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 .
Response to Amendment
Claim 1 is amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments filed 01/7/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
First applicant argues that Tsunoda does not disclose “the magnet, disposed between side portions of the tip ends of the pair of rod-shaped bodies, each of the side portions at the tip ends of the pair of rod-shaped bodies has the plurality of magnetic poles facing the outer periphery of the magnet, respectively”
Examiner disagrees and has cited fig. 3 to show the magnet (rotor magnet 19 fig. 3) is disposed between (the rotor magnet 19 is disposed between the side portions of the tip end portions as shown below in fig. 3) side portions (side portions as shown below in fig. 3) of the tip ends (tip end portions as shown below in fig. 3) of the pair of rod-shaped bodies (stator core halves 7A and 7B 10 fig. 3).
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Second applicant argues that Tsunoda does not disclose “the second magnetic attraction member is positioned on a side opposite to the first magnetic attraction member with respect to the center of the shaft portion”.
Examiner disagrees and has cited fig. 4 to show the second magnetic attraction member (stator magnet 8B fig. 4) is positioned on a side opposite (the stator magnet 8B is opposite the stator magnet 8A fig. 4) the first magnetic attraction member (stator magnet 8A fig. 4) with respect to the shaft position (the shaft 18 is between the stator magnet 8B and the stator magnet 8A).
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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 (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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 3 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunoda et al. (US 5708406A) in view of Itami et al. (US 5069515 A).
Regarding claim 1, Tsunoda discloses in at least figures 3-5, a rotary reciprocating drive actuator (rotary actuator 1 fig.3), comprising:
a movable body (rotor 4 fig.3) including a magnet (rotor magnet 19 fig.3) fixed to a shaft portion (shaft 18 fig. 3) to which a movable object (rotary valve col. 2 lines 23-25) is connected (the rotary actuator is configured to drive a rotary valve col. 2 lines 23-25), the movable body being disposed to be capable of a reciprocating rotation about the shaft portion (rotor 4 can be reciprocating col.6 lines 10-12 rotating about rotary shaft 18 fig. 3); and
a fixing body (stator 3 fig. 4) including a core body (rotor container 10 fig. 4) having a plurality of coils (coils 13A and 13B are attached to rotor container 10 fig. 4) and a plurality of magnetic poles (poles 25A and 25B are in coils 13A and 13B which are attached to rotor container 10 fig. 4), a first magnetic attraction member (stator magnet 8A fig. 5), and a second magnetic attraction member (stator magnet 8b fig. 5), that are disposed to face an outer circumference of the magnet (stator magnets 8A and 8B face the outer circumference of magnet 19 fig. 5), the first magnetic attraction member being configured to generate a first magnetic attraction force between the first magnetic attraction member and the magnet (first magnetic attraction member stator magnet 8A generates an attraction force to magnet 19 with active surface 21A when the "S" pole of the rotor magnet 19 is attracted by the excitable magnetic pole 25A as an "N" pole and the active surface 21A as an "N" pole, of the stator magnet 8A col.5 35-51), the first magnetic attraction force defining a rotational center position of the reciprocating rotation of the movable body (the "S" pole of the rotor magnet 19 is located between the excitable magnetic pole 25A and the active surface 21A, and where the "N" pole of the rotor magnet 19 is located between the excitable magnetic pole 25B and the active surface 21B col.5 lines 47-50 resulting in a rotational center shown by the arrow below in fig.5), the second magnetic attraction member being configured to generate a second magnetic attraction force between the second magnetic attraction member and the magnet (the second attraction member stator magnet 8B generates an attraction force to magnet 19 with active surface 21B when the "N" pole of the rotor magnet 19 is attracted by the excitable magnetic pole 25B as an "S" pole and the active surface 21B as an "S" pole of the stator magnet 8B col.5 35-51), the second magnetic attraction force canceling an axis-radial load acting by the first magnetic attraction force on the movable body (the second magnetic attraction force is applied by second magnetic attraction member stator 8B from and opposite direction of the first magnetic attraction force applied by first magnetic attraction member stator 8A fig.5 which cancels the axis radial load as shown by current application figs. 13-14 and described as the first magnetic attraction member pole portion 415b facing magnet 26B opposite the second magnetic attraction member angle position holding portion 48 in current application paragraphs [0203-0204]),
wherein a magnetic flux (magnetic flux col. 6 lines 13-20) passing through the plurality of magnetic poles (magnetic poles 25A and 25B fig. 4) is generated by energization of the plurality of coils (the excitable magnetic poles 25A and 25B are excited by the passage of electric current through the excitable coils 13A and 13B col. 6 lines 13-15), causing the reciprocating rotation of the movable body (rotor 4 fig.3) about an axis of the shaft portion (vertical axis through shaft 18 fig. 3) with reference to the rotational center position (shown below in fig.5) by electromagnetic interaction between the magnetic flux (magnetic flux col. 6 lines 13-20) and the magnet (the reciprocating rotation of rotor 4 about shat 18 is 90 degrees from the original orientation of rotor 4 around a vertical axis through shaft 18 col.6 lines 1-12 due to the electromagnetic interaction between the magnetic flux and the rotor magnet 19 col. 6 lines 13-20),
