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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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 1-6 and 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miyaki et al. (WO 2013/154054 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Miyaki discloses a motor (1) comprising:
a cylindrical stator core (10);
a coil (12) disposed in the stator core (10);
a busbar (30U, V, W, J, N) configured to be connected to one end of the coil (12) that protrudes beyond an end face of the stator core (10), the busbar (30U, V, W, J, N) including a connecting portion (35 U,V, W) connected to the one end of the coil (12) from outside in a radial direction (FIG. 2);
at least one busbar holder (51) configured to hold the busbar (30U, V, W, J, N) and located radially outward of the one end of the coil (12; FIG. 2); and
a housing (2) configured to hold the stator core (10) and the at least one busbar holder (51) from outside in the radial direction (FIG. 1), wherein the connecting portion (35 U,V, W) extends from the busbar holder (51).
Regarding claim 2/1, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 1. Miyaki further discloses the housing (2) has a recess (enlarged portion 92) that accommodates at least part of the busbar holder (51), and the busbar holder (51) is in contact with the housing (2) from inside in the radial direction in the recess (92; FIG. 1).
Regarding claim 3/2, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 2. Miyaki further discloses the busbar holder (51) is in contact with the housing (2) on at least one side in an axial direction (contact with portion 92a) in the recess (92; FIG. 1).
Regarding claim 4/2, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 2. Miyaki further discloses the busbar holder (51) is in contact with the housing (2) on at least one side in a circumferential direction in the recess (92; FIG. 2 the holder has recess 56 which contacts the housing in a circumferential direction).
Regarding claim 5/4, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 4. Miyaki further discloses the housing (2) holds the stator core (10) and the busbar holder (51) by an interference fit (stator core and holder are fitted to the housing).
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Regarding claim 8/1, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 1. Miyaki further discloses the busbar (30U, V, W, J, N) is a busbar configured to electrically connect an external connection terminal (39U, V, W, 35N) of the motor (1) and the one end of the coil (12).
Regarding claim 9/8, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 8. Miyaki further discloses the motor (1) is a three-phase motor (U, V, W phase), the external connection terminal is a U-phase external connection terminal (39U), a V-phase external connection terminal (39V), or a W-phase external connection terminal (39W), and the one end of the coil (12) is one end on an input and output side of a U-phase coil, a V-phase coil, or a W-phase coil (power feeding portion 39U, V, W; FIG. 14).
Regarding claim 10/8, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 8. Miyaki further discloses the motor (1) is a three-phase motor (U, V, W phase), the external connection terminal (39U, V, W, 35N) is a neutral point external connection terminal (35N), and the one end of the coil (12) is an end on a neutral point side of a U-phase coil, a V-phase coil, or a W-phase coil (FIG. 14).
Regarding claim 11/1, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 1. Miyaki further discloses the motor (1) is a three-phase motor (U, V, W phase), and the busbar (30U, V, W, J, N) is a neutral point busbar that is configured to electrically connect the one end of the coil and one end of another coil and that constitutes a neutral point.
Regarding claim 12/1, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 1. Miyaki further discloses the busbar holder (51) holds a plurality of busbars including the busbar (30U, V, W, J, N).
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 (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.
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.
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyaki et al. (WO 2013/154054 A1) in view of Inoo et al. (JP 2014-064361 A).
Regarding claim 6/1, Miyaki was discussed above in claim 1. Miyaki further discloses the busbar (30U, V, W, J, N) includes an extending portion (31U, V, W, J, N) extending in a circumferential direction (FIG. 6).
Miyaki does not disclose the at least one busbar holder includes a plurality of busbar holders that holds the extending portion of the busbar and that is held by the housing from outside in the radial direction.
Inoo discloses the at least one busbar holder (25, 40) includes a plurality of busbar holders (25, 40) that holds the extending portion (FIG. 4) of the busbar (21-23) and that is held by the housing (4) from outside in the radial direction (FIG. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to have modified Miyaki in view of Inoo to disclose the at least one busbar holder includes a plurality of busbar holders that holds the extending portion of the busbar and that is held by the housing from outside in the radial direction, allowing the bus bars to be secured within the space radially outside the stator coils.
Regarding claim 7/6, Miyaki in view of Inoo was discussed above in claim 6. Inoo further discloses the busbar holders (25, 40) are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (FIG. 4).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINKI CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-0521. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Seye 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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/MINKI CHANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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