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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/29/26 has been entered.
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.
Claim(s) 11, 14, 16, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kawano et al. (US 2011/0148332).
Regarding claim 11,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 2):
A method for overload control of a power tool (Fig. 2, all elements) , the method comprising: determining, using an electronic processor (Fig. 1, 23), a selected speed of the power tool (using 23, 32, 33, variable dial and resistor to set speed, ¶0075); setting, using the electronic processor (23), a present conduction angle of a triac (27) of the power tool (all elements, ¶0070) to an initial conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed (Fig. 2, 204); detecting, using a speed sensor (fig.1, 6), a speed of a motor (3) of the power tool determining, using the electronic processor (23), that the speed is decreasing (Fig. 2, steps 202-206, ¶0079);
determining, using the electronic processor (Fig. 23), whether the present conduction angle is below a maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed in response to the speed decreasing (¶0079); increasing, using the electronic processor (23), the present conduction angle when the present conduction angle is below the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed (¶0079) and in response to determining the speed is decreasing (¶0079, constant rotation control, 205); and maintaining, using the electronic processor (23), the present conduction angle at the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed when the present conduction angle is at or above the maximum conduction angle (¶0079-¶0081).
Regarding claim 14,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 2):
wherein the speed is increased to maintain the selected speed (increases speed to get to set speed, ¶0079-¶0081).
Regarding claim 16,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 2):
further comprising: determining a motor current (¶0084); and turning off the motor (Fig. 1, 3) when the motor current exceeds an overload current threshold (¶0084).
Regarding claim 19,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 2):
further comprising implementing, using the electronic processor, a stepwise increase of the present conduction angle until the motor speed stabilizes to the selected speed while limiting the present conduction angle to the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed even when a load is increasing and the speed is decreasing (Fig. 8, slow start, ¶0012-¶0013).
Regarding claim 23,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 2):
further comprising: determining that the selected speed is a maximum selectable speed; and setting the initial conduction angle and the maximum conduction angle to 100% in response to determining that the selected speed is the maximum selectable speed (¶0076).
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4-9, 15, 17-18, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawano et al. (US 2011/0148332) in view of Woods et al. (US 2007/0097566).
Regarding claim 1,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 1):
a power circuit (Fig.1 ,4) supplying operating power to the motor (3) through a triac (27, ¶0070); a speed sensor (6) configured to detect a speed of the motor (3, ¶0070); a speed selector (32, 33, variable dial and resistor to set speed, ¶0075); and an electronic processor (23) electrically coupled to the motor (¶0075), the triac (27), the speed sensor (6), and the speed selector (32, 33, microcontroller 23 is connected to all of these, ¶0070) and configured to determine, from the speed selector (32), a selected speed (¶0075, Fig. 2, step 202), set a present conduction angle of the triac to an initial conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed (¶0076, step 203),
determine that the speed is decreasing (Step 205, constant rotation control), determine whether the present conduction angle is below a maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed in response to the speed is decreasing (Fig. 2, steps 202-206), increase the present conduction angle when the present conduction angle is below the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed (¶0079) and in response to determining the speed is decreasing (¶0079, constant rotation control, 205), and maintain the present conduction angle at the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed when the present conduction angle is at or above the maximum conduction angle (¶0079-¶0081).
They do not disclose:
A power tool comprising: a housing; a motor within the housing;
However, Woods teaches (Fig. 1):
A power tool comprising (Fig.1 , all elements) : a housing (18); a motor (15) within the housing (18, ¶0031, ¶0033);
Regarding claim 1, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
Regarding claim 4,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 1):
wherein the speed is increased to maintain the selected speed (increases speed to get to set speed, ¶0079).
Regarding claim 5,
Kawano discloses the above elements from claim 1.
They do not disclose:
further comprising one of a temperature sensor and a temperature estimator to provide a temperature indication to the electronic processor, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to turn off the motor when the temperature indication indicates that a temperature of the power tool is above a predetermined temperature threshold.
However, Woods teaches (Fig. 1):
further comprising one of a temperature sensor (Fig. 4, 410) and a temperature estimator (part of 430, Fig. 10A, ¶0119-¶0120) to provide a temperature indication to the electronic processor (410), wherein the electronic processor (410) is further configured to turn off the motor when the temperature indication indicates that a temperature of the power tool is above a predetermined temperature threshold (¶0113).
