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.
Claim Objections
Claim 1, is objected to because of the following informalities: in claim 1, lines 4-5, “comprising comprises” should be -- comprising --. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen (CN 109038878 A).
As to claim 1, Chen shows (FIG. 1A) A stator of a flat wire motor, comprising:
a stator core 10, wherein a plurality of stator slots is evenly provided on an inner wall of the stator core in a circumferential direction; and
a stator winding (comprising) comprises flat wire conductors 201 inserted in the stator slots, wherein N layers of the flat wire conductors 201 are disposed in any one of the stator slots, and N is an even number greater than or equal to 4, the flat wire conductors 201 are connected to form m phase windings, each phase winding comprises a plurality of phase units, each phase unit is evenly disposed at spacings in the circumferential direction of the stator core, any phase unit of each phase winding comprises at least two phase bands, each phase band of any phase unit comprises two adjacent layers of the flat wire conductors, and adjacent phase bands of any phase unit are staggered by one stator slot (stator core with 72 slots, square coil, N=6, m=3, ¶ 45, 50, sets of coils 201 shifted ¶ 53).
As to claim 2/1, Chen further shows (FIG. 1A) wherein adjacent phase bands of any phase unit are staggered by one stator slot in a clockwise direction (sets of coils 201 shifted ¶ 53 clockwise ¶ 51).
As to claim 3/1, Chen further shows (FIG. 1A) wherein adjacent phase bands of any phase unit are staggered by one stator slot in a counterclockwise direction (sets of coils 201 shifted ¶ 53 counterclockwise ¶ 51).
As to claim 4/3/1, Chen further shows (FIG. 1A) wherein any phase unit is disposed symmetrically along a perpendicular bisector that is perpendicular to an axial direction of the stator core 10 (the perpendicular bisector is a radial line from the axis of the stator core 10, each stator slot being on such a radial line).
As to claim 5/1, Chen further shows (FIG. 1A) wherein each phase winding is evenly divided into N/2 parts in the axial direction of the stator core 5, two adjacent layers of the flat wire conductors in each part are connected to form one coil layer, and each part comprises two coil layers (FIG. 3, the winding is two path parallel ¶ 45).
As to claim 6/5/1, Chen further shows wherein in each phase winding, adjacent coil layers are connected by using a single crossing wire (adjacent sets of coils connected by a bridging coil ¶ 53).
As to claim 8/1, Chen further shows wherein each phase winding comprises at least one branch (FIG. 3, the winding is two path parallel ¶ 45).
As to claim 9/8/1, Chen further shows wherein each phase winding further comprises: at least two parallel branches, each parallel branch comprises flat wire conductors distributed at different layers in phase bands at a same layer in adjacent phase units, and flat wire conductors in one phase band are evenly distributed in different parallel branches (FIG. 1A and 3, the winding is two path parallel ¶ 45).
As to claim 10/1, Chen further shows wherein a quantity of the stator slots on the inner wall of the stator core is Z, a quantity of phases of the stator winding is m, a quantity of poles of the stator winding is 2p, p is an integer, a quantity of stator slots per pole per phase is q, and Z, m, 2p, and q satisfy: q=Z/2pm (this is the known formula for slots per pole per phase; Chen shows Z=72, m=3 and q = 3 such that the quantity of poles 2p = 8 ¶ 45).
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.
Claim(s) 11-16, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (CN 109038878 A) in view of Shimizu (CN101436796A).
As to claim 11, Chen shows (FIG. 1A) A flat wire motor, comprising:
a stator comprising:
a stator core 10, wherein a plurality of stator slots is evenly provided on an inner wall of the stator core in a circumferential direction; and
a stator winding comprising flat wire conductors 201 inserted in the stator slots, wherein N layers of the flat wire conductors 201 are disposed in any one of the stator slots, and N is an even number greater than or equal to 4, the flat wire conductors 201 are connected to form m phase windings, each phase winding comprises a plurality of phase units, each phase unit is evenly disposed at spacings in the circumferential direction of the stator core, any phase unit of each phase winding comprises at least two phase bands, each phase band of any phase unit comprises two adjacent layers of the flat wire conductors, and adjacent phase bands of any phase unit are staggered by one stator slot (stator core with 72 slots, square coil, N=6, m=3, para [0045], [0050], sets of coils 201 shifted para [0053]).
Chen does not show a rotor, the rotor is disposed in a space enclosed by the inner wall of the stator core.
