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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 17 January 2025 and 05 November 2025 have been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the features of claim 3 of “the end cavity comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are arranged along the axial direction of the motor, wherein the first end comprises a first diameter greater than a second diameter of the second end, and wherein the first end is adjacent to the stator cavity” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). According to published specification ¶[0072], Fig.5 shows “…a diameter of the draft angle section 4231 gradually decreases from the one end of the draft angle section 4231 to the other end of the draft angle section 4231”. This suggests a first end corresponding to transition fillet section 4232 that is adjacent the stator cavity 422 has a smaller first diameter than a second diameter of a second end corresponding to the draft angle section 4231. No new matter should be entered.
The features “a first distance between the second inner wall and the bolt hole” and “ a second distance between the first inner wall and an outer surface of the motor housing” (claims 5 & 15; Figs.4-5) are not clearly shown in the drawings.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The features “a first distance between the second inner wall and the bolt hole” and “ a second distance between the first inner wall and an outer surface of the motor housing” (claims 5 & 15) do not have a reference number in the specification.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 3-10 & 13-17 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.
In claims 3 & 13, “…wherein the first end comprises a first diameter greater than a second diameter of the second end, and wherein the first end is adjacent to the stator cavity” is indefinite. The published specification ¶[0072] & Fig.5 teach “…a diameter of the draft angle section 4231 gradually decreases from the one end of the draft angle section 4231 to the other end of the draft angle section 4231”. This suggests a first end corresponding to transition fillet section 4232 that is adjacent the stator cavity 422 has a diameter smaller than diameter of a second end corresponding to the draft angle section 4231.
In claims 4 and 14, “a third length of the end cavity” is vague and indefinite. In context, it is unclear what structure “a third length of the end cavity” refers to. Also, “a first projection of the motor stator is located in a second projection of the stator cavity” is vague, indefinite and lacks structural context.
In claims 5 & 15, “wherein along the radial direction of the motor, a first projection of the bolt hole is located in a second projection of the end cavity…” is vague and not idiomatic. It is unclear in what sense a bolt hole comprises a “first projection”.
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.
(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) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ishikawa et al. (US 7,952,246).
Regarding claim 1, Ishikawa teaches a motor comprising: a motor stator 63 comprising a second length; and a motor housing 67 comprising:
a motor accommodating cavity (defined by inner surface of housing cylinder 77) penetrating the motor housing along an axial direction of the motor, wherein the motor accommodating cavity is configured to fasten the motor stator, wherein the motor accommodating cavity 77 comprises:
a stator cavity (part of housing cylinder 77) comprising a first length, a first inner diameter, and a first inner wall (including shrink-fitting surfaces 105); and an end cavity (at opening 81, with inner circumferential surface 95) comprising a second inner diameter and a second inner wall 95, wherein the stator cavity and the end cavity are arranged adjacent to each other (Fig.4),
wherein along the axial direction of the motor, the first length (of stator cavity) is greater than or equal to the second length (of stator; Fig.8), wherein along a radial direction of the motor, the second inner diameter (of inner circumferential surface 95) is greater than the first inner diameter (Fig.4),
wherein the second inner wall 95 is a rough surface, and wherein the first inner wall is a machined surface (i.e., the inner circumferential surface 95 is a mill-scale surface whereas the first inner wall including shrink-fitting surfaces 105 are machined; c.1:39-51; c.7:49-50; c.9:12-17; Figs.4,7&8).
PNG
media_image1.png
571
668
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
568
707
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
568
625
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, a first surface roughness of the rough surface (i.e., a mill-scale surface) is greater than a second surface roughness of the machined surface (inherent), or wherein a first density of the rough surface is greater than a second density of the machined surface (inherent).
Regarding claim 3, as best understood, the end cavity (at opening 81, with inner circumferential surface 95) comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are arranged along the axial direction of the motor, “wherein the first end comprises a first diameter greater than a second diameter of the second end” [sic] (i.e., inner surface of cylinder 77 has an inclination/draft angle; c.7:41-45), and wherein the first end is adjacent to the stator cavity (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 4, as best understood, along the axial direction of the motor, a third length of the end cavity is less than the first length (of stator cavity), and the third length is less than the second length (of stator), and wherein along the radial direction of the motor, a first projection of the motor stator 63 is located in a second projection (convex portion) 75 of the stator cavity (Fig.8).
Regarding claim 5, a motor end cover (second housing) 15, wherein the motor housing further comprises a bolt hole (not numbered; in flange 61) configured to fasten the motor housing 67 and the motor end cover 15 (with housing bolts 53), wherein along the radial direction of the motor, a first projection of the bolt hole is located in a second projection of the end cavity (i.e., in case flange 87), and wherein along the radial direction of the motor, a first distance between the second inner wall 95 and the bolt hole is greater than a second distance between the first inner wall and an outer surface of the motor housing (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 6, the mounting holes 88 are threaded holes (c.7:34; Fig.1) for housing bolts 53, which necessarily implies the hole wall is a machined surface.