Regarding claim 5, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
Regarding claim 6,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 1):
wherein the electronic processor (fig. 1,2 3) is further configured to determine a motor current (¶0084); and turn off the motor when the motor current exceeds an overload current threshold (¶0084).
Regarding claim 7,
Kawano discloses the above elements from claim 1.
They do not disclose:
further comprising a fan coupled to and rotating with an output shaft of the motor and is configured to provide cooling airflow to the motor and other components of the power tool.
However, Woods teaches (Fig. 1):
further comprising a fan coupled to and rotating with an output shaft of the motor and is configured to provide cooling airflow to the motor and other components of the power tool (¶0128, fan speed).
Regarding claim 7, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
Regarding claim 8,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 1):
having a mapping between a plurality of selectable speeds and a plurality of initial conduction angles and a plurality of maximum conduction angles (Figs. 3-4, conduction angle), wherein a first maximum conduction angle (Rotation value 1) corresponding to a first selectable speed of the plurality of selectable speeds is lower than a second maximum (rotation value 2) conduction angle corresponding to a second selectable speed of the plurality of selectable speeds (rotation angle speeds 1-4, ¶0077-¶0079).
They do not disclose:
further comprising a memory storing a look-up table
However, Woods teaches (Fig. 4):
further comprising a memory (Fig. 4, 430) storing a look-up table (¶0048)
Regarding claim 8, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
Regarding claim 9,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 1):
wherein the electronic processor is configured to implement a stepwise increase of the present conduction angle until the motor speed stabilizes to the selected speed while limiting the present conduction angle to the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed even when a load is increasing and the speed is decreasing (Fig. 8, slow start, ¶0012-¶0013).
Regarding claim 15,
Kawano discloses the above elements of claim 11.
They do not disclose:
further comprising: determining, using one of a temperature sensor and a temperature estimator, a temperature of the power tool; and turning off the motor when the temperature of the power tool is above a predetermined temperature threshold.
However, Woods teaches (Fig. 4):
further comprising: determining, using one of a temperature sensor (Fig. 4, 410) and a temperature estimator (part of 430, Fig. 10A, ¶0119-¶0120) a temperature of the power tool (¶0119-¶0120) and turning off the motor (Fig. 1, 3) when the temperature of the power tool is above a predetermined temperature threshold (¶0113).
Regarding claim 15, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
Regarding claim 17,
Kawano discloses the above elements of claim 11.
They do not disclose:
further comprising providing, using a fan coupled to and rotating with an output shaft of the motor, cooling airflow to the motor and other components of the power tool.
However, Woods teaches (Fig. 4):
further comprising providing, using a fan coupled to and rotating with an output shaft of the motor, cooling airflow to the motor and other components of the power tool (¶0128, fan speed).
Regarding claim 17, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
Regarding claim 18,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 3):
having a mapping between a plurality of selectable speeds and a plurality of initial conduction angles and a plurality of maximum conduction angles (Figs. 3-4, conduction angle), wherein a first maximum conduction angle (Rotation value 1) corresponding to a first selectable speed of the plurality of selectable speeds is lower than a second maximum (rotation value 2) conduction angle corresponding to a second selectable speed of the plurality of selectable speeds (rotation angle speeds 1-4, ¶0077-¶0079).
They do not disclose:
further comprising storing, using a memory, a look-up table
However, Woods teaches (Fig. 4):
further comprising storing, using a memory (Fig. 4, 430),a look-up table (¶0048)
Regarding claim 18, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
Regarding claim 19,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 3):
further comprising implementing, using the electronic processor, a stepwise increase of the present conduction angle until the motor speed stabilizes to the selected speed while limiting the present conduction angle to the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed even when a load is increasing and the speed is decreasing (Fig. 8, slow start, ¶0012-¶0013).
Regarding claim 21,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 3):
wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine that the selected speed is a maximum selectable speed; and set the initial conduction angle and the maximum conduction angle to 100% in response to determining that the selected speed is the maximum selectable speed (¶0076).
Claim(s) 10, 20, 22, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawano et al. (US 2011/0148332) and Woods et al. (US 2007/0097566) in further view of Horie et al. (US 2014/0042839).