the magnet (rotor magnet 19 fig. 3) is disposed between (the rotor magnet 19 is disposed between the side portions of the tip end portions as shown below in fig. 3) side portions (side portions as shown below in fig. 3) of the tip ends (tip end portions as shown below in fig. 3) of the pair of rod-shaped bodies (stator core halves 7A and 7B 10 fig. 3)
each of the side portions (side portions as shown below in fig. 4) at the tip ends (tip end portions as shown below in fig. 4) of the pair of rod-shaped bodies (stator core halves 7A and 7B 10 fig. 4) has the plurality of magnetic poles (magnetic poles 25A and 25B fig. 4) facing the outer periphery (the magnetic poles 25A and 25B face the outer periphery of the rotor magnet 19 as shown below in fig. 4) of the magnet (rotor magnet 19 fig. 4), respectively: and
the second magnetic attraction member (stator magnet 8B fig. 4) is positioned on a side opposite (the stator magnet 8B is opposite the stator magnet 8A fig. 4) the first magnetic attraction member (stator magnet 8A fig. 4) with respect to the shaft position (the shaft 18 is between the stator magnet 8B and the stator magnet 8A).
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Tsunoda does not disclose, the core body includes, a pair of rod-shaped bodies extending in parallel to each other from base end portions to the tip end portions, the plurality of coils are respectively mounted on the intermediate portions of the pair of rod-shaped bodies and arranged in parallel.
the second magnetic attraction member is rod-shaped and has a tip surface facing the magnet and is disposed to extend in parallel between the pair of rod-shaped bodies and the plurality of coils.
However Itami discloses in at least figure 5, the core body includes (frame 21b fig. 5), a pair of rod-shaped bodies (coil portions 24 fig. 5) extending in parallel to each other (coil portions 24 extend in parallel in between the pairs of coils 25 and the coil portions 24 as shown below in fig. 5, as shown below in current application fig. 5) from base end portions (base end portions as shown below in fig. 5) to the tip end portions (tip end portions as shown below in fig. 5),
the plurality of coils (coils 25 fig. 5) are respectively mounted on (coils 25 are mounted on the intermediate portions of coil portions 24 as shown below in fig. 5) the intermediate portions (intermediate portions as shown below in fig. 5) of the pair of rod-shaped bodies (coil portions 24 fig. 5) and arranged in parallel (the coils 25 are arranged in parallel fig. 5),
the second magnetic attraction member (first magnet 19 fig. 5) is rod-shaped (first magnet 19 is rod shaped fig. 5) and has a tip surface (tip surface as shown below in fig. 5) facing the magnet (second magnet 13 fig. 5) and is disposed to extend in parallel between (the first magnet 19 extends in parallel in between the pairs of coils 25 and the coil portions 24 as shown below in fig. 5, as shown below in current application fig. 5) the pair of rod-shaped bodies (coil portions 24 fig. 5) and the plurality of coils (coils 25 fig. 5).
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Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use a rod shaped magnetic member with a tip portion facing the magnet as taught by Itami in the rotary actuator of Tsunoda. The rotor magnet is fixed to the rotary shaft and is moved with the magnetic fore of the magnet 19 col. 4 lines 23-35).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Tsunoda further discloses, wherein:
a core body (rotor container 10 fig. 4) including the plurality of magnetic poles (poles 25A and 25B are in coils 13A and 13B which are attached to rotor container 10 fig. 4) includes:
a pair of leg portions (yokes 26A and 26B fig. 4) joined respectively to the base end portions (base end portions of poles 25A and 25B as shown below in fig. 4) of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies (stator core halves 7A and 7B are around coils 13A and 13B fig.4), the pair of leg portions (yokes 26A and 26B fig. 4) extending along a parallel direction (yokes 26A and 26B extend in the same direction as the poles 25A and 25B fig. 4) of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies (stator core halves 7A and 7B fig.4), and
a bridge portion disposed to extend between tip end portions of the pair of leg portions (spacers 9 make contact with the ends of the yokes 26A and 26B fig. 5),
the first magnetic attraction member (stator magnet 8A fig. 4) is disposed on the bridge portion (the stator magnet 8A is disposed on the spacer 9 fig. 4), and
the second magnetic attraction member (stator magnets 8B fig. 4) is disposed midway between the plurality of magnetic poles portion (the stator magnets 8B is disposed on the spacer 9 midway between the poles 25A and 25B fig.4).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Tsunoda further discloses, wherein the first magnetic attraction member is a magnetic material (stator magnet 8A has active surface 21A that is magnetized col. 4 lines 37-51 a material that creates a magnetic attraction force is a magnetic material as defined in current application paragraph [0079]).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 1 and Tsunoda further discloses further comprising:
a pair of shaft supports (cover 5 and casing 2 fig. 6) disposed to sandwich the plurality of magnetic poles (poles 25A and 25B fig.6) in an extending direction of the shaft portion (cover 5 is above the poles 25A and 25B and casing 2 is under the poles 25A and 25B fig. 6), the pair of shaft supports (cover 5 and casing 2 fig. 6) being configured to support the shaft portion (shaft 18 fig. 6) via respective bearings (bearings 20A and 20B fig.6) at opposite sides of the plurality of magnetic poles (poles 25A and 25B fig.6) such that the shaft portion is rotatable (the shaft 18 rotates with the bearings 20A and 20B col. 4 lines 27-36).
