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 Objections
Claims 2-9 and 11-14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claims 2-9 and 11-14 the word “Claim” should not be capitalized.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claim 9 recites the claim limitation of “wherein the tooth body portion extends toward the rotation axis of the rotor.” Claim 1 on which claim 9 depends recites the claim limitation of “a tooth body portion extending along a direction that intersects a rotation axis of the rotor.” The phrases “extends toward the rotation axis of the rotor” and “extending along a direction that intersects a rotation axis of the rotor” are functionally the same so claim 9 does not further limit the subject matter of claim 1.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 6, 8-10, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0210284 to Banba et al. (hereinafter Banba; cited by Applicant on 5/23/2025) in view of Japanese Patent No. S55-48347 to Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (hereinafter Fuji).
Regarding claim 1, Banba teaches a rotating electric machine (FIG. 1, 10) comprising:
a rotor (FIG. 1, 14) including a magnetized hard magnetic body (FIG. 1, 62); and
a magnetic core (FIG. 1, 21) including a tooth portion (FIG. 4, 43), wherein the tooth portion includes:
a tooth body portion (FIG. 4, 43) extending along a direction that intersects a rotation axis of the rotor (FIG. 1, L1), and
a tooth tip portion (FIG. 4, 44) at a tip of the tooth body portion and facing the magnetized hard magnetic body,
the tooth tip portion includes a first protruding portion (FIG. 4, 44, upper portion) from the tooth body portion in an axial direction along the rotation axis.
Banba does not teach a first protrusion amount of the first protruding portion from the tooth body portion being smaller than three times a gap width between the magnetized hard magnetic body and the tooth tip portion.
However, Fuji teaches increasing a gap between a stator core and a rotor pole (Translation pages 2-4).
Therefore, 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 rotating electric machine of Banba with the teachings of Fuji to adjust a gap of the electric machine such that the first protruding portion is smaller than three times the gap width to prevent overheating by reducing eddy currents in the pole (Translation pages 3-4).
Regarding claim 2, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 1, wherein the tooth portion includes a second protruding portion (Banba FIG. 4, 44, lower portion) protruding from the tooth body portion in a direction opposite to the first protruding portion in the axial direction along the rotation axis, and a second protrusion amount of the second protruding portion from the tooth body portion is smaller than three times the gap width (Fuji Translation pages 2-4).
Regarding claim 4, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 2, wherein Banba further teaches a magnetic center of the magnetized hard magnetic body and a magnetic center of the magnetic core coincide with each other in the axial direction along the rotation axis (FIG. 1; 13, 14).
Regarding claim 6, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 1, wherein Banba further teaches a magnetic center of the magnetized hard magnetic body and a magnetic center of the magnetic core coincide with each other in the axial direction along the rotation axis (FIG. 1; 13, 14).
Regarding claim 8, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 1, wherein Banba further teaches a coil (FIG. 1, 22) wound around the tooth body portion.
Regarding claim 9, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 1, wherein Banba further teaches the tooth body portion extending toward the rotation axis of the rotor (FIG. 4, 43).
Regarding claim 10, Banba teaches a rotating electric machine (FIG. 1, 10) comprising:
a rotor (FIG. 1, 14) including a magnetized hard magnetic body (FIG. 1, 62); and
a magnetic core (FIG. 1, 21) including a tooth portion (FIG. 4, 43), wherein the tooth portion includes:
a tooth body portion (FIG. 4, 43) extending along a direction that intersects a rotation axis of the rotor (FIG. 1, L1), and
a tooth tip portion (FIG. 4, 44) at a tip of the tooth body portion and facing the magnetized hard magnetic body,
the tooth tip portion includes a first protruding portion (FIG. 4, 44, upper portion) from the tooth body portion in an axial direction along the rotation axis, and a second protruding portion (FIG. 4, 44, lower portion) protruding from the tooth body portion in a direction opposite to the first protruding portion in the axial direction along the rotation axis.
Banba does not teach a first protruding amount of the first protruding portion from the tooth body portion being smaller than three times a gap width between the magnetized hard magnetic body and the tooth tip portion, and a second protrusion amount of the second protruding portion from the tooth body portion being smaller than three times the gap width.
However, Fuji teaches adjusting a gap between a stator core and a rotor pole (Translation pages 2-4).
Therefore, 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 rotating electric machine of Banba with the teachings of Fuji to adjust a gap of the electric machine such that the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are both smaller than three times the gap width to prevent overheating by reducing eddy currents in the pole (Translation pages 3-4).
Regarding claim 12, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 10, wherein Banba further teaches a magnetic center of the magnetized hard magnetic body and a magnetic center of the magnetic core coincide with each other in the axial direction along the rotation axis (FIG. 1; 13, 14).
Regarding claim 14, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 10, wherein Banba further teaches a coil (FIG. 1, 22) wound around the tooth body portion.
Claims 3, 5, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Banba in view of Fuji and in further view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0381961 to Oketani (cited by Applicant on 5/23/2025).
Regarding claim 3, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 2.
Banba in view of Fuji does not teach a magnetic center of the magnetized hard magnetic body and a magnetic center of the magnetic core being shifted from each other in the axial direction along the rotation axis.
However, Oketani teaches a stator magnetic core (FIG. 1, 17) having a magnetic center axially offset from the magnetic center of a rotor permanent magnet (FIG. 1, 8).
Therefore, 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 rotating electric machine of Banba in view of Fuji with the teachings of Oketani to axially shift the magnetized hard magnetic body with respect to the magnetic core to have a downsized and less costly construction (Paragraph [0105]).
Regarding claim 5, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 1.
Banba in view of Fuji does not teach a magnetic center of the magnetized hard magnetic body and a magnetic center of the magnetic core being shifted from each other in the axial direction along the rotation axis.
However, Oketani teaches a stator magnetic core (FIG. 1, 17) having a magnetic center axially offset from the magnetic center of a rotor permanent magnet (FIG. 1, 8).
Therefore, 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 rotating electric machine of Banba in view of Fuji with the teachings of Oketani to axially shift the magnetized hard magnetic body with respect to the magnetic core to have a downsized and less costly construction (Paragraph [0105]).
Regarding claim 11, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 10.
Banba in view of Fuji does not teach a magnetic center of the magnetized hard magnetic body and a magnetic center of the magnetic core being shifted from each other in the axial direction along the rotation axis.
However, Oketani teaches a stator magnetic core (FIG. 1, 17) having a magnetic center axially offset from the magnetic center of a rotor permanent magnet (FIG. 1, 8).
Therefore, 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 rotating electric machine of Banba in view of Fuji with the teachings of Oketani to axially shift the magnetized hard magnetic body with respect to the magnetic core to have a downsized and less costly construction (Paragraph [0105]).
Claims 7 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Banba in view of Fuji and in further view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0114870 to Lee (cited by Applicant on 12/5/2025).
Regarding claim 7, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 1.
Banba in view of Fuji does not teach the magnetic core being a molded body comprising a soft magnetic powder.
However, Lee teaches a magnetic core (FIG. 4, 212) formed from a soft magnetic powder (Paragraph [0043]).
Therefore, 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 rotating electric machine of Banba in view of Fuji with the teachings of Lee to form the magnetic core from a soft magnetic powder due to its desirable property of low eddy current losses.
Regarding claim 13, Banba in view of Fuji teaches the rotating electric machine according to claim 10.
Banba in view of Fuji does not teach the magnetic core being a molded body comprising a soft magnetic powder.
However, Lee teaches a magnetic core (FIG. 4, 212) formed from a soft magnetic powder (Paragraph [0043]).
Therefore, 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 rotating electric machine of Banba in view of Fuji with the teachings of Lee to form the magnetic core from a soft magnetic powder due to its desirable property of low eddy current losses.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA KIEL MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9881. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30am - 7:00pm ET.
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 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.
/JOSHUA KIEL M RODRIGUEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights