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 . This Office Action is responsive to the Applicant' s communication filed January 16, 2025. In view of this communication, claims 1-6 are now pending in the application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 16, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 2-4, and 6 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 2, the limitation “an end face” is recited in line 2. It is unclear whether this “an end face” is the same limitation as “an end face” recited in line 4 of claim 1, or a separate limitation. For the purpose of examination, this limitation is being interpreted as “the end face”.
Claim 3 is rejected due to dependence on claim 2.
Regarding Claim 4, the limitation “the pillar” is recited in line 2. It is unclear whether this limitation is the same limitation as “the at least two pillars” recited in line 4 of claim 1, or a separate limitation. For the purpose of examination, this limitation is being interpreted as “the at least two pillars”.
Claim 6 is rejected due to dependence on claim 4.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the same height" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the other end" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mayashita et al. (US 20100079014 A1, hereafter referred to as Mayashita).
Regarding Claim 1, Mayashita discloses (see Figures 1 and 3) a stator (3, ¶ [0031]) comprising:
a core (21, ¶ [0032]);
a plurality of coils (23, ¶ [0032]) wound around the core (21, ¶ [0032]);
a housing (113, ¶ [0041]) having at least two pillars (133A, ¶ [0041]) abutting against an end face of the core (21, ¶ [0032]) (133d, ¶ [0041]: “If the bracket assembly 113 according to the embodiment is used, the plurality of plate-like heat-conducting members 133A are warped radially outwardly of the shaft 17 in the process of causing the stator core 21 to contact the stopper surface 133d, thereby facilitating the assembly of the heat-conducting member 133 and the stator core 21.”) and a bridge (Annotated Figure 3) connecting the at least two pillars (133A, ¶ [0041]) to each other; and
a resin (35, ¶ [0032]) covering the core (21, ¶ [0032]), the plurality of coils (23, ¶ [0032]), and the housing (113, ¶ [0041]) (¶ [0032]: “The molded portion 35 is made of a thermosetting insulating resin, and covers a part of the stator core 21 and the plurality of winding portions 23.”).
PNG
media_image1.png
376
454
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
463
445
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding Claim 2/1, Mayashita has been discussed above.
Additionally, Mayashita discloses (see Figure 1 above) a hole for resin (31c, ¶ [0035]) is formed in an end face of the housing (113, ¶ [0041]), and the hole for resin (31c, ¶ [0035]) is filled with the resin (¶ [0035]: “A resin injection port 31c shown in FIG. 1 is formed between each two adjacent mounting holes 31a.”).
Regarding Claim 3/2/1, Mayashita has been discussed above.
Additionally, Mayashita discloses (see Figure 1 above) that the hole for resin (31c, ¶ [0035]) is formed at a position corresponding to a space between coils (23, ¶ [0032]) of the plurality of coils (23, ¶ [0032]) (¶ [0039]: “If the resin is injected in this way, a part of the injected resin flows from an area surrounded by the base portion 33b through a slot between each two adjacent magnetic poles 27 to an area adjacent to the non-load-side end bracket 15.”).
Regarding Claim 4/1, Mayashita has been discussed above.
Additionally, Mayashita discloses (see Figure 3 above) wherein the pillar (133A, ¶ [0041]) has an inclined surface along a direction from an outer surface of the pillar (133A, ¶ [0041]) toward a central axis of the core (21, ¶ [0032]) (see Figure 3, pillars 133A have a convex surface, bending towards the central axis of the core).
Regarding Claim 5/1, Mayashita has been discussed above.
Additionally, Mayashita discloses (see Figure 3 above) wherein the bridge (Annotated Figure 3) has an inclined surface along a direction from an outer surface of the bridge (Annotated Figure 3) toward the plurality of coils (23, ¶ [0032]) (see Figure 3, the bridges have a convex surface, bending towards the coils).
Regarding Claim 6/4/1, Mayashita has been discussed above.
Additionally, Mayashita discloses (see Figure 3) that one end of the inclined surface (133A, ¶ [0041]) is disposed at the same height as a height of an outer peripheral surface of the core (21, ¶ [0032]) (¶ [0041]: “The plate-like heat-conducting members 133A are disposed at intervals along an outer peripheral surface 21b of the stator core 21.”), and the other end facing the one end is disposed on an inner side of the outer peripheral surface of the core (21, ¶ [0032]) (¶ [0041]: “If the bracket assembly 113 according to the embodiment is used, the plurality of plate-like heat-conducting members 133A are warped radially outwardly of the shaft 17 in the process of causing the stator core 21 to contact the stopper surface 133d, thereby facilitating the assembly of the heat-conducting member 133 and the stator core 21.”).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tamaki et al. (US 9369010 B2) discloses relevant prior art in Figures 1-4.
Nadeau et al. (US 20140084739 A1) discloses relevant prior art in Figures 1, 7, and 34.
Tang et al. (US 20130076160 A1) discloses relevant prior art in Figures 1-20.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLIE FRANK MANN whose telephone number is (703)756-1275. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 4:30PM PST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/C.F.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights