 0066-0067);
a second outer race wire [222], the second outer race wire [222] spaced apart from the first inner race wire [262], the second inner race wire [264], and the first outer race wire [221] (fig. 3; ¶ 0066-0067); and
a plurality of balls [205] located between the first inner race wire [262], the second inner race wire [264], the first outer race wire [221], and the second outer race wire [222] (fig. 3; ¶ 0062-0063, 0068-0070).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the raceway bearing assembly of Van Iersel having the structure, including first and second inner and outer race wires, as taught by Hayashi, in order to allow for easy adjustment of the bearing internal clearances thereby improving rolling performance and increasing the lifespan of the bearing (¶ 0005-0008 of Hayashi).
Regarding claim 2, Van Iersel, in view of Hayashi, discloses the in-wheel electric motor of claim 1, as stated above, wherein Hayashi further discloses that the first inner race wire [262] and the second inner race wire [264] collectively form an inner raceway (fig. 3; ¶ 0064-0065), wherein the first outer race wire [221] and the second outer race wire [222] collectively form an outer raceway (fig. 3; ¶ 0066-0067), and wherein respective ones of the plurality of balls [205] are located between the inner raceway and the outer raceway (fig. 3; ¶ 0062-0063, 0068-0070).
Van Iersel discloses the inner raceway mounted on the stator [102] and the outer raceway mounted on the rotor [110], respectively (fig. 3-4; ¶ 0114-0116).
Regarding claim 4, Van Iersel, in view of Hayashi, discloses the in-wheel electric motor of claim 1, as stated above, further comprising a bearing seal [410] located between the rotor [110] and the stator [102] at a position that is axially outward from the raceway bearing assembly (fig. 3-4; ¶ 0117).
Regarding claim 5, Van Iersel, in view of Hayashi, discloses the in-wheel electric motor of claim 1, as stated above, wherein Hayashi further discloses that the first inner race wire [262], the second inner race wire [264], the first outer race wire [221], and the second outer race wire [222] are collectively arranged to distribute radial loads and axial loads evenly (fig. 3; the equally spaced around the circumference of the balls, producing an equal distribution of the loads).
Claim(s) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Iersel and Hayashi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Schluter et al. (US 3,482,892), hereinafter referred to as “Schluter”.
Regarding claim 6, Van Iersel, in view of Hayashi, discloses the in-wheel electric motor of claim 1, as stated above. Hayashi does not disclose that the first inner race wire [262], the second inner race wire [264], the first outer race wire [221], and the second outer race wire [222] are collectively arranged to distribute radial loads and axial loads in a manner that favors the axial loads (fig. 3; the equally spaced around the circumference of the balls, producing an equal distribution of the loads).
Schluter discloses a raceway bearing assembly comprising a first inner race wire [6] and a second inner race wire [7] forming an inner raceway [1], a first outer race wire [9] and a second outer race wire [10] forming an outer raceway [2], and a plurality of balls [4] located between the inner and outer raceways [1,2] (fig. 2-4; col. 3, lines 15-43),
wherein the first inner race wire [6], the second inner race wire [7], the first outer race wire [9], and the second outer race wire [10] are collectively arranged to distribute radial loads and axial loads in a manner that favors the axial loads (fig. 3; col. 3, lines 43-48; the wires are unevenly spaced and concentrated towards the axial direction).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the raceway bearing assembly of Van Iersel/Hayashi having unevenly spaced race wires that favor axial loads as taught by Schluter, in order to avoid the development of excessive forces which could lead to deformation of the ball races, to excessive clearance of the bearing balls, or even to destruction of the ball races(col. 2, lines 15-33 of Schluter).
Regarding claim 7, Van Iersel, in view of Hayashi, discloses the in-wheel electric motor of claim 1, as stated above. Hayashi does not disclose that the first inner race wire [262], the second inner race wire [264], the first outer race wire [221], and the second outer race wire [222] are collectively arranged to distribute radial loads and axial loads in a manner that favors the radial loads (fig. 3; the equally spaced around the circumference of the balls, producing an equal distribution of the loads).
Schluter discloses a raceway bearing assembly comprising a first inner race wire [6] and a second inner race wire [7] forming an inner raceway [1], a first outer race wire [9] and a second outer race wire [10] forming an outer raceway [2], and a plurality of balls [4] located between the inner and outer raceways [1,2] (fig. 2-4; col. 3, lines 15-43),
wherein the first inner race wire [6], the second inner race wire [7], the first outer race wire [9], and the second outer race wire [10] are collectively arranged to distribute radial loads and axial loads in a manner that favors the axial loads (fig. 3; col. 3, lines 43-48; the wires are unevenly spaced and concentrated towards the axial direction).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the raceway bearing assembly of Van Iersel/Hayashi having unevenly spaced race wires that favor radial loads as taught by Schluter, in order to avoid the development of excessive forces which could lead to deformation of the ball races, to excessive clearance of the bearing balls, or even to destruction of the ball races(col. 2, lines 15-33 of Schluter).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 3 is/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:
Regarding claim 3, and all claims dependent thereon, the prior art does not disclose, inter alia, the in-wheel electric motor of claim 1, as stated above, wherein the stator includes a heatsink and a seal plate, wherein the seal plate is located axially outward from the heatsink, wherein the first inner race wire is mounted on the heatsink and the second inner race wire is mounted on the seal plate.
While the prior art discloses various arrangements of raceway bearing assemblies having first and second inner and outer race wires disposed between the rotor and the stator of an in-wheel electric motor, it does not disclose the mounting arrangement of the inner race wires recited in claim 3 and shown in figure 7 of the application. Specifically, the prior art does not disclose one inner race wire mounted on a heat sink of the stator and another inner race wire mounted on a seal plate of the stator. As such, the prior art neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed invention.
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.”
Citation of Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Prior art:
Dondaine et al. (US 2021/0190143 A1) discloses a raceway bearing assembly comprising inner and outer race wires with rollers in between, and seals located on both sides of the bearing assembly.
Yada et al. (US 2021/0075289 A1) discloses an in-wheel electric motor comprising a raceway bearing assembly comprising inner and outer races with balls in between, and the stationary race comprising a two-piece structure.
Schmude et al. (US 3,478,402) discloses a raceway bearing assembly comprising first and second inner and outer race wires with rollers in between, the first and second outer race wires are mounted on different annular sections of an outer ring.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael Andrews whose telephone number is (571)270-7554. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-3:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Oluseye 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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/Michael Andrews/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights