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.
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: ROTOR CORE WITH ASYMMETRIC HOLE PORTION BETWEEN MAGNET HOLES
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 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.
Claims 1-6 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inuzuka et al. (JP2015173545, “Inuzuka”, using machine translation).
Re claim 1, Inuzuka discloses a rotor core of a rotor rotatable around a central axis (fig 1), the rotor core comprising:
a pair of first magnet holes adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction (figs 1 & 6b, [0035-0036], holes for magnets 4a & 4b; using fig 6b for rejection but has similar structure as fig 1); and
a first hole portion 8 located between the pair of first magnet holes in the circumferential direction (fig 6b, [0036]), wherein the pair of first magnet holes extend in directions away from each other in the circumferential direction from an inner side in a radial direction toward an outer side in the radial direction when viewed in an axial direction (fig 6b), and
the first hole portion 8 is provided at a position overlapping a first virtual line passing through a center in the circumferential direction between the pair of first magnet holes and extending in the radial direction when viewed in the axial direction (figs 6b & below), and has an asymmetric shape across the first virtual line (figs 6b & below, [0035]).
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Re claim 2, Inuzuka discloses claim 1 and further discloses in a cross section orthogonal to the axial direction, a cross-sectional area of a first portion located further on one side in the circumferential direction than the first virtual line in the first hole portion is smaller than a cross- sectional area of a second portion located further on another side in the circumferential direction than the first virtual line in the first hole portion (figs 6b & above for claim 1).
Re claim 3, Inuzuka discloses claim 1 and further discloses a dimension in the circumferential direction of a first portion located further on one side in the circumferential direction than the first virtual line in the first hole portion is smaller than a dimension in the circumferential direction of a second portion located further on another side in the circumferential direction than the first virtual line in the first hole portion (figs 6b & above for claim 1).
Re claim 4, Inuzuka discloses claim 2 and further discloses the first portion is located further on a front side than the first virtual line in a rotation direction of the rotor, and the second portion is located further on a rear side than the first virtual line in the rotation direction of the rotor (figs 6a & above for claim 1, [0035], where rotation direction is counter clockwise; ]0035] states 8 can be closer to either 4a or 4b).
Re claim 5, Inuzuka discloses claim 1 and further discloses a dimension in the circumferential direction of the first hole portion is larger than a dimension in the radial direction of the first hole portion (figs 6b, above for claim 1 & below, circ. direction of 8 is larger than the largest radial direction of the 1st portion).
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Re claim 6, Inuzuka discloses claim 1 and further discloses a second magnet hole located on the outer side in the radial direction of the first hole portion 8 (fig 6b, hole for 4c).
Re claim 18, Inuzuka discloses claim 1 and further discloses rotating electric machine comprising: a rotor 2 including the rotor core according to claim 1 (figs 1 & 6b); and a stator 3 facing the rotor with a gap interposed therebetween in the radial direction (fig 1, [0015]).
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 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 7, 10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Inuzuka.
Re claim 7, Inuzuka discloses claim 6 as discussed above but is silent with respect to a shortest distance between the first hole portion and the second magnet hole is smaller than a shortest distance between the first hole portion and the first magnet hole when viewed in the axial direction.
Inuzuka discloses in another embodiment a shortest distance Db between the first hole portion 8 and the second magnet hole (fig 3, [0030-0031]) is smaller than a shortest distance Da between the first hole portion 8 and the first magnet hole when viewed in the axial direction (fig 3, [0030-0031]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the first hole portion and first and second magnet holes of Inuzuka so a shortest distance between the first hole portion and the second magnet hole is smaller than a shortest distance between the first hole portion and the first magnet hole when viewed in the axial direction, as disclosed by Inuzuka in another embodiment, in order to provide less stress reduction effect for different machine applications. Note: employing shortest distance Da of magnet hole 4a in fig 6b and not shortest distance Da for magnet hole 4b.
Re claims 10 and 13, Inuzuka discloses claim 6 as discussed above but is silent with respect to:
when viewed in the axial direction, an inner wall of the first hole portion is provided with at least one of a recessed portion provided in a portion located on an inner side in the radial direction in the inner wall of the first hole portion and recessed to the inner side in the radial direction and a protruding portion provided in a portion located on an outer side in the radial direction in the inner wall of the first hole portion and protruding to the inner side in the radial direction; and
wherein both the recessed portion and the protruding portion are provided in the inner wall of the first hole portion when viewed in the axial direction, and a bottom portion of the recessed portion and a top portion of the protruding portion are arranged to be shifted from each other in the circumferential direction.
