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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abe (US Patent No.: 10320258, hereinafter Abe '258) in view of Abe (US Patent No.: 9369019, hereinafter Abe '019) and Taki et al. (US Patent No.: 8908324).
For claim 1, Abe '258 discloses the claimed invention comprising: a rotor (reference numeral 3) that is rotatable about a center axis (see figures 1, 2); a stator (reference numeral 24) including coil groups (reference numerals 421, 423, 425, see figure 3) arranged on teeth (reference numeral 412) opposed in a radial direction to the rotor (see figures 1-4), each of the coil groups including: at least one coil (reference numeral 42) defined by one continuous conductive wire (reference numerals 44, 45, see figures 3, 4); and a common wire (reference numeral 45, figure 4) provided at an end of the conductive wire and exposing a conductive portion (i.e. portions of common wire 45 connected in coupling 64 can be considered exposed conductive portion, see figure 4); and a coupling portion (i.e. coupling 64, figure 4) in which the common wires of the coil groups are electrically connected and coupled (see figure 4). Abe '258 however does not specifically disclose the coupling portion extending from a radial inside to a radial outside or vice versa in a slot that is a portion between the teeth adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction; and a sealing portion that seals at least the coupling portion.
Abe '019 discloses the coupling portion (reference numeral 62, 62C) extending from a radial inside to a radial outside or vice versa in a slot between adjacent teeth (reference numeral 34, see figure 2); and Taki et al. disclose a sealing portion (reference numerals 53, 533, figure 4) that seals at least the coupling portion (i.e. Taki et al. disclose adhesive 533 where common wires are joined in joint portion 53, see figure 4 and also column 6, lines 3-15).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the coupling portion extending in a radial direction as disclosed by Abe '019 and also have the sealing portion as disclosed by Taki et al. for the coupling portion of Abe '258 for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating reliable operation of the device.
For claim 2, Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the coupling portion extending in a direction intersecting the center axis. Abe '019 further discloses the coupling portion (reference numerals 62, 62C) extending in a direction intersecting the center axis (see figure 2), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the coupling portion extending in a direction intersecting the center axis as disclosed by Abe '019 for the coupling portion of Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating reliable operation of the device.
For claim 3, Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the coupling portion extending in a radial direction about the center axis. Abe '019 further discloses the coupling portion (reference numerals 62, 62C) extending in a radial direction about the center axis (see figure 2), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the coupling portion extending in a radial direction about the center axis as disclosed by Abe '019 for the coupling portion of Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating reliable operation of the device.
For claim 4, Abe '258 discloses the coupling portion (reference numeral 64, figure 4) including the common wires (reference numeral 45) electrically connected to each other (see figure 4), but Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. however do not specifically disclose the wires soldered to each other. Taki et al. further disclose the soldering portion (reference numeral 532, see figure 3 and also column 6, lines 3-15) which when applied to the common wires of Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. would disclose the common wires soldered to each other. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the wires soldered to each other as disclosed by Taki et al. for the common wires of Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating reliable operation of the device.
For claim 5, Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the sealing portion being fixed to the teeth adjacent in a circumferential direction to a slot in which the sealing portion is located or the coil located in the teeth. Taki et al. further disclose the sealing portion (reference numerals 53, 533, figure 4) being fixed to the teeth (reference numeral 225, figure 4) adjacent in a circumferential direction to a slot in which the sealing portion is located (see figure 4), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the sealing portion fixed to the teeth as disclosed by Taki et al. for the sealing portion of Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating reliable operation of the device.
For claim 6, Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the sealing portion being made of a resin. Taki et al. further disclose the sealing portion being made of a resin (i.e. Taki et al. disclose adhesive 533 in column 6, lines 5-15, which would constitute a resin), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a resin as disclosed by Taki et al. for the sealing portion of Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating reliable operation of the device.
For claim 7, Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the sealing portion being between two ends of the coil in a direction along the center axis. Taki et al. further disclose the common wires joining together at joint portion 53 with adhesive 533 (see figure 4) which would teach the sealing portion being between two ends of the coil in a direction along the center axis, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the sealing portion between two ends of the coil as disclosed by Taki et al. for the sealing portion of Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating reliable operation of the device.
