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: MOTOR UNIT WITH ROTATING BODIES AND CAPACITOR.
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 1-4 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamaguchi et al. (US6166498, “Yamaguchi”).
Re claim 1, Yamaguchi discloses a motor unit comprising:
a first rotating body 27 (figs 2-3, col 4, lns 15-35);
a second rotating body 25 arranged in line with the first rotating body 27 in a rotation axis direction of the first rotating body and configured to rotate together with the first rotating body (figs 2-3, col 4, lns 15-35);
a third rotating body 32 arranged in line the first rotating body in an alignment direction different from the rotation axis direction and rotating together with the first rotating body 27 (figs 2-3, col 4, lns 15-35); and
a drive circuit including a capacitor 55, and configured to drive and rotate at least one of the first rotating body, the second rotating body, and the third rotating body (figs 1 & 6, col 5, lns 13-19), wherein
the capacitor 55 is arranged adjacent to the second rotating body 25 (figs 1-3 & 6 , col 5, lns 20-24, ascertain from figs), and
the capacitor 55 is arranged adjacent to the third rotating body 32 (figs 1-3 & 6 , col 5, lns 20-24, since 55 is adjacent 25 & 32 adjacent 25).
Re claim 2, Yamaguchi discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further discloses the drive circuit includes a power module 53 in addition to the capacitor 55 (figs 1 & 6),
the first rotating body 27, the second rotating body 25, the third rotating body 32, and the power module 53 are heat-generating components which generate heat due to rotational driving by the drive circuit (col 6, lns 7-24), and
the motor unit further comprises a heat shielding layer arranged in a facing region 49a between the capacitor 55 and the heat-generating components (fig 1, col 4, lns 63-65; col 5, lns 3-5 & col 6, lns 7-24, heat shielding area includes wall 49 & 49a where 10 & 49 made of heat conducting material; shields 55 from heat by drawing heat in 49 & 49a to flow path 56).
Re claim 3, Yamaguchi discloses claim 2 as discussed above and further discloses the capacitor 55 has two or more surfaces facing the heat-generating components (fig 1, bottom of 55 & side facing 25), and
the heat shielding layer faces the two or more surfaces of the capacitor 55 (fig 1).
Re claim 4, Yamaguchi discloses claim 3 as discussed above and further discloses the heat shielding layer includes a coolant flow path 56 through which coolant flows (fig 1, col 6, lns 7-14).
Re claim 7, Yamaguchi discloses claim 4 as discussed above and further discloses a case housing the first rotating body 25, the second rotating body 27, the third rotating body 32, and the drive circuit (fig 1, col 4, lns 63-65 & col 5, lns 4-7, includes 10 & 46); and
an external connection terminal 71, 72 of the drive circuit provided on the case (fig 6, col 6, lns 54-65), wherein
the coolant flow path 56 is provided in a part of the case (figs 1 & 3), and
the external connection terminal 71, 72 is provided at a position on the case different from the coolant flow path 56 (figs 1, 3 & 6).
Re claim 8, Yamaguchi discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further discloses the second rotating body 25 includes a motor mechanism as a rotating part (fig 2),
the first rotating body 27 includes a first gear as a rotating part connected to a rotation shaft of the motor mechanism (fig 2), and
the third rotating body 32 includes a second gear configured to mesh and rotate with the first gear 27 (fig 2).
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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi in view of Omae et al. (US20120313467, “Omae”).
Re claim 5, Yamaguchi discloses claim 4 as discussed above and further discloses a gap arranged between the capacitor 55 and the coolant flow path 56 (fig 1, gap formed by space of 49a).
Yamaguchi discloses claim 5 but does not disclose a heat dissipation member arranged between the capacitor and the coolant flow path.
Omae discloses filling the gap between the capacitor 13 and its wall 36a is filled with a heat dissipation member (fig 4, [0042]).
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 capacitor of Yamaguchi so a heat dissipation member arranged between the capacitor and the coolant flow path, as disclosed by Omae, in order to promote heat dissipation of the capacitor, as taught by Omae ([0042]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi in view of Nakamatsu et al. (US20220123628, “Nakamatsu”).
Re claim 6, Yamaguchi discloses claim 2 as discussed above and further discloses a case housing the first rotating body 27, the second rotating body 25, the third rotating body 32, and the drive circuit (fig 1, col 4, lns 63-65 & col 5, lns 4-7, includes 10 & 46), wherein
the case has a shaft hole (figs 2-4 & below, hole formed in 10 to hold bearings for shaft 31 & let end of 31 extend),
the third rotating body 32 has a rotation shaft 31 arranged in the shaft hole (figs 3-4, col 6, lns 16-18),
the heat shielding layer is arranged between the capacitor 55 and the rotation shaft 31 (figs 1, 3 & 5-6, since 49 is between 55 & 31), and
the capacitor 55 faces the rotation shaft 31 (figs 1, 3 & 5-6, at least some portion of 55 faces the direction of 31).
PNG
media_image1.png
801
536
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Yamaguchi discloses claim 6 except for the third rotating body has the rotation shaft is arranged in the shaft hole together with lubricating oil.
Nakamatsu discloses the gears and bearings of gear portion 3 are lubricated by oil O ([0044-0045])
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 third rotating body rotation shaft of Yamaguchi to be arranged in the shaft hole together with lubricating oil, as disclosed by Nakamatsu, in order to lubricate the gears and bearings of the third rotating body and rotation shaft, as taught by Nakamatsu.([0045]).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi in view of Kohara et al. (JP2021160520, “Kohara”, using machine translation).
Re claim 9, Yamaguchi discloses claim 1 as discussed above but is silent with respect to the motor unit is mounted under a floor at a foot space of a front seat of a vehicle, or under a cargo room of the vehicle.
Kohara discloses the motor unit 5,4 is mounted under a floor 10 at a foot space of a front seat of a vehicle 1, or under a cargo room of the vehicle (figs 1-4, [0026-0027] & [0043]).
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 motor unit of Yamaguchi to be mounted under a floor at a foot space of a front seat of a vehicle, or under a cargo room of the vehicle, as disclosed by Yamaguchi, in order to locate the motor unit in a known position of a vehicle as demonstrated by Yamaguchi.
Conclusion
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.
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, 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.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ERIC JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