Inuzuka discloses in another embodiment when viewed in the axial direction, an inner wall of the first hole portion 8 is provided with at least one of a recessed portion provided in a portion located on an inner side in the radial direction in the inner wall of the first hole portion 8 (fig 6c & below, [0036]) and recessed to the inner side in the radial direction (fig 6c & below) and a protruding portion provided in a portion located on an outer side in the radial direction in the inner wall of the first hole portion 8 and protruding to the inner side in the radial direction (fig 6c & below); and
wherein both the recessed portion and the protruding portion are provided in the inner wall of the first hole portion 8 when viewed in the axial direction (fig 6c & below), and a bottom portion of the recessed portion and a top portion of the protruding portion are arranged to be shifted from each other in the circumferential direction (fig 6c & below).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute one known element (triangular shaped first hole portion disclosed in fig 6b) for another known equivalent element (polygonal shaped first hole portion disclosed in fig 6c) resulting in the predictable result of forming a first hole portion in the rotor core to alleviate stress and enable high speed rotation, as taught by Inuzuka ([0012]).
Claims 8-9 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Inuzuka in view of Ha et al. (KR20210120354, “Ha”, using machine translation).
Re claim 8, Inuzuka discloses claim 6 as discussed above but is silent with respect to a pair of the second magnet holes are provided adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, the pair of second magnet holes extend in directions away from each other in the circumferential direction from an inner side in the radial direction toward an outer side in the radial direction when viewed in the axial direction, and the first virtual line passes between the pair of second magnet holes when viewed in the axial direction.
Ha discloses a pair of the second magnet holes 1324c-d are provided adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction (fig 13), the pair of second magnet holes 1324c-d extend in directions away from each other in the circumferential direction from an inner side in the radial direction toward an outer side in the radial direction when viewed in the axial direction (fig 13), and the first virtual line CL passes between the pair of second magnet holes 1324c-d when viewed in the axial direction (fig 13); and
equivalence between a single second magnet hole and a pair of second magnet holes (figs 13-14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute one known element (single second magnet hole as disclosed by Inuzuka) for another known equivalent element (pair of second magnet holes disclosed by Ha; equivalence disclosed by Ha) resulting in the predictable result of forming a rotor magnet pole with first and second magnets.
Re claim 9, Inuzuka in view of Ha disclose claim 8 as discussed above and further discloses a first bridge portion located between the pair of first magnet holes (Inuzuka fig 6b; Ha, fig 13); and
a second bridge portion located between the pair of second magnet holes 1324c-d (Ha).
Inuzuka in view of Ha disclose claim 9 except for a distance in the radial direction between the second bridge portion and the first hole portion is smaller than a distance in the radial direction between the first bridge portion and the first hole portion.
Inuzuka discloses in another embodiment forming the first hole portion 8 closer to the second magnet hole than the first magnet hole (fig 3, [0030-0031]) (fig 3, [0030-0031]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the first hole portion and second magnet holes of Inuzuka in view of Ha so the first hole portion is closer to the second magnet hole than the second magnet hole, as disclosed by Inuzuka in another embodiment, in order to provide less stress reduction effect for different machine applications.
It is pointed out that Inuzuka in view of Ha discloses a distance in the radial direction between the second bridge portion and the first hole portion is smaller than a distance in the radial direction between the first bridge portion and the first hole portion since : Inuzuka discloses the first hole portion 8 is closer to the second magnet hole than the first magnet hole; and Ha discloses the second bridge portion is located at the second magnet hole.
Re claim 15, Inuzuka in view of Ha disclose claim 8 as discussed above and further discloses a portion located on the outer side in the radial direction in an inner wall of the first hole portion has a portion extending along the second magnet hole on the inner side in the radial direction of the second magnet hole when viewed in the axial direction (Inuzuka, fig 6a & below; Ha, fig 13 & below, the portion of first hole 8 of Inuzuka & both the portions of a second hole of Inuzuka & Ha extend generally in the circumferential direction).
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Re claim 16, Inuzuka in view of Ha disclose claim 8 as discussed above. Inuzuka further discloses a portion located on the inner side in the radial direction in an inner wall of the first hole portion 8 has a portion extending in a direction different from a direction in which the first magnet hole extends on the outer side in the radial direction of the first magnet hole when viewed in the axial direction (figs 6b & below).
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Claims 10-12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Inuzuka in view of Sidiropoulos (US20170373573, “Sidiropoulos”).
Re claim 10, Inuzuka discloses claim 6 and further discloses when viewed in the axial direction, an inner wall of the first hole portion 8 is provided with at least one of a recessed portion provided in a portion located on an inner side in the radial direction in the inner wall of the first hole portion 8 and recessed to the inner side in the radial direction (figs 6b & below).
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Inuzuka is silent with respect to a protruding portion provided in a portion located on an outer side in the radial direction in the inner wall of the first hole portion and protruding to the inner side in the radial direction.
Inuzuka further discloses different shapes can be employed for the first hole portion (figs 6-7, [0035-0037]).
Sidiropoulos discloses the hole portion 18 has a protruding portion provided in a portion located on an outer side in the radial direction in the inner wall of the hole portion 18 (figs 2-3, [0024]) and protruding to the inner side in the radial direction (figs 2-3).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the first hole portion of Inuzuka with a protruding portion provided in a portion located on an outer side in the radial direction in the inner wall of the first hole portion and protruding to the inner side in the radial direction, as disclosed by Sidiropoulos, in order to increase saliency, as taught by Sidiropoulos ([0024]).
