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 Objections
Claims 13 and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 13, line 3, the examiner suggests rewriting “the support columns” to --each of the multiple support columns-- to provide a more proper description and to provide consistency in the claim language.
Claim 16, line 2, the examiner suggests rewriting “the beam” to --a beam-- to avoid an obvious antecedent issue.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 9, 10, 12 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rastegar (US2013/0049538 A1, Cited by Applicant).
In regards to claim 9, Rastegar teaches in Figs. 2a and 2b a vibration power generation device comprising:
A weight (unlabeled center mass);
A beam/cable (210) being in contact with the weight, and extending in a direction parallel to a virtual plane;
A piezoelectric member (202) on the beam;
A fixation member comprising: multiple portions (two clamps 208); and
An inner space (everything between the two fixation clamps 208) inside the fixation member;
Wherein the multiple portions are located along a circumferential direction around an axis perpendicular to the virtual plane;
The weight (unlabeled center mass) and the piezoelectric member (202) are in the inner space; each of the multiple portions is fixed to the beam; and
The beam (210) has tension (see paragraph [0027], in which the beam is disclosed to provided with “preloaded in tension”).
In regards to claim 10, based on Fig. 2B, wherein each of the multiple portions (208) comprises a recess (bore 208a), and at least a part of the beam (210) is in the recess.
In regards to claim 12, based on Fig. 2B and paragraph [0024], each of the multiple portions (208) comprises a first engaging portion (crimp);
The beam (210) comprises a second engaging portion (surface of beam within the bore 208a); and the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are configured to engage with each other in a direction in which the beam is extending.
In regards to claim 16, Rastegar teaches in Figs. 2a and 2b a vibration power generation device manufacturing method comprising:
Making a beam (210) extend radially on a plane;
applying tension to the beam (see paragraph [0027], in which the beam is disclosed to provided with “preloaded in tension”) in a direction of extension of the beam; and
fixing the beam to a fixation member (208) in multiple portions located in directions in which the beam is extending while maintaining the tension on the beam.
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.
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.
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rastegar (US2013/0049538 A1, Cited by Applicant) in view of Kurihara (US2014/0311544 A1).
As discussed above, Rastegar teaches the claimed invention as recited in claim 9. However, Rastegar does not teach: In regards to claim 14, a sensor module comprising: the vibration power generation device according to claim 9; a sensor configured to be driven by power supplied from the vibration power generation device; a communication unit configured to be driven by power supplied from the vibration power generation device and to communicate with an external device; and a controller configured to be driven by power supplied from the vibration power generation device and to control the sensor and the communication unit; and in regards to claim 15, wherein the sensor module is configured to be used in a bridge, a train, a vehicle, a power plant, outdoor machinery, or factory equipment.
Kurihara teaches in Figs. 1 and 2 a wireless sensor module (20) comprising:
A vibration power generation device (14);
A communication/wireless unit (12) configured to be driven by power supplied from the vibration power generation device and to communicate with an external device; and
A controller (13) configured to be driven by power supplied from the vibration power generation device and to control the sensor and the communication unit. Based on Paragraph [0031], Kurihara discloses that the sensor module is configured to be used in a motor (i.e. type of factory equipment).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the invention of Rastegar and have used the vibration power generation device of Rastegar in a wireless sensor module, which is part of a motor, as exemplary taught by Kurihata (See Figs. 1 and 2) because such a modification would have provided the benefit of powering a wireless sensor module as exemplary taught by Kurihata.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11 and 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JORGE L SALAZAR JR whose telephone number is (571)-272-9326. The examiner can normally be reached between 9am - 6pm Monday-Friday.
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/JORGE L SALAZAR JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2843