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
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng (US 20220393559) and in view of Maeyama (JP 2001231198).
As to claim 1, Zheng discloses a motor device (Para 0002) comprising: a stator (Para 0014); and a rotor rotatably provided on a radially inner side of the stator (Para 0014), wherein the rotor (Para 0014) comprises: a rotation shaft (Para 0014); a rotor core mounted to the rotation shaft (Para 0014); a ring magnet mounted to an outer circumferential part of the rotor core (Para 0084).
Zheng fails to disclose an opposing member mounted to the rotation shaft and opposed to the ring magnet in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, wherein one of the ring magnet or the opposing member is provided with a taper part inclined with respect to the axial direction of the rotation shaft, and the other of the ring magnet or the opposing member is provided with an abutting part abutted against the taper part in the axial direction of the rotation shaft.
Maeyama discloses an opposing member mounted to the rotation shaft and opposed to the ring magnet in an axial direction of the rotation shaft (Fig. 1A), wherein the opposing member is provided with a taper part inclined with respect to the axial direction of the rotation shaft (Fig. 1A), and the ring magnet is provided with an abutting part abutted against the taper part in the axial direction of the rotation shaft (Fig. 1A).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the motor of Zheng with an opposing member mounted to the rotation shaft and opposed to the ring magnet in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, wherein one of the ring magnet or the opposing member is provided with a taper part inclined with respect to the axial direction of the rotation shaft, and the other of the ring magnet or the opposing member is provided with an abutting part abutted against the taper part in the axial direction of the rotation shaft, as disclosed by Maeyama, to properly secure the rotor core to the shaft and support structural stability.
As to claim 2, the combination of Zheng and Maeyama discloses the motor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opposing member is provided on both sides of the ring magnet in the axial direction of the rotation shaft (Fig. 1A Maeyama).
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Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng and in view of Maeyama, Liang (TW I596872), and Uchidate (JP 2019161921).
As to claim 3, the combination of Zheng and Maeyama discloses the motor device as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of the opposing members that is disposed on the output part side of the rotation shaft is abutted against the rotor core in the axial direction of the rotation shaft (Fig. 1A).
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Zheng fails to disclose one axial side of the rotation shaft is provided with an output part driving a driving target, and the other of the opposing members that is disposed on a side opposite to the output part side of the rotation shaft is separated from the rotor core in the axial direction of the rotation shaft.
Liang discloses one axial side of the rotation shaft is provided with an output part driving a driving target (30; Fig. 1).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the motor of Zheng with one axial side of the rotation shaft is provided with an output part driving a driving target, as disclosed by Liang, to optimize torque output while remaining compact.
Uchidate discloses an opposing member that is disposed on a side opposite to the output part side of the rotation shaft is separated from the rotor core in the axial direction of the rotation shaft (42; Fig. 2).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the motor of Zheng with an opposing member that is disposed on a side opposite to the output part side of the rotation shaft is separated from the rotor core in the axial direction of the rotation shaft, as disclosed by Uchidate, to allow for thermal expansion and assembly tolerances.
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchidate, and in view of Liang and Maeyama.
As to claim 4, Uchidate discloses a manufacturing method of a rotor (Para 0011), which is a manufacturing method of a rotor rotatably provided on a radially inner side of a stator (para 0011), the manufacturing method of a rotor comprising: a first process of press-fitting a rotor core to a rotation shaft and positioning the rotor core at a specified position of the rotation shaft (Para 0011); a second process of press-fitting an opposing member (Para 0021); a third process of applying an adhesive to an outer circumferential part of the rotor core (Para 0038); and a fourth process of mounting a ring magnet from a side opposite to the output part side in the axial direction of the rotation shaft (Para 0027-0029, 0038).
Uchidate fails to disclose an output part side driving a driving target in an axial direction of the rotation shaft; abutting the opposing member against the rotor core; and abutting a taper part provided at the opposing member against an abutting part provided at the ring magnet.
Liang discloses an output part side driving a driving target in an axial direction of the rotation shaft (30; Fig. 1).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to provide the motor of Zheng with an output part side driving a driving target in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, as disclosed by Liang, to optimize torque output while remaining compact.
Maeyama discloses abutting the opposing member against the rotor core (Fig. 1A); and abutting a taper part provided at the opposing member against an abutting part provided at the ring magnet (Fig. 1A).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the motor of Zheng with abutting the opposing member against the rotor core; and abutting a taper part provided at the opposing member against an abutting part provided at the ring magnet, as disclosed by Maeyama, to properly secure the rotor core to the shaft and support structural stability.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
should be directed to ETHAN N VO whose telephone number is (571)270-7593. The examiner can
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where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ETHAN NGUYEN VO/
Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights