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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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 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.
CLAIM INTERPRETATION
The presence of claim limitations that are preceded by the phrases “wherein” often raises a question as to the limiting effect of the claim limitations (see MPEP §2111.04). The Examiner has interpreted the limitations following the phrase “wherein” as positively being claimed (i.e. the claim limitations are required and/or the claim limitations following the “wherein clause” limits the structure), where “wherein” is being used as a transitional phrase.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in China on March 22, 2024. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the CN 202410338256.7 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
DE 102024127426.3 has been provided.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species I shown in Figures 1 and 11-14 in the reply filed on March 6, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that search burden is not established. This is not found persuasive because the Examiner has listed the different CPC areas that would have to be searched for the different types of pumps. Specifically impeller pumps are classified in F04D13/06 and positive displacement pump with gerotor are classified in F04C2/102. Applicant further argues that the subject matter in the generic claims are present in both types of pumps. The Examiner agrees that this is true, which is why if a generic claim is found allowable, the Examiner will rejoin any claims that were withdrawn and that still are based from a generic claim.
Claim 10 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Species. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on March 6, 2026.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Drawings
Figure 10 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. 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 title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: AN ELECTRIC MACHINE WITH THE STATOR AT LEAST PARTIALLY ENCAPSULATED WITH PLASTIC SHEATHING.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 15 ends the sentence with a comma “,”, please change this to a period “.”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-5, 9, 11-17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DIEKMANN (U.S. Patent Publication US 2019/0063439 A1) in view of ARNOLDI (WIPO Publication WO 2019/091763 A1, a machine translation is provided with the foreign publication in the PTO-892 Notice of References cited and is utilized in the rejection below).
Regarding claim 1, DIEKMANN discloses: an electrical machine (1) (see Abstract that discloses an electric pump, Figures 1 and 2), comprising:
a rotor (4) rotatable around an axis of rotation (9) (see Figures 1 and 2),
a stator (8, 18) that is fixed against rotation with respect to the rotor (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0033), concentrically surrounding the rotor while forming an annular gap that is confined radially between the rotor and the stator and can have a cooling liquid flowing through it (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0033 discloses the rotor has a cooling liquid and is in the “wet region”),
wherein the stator is at least partially encapsulated by injection molding with a plastic sheathing (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0012-¶0016, ¶0018, claims 2-5),
a printed circuit board (16, 23) with electronic components arranged on the printed circuit board (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0033, ¶0036) and an opening (see Marked up Figure 1 DIEKMANN) of through which a rotor shaft (5) of the rotor protrudes (see Figures 1 and 2),
wherein the plastic sheathing has on a side facing the printed circuit board at least one recess in which at least one electronic component of the printed circuit board engages (see Marked up Figures 1 and 2 of DIEKMANN).
DIEKMANN discloses the claimed invention as discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose that the printed circuit board’s opening is centrally located (see Figures 1 and 2 that shows the printed circuit board extending more on the left, thereby not being centrally located).
Regarding claim 1, ARNOLDI teaches: the printed circuit board’s opening is centrally located (see Figure 1 that shows the printed circuit board (40) has an opening that surrounds the rotor shaft (38) that appears to be centrally located).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the printed circuit board’s opening is centrally located in the electric machine of DIEKMANN, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. Furthermore, centrally locating the printed circuit board’s opening is known in the art, as evidence by ARNOLDI, and therefore, requires only routine skill in the art to place the opening in a normal location including locating the opening centrally, as well as, produces predictable results (i.e. a more compact electric machine).
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Regarding claim 2, DIEKMANN discloses: a bearing for the rotor embedded in the plastic sheathing, or
a bearing (21a, 21b) for the rotor (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0034) is formed by the plastic sheathing in a bearing region (see Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 3, DIEKMANN discloses: grooves for the coolant are arranged on an inner sheathing surface of the bearing (see ¶0026 that discloses openings in the bearings for coolant (aka cooling liquid) to flow, however, fails to specifically disclose that the openings are “grooves”).
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to make the different portions of the openings of whatever form or shape was desired or expedient, such as grooves in the bearings to act as the opening for flowing the coolant. A change in form or shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art, absent any showing of unexpected results.
Regarding claims 4 and 16, DIEKMANN fails to disclose: the electrical connections for making contact with the printed circuit board embedded in the plastic sheathing.
Regarding claims 4 and 16, ARNOLDI teaches: the electrical connections (16, 46) for making contact with the printed circuit board (40) embedded in the plastic sheathing (see Figure 1 that shows the electrical connections are embedded in the plastic sheathing and Page 4).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have the electrical connections for making contact with the printed circuit board embedded in the plastic sheathing in the electric machine/pump of DIEKMANN, in order to improve sealing of the electrical connections due to the electrical connections are embedded forming a seal between the outside connection and the printed circuit board. Furthermore, it is well known in the art to have the electrical connections for making contact with the printed circuit board embedded in the plastic sheathing, as evidence by ARNOLDI, and therefore, requires only routine skill in the art to embed the electrical connections in the plastic sheathing, as well as produces predictable results (i.e. sealed electrical connections).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, ARNOLDI further teaches: electrical lines embedded in the plastic sheathing (see Figures 1 and 4, Page 5).