Regarding claim 10,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 2):
wherein once the maximum conduction angle is reached (Fig. 2, step 206),
They do not disclose:
the speed decreases until the power tool is turned off based on detecting a lock state of the motor.
However, Horie teaches:
the speed decreases until the power tool is turned off based on detecting a lock state of the motor (¶0080-¶0083).
Regarding claim 10, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
It would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to take the above combination from Woods and Kawano and use the method of control from Horie that reduces the conduction angle when the motor gets loaded or locked to prevent overheating or damage as taught by Horie (¶0083).
Regarding claim 20,
Kawano discloses (Fig. 2):
wherein once the maximum conduction angle is reached (Fig. 2, step 206),
They do not disclose:
the speed decreases until the power tool is turned off based on detecting a lock state of the motor.
However, Horie teaches:
the speed decreases until the power tool is turned off based on detecting a lock state of the motor (¶0080-¶0083).
Regarding claim 20, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
It would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to take the above combination from Woods and Kawano and use the method of control from Horie that reduces the conduction angle when the motor gets loaded or locked to prevent overheating or damage as taught by Horie (¶0083).
Regarding claim 22,
Kawano discloses the above elements from claim 10.
They do not disclose:
wherein the electronic processor is configured to set the present conduction angle of the triac to 0% when the lock state of the motor is detected.
However, Horie teaches:
wherein the electronic processor is configured to set the present conduction angle of the triac to 0% when the lock state of the motor is detected (¶0083).
Regarding claim 22, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
It would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to take the above combination from Woods and Kawano and use the method of control from Horie that reduces the conduction angle when the motor gets loaded or locked to prevent overheating or damage as taught by Horie (¶0083).
Regarding claim 24,
Kawano discloses the above elements from claim 20.
They do not disclose:
further comprising setting the present conduction angle of the triac to 0% when the lock state of the motor is detected.
However, Horie teaches:
further comprising setting the present conduction angle of the triac to 0% when the lock state of the motor is detected (¶0083).
Regarding claim 24, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the power tool system from Kawano that controls a power tool withs peed and current control (¶0075) and utilize this in a housing as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033) in order to have a power tool with a housing and a cord to connect to AC power as taught by Woods (¶0031-¶0033). This would enable the power tool from Kawano to be integrated into a housing with a power cord as taught by Woods in order to be utilized more easily.
It would have been further obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to take the above combination from Woods and Kawano and use the method of control from Horie that reduces the conduction angle when the motor gets loaded or locked to prevent overheating or damage as taught by Horie (¶0083).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/29/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding applicant’s arguments pertaining to claims 1, 4-11, and 14-24, specifically claim 11 that Kawano fails to discloses “determining, using the electronic processor, that the speed is decreasing.”, "determining, using the electronic processor, whether the present conduction angle is below a maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed in response to the speed decreasing,", and "increasing, using the electronic processor, the present conduction angle when the present conduction angle is below the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed and in response to determining the speed is decreasing."
Applicant argues that Kawano fails to disclose “determining, using the electronic processor, whether the present conduction angle is below a maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed in response to the speed decreasing,", and "increasing, using the electronic processor, the present conduction angle when the present conduction angle is below the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed and in response to determining the speed is decreasing." Because in Fig. 2, Kawano discloses that the current conduction angle is adjusted as part of constant rotation speed control which means an overcurrent state is allowed to occur and is addressed by stopping the motor. However, in ¶0076, Kawano teaches how the speed control is performed and that the conduction angle can be increased until 100% and then the conduction angle ratio is varied to avoid preventing burnout while performing speed control. As such, this would stop the motor when the conduction angle is greater than the overcurrent conduction angle but not when its equal to. It would just loop back around from 206 and go back to 202 in Fig. 2. As such, this teaches “determining, using the electronic processor, that the speed is decreasing.”, "determining, using the electronic processor, whether the present conduction angle is below a maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed in response to the speed decreasing,", and "increasing, using the electronic processor, the present conduction angle when the present conduction angle is below the maximum conduction angle corresponding to the selected speed and in response to determining the speed is decreasing."
As such, examiner is maintaining the rejections of claims 1, 4-11, and 14-24.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Matsunaga et al. (US 2014/0352995) – electric power tool
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/C.S.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2846 /KAWING CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846