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 § 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 1-3, 25, 33, and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20220200401 A1 to Gohn et al.
Regarding claim 1, Gohn et al. discloses a motor comprising:
a rotor (Fig. 6: 140) including a rotor hub (142) and a magnetic structure (144) coupled to the rotor hub, wherein the magnetic structure is configured to provide an active surface (N-S), the active surface including a circular array (146) of radial magnetic poles of alternating polarity [0063];
a stator (120) comprising a non-segmented structure (124) including a set of teeth (126) and a set of slots (127) arranged between individual teeth of the set of teeth, wherein each tooth of the set of teeth has a surface over which a respective coil (128) is configured to be placed within adjacent slots of the tooth;
a set of coils (128) arranged within the set of slots (127) of the stator; and
a printed circuit board (150) electrically coupled to each of the coils in the set of coils [0071].
Regarding claim 2, Gohn et al. discloses the active surface is an outside diameter of the rotor [0061].
Regarding claim 3, Gohn et al. discloses the active surface is an inside diameter of the rotor [0061].
Regarding claim 25, Gohn et al. discloses the set of teeth of the stator comprises a set of straight teeth (Fig. 6: 126).
Regarding claim 33, Gohn et al. discloses the printed circuit board is configured to electrically couple groups of coils in the set of coils in series and/or parallel in a delta configuration or a wye configuration [0004].
Regarding claim 35, Gohn et al. discloses each of the coils includes a lead configured to be inserted into a corresponding radial slot in the printed circuit board [0071].
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.
Claims 4-10 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20220200401 A1 to Gohn et al. in view of CA 3052893 A1 to Nguyen et al.
Regarding claims 4-6 and 9, Gohn et al. discloses a motor as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claims 4-6 and 9.
Nguyen et al. teaches:
the magnetic structure includes a set of permanent magnets arranged around the rotor hub in a Halbach array (abstract).
the set of permanent magnets includes at least two types of magnets magnetized in different orientations, wherein the at least two types of magnets are arranged around the rotor in a repeating sequence (Fig. 7).
the set of permanent magnets includes at least five types of magnets magnetized in different orientations, wherein the at least five types of magnets are arranged around the rotor in a repeating sequence (Fig. 7).
the set of permanent magnets are arranged to form at least ten pole pairs (thirteen pole pairs).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the Halbach array as disclosed by Nguyen et al. to the motor disclosed by Gohn et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve the magnetic field.
Regarding claims 7-8, Gohn et al. and Nguyen et al. discloses a motor as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claims 7-8.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the set of permanent magnets comprises a set of sintered rare-earth magnets wherein the set of sintered rare-earth magnets includes a set of samarium-cobalt magnets or a set of NbFeB magnets, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
One would have been motivated to do so to optimize the magnetic field.
Regarding claim 10, Gohn et al. and Nguyen et al. discloses a motor as described above including the magnetic structure is configured to provide an active surface having a number of pole pairs.
However, it fails to disclose greater than X, where X is 2 *sqrt(diameter of active surface).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the magnetic structure is configured to provide an active surface having a number of pole pairs greater than X, where X is 2 *sqrt(diameter of active surface), since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
One would have been motivated to do so to optimize the magnetic field.
Regarding claim 27, Gohn et al. and Nguyen et al. discloses a motor as described above including each coil in the set of coils includes turns.
However, it fails to disclose each coil in the set of coils includes fifteen or fewer turns.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have each coil in the set of coils includes fifteen or fewer turns, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
One would have been motivated to do so to optimize the torque output.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20220200401 A1 to Gohn et al. in view of US 20220209633 A1 to Takahashi.
Regarding claim 11, Gohn et al. discloses a motor as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claim 11.
Takahashi teaches the magnetic structure includes a polar anisotropic ring magnet [0187].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the polar anisotropic ring magnet as disclosed by Takahashi to the motor disclosed by Gohn et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve the magnetic path.
Claims 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20220200401 A1 to Gohn et al. in view of US 20200389080 A1 to Haase et al.
Regarding claims 29-30, Gohn et al. discloses a motor as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claims 29-30.
Haase et al. teaches:
the set of coils includes a trapezoidal shaped coil and a straight coil [0059].
the set of coils includes trapezoidal shaped and straight coils alternating around a circumference of the stator [0059].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the coil configuration as disclosed by Haase et al. to the motor disclosed by Gohn et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve the coil placement.
Claim 32 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20220200401 A1 to Gohn et al. in view of US 20120299401 A1 to Prucher.
Regarding claim 32, Gohn et al. discloses a motor as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claim 32.
Prucher teaches an epoxy configured to pot the set of coils into the set of slots of the stator [0121].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the epoxy as disclosed by Prucher to the motor disclosed by Gohn et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve heat transfer properties.
Claims 39-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CA 3052893 A1 to Nguyen et al. in view of US 20220200401 A1 to Gohn et al.
Regarding claim 39, Nguyen et al. discloses a robot comprising:
a set of joints (Fig. 6: 402); and
a set of electric motors (100) associated with the set of joints (402), wherein the set of electric motors includes a first electric motor (100).
However, it fails to disclose a first electric motor comprising: a rotor including a rotor hub and a magnetic structure coupled to the rotor hub, wherein the magnetic structure is configured to provide an active surface, the active surface including a circular array of radial magnetic poles of alternating polarity; a stator comprising a non-segmented structure including a set of teeth and a set of slots arranged between individual teeth of the set of teeth, wherein each tooth of the set of teeth has a surface over which a respective coil is configured to be placed within adjacent slots of the tooth; a set of coils arranged within the set of slots of the stator; and a printed circuit board electrically coupled to each of the coils in the set of coils.
Gohn et al. teaches a first electric motor comprising:
a rotor (Fig. 6: 140) including a rotor hub (142) and a magnetic structure (144) coupled to the rotor hub, wherein the magnetic structure is configured to provide an active surface (N-S), the active surface including a circular array (146) of radial magnetic poles of alternating polarity [0063];
a stator (120) comprising a non-segmented structure (124) including a set of teeth (126) and a set of slots (127) arranged between individual teeth of the set of teeth, wherein each tooth of the set of teeth has a surface over which a respective coil (128) is configured to be placed within adjacent slots of the tooth;
a set of coils (128) arranged within the set of slots (127) of the stator; and
a printed circuit board (150) electrically coupled to each of the coils in the set of coils [0071].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the motor as disclosed by Gohn et al. to the robot disclosed by Nguyen et al.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve motor movements of the robot.
Regarding claim 40, Nguyen et al. discloses the magnetic structure includes a set of permanent magnets arranged around the rotor hub in a Halbach array (abstract).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VIET P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-9457. The examiner can normally be reached M, T, Th, F from 12pm-8pm.
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/VIET P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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