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 11-16 & 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Skalski (US 10,717,401) in view of Ishikawa.
Regarding claim 11, Skalski teaches a powertrain 10 comprising: a motor 22 comprising:
a motor stator 62 comprising a second length; and a motor housing 60 comprising:
a motor accommodating cavity (not numbered) penetrating the motor housing along an axial direction of the motor, wherein the motor accommodating cavity is configured to fasten the motor stator, wherein the motor accommodating cavity comprises: a stator cavity comprising a first length, a first inner diameter, and a first inner wall (not numbered); and
an end cavity (not numbered; at open end of housing 60) comprising a second inner diameter and a second inner wall (not numbered; Fig.2),
wherein the stator cavity and the end cavity are arranged adjacent to each other, wherein along the axial direction of the motor, the first length (of stator cavity) is greater than or equal to the second length (of stator 62; Fig.2), wherein along a radial direction of the motor, the second inner diameter (of end cavity) is greater than the first inner diameter (of stator cavity; Fig.4)…,
a three-phase input copper bar comprising three input copper bars (bus bars) 66 sequentially spaced from each other along a circumferential direction of the motor; and
a motor controller (inverter) 54 electrically connected to the motor winding through the three-phase input copper bar (via terminal block 58; Fig.4).
PNG
media_image4.png
734
622
media_image4.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image5.png
683
549
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Skalski does not teach the second inner wall is a rough surface and the first inner wall is a machined surface.
But, Ishikawa teaches a motor comprising a motor stator 63 comprising a stator cavity (part of housing cylinder 77) comprising a first length, a first inner diameter, and a first inner wall (including shrink-fitting surfaces 105); and an end cavity (at opening 81, with inner circumferential surface 95) comprising a second inner diameter and a second inner wall 95, wherein the stator cavity and the end cavity are arranged adjacent to each other (Fig.4), wherein the second inner wall 95 is a rough surface, and wherein the first inner wall is a machined surface (i.e., the inner circumferential surface 95 is a mill-scale surface whereas the first inner wall including shrink-fitting surfaces 105 are machined; c.1:39-51; c.7:49-50; c.9:12-17; Figs.4,7&8). This construction improves productivity and reduces production costs while maintaining dimensional accuracy on portions that require it, such as the shrink-fitting surfaces (c.1:39-43; c.8:28-32).
Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to configure Skalski’s second inner wall as a rough surface and the first inner wall as a machined surface since Ishikawa teaches this construction would have improved productivity and reduced production costs while maintaining dimensional accuracy on portions that required it.
Regarding claim 12, in Ishikawa a first surface roughness of the rough surface (i.e., a mill-scale surface) is greater than a second surface roughness of the machined surface (inherent), or wherein a first density of the rough surface is greater than a second density of the machined surface (inherent).
Regarding claim 13, as best understood, in Ishikawa the end cavity (at opening 81, with inner circumferential surface 95) comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end are arranged along the axial direction of the motor, “wherein the first end comprises a first diameter greater than a second diameter of the second end” [sic] (i.e., inner surface of cylinder 77 has an inclination/draft angle; c.7:41-45), and wherein the first end is adjacent to the stator cavity (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 14, as best understood, in Ishikawa along the axial direction of the motor, a third length of the end cavity is less than the first length (of stator cavity), and the third length is less than the second length (of stator), and wherein along the radial direction of the motor, a first projection of the motor stator 63 is located in a second projection (convex portion) 75 of the stator cavity (Fig.8).
Regarding claim 15, Ishikawa teaches a motor end cover (second housing) 15, wherein the motor housing further comprises a bolt hole (threaded mounting hole) 88 configured to fasten the motor housing 67 and the motor end cover 15 (with bolt 53), wherein along the radial direction of the motor, a first projection of the bolt hole is located in a second projection of the end cavity (i.e., in case flange 87), and wherein along the radial direction of the motor, a first distance between the second inner wall 95 and the bolt hole is greater than a second distance between the first inner wall and an outer surface of the motor housing (Figs.1&3).
Regarding claim 16, Ishikawa teaches the mounting holes 88 are threaded holes (c.7:34; Fig.1) for housing bolts 53, which necessarily implies the hole wall is a machined surface.
Regarding claim 20, the rejection is the same as for claim 11, Skalski further teaching an electric vehicle 12, comprising: a wheel 28; and the motor 22 is configured to drive the wheel and a vehicle body (not shown, inherent to vehicle 12) configured to fasten the motor 22 (Fig.1).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Skalski & Ishikawa as applied to claim 11, further in view of Tsukamoto et al. (US 7,030,526).
