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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 02/25/2025, 10/21/2025 are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 4, the phrase "corrugation extending axially in phase in the circumferential direction" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the corrugation extends axially or circumferentially. The specification appears to disclose a corrugation, axially in phase, extending alternately in the circumferential direction.
Regarding claim 5, the phrase "a corrugation that extends in an axially phase-shifted manner in the circumferential direction" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the corrugations extend axially or circumferentially. The specification appears to disclose a plurality of corrugations, axially phase-shifted, extending alternately in the circumferential direction.
Claims 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the first free conductor head" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Line 2 recites a “free conductor end.”
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the second conductor" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-3 and 6-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ICHIKAWA - US 20030135980.
Regarding claim 1, ICHIKAWA discloses a stator 2 for an electric machine, comprising:
a plurality of stator teeth (Fig. 2) that define a plurality of stator slots 35 that are circumferentially offset from each other by stator teeth and that run in the axial direction through the stator 2 (Fig. 1-2); and
an energizable winding ([0082]) comprising a plurality of conductors 33 that includes a first conductor 331 and a second conductor 332, wherein the first conductor 331 includes a first conductor portion 331a/331g that extends axially within a first stator slot of the plurality of stator slots 35 and a second conductor portion 331b/331h that extends axially within a stator slot of the plurality of stator slots 35 other than the first stator slot (Fig. 3 and [0084]),
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wherein the second conductor 332 includes a first conductor portion 332a/332g that extends axially within the first stator slot and a second conductor portion 332b/332h that extends axially within a stator slot of the plurality of stator slots 35 other than the first stator slot (Fig. 3 and [0084]),
wherein each of the first and second conductor portions of the first and second conductors 331,332 has a contour deviating from circular shape in cross section taken at a given axial position along a plane normal to the axial direction (Fig. 3 and 21), and
wherein in the first stator slot the first conductor portion 331a of the first conductor 331 is radially adjacent to the first conductor portion 332a of the second conductor 332 (Fig. 3 and 21), and at least one of the first conductor portion 331a/g of the first conductor and the first conductor portion 332a/g of the second conductor is twisted along its longitudinal extent (Fig. 21, i.e. while the twisting of ICHIKAWA does not occur within the stator slot as in the instant disclosure, neither is the claimed first/second conductor portion confined to the slot. ICHIKAWA’s conductors extend axially within the slots as broadly claimed).
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Regarding claim 2, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 1, wherein the first conductor portions 331a/331g, 332a/332g of the first and second conductors 331,332 are both twisted in the same direction along their longitudinal extents (see para [0125]; i.e. ICHIKAWA discloses each conductor being twisted in alternating directions).
Regarding claim 3, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 1 ,wherein the first conductor portions 331a/g,332a/g of the first and second conductors 331,332 form a spring elasticity acting in the radial direction (i.e., the copper conductors disclosed in ICHIKAWA inherently have elastic properties, which include some spring elasticity acting in the radial direction as broadly claimed.)
Regarding claim 6, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 1,wherein the winding has a first group of conductors 33, each conductor of the first group of conductors 33 having two conductor portions that run in parallel and are positioned in different stator slots 35 ([0091]), wherein at least one of the conductor portions is twisted along its longitudinal extent (Fig. 21).
Regarding claim 7, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 6, wherein the two conductor portions a/g,b/h of each conductor of the first group of conductors 33 are twisted along their longitudinal extents (Fig. 21).
Regarding claim 8, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 6, wherein the winding is formed of the first group of conductors 33 ([0091]).
Regarding claim 9, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 1, wherein the first and second conductor portions a/g,b/h of the first and second conductors 331,332 have a substantially rectangular cross-sectional contour at the given axial position (Fig. 21).
Regarding claim 10, ICHIKAWA discloses a conductor for forming a winding, comprising:
a first free conductor end 331d;
a first conductor portion 331a/g that extends from the first free conductor head [end?] 331d;
a second free conductor end 331e that is in a spaced-relationship with the first free conductor end 331d; and
a second conductor portion 331b/h that extends from the second free conductor head, wherein at least one of the first conductor portion 331a/g and the second conductor portion 331b/h is twisted along its longitudinal extent (Fig. 21-22).
Regarding claim 11, ICHIKAWA discloses a stator 2 for an electric machine, comprising:
a plurality of stator teeth (Fig. 2) that define a plurality of stator slots 35 that are circumferentially offset from each other (Fig. 2); and
a first conductor 331 having a first conductor portion 331a/g that extends axially within a first stator slot 35 of the plurality of stator slots 35 and a second conductor portion 331b/h extends axially within a second stator slot 35, wherein the first conductor portion 331a/g is twisted along a longitudinal extent of the first conductor portion 331a/g.
Regarding claim 12, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 11, wherein the [a?] second conductor 332 is twisted along a longitudinal extent of the second conductor portion 331b/h.
Regarding claim 13, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 11, further comprising:
a second conductor 332 having a first conductor portion 332a/g that extends axially within the first stator slot and is disposed radially adjacent to the first conductor portion 331a/g of the first conductor 331.
Regarding claim 14, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 13, wherein the first conductor portion 332a/g of the second conductor 332 is twisted along a longitudinal extent of the first conductor portion 332a/g of the second conductor 332.
Regarding claim 15, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 14, wherein first conductor portions a/g of the first and second conductors 331,332 are both twisted in the same direction along their longitudinal extents (see para [0125]; i.e. ICHIKAWA discloses each conductor being twisted in alternating directions).
Regarding claim 16, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 14, wherein first conductor portions a/h of the first and second conductors 331,332 are twisted in opposite directions along their longitudinal extents (Fig 21).
Regarding claim 17, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 1, wherein the first conductor portions a/h of the first and second conductors 331,332 are twisted in opposite directions along their longitudinal extents (Fig 21).
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 4-5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ICHIKAWA in view of EVEN – US 5268603.
Regarding claim 4, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 1.
However, ICHIKAWA fails to teach the first conductor portions of the first and second conductors have corrugation extending axially in phase in the circumferential direction.
EVEN discloses a stator (Fig. 7) comprising first and second conductor portions 6.2 of first and second conductors 6 which have corrugation extending axially 4,6.3 (Fig. 2), in phase in the circumferential direction 6.2 (Fig. 3).
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It 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 to provide the stator of ICHIKAWA with the first conductor portions of the first and second conductors have corrugation extending axially in phase in the circumferential direction, similar to EVEN.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide channels for axial air flow, as taught by EVEN (Col. 1, lines 39-45).
Regarding claim 5, ICHIKAWA discloses the stator of claim 1.
However, ICHIKAWA fails to teach the first conductor portions of the first and second conductors have corrugation that extends in an axially phase-shifted manner in the circumferential direction.
EVEN discloses a stator (Fig. 7) comprising first and second conductor portions 6.2 of first and second conductors 6 which have corrugation that extends, in an axially phase-shifted manner (Fig. 2 and 5), in the circumferential direction 6.2 (Fig. 2 and 5).
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It 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 to provide the stator of ICHIKAWA with the first conductor portions of the first and second conductors have corrugation extending axially in phase in the circumferential direction, similar to EVEN.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to provide channels for axial air flow, as taught by EVEN (Col. 1, lines 39-45).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-4176237-A Bingen discloses conductors that have a twisted section; US-5477007-A Jagersberger discloses conductors that have a twisted section; US-20050116573-A1 Hattori discloses conductors that have a twisted section confined to a stator slot.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN STEFANON whose telephone number is (703)756-4648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternate Fridays 8AM - 5PM EDT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Oluseye Iwarere can be reached at (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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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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