Shimizu shows a rotor 6, the rotor 6 is disposed in a space enclosed by the inner wall of the stator core 5 (FIG. 1, ¶ 49).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to modify the motor of Chen to have a rotor 6, the rotor 6 is disposed in a space enclosed by the inner wall of the stator core 5 as taught by Shimizu, for the advantageous benefit of generating rotational driving force to drive wheels of a vehicle as taught by Shimizu (¶ 277).
As to claim 12/11, Chen in view of Shimizu was discussed above with respect to claim 11, and Chen further shows wherein adjacent phase bands of any phase unit are staggered by one stator slot in a clockwise direction (clockwise para [0051]).
As to claim 13/11, Chen in view of Shimizu was discussed above with respect to claim 11, and Chen further shows wherein adjacent phase bands of any phase unit are staggered by one stator slot in a counterclockwise direction (counterclockwise para [0051]).
As to claim 14/13/11, Chen in view of Shimizu was discussed above with respect to claim 11, and Chen further shows wherein any phase unit is disposed symmetrically along a perpendicular bisector that is perpendicular to an axial direction of the stator core 10 (FIG. 1A; the perpendicular bisector is a radial line from the axis of the stator core 10, each stator slot being on such a radial line).
As to claim 15/11, Chen in view of Shimizu was discussed above with respect to claim 11, and Chen further shows wherein each phase winding is evenly divided into N/2 parts in the axial direction of the stator core, two adjacent layers of the flat wire conductors in each part are connected to form one coil layer, and each part comprises two coil layers (FIG. 3, the winding is two path parallel ¶ 45).
As to claim 16/15/11, Chen in view of Shimizu was discussed above with respect to claim 15, and Chen further shows wherein in each phase winding, adjacent coil layers are connected by using a single crossing wire (adjacent sets of coils connected by a bridging coil ¶ 53).
As to claim 18/11, Chen in view of Shimizu was discussed above with respect to claim 11, and Chen further shows wherein each phase winding comprises at least one branch (FIG. 3, the winding is two path parallel ¶ 45).
As to claim 19/18/11, Chen in view of Shimizu was discussed above with respect to claim 11, and Chen further shows wherein each phase winding further comprises: at least two parallel branches, each parallel branch comprises flat wire conductors distributed at different layers in phase bands at a same layer in adjacent phase units, and flat wire conductors in one phase band are evenly distributed in different parallel branches (FIG. 1A and 3, the winding is two path parallel ¶ 45).
As to claim 20, Chen shows (FIG. 1A) flat wire motor comprising a stator comprising:
a stator core 10, wherein a plurality of stator slots is evenly provided on an inner wall of the stator core in a circumferential direction; and
a stator winding comprising flat wire conductors 201 inserted in the stator slots, wherein N layers of the flat wire conductors 201 are disposed in any one of the stator slots, and N is an even number greater than or equal to 4, the flat wire conductors 201 are connected to form m phase windings, each phase winding comprises a plurality of phase units, each phase unit is evenly disposed at spacings in the circumferential direction of the stator core, any phase unit of each phase winding comprises at least two phase bands, each phase band of any phase unit comprises two adjacent layers of the flat wire conductors, and adjacent phase bands of any phase unit are staggered by one stator slot (stator core with 72 slots, square coil, N=6, m=3, para [0045], [0050], sets of coils 201 shifted para [0053]).
Chen does not show:
a powertrain comprising a speed reducer; and
a flat wire motor, wherein the flat wire motor is in transmission connection to the speed reducer, and
the flat wire motor comprising a rotor, the rotor is disposed in a space enclosed by the inner wall of the stator core.
Shimizu shows
a powertrain comprising a speed reducer; and
a flat wire motor, wherein the flat wire motor is in transmission 1600 connection to the speed reducer, and
the flat wire motor comprising a rotor 6, the rotor 6 is disposed in a space enclosed by the inner wall of the stator core 5 (FIG. 1, ¶ 49 transmission 1600 with speed reducer ¶ 290, flat wire ¶ 96).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to modify the motor of Chen to have:
a powertrain comprising a speed reducer; and
a flat wire motor, wherein the flat wire motor is in transmission 1600 connection to the speed reducer, and
the flat wire motor comprising a rotor 6, the rotor 6 is disposed in a space enclosed by the inner wall of the stator core 5
as taught by Shimizu, for the advantageous benefit of generating rotational driving force to drive wheels of a vehicle as taught by Shimizu (¶ 277).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 17 are 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not show or suggest the spans of the crossing wires are equal.
Conclusion
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/ROBERT E MATES/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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