Regarding claim 18, Skalski & Ishikawa do not further teach “an integrated housing, wherein the integrated housing comprises: an integrated motor housing enclosed to form the motor accommodating cavity, wherein the motor accommodating cavity is configured to accommodate the motor stator; a reducer configured to be driven by a motor shaft of the motor; and a reducer accommodating cavity configured to accommodate the reducer, wherein the motor accommodating cavity penetrates the integrated housing along a first direction and communicates with the reducer accommodating cavity, wherein the first direction is parallel to the axial direction of the motor, and wherein the motor and the reducer are arranged along the first direction.”
But, Tsukamoto teaches an integrated drive motor IM for a vehicle comprising an integrated housing, wherein the integrated housing comprises: an integrated motor housing 8 enclosed to form a motor accommodating cavity, wherein the motor accommodating cavity is configured to accommodate the motor stator 1; a reducer (planetary gear system) 10/11/12 configured to be driven by a motor shaft of the motor; and a reducer accommodating cavity (in gear housing 23) configured to accommodate the reducer, wherein the motor accommodating cavity penetrates the integrated housing along a first direction and communicates with the reducer accommodating cavity, wherein the first direction is parallel to the axial direction of the motor, and wherein the motor and the reducer are arranged along the first direction (i.e., drive motor and reducer arranged in a row; c.1:9-12; Fig.). Tsukamoto’s integrated drive motor unit housing provides a light-weight integrated drive motor unit (c.1:27-29).
PNG
media_image6.png
660
956
media_image6.png
Greyscale
Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date to further provide
Skalski & Ishikawa with “an integrated housing, wherein the integrated housing comprises: an integrated motor housing enclosed to form the motor accommodating cavity, wherein the motor accommodating cavity is configured to accommodate the motor stator; a reducer configured to be driven by a motor shaft of the motor; and a reducer accommodating cavity configured to accommodate the reducer, wherein the motor accommodating cavity penetrates the integrated housing along a first direction and communicates with the reducer accommodating cavity, wherein the first direction is parallel to the axial direction of the motor, and wherein the motor and the reducer are arranged along the first direction” since Tsukamoto teaches an integrated drive motor unit housing would have provided a light-weight integrated drive motor unit.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 19 is 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 prior art of record does not appear to further teach the claimed motor including, inter alia, “the integrated housing further comprises: a controller accommodating cavity configured to accommodate the motor controller, wherein the controller accommodating cavity and the motor accommodating cavity are arranged along a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; a direct current input interface mounting hole; an alternating current output interface mounting hole; and a motor end cover comprising an alternating current output interface communication hole, a winding wiring hole, and a cooling hole, wherein the three input copper bars penetrate the winding wiring hole and are configured to electrically connect to the motor winding, wherein along the first direction, the direct current input interface mounting hole and the alternating current output interface mounting hole each penetrate the integrated housing and communicate with the controller accommodating cavity, wherein the alternating current output interface communication hole, the winding wiring hole, and the cooling hole all penetrate the motor end cover, wherein the direct current input interface mounting hole and the alternating current output interface mounting hole are arranged opposite to each other, wherein a first projection of the alternating current output interface communication hole covers a second projection of the alternating current output interface mounting hole, wherein a third projection of the three-phase input copper bar partially overlaps the first projection, wherein projections of the three input copper bars partially overlap a fourth projection of the cooling hole, wherein along the radial direction of the motor, the winding wiring hole is arranged between the alternating current output interface communication hole and the motor shaft, and the cooling hole is arranged between the alternating current output interface communication hole and the winding wiring hole, and wherein the motor further comprises a housing limiting slot arranged adjacent to, and in communication with, the cooling hole” (claim 19).
Claims 7-10 & 17 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The prior art of record does not appear to further teach the claimed motor including, inter alia, “the motor end cover comprises a housing limiting slot, wherein the motor housing comprises a housing limiting protrusion, wherein the housing limiting slot is configured to accommodate the housing limiting protrusion, wherein along the axial direction of the motor, the housing limiting slot is recessed from the motor end cover away from the motor stator, and the housing limiting protrusion protrudes from the motor housing toward the motor end cover, wherein along the radial direction of the motor, the housing limiting protrusion and the bolt hole are spaced from each other, and wherein along a circumferential direction of the motor, the housing limiting slot and the housing limiting protrusion each surround a motor axis” (claims 7 & 17).
These determinations are based on keyword and citation searches performed in a limited number of subclasses. Artificial intelligence search tools were employed. Nomenclature in the art is inconsistent. For these reasons, the scope of the search was necessarily truncated and relevant art classified outside the subclasses searched and/or using different terminology or keywords may not have been reviewed. See the Search Notes for details.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BURTON S MULLINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2029. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5. 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, Tulsidas C Patel can be reached at 571-272-2098. 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.
/BURTON S MULLINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
