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 statement (IDS) submitted on 06 May 2025 has been 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.
Claims 1-13 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.
In claim 1, “such as lamination stacks” is indefinite.
In claim 2, “attached or locked” is indefinite.
In claim 3, “preferably with at least one pin” is indefinite.
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 (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 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 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Marioni (US 6,977,455).
Marioni teaches a segmented stator for an electric motor, the segmented stator comprising:
at least one coil support 30,
at least two coils (windings) 21-24 attached to the at least one coil support and each comprising a coil hollow portion (not numbered),
at least two stator segments (lamination groups) 8, such as lamination stacks 11, each stator segment comprising a pole tooth (arm cavity, not numbered) protruding toward a centre of the segmented stator and inserted in one of the coil hollow portions and/or in the at least one coil support 30 (c.4:14-16; Figs.2-3).
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Regarding claim 2, adjacent stator segments 8 are attached or locked to each other one by one (by springs 20; c.4:17-20; Fig.2).
Regarding claim 3, stator segments are locked together, preferably with at least one pin (springs) 20 (c.4:17-20; Fig.2).
Regarding claim 4, the stator segments are lamination stacks 11(c.2:53-55).
Regarding claim 5, the at least one coil support 30 is integral (i.e., monolithic; c.2:62; Fig.2).
Regarding claim 6, the stator segments 8 are distinct from the at least one coil support 30 (Fig.2).
Regarding claim 7, the at least two coils 21-24 form a subassembly with the at least one coil support 30 (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 8, the stator segments 8 and/or the pole tooth 11 hold the at least one coil support 12 (Figs.1&4).
Regarding claim 9, the stator segments 8 surround the at least one coil support 12 (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 10, an electric motor 1 comprising a rotor 5 and the segmented stator according to claim 1 (Figs.1-3).
Regarding claim 11, the method comprises at least the step of radially inserting from the outside the stator segments 8 in the coil hollow portions and/or in the at least one coil support 30 (c.4:11-14).
Regarding claim 12, the method comprises winding and/or attaching the coils 21-24 on the at least one coil support 30 (c.3:24-67; Fig.6).
Regarding claim 13, the step of winding the coils 21-24 is performed before the step of inserting the stator segments 8 in the coil hollow portions and/or in the at least one coil support 30 (c.3:24-c.4:14).
Claims 1-2 & 4-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tsunoda et al. (US 5,708,406).
Tsunoda teaches a segmented stator for an electric motor, the segmented stator comprising:
at least one coil support (bobbin frame) 6,
at least two coils 13A & 13B attached to the at least one coil support and each comprising a coil hollow portion (slots) 14A-14B,
at least two stator segments, such as lamination stacks (stator core halves) 7A & 7B, each stator segment comprising a pole tooth 25A & 25B protruding toward a centre of the segmented stator and inserted in one of the coil hollow portions 13A & 13B and/or in the at least one coil support 6 (c.4:14-16; Figs.2-3).
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Regarding claim 2, adjacent stator segments 7A & 7B are attached or locked to each other one by one (at ends of yokes 26A & 26B; Figs.4-5).
Regarding claim 4, the stator segments 7A & 7B are lamination stacks (laminated E-shaped magnetic plates; c.5:4-5).
Regarding claim 5, the at least one coil support 6 is integral (c.3:63-64; Fig.4).
Regarding claim 6, the stator segments 7A & 7B are distinct from the at least one coil support 6 (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 7, the at least two coils 13A & 13B form a subassembly with the at least one coil support 6 (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 8, the stator segments 7A & 7B and/or the pole tooth 25A & 25B hold the at least one coil support 6 (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 9, the stator segments 7A & 7B surround the at least one coil support 6 (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 10, an electric motor 1 comprising a rotor 4 and the segmented stator according to claim 1 (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 11, a method comprises the steps of radially inserting from the outside the stator segments 7A & 7B in the coil hollow portions 13A & 13B and/or in the at least one coil support 6 (c.5:13-19; Fig.4).
Regarding claim 12, the method comprises the step of: winding and/or attaching the coils 11A & 11B on the at least one coil support 6 (c.4:3-8).
Regarding claim 13, the step of winding the coils 11A & 11B is performed before the step of inserting the stator segments in the coil hollow portions and/or in the at least one coil support (c.4:3-8; c.5:13-19).
Claims 1, 4-10 & 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Barbati et al. (EP 0910152).
Barbati teaches a segmented stator for an electric motor, the segmented stator comprising:
at least one coil support (insulating coating) 12,
at least two coils (windings) attached to the at least one coil support (in radially spaced crows 16, 17) and each comprising a coil hollow portion (not numbered, for teeth 11),
at least two stator segments (pole shoes) 10, such as lamination stacks, each stator segment comprising a pole tooth 11 protruding toward a centre of the segmented stator and inserted in one of the coil hollow portions and/or in the at least one coil support 12 (Figs.1&4).
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Regarding claim 4, the stator segments 10 are lamination stacks (¶[0008]).
Regarding claim 5, the at least one coil support 12 is integral (Fig.4).
Regarding claim 6, the stator segments 10 are distinct from the at least one coil support 12 (Figs.1&4).
Regarding claim 7, the at least two coils form a subassembly with the at least one coil support 12 (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 8, the stator segments 10 and/or the pole tooth 11 hold the at least one coil support 12 (Figs.1&4).
Regarding claim 9, the stator segments 10 surround the at least one coil support 12 (Fig.1).
Regarding claim 10, an electric motor comprising a rotor (¶[0001]) and the segmented stator according to claim 1 (Figs.1&4).
Regarding claim 12, the method comprises winding and/or attaching the coils on the at least one coil support 12 (abstract; ¶[0011]).
Regarding claim 13, the step of winding the coils is performed before the step of inserting the stator segments in the coil hollow portions and/or in the at least one coil support.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BURTON S MULLINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2029. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5. 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 C 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.
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/BURTON S MULLINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
