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
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.
Claims 1-3, 5, 8, 9, and -15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kwon et al. (US 2011/0116171).
With respect to claim 1, Kwon et al. discloses a dielectric transducer (Figs 3, 7H) for use in a sensor, actuator or generator comprising a plurality of layers of transducer foils (items 111-118), wherein on at least one side of each transducer foil an electrically contactable and conductive layer forming an electrode layer (items 121-128) is applied, at least two contact elements (items 131-138, 141, and 142), each of which is arranged at least partially in a recess (items H1 and H2) or in a through- channel and extends over at least one layer of transducer foils (Fig 3), and a printer circuit board (item S) for stiffening as well as for electrical contacting the transducer with an electrical or electronic component on one side or on two opposite sides of the transducer (Fig 7G), wherein adjacent electrode layers electrically conductively connected to different contact elements (Fig 3).
With respect to claim 2, Kwon et al. discloses the dielectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the contact elements (items 141 and 142) extends into the transducer in thickness direction, or comprises a coating which covers an inner side of the recess or of the through-channel (Fig 3).
With respect to claim 3, Kwon et al. discloses the dielectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the contact elements is stair-shaped or comb-shaped (Fig 3).
With respect to claim 5, Kwon et al. discloses the dielectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein each transducer foil comprises at least one surface area in which the electrode layer is interrupted (Fig 3, wherein for each electrode 121-128, there is an interrupted portion between their ends and the opposite contact element).
With respect to claim 8, Kwon et al. discloses the dielectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein adjacent transducer foils are connected to one another in edge areas (Fig 3).
With respect to claim 9, Kwon et al. discloses the dielectric transducer according to claim 1, wherein between 2 and 100 transducer foils are provided (Fig 3).
With respect to claim 15, Kwon et al. discloses a sensor, actuator or generator comprising a dielectric transducer according to claim 1 (Abstract).
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, 6, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon et al. in view of Kumegawa et al. (US 2020/0350484).
With respect to claim 4, Kwon et al. discloses the dielectric transducer according to claim 1.
Kwon et al. does not disclose that the electrode layer comprises a non-metallic material or is made of a non-metallic material.
Kumegawa et al. teaches a piezoelectric device in which the electrode layer comprises a non-metallic material or is made of a non-metallic material (Paragraph 32).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the non-metallic electrode materials of Kumegawa et al. with the piezoelectric device of Kwon et al. as it has been held that the selection of materials based on their art-recognized suitability for a intended purpose is obvious (In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416).
With respect to claim 6, Kwon et al. discloses the dielectric transducer according to claim 1.
Kwon et al. does not disclose that the transducer foils have a thickness of between 5 µm and 200 µm and/or are made of a polymer material comprising polysiloxane.
Kumegawa et al. teaches a piezoelectric device in which the transducer foils have a thickness of between 5 µm and 200 µm and/or are made of a polymer material comprising polysiloxane (Paragraph 34).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the transducer layer thickness of Kumegawa et al. with the piezoelectric device of Kwon et al. as it has been held that a mere change in size or relative dimensions is obvious (Gardner v. TEC Systems. Inc., 220 USPQ 777).
With respect to claim 7, Kwon et al. discloses the dielectric transducer according to claim 1.
Kwon et al. does not disclose that the thickness of an electrode layer is between 500 nm and 100 µm.
Kumegawa et al. teaches a piezoelectric device in which the thickness of an electrode layer is between 500 nm and 100 µm (Paragraph 31).
Before the effective filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the electrode layer thickness of Kumegawa et al. with the piezoelectric device of Kwon et al. as it has been held that a mere change in size or relative dimensions is obvious (Gardner v. TEC Systems. Inc., 220 USPQ 777).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 29 January 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the “fixing frame” (item 40) of Kwon does not correspond to the claimed printed circuit board. However, this fixing frame is not cited for this feature. This argument is therefore rendered moot.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/DEREK J ROSENAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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