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 .
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
Claim(s) 1-16, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Aoki (US 2022/0184793, previously cited).
Regarding claim 1, Aoki discloses a grinding machine tool (tool is capable of driving a grinding tool accessory) comprising a motor (4), a casing comprising a head (21) with the motor disposed therein (as shown in fig 1) and a body (including elements 22, 23) extending along a radial direction of the motor (from left to right as viewed in fig 1) and formed with at least one air inlet (801), and an air guider (31) comprising: a main body (33), disposed at a junction between the head and the body (as shown in fig 1); and an ascending diversion portion, integrally formed with the main body (see annotated fig 9 below) and located on a side of the main body facing the body (right side as shown in fig 1), and the ascending diversion portion comprising a main guide surface (see annotated fig below) which guides a first heat dissipation airflow entering from the air inlet to flow toward a top of the motor (as shown by arrows in fig 8), and two auxiliary guide surfaces which are respectively disposed on two sides of the main guide surface (see annotated fig below) and configured to receive a portion of the first heat dissipation airflow to generate a second heat dissipation airflow, wherein the second heat dissipation airflow flows along a side of the motor (shown by dotted arrows in fig 8 and fig 11).
Regarding claim 2, Aoki further discloses the air guider comprises two descending diversion portions (one labeled in annotated fig 9 below; the other is on the opposite side) respectively connected to two sides of the ascending diversion portion (at sides of the auxiliary guide surfaces), and the two descending diversion portions are integrally formed with the main body (as shown in fig 9).
Regarding claim 3, Aoki further discloses at least one of the two descending diversion portions tapers from a apart thereof connected to the ascending diversion portion toward a direction opposite from the ascending diversion portion (as shown in fig 9, tapers away from ascending diversion portion at element 337).
Regarding claims 4-7, Aoki further discloses the ascending diversion portion extends from a bottom edge of the main body to reach a top edge of the main body, and a width of the ascending diversion portion at the bottom edge of the main body is smaller than a width of the ascending diversion portion at the top edge of the main body (see dashed lines in annotated fig below depicting widths at top and bottom edges); wherein the two auxiliary guide surfaces are composed of a plurality of curved surfaces (inner and outer surfaces of each auxiliary guide surface are curved); wherein the main body is in an arc shape (entire outer surface of main body is arced); and wherein two sides of the main body are respectively an inclined surface (as best shown in fig 11, the main body inclines outward from the body toward the head of the casing).
Regarding claim 8, Aoki further discloses at least one of the two descending diversion portions gradually expands from a part thereof connected to the ascending diversion portion toward a direction opposite from the ascending diversion portion (as shown in fig 9; expands outwardly from ascending diversion portion).
Regarding claims 9-12, Aoki further discloses the ascending diversion portion extends from a bottom edge of the main body to reach a top edge of the main body, and a width of the ascending diversion portion at the bottom edge of the main body is smaller than a width of the ascending diversion portion at the top edge of the main body (see dashed lines in annotated fig below depicting widths at top and bottom edges); wherein the two auxiliary guide surfaces are composed of a plurality of curved surfaces (inner and outer surfaces of each auxiliary guide surface are curved); wherein the main body is in an arc shape (entire outer surface of main body is arced); and wherein two sides of the main body are respectively an inclined surface (as best shown in fig 11, the main body inclines outward from the body toward the head of the casing).
Regarding claim 13, Aoki further discloses the main body comprises two flow blockers (one labeled in annotated fig below; second flow blocker is on opposite side) respectively disposed on two sides of the ascending diversion portion, and the two flow blockers are integrally formed with the main body (as shown in fig 9).
Regarding claim 14, Aoki further discloses the main body is in an arc shape (entire body is arced), and the two flow blockers are respectively located on two sides of the main body (as shown in fig 9).
Regarding claims 15-16, Aoki further discloses the ascending diversion portion extends from a bottom edge of the main body to reach a top edge of the main body, and a width of the ascending diversion portion at the bottom edge of the main body is smaller than a width of the ascending diversion portion at the top edge of the main body (see dashed lines in annotated fig below depicting widths at top and bottom edges); wherein the two auxiliary guide surfaces are composed of a plurality of curved surfaces (inner and outer surfaces of each auxiliary guide surface are curved).
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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) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Niwa (US 2016/0211730, previously cited).
Regarding claim 17, Aoki teaches all the elements of claim 1 as described above. Aoki is silent as to how power is supplied to the motor from the power supply and thus does not teach the air guider comprising a wire opening disposed on the main body. Niwa teaches a grinding machine tool including an air guider (70) with a wire opening disposed on its main body (fig 7; see opening on left side for wires 97. It would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a wire opening on the main body of the air guider of Aoki, achieving the predictable result of allowing lead wires to pass to the motor as taught by Niwa (figs 5, 7; [0055]) and thus supplying the power to the motor necessary to the operation of the tool of Aoki (Aoki [0033]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10 Sep 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Aoki does not teach the claimed functions of the main guide surface and auxiliary guide surfaces for respectively guiding an airflow toward a top of the motor and a side of the motor. Examiner respectfully disagrees. As can be seen in fig 8 of Aoki, there is a “first heat dissipation airflow” above the main guide surface (unlabeled in fig 8, but identified in the annotated fig above) of the main body 33. This airflow is identified by solid and dashed arrows in an airflow path above the main guide surface. Contrary to applicant’s arguments, this airflow clearly flows towards a top of the motor as shown by the solid arrows in fig 8 of Aoki. Additionally, as shown by figs 8 and 11, Aoki’s dashed arrows show a “second heat dissipation airflow” which flows along a side of the motor. This second airflow is guided by the curved auxiliary guide surfaces identified in the annotated figure of Aoki above. Applicant argues that the second airflow of Aoki is not guided by the auxiliary guide surfaces. However, the claimed receiving of the first airflow and generation of a second airflow can be easily seen from figures 8 and 11. The auxiliary guide surfaces of Aoki provide the claimed structure, and serve to allow this airflow to happen, as claimed. Applicant provides further arguments against modifying Aoki. However, as Aoki anticipates the argued claim, these arguments do not apply to the current rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 12355304 is cited to show another example of a machine tool with similar airflow characteristics.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCEL T DION whose telephone number is (571)272-9091. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9-5, F 9-3.
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, Brian Keller can be reached at 571-272-8548. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARCEL T DION/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/BRIAN D KELLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723