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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 5-7, filed 07/22/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 8-13 under 103 respectively have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Hatfield et al. (US PG 2022/0320960).
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.
Claim(s) 8-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oktavec et al. (US PG Pub 2017/0110946) in view of Hatfield et al. (US PG 2022/0320960) and Horizumi (US PG Pub 20160336831).
As to independent claim 8, Oktavec et al. teaches an electric motor assembly comprising: a circuit board (34); a rotor assembly (72) ; a stator assembly (70) having a first end coupled to the circuit board (34) and a second end opposite the first end, the stator assembly (70) including a stator body having a plurality of teeth (82), windings (86) wrapped about the stator body to form a plurality of coils, and the terminal (104) and electrically connect the windings (86) to the circuit board (34) as shown in figures 12, 13, 33A, 38.
However Oktavec et al. teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except a terminal coupled to an outer periphery of the stator body and extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end and being coupled to the circuit board at the first end and being coupled to the windings at the second end and a heat sink positioned between the stator assembly and the circuit board, wherein the heat sink is in thermal contact with the circuit board.
Hatfield teaches a terminal (502) coupled to an outer periphery of the stator body 240) and extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end and being coupled to the circuit board (214) at the first end and being coupled to the windings (232) at the second end as shown in figures 2A-2C, 3A-3C and 5C-5H, for the advantageous benefit of increasing the durability and reliability of a power tool.
Horizumi teaches a heat sink (15) positioned between the stator assembly (13) and the circuit board (18), wherein the heat sink (15) is in thermal contact with the circuit board (18) as shown in figure 1, for the advantageous benefit of radiating heat outside of the control circuit board.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Oktavec et al. by using a terminal coupled to an outer periphery of the stator body and extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end and being coupled to the circuit board at the first end and being coupled to the windings at the second end and a heat sink positioned between the stator assembly and the circuit board, wherein the heat sink is in thermal contact with the circuit board, as taught by Hatfield et al. and Horizumi, to increase the durability and reliability of a power tool and radiates heat outside of the control circuit board.
As to claim 9/8, Oktavec et al. teaches wherein the terminal (104) is secured to an attachment member (108) , and wherein the attachment member (108) is secured to the outer periphery of the stator body as shown in figures 12, 13, 33A, 38.
As to claim 10/9, Oktavec et al. teaches wherein the stator body includes an insulator member (92, 94) having a retaining wall that engages the attachment member (108) to secure the attachment member (108) to the stator body as shown in figures 12, 13, 33A, 38.
As to claim 11/9, Oktavec et al. teaches wherein the terminal (104) is insert molded to the attachment member (108) as shown in figures 12, 13, 33A, 38.
As to claim 12/11, Oktavec et al. teaches wherein the attachment member (108) is insert molded to the stator body as shown in figures 12, 13, 33A, 38. .
As to claim 13/8, Oktavec et al. in view of Hatfield et al. and Horizumi teaches the claimed limitation as discussed above except being coupled to the circuit board at the first end and being coupled to the windings at the second end and wherein the heat sink includes an end wall that defines a bearing pocket in which a bearing is received to rotatably support the rotor assembly
However Horizumi teaches the heat sink (15a) includes an end wall that defines a bearing pocket (see figure 1) in which a bearing (17) is received to rotatably support the rotor assembly (12) as shown in figure 1, for the advantageous benefit of providing an electric motor and a method for manufacturing the electric motor, according to which it is possible to easily and surely check, during an assembling process of the electric motor.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify Oktavec et al. in view of Hatfield et al. and Horizumi by using the heat sink includes an end wall that defines a bearing pocket in which a bearing is received to rotatably support the rotor assembly, as taught by Horizumi, to provide electric motor and a method for manufacturing the electric motor, according to which it is possible to easily and surely check, during an assembling process of the electric motor.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 is allowed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE A GONZALEZ QUINONES whose telephone number is (571)270-7850. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:30-2:30 EST.
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/JOSE A GONZALEZ QUINONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834 September 14, 2026
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