Regarding claims 9 and 20, DIEKMANN discloses: at least one fixing surface without a plastic sheathing is arranged on an outer sheathing surface of the stator (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0012).
Regarding claim 11, DIEKMANN discloses: the electrical machine is designed as an impeller pump (see Figures 1 and 2, impeller (6) (¶0033)).
Regarding claim 12, DIEKMANN discloses: the electrical machine is designed as an oil pump, a water pump or a coolant pump (DIEKMANN discloses that it is an electric fluid pump, having a “wet region”. The fluid of oil, water, and coolant is able to be pumped by the electric machine/pump of DIEKMANN, and therefore, meets the claimed limitation).
Regarding claim 13, DIEKMANN discloses: a pump (see Abstract), comprising:
a rotor (4) rotatable around an axis of rotation (9) (see Figures 1 and 2),
a stator (8, 18) that is fixed against rotation with respect to the rotor (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0033), concentrically surrounding the rotor while forming an annular gap that is confined radially between the rotor and the stator and can have a cooling liquid flowing through it (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0033 discloses the rotor has a cooling liquid and is in the “wet region”),
wherein the stator is at least partially encapsulated by injection molding with a plastic sheathing (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0012-¶0016, ¶0018, claims 2-5),
a printed circuit board (16, 23) with electronic components arranged on the printed circuit board (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0033, ¶0036) and an opening (see Marked up Figure 1 DIEKMANN) of through which a rotor shaft (5) of the rotor protrudes (see Figures 1 and 2),
wherein the plastic sheathing has on a side facing the printed circuit board at least one recess in which at least one electronic component of the printed circuit board engages (see Marked up Figures 1 and 2 of DIEKMANN).
DIEKMANN discloses the claimed invention as discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose that the printed circuit board’s opening is centrally located (see Figures 1 and 2 that shows the printed circuit board extending more on the left, thereby not being centrally located).
Regarding claim 13, ARNOLDI teaches: the printed circuit board’s opening is centrally located (see Figure 1 that shows the printed circuit board (40) has an opening that surrounds the rotor shaft (38) that appears to be centrally located).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the printed circuit board’s opening is centrally located in the pump of DIEKMANN, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. Furthermore, centrally locating the printed circuit board’s opening is known in the art, as evidence by ARNOLDI, and therefore, requires only routine skill in the art to place the opening in a normal location including locating the opening centrally, as well as, produces predictable results (i.e. a more compact electric machine).
Regarding claim 14, DIEKMANN discloses: a bearing (21a, 21b) for the rotor (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0034) embedded in the plastic sheathing (see Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 15, DIEKMANN discloses: the plastic sheathing forms a bearing for the rotor in a bearing region (see Figures 1 and 2, ¶0034).
Claims 6, 7, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the modified electric machine/pump of DIEKMANN / ARNOLDI as applied to claims 1 and 13 above, and further in view of MARSHALL (U.S. Patent 5,008,572).
Regarding claims 6 and 18, the modified electric machine/pump of DIEKMANN / ARNOLDI discloses the claimed invention, however, fails to disclose a space between the recess and the electronic components is filled with a filler.
Regarding claims 6 and 18, MARSHALL teaches: a space between the recess and the electronic components is filled with a filler (see Figures 12-13) (Column 3, lines 38-43, Column 3, line 49 – Column 4, line 8, Column 7, lines 48-60, Column 10, line 4 – Column 12, line 63).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have a space between the recess and the electronic components is filled with a filler in the modified electric machine/pump of DIEKMANN / ARNOLDI, in order to aid in fixing the relationship between the housing (caps) and the stator stack, providing enhanced heat transfer (see Column 3, line 38 – Column 4, line 8 of MARSHALL).
Regarding claim 7, MARSHALL further teaches: the filler is a potting compound (Column 3, lines 38-43, Column 3, line 49 – Column 4, line 8, Column 7, lines 48-60, Column 10, line 4 – Column 12, line 63).
Claims 8 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the modified electric machine/pump of DIEKMANN / ARNOLDI as applied to claims 1 and 13 above, and further in view of TRAGO (U.S. Patent 5,806,169).
Regarding claims 8 and 19, the modified electric machine/pump of DIEKMANN / ARNOLDI discloses the claimed invention, however, fails to disclose at least one flow groove is arranged on an inner sheathing surface of the stator, the at least one flow groove is filled with a plastic of the plastic sheathing.
Regarding claims 8 and 19, TRAGO teaches: at least one flow groove (67a) is arranged on an inner sheathing surface of the stator (see Figures 6, 7, 12 and 13 that shows a flow groove), the at least one flow groove is filled with a plastic of the plastic sheathing (98) (see Figures 9, 12, and 13, Column 8, line 52 – Column 9, line 9).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have at least one flow groove is arranged on an inner sheathing surface of the stator, the at least one flow groove is filled with a plastic of the plastic sheathing in the modified electric machine/pump of DIEKMANN / ARNOLDI, in order to fill the voids thereby forming a continuous stator assembly, as well as, the plastic material aids in heat transfer (see TRAGO Column 10, lines 14-31).
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARY DAVIS whose telephone number is (571)272-9965. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8 am-4pm.
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, Essama Omgba can be reached at (469) 295-9278. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Mary A Davis/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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