Claims 2 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunoda et al. (US 5708406 A) in view of Itami et al. (US 5069515 A) as applied to claim 1 above and in further view of Akaha (JP HO731119 A).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 1.
Tsunoda does not explicitly disclose, wherein the second magnetic attraction member is a magnetic material integrally disposed in a core body including the plurality of magnetic poles.
However, Akaka discloses in at least figure 3 wherein the second magnetic attraction member is a magnetic material integrally disposed in a core body including the plurality of magnetic poles (stator 5 has a body portion 51 with magnetic poles 52 and 53 paragraph [0016] a material that creates a magnetic attraction force is a magnetic material as defined in application paragraph [0079]).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to include the magnetic poles in the stator as taught by Akaha as the magnets of Tsunoda. It is desirable to build the stator with two pieces that are the same shape to reduce cost paragraph [0008]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 1.
Tsunoda does not explicitly disclose, wherein the movable object is a mirror.
However, Akaha discloses in figure 1, wherein the movable object is a mirror that reflects Page 11 scanning light (mirror 2b is driven by the motor paragraph [0014] that can be used to scan a light beam paragraph [0002]).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to drive a mirror as taught by Akaha with the rotary actuator of Tsunoda. An actuator with a mirror can be used in an optical scanning system paragraph [0002)].
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunoda et al. (US 5708406A) in view of Itami et al. (US 5069515 A) as applied to claim 1 above and in further view of Post (US 6657344 B2).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Tsunoda further discloses, wherein the plurality of magnetic poles (the stator core halves 7A and 7B including poles 25A and 25B are formed by a plurality of laminated E-shaped magnetic plates col. 5 line 4-19).
Tsunoda does not explicitly disclose, the second magnetic attraction member is composed of a laminated member.
However Post discloses in at least figure 1, the second magnetic attraction member is composed of a laminated member (segments 35 are comprised of a laminated ferromagnetic material to attract magnet array 33 col. 4 lines 5-10).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to us a laminated material as taught by Post to form the second magnetic attraction member of Tsunoda. The laminated materiel reduces eddy currents (col. 4 lines 5-7).
Claims 4-5, 7 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunoda et al. (US 5708406A) in view of Itami et al. (US 5069515 A) as applied to claim 3 above and in further view in view of Inamoto (WO 2020004514 A1).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 3, and Tsunoda further discloses, wherein:
the core body (rotor container 10 fig. 4) includes:
a magnetic pole core (stator core halves 7A and 7B fig. 4) with an integral structure including the plurality of rod- shaped body (poles 25A and 25B and yokes 26A and 26B fig.4) and a connecting body (connecting body as shown below in fig.4) joined to the base end portions (base end portions as shown below in fig.4) of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies (poles 25A and 25B and yokes 26A and 26B fig.4) and extending in a direction intersecting the parallel direction of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies (poles 25A and 25B and yokes 26A and 26B fig.4), and the second magnetic attraction member (stator magnet 8b fig. 4) is disposed integrally with the connecting body (connecting body as shown below in fig.4) to extend along the parallel direction of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies (stator magnet 8b extents parallel to rod shaped bodies poles 25A and 25B and yokes 26A and 26B fig.4).
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Tsunoda does not explicitly disclose, a magnetic path core including the pair of leg portions and the bridge portion, the magnetic path core forming a magnetic path of the magnetic flux with the magnetic pole core, and the second magnetic attraction member is disposed integrally with the connecting body to extend along the parallel direction of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies.