For claim 8, Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. disclose the claimed invention except for the sealing portion being on one side in a direction along the center axis relative to a center portion in a direction along the center axis in the slot. Taki et al. already disclose the sealing portion (reference numerals 53, 533) being on one side of the slot (reference numeral 223, see figure 4) which would teach the sealing portion being on one side in a direction along the center axis relative to a center portion in a direction along the center axis in the slot, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have sealing portion on one side of the slot as disclosed by Taki et al. for the sealing portion of Abe '258 in view of Abe '019 and Taki et al. for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating reliable operation of the device.
For claim 9, Abe '258 discloses the claimed invention comprising: providing coil groups (reference numerals 421, 423, 425, see figure 3) by winding a conductive wire (reference numerals 44, 45, see figures 3, 4) around teeth (reference numeral 412) extending in a radial direction of a stator (reference numeral 24, see figures 1-4); providing a common wire (reference numeral 45, figure 4) in which a conductive portion (i.e. portions of common wire 45 connected in coupling 64 can be considered exposed conductive portion, see figure 4) is exposed by removing an insulation coating of an end of a conductive wire of each of the coil groups (i.e. conductive portion of wires connected through coupling 64, figure 4), bringing the conductive portions of the common wire (reference numeral 45, figure 4) into contact with each other (i.e. common wires 45 contacting each other through coupling 64, see figure 4), and generating a coupling portion (i.e. coupling 64, see figure 4). Abe '258 however does not specifically disclose the coupling portion being generated by soldering; providing the coupling portion in a state of extending from a radial inside to a radial outside or vice versa in a slot that is a portion between the teeth adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction; and causing a resin that is flowable to flow into a portion of the slot where the coupling portion is located and solidifying the resin to provide a sealing portion.
Abe '019 discloses providing the coupling portion (reference numeral 62, 62C) in a state of extending in a radial direction in a slot between adjacent teeth (reference numeral 34, see figure 2); and Taki et al. disclose soldering for the coupling portion (i.e. solder layer 532, see figures 3, 4), and causing a resin that is flowable to flow into a portion of the slot where the coupling portion is located and solidifying the resin to provide a sealing portion (i.e. Taki et al. disclose adhesive 533, i.e. resin, where common wires are joined in joint portion 53 which would teach the solidified resin for the sealing portion, see figure 4 and also column 6, lines 3-15).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the coupling portion extending in the radial direction between teeth as disclosed by Abe '019 and also have the soldering for the coupling portion with resin for a sealing portion as disclosed by Taki et al. for the coupling portion of Abe '258 for predictably providing desirable configuration for facilitating reliable operation of the device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references disclose embodiments of stator winding configurations: US 11489391 B2 (Horii; Yuya et al.), US 11336145 B2 (Yamashita; Yoshiaki et al.), US 10923971 B2 (Aso; Hiroki et al.), US 10903711 B2 (Ogawa; Kosuke et al.), US 10594184 B2 (Aso; Hiroki et al.), US 10170954 B2 (Taniguchi; Tsukasa et al.), US 7830051 B2 (Kataoka; Nakaba et al.), US 6984909 B2 (Kadoya; Naoyuki et al.), US 20230064806 A1 (Tabuchi; Toru), US 20190036410 A1 (ABE; Hiroyuki), US 20180183282 A1 (ASO; Hiroki et al.), US 20160190886 A1 (OKAMOTO; Shogo et al.), US 20130234547 A1 (OGUMA; Yoshiaki), US 20130038964 A1 (GARBARINO; JONATHAN M. et al.), US 20080278023 A1 (YAMAGATA; Yasuhiro), EP 3086444 A1 (OKAMOTO SHOGO et al.), WO 2015092833 A1 (OKAMOTO, SHOGO et al.).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX W MOK whose telephone number is (571)272-9084. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-4pm.
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/ALEX W MOK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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