Re claim 11, Inuzuka in view of Sidiropoulos discloses claim 10 as discussed above and further discloses the protruding portion is provided on the inner wall of the first hole portion when viewed in the axial direction (Sidiropoulos, figs 3 & above for claim 10), and
the protruding portion is provided at a position overlapping the first virtual line when viewed in the axial direction (Sidiropoulos, figs 3 & above for claim 10, show protruding portion is almost as wide as inner wall; & Inuzuka, figs 6b & above for claim 10, shows recessed portion is wide; so that both the protruding portion and the recessed portion partially overlap virtual line as shown for recessed portion in annotated fig 6b above for claim 10; alternatively both the protruding portion & recessed portion also overlap the virtual line in the circumferential direction when viewed in the axial direction).
Re claim 12, Inuzuka in view of Sidiropoulos discloses claim 11 as discussed above and further discloses the recessed portion is provided in the inner wall of the first hole portion 8 when viewed in the axial direction (Inuzuka, figs 6b & above for claim 10), and
a bottom portion of the recessed portion and a top portion of the protruding portion are provided at positions overlapping the first virtual line when viewed in the axial direction (Sidiropoulos, figs 3 & above for claim 10, interpreting top portion as surface of protruding portion; & Inuzuka, figs 6b & above for claim 10, interpreting bottom surface as surface of recessed portion).
Re claim 17, Inuzuka discloses claim 1 and further discloses a plurality of magnet holding portions each having the pair of first magnet holes and the first hole portion 8 and arranged side by side in the circumferential direction (fig 1).
Inuzuka is silent with respect to a second hole portion provided at a position overlapping a second virtual line passing through a center in the circumferential direction between the magnet holding portions adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and extending in the radial direction when viewed in the axial direction.
Sidiropoulos discloses a second hole portion 31 provided at a position overlapping a second virtual line passing through a center in the circumferential direction between the magnet holding portions adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and extending in the radial direction when viewed in the axial direction (figs 1-2 & below, [0026]).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the rotor core of Inuzuka to include a second hole portion provided at a position overlapping a second virtual line passing through a center in the circumferential direction between the magnet holding portions adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and extending in the radial direction when viewed in the axial direction, as disclosed by Sidiropoulos, in order to minimize the amount of material used in the rotor for higher efficiency, as taught by Sidiropoulos ([0026]).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Inuzuka in view of Sidiropoulos and in further view of Okamoto et al. (US20190252936, “Okamoto”).
Re claim 14, Inuzuka in view of Sidiropoulos discloses claim 12 as discussed above and further discloses a through hole penetrating the rotor core in the axial direction (Inuzuka, fig 1), wherein the central axis passes through an inside of the through hole (Inuzuka, fig 1),
the first virtual line passes through the bottom portion of the recessed portion (Inuzuka, figs 6b & above for claim 10, interpreting bottom portion as surface of recessed portion), and
the d axis corresponds to the first virtual line (fig 1 & above for claims 1 & 10).
Inuzuka in view of Sidiropoulos are silent with respect to:
a projection portion protruding to the inner side in the radial direction is provided on an inner edge of the through hole, and
the projection portion has a portion provided at a same position in the circumferential direction as a bottom portion of the recessed portion.
Okamoto discloses a projection portion 420 protruding to the inner side in the radial direction is provided on an inner edge of the through hole 405a (figs 3-4, [0040]), and
the projection portion 420 has a portion provided at a same position in the circumferential direction as the d axis (figs 3-4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the rotor core of Inuzuka in view of Sidiropoulos to have a projection portion protruding to the inner side in the radial direction provided on an inner edge of the through hole, and the projection portion has a portion provided at a same position in the circumferential direction as the d axis, as disclosed by Okamoto, in order to fix the rotor core to the shaft, as taught by Okamoto ([0040]).
It is pointed out that Inuzuka in view of Sidiropoulos and Okamoto disclose the projection portion has a portion provided at a same position in the circumferential direction as a bottom portion of the recessed portion since: Inuzuka discloses the bottom portion overlaps the first virtual line that corresponds to the d-axis; and Okamoto discloses overlaps the d-axis.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Inuzuka in view of Okamoto.
Re claim 19, Inuzuka discloses claim 1 and further discloses a drive device comprising: the rotating electric machine according to claim 18 (figs 1 & 6b).
Inuzuka is silent with respect to a gear mechanism connected to the rotating electric machine.
Okamoto discloses a gear mechanism 140 connected to the rotating electric machine 200 (figs 1-2, [0031]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the electric rotating machine of Inuzuka with a gear mechanism connected to the rotating electric machine, as disclosed by Okamoto, in order to provide the electric machine for driving a vehicle, as demonstrated by Okamoto.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Takahashi (US20200220398), Miyama (US20230111062, fig 11), Hisada (US20220209600, figs 2 & 6), Kitao (US20210218301, figs 7, 9, 12, 15, 17), Amamiya (CN103997141, figs 1-2 & 4), Lin (CN1055871097, fig 1) and Shichijoh (US8227952, fig 9) all read on at least claim 1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5715. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:30-5pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Seye Iwarere can be reached on (571)270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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