However Inamoto discloses in at least figure 2, a magnetic path core (core 41 fig. 2) including the pair of leg portions (core portions 411a and 411b fig. 2) and the bridge portion (mounting core 41c fig. 2), the magnetic path core (core 41 fig. 2) forming a magnetic path of the magnetic flux with the magnetic pole core (poles 412a and 412b fig. 2).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to add the magnetic path core of Inamoto the magnetic pole core of Tsunoda. The flux from magnetic path core creates a torque to rotate the magnet (paragraph [0087]).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 4, and Tsunoda further discloses, wherein the plurality of coils are surrounded by the pair of leg portions, the bridge portion (the coils 13A and 13B are surrounded by the leg portions yokes 26A and 26B and the bridge portions spacers 9 fig.3).
Tsunoda does not disclose the plurality of coils are surrounded by the connecting body and the base end portions of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies. However Inamoto further discloses, the plurality of coils are surrounded by the connecting body and the base end portions of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies (the coils 43a and 43B are surrounded by mounting core 41c and the base end portions of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies (base end of core portions 411a and 411b fig. 2).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to surround the coils of Tsunoda with the connecting member and the base end portions of the plurality of rod-shaped bodies as taught by Inamoto. The flux from magnetic pole core including the coils and connecting portion creates a torque to rotate the magnet (paragraph [0087]).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 1, and Tsunoda further discloses, wherein the plurality of magnetic poles are two poles (poles 25A and 25B fig.4), the magnet has different two magnetic poles correspondingly to the two poles (the "S" pole of the rotor magnet 19 is attracted by the excitable magnetic pole 25A as an "N" pole and the "N" pole of the rotor magnet 19 is attracted by the excitable magnetic pole 25Basan"S" pole col. 5 lines 35-51).
Tsunoda does not disclose, a magnetic pole switching portion of the magnet is provided to be disposed at a position symmetrically facing each of the plurality of magnetic poles when the magnet is held at the rotational center position by the first magnetic attraction member.
However, Inamoto discloses in at least figure 3, a magnetic pole switching portion of the magnet is provided to be disposed at a position symmetrically facing each of the plurality of magnetic poles when the magnet is held at the rotational center position by the first magnetic attraction member (magnetic pole switching portion 34 is symmetrically facing magnetic poles 31 and 32 of movable magnet 30 fig.3 which is held at the rotational center by first magnetic attraction member position holding unit 24 paragraph [0055] of translation).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to switch the poles of the movable magnet of Tsunoda using the magnetic pole switching portion as taught by Inamoto. The magnetic pole switching portion is symmetrical in the rotational direction of the poles and is movable around the shaft paragraph [0032-0033]).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 10.
Tsunoda does not disclose, wherein:
the movable object is connected to one end portion of the shaft portion which protrudes from one shaft support of the pair of shaft supports, and a rotational shaft support portion to be fixed toa supporting wall portion disposed to sandwich the movable object between the supporting wall portion and the one shaft support is disposed on a tip end of the movable object fixed to the one end portion of the shaft portion.
However, Inamoto discloses in at least figure 2, wherein:
the movable object (mirror 16 fig. 2) is connected to one end portion of the shaft (shaft end portion 13B fig. 2) portion which protrudes from one shaft support (notched holes 222a fig. 2) of the pair of shaft supports (notched holes 222a and 224a fig. 2), and
a rotational shaft support portion (notched holes 224a fig. 2) to be fixed to a supporting wall portion (surface portion 224 fig. 2) disposed to sandwich the movable object (mirror 16 fig. 2) between the supporting wall portion (surface portion 224 fig. 2) and the one shaft support (notched holes 222a fig. 2) is disposed on a tip end of the movable object (mirror 16 fig. 2) fixed to the one end portion of the shaft portion (shaft end portion 13B fig. 2).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to add the supporting wall portion and movable object as taught by Inamototo the shaft of Tsunoda. The supporting walls support the shaft and allow it to rotate with the bearings paragraph [0036] of translation).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunoda et al. (US 5708406A) in view of Itami et al. (US 5069515 A) as applied to claim 1 above and in further view of Nomura (JP H06292349 A).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Tsunoda and Itami discloses all the limitations of claim 10.
Tsunoda does not explicitly disclose, wherein the first magnetic attraction member is a magnet.
However Nomura discloses in at least fig. 10, wherein the first magnetic attraction member (stator core 12n fig. 10) is a magnet (12n is N pole permanent magnet paragraph [0004]).
Therefore it would be obvious for one skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use a magnet as taught by Nomura as the first attraction member of Tsunoda. The magnet 12n helps stabilize the position of the motor (paragraph [0005]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wang et al. (US 20140042832 A1) disclose a reciprocal linear motor with rod portions facing the magnet between the coils.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW R WRIGHT whose telephone number is (703)756-5822. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 7:30-5 Friday 8-12.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached at 1-571-270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW R WRIGHT/Examiner, Art Unit 2872 /PINPING SUN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872