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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on December 17, 2025.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show “the position transducers 716a and 716b” as described in the specification. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: in page 11, line 7 (Specification filed May 17, 2023; conductive legs should be 114 and 116), replace “166” with --116--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the meter" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 1-7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fukaya et al.
Regarding claim 1, Fukaya teaches a position transducer (rotating or rotary sensor 10) comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB; circuit board 12a, see at least figs. 1 and 2)), the PCB comprising:
a first connector pad (15a);
a second connector pad (15b and/or 15c); and
a conductive trace comprising a first leg (trace 16a) and a second leg (trace 16b), the first leg having a first end, the first end electrically communicatively coupled to the first connector pad (an end that electrically connects to the first conductor pad 15a), and the second leg having a second end, the second end electrically communicatively coupled to the second connector pad (another end connecting to the second connector pad 15b or 15c thought the wiper 17); and
a wiper (17) in sliding contact with the PCB , the wiper comprising a first blade and a second blade (left and right side blades; see fig. 2), the first blade electrically communicatively coupled to the first leg (16a) of the conductive trace, and the second blade electrically communicatively coupled to the second leg (16b) of the conductive trace, wherein, in operation, an electrical path length of a conductive path between the first connector pad (15a) and the second connector pad (15b or 15c) depends, at least in part, on a relative position of the PCB and the wiper (variable resistance according to the rotary position of the wiper on the circuit board).
Regarding claim 2, Fukaya teaches the position transducer, wherein:
the first leg (16a) of the conductive trace includes a first portion (an area along the first leg 16a; see fig. 2), the first portion which electrically communicatively couples the first connector pad (15a) to the first blade (left side blade of wiper 17); and
the second leg (16b) of the conductive trace includes a second portion (an area along the second leg 16b), the second portion which electrically communicatively couples the second connector pad (15b or 15c) to the second blade (right side blade of the wiper 17), wherein the first connector pad (15a), the first portion of the conductive trace, the first blade (wiper 17), the second blade (wiper 17), the second portion of the conductive trace, and the second connector pad (15b or 15c) form the conductive path.
Regarding claims 3-5, Fukaya teaches the position transducer, wherein at least a portion of the second leg (16b; fig. 2) of the conductive trace is substantially parallel with at least a portion of the first leg (16a) of the conductive trace, and at least a portion of the first leg of the conductive trace is a first curve and at least a portion of the second leg of the conductive trace is a second curve.
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Fukaya teaches the use of a coil spring (21; see fig. 1) for the purpose of applying pressure to the wiper towards the circuit board (see col. 2, lines 45-50).
Regarding claim 10, Fukaya teaches the conductive trace having a U-shaped conductive trace (see fig. 2).
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 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukaya in view of Engler.
Regarding claim 8, Fukaya teaches the claimed invention, including an electrical source (voltage is applied to the rotary sensor; see col. 2, lines 52-57), except for a meter electrically communicatively coupled to the first and the second connector pad, the meter which, in operation, determines the electrical path length of the conductive path;
the meter, in operation, determines the electrical path length of the conductive path based at least in part on an electrical resistance of the conductive path; and
a transmitter which, in operation, transmits the relative position of the PCB and the wiper to a controller.
Engler teaches a device having potentiometers to monitor a position of rotation and bending movement. Engler uses a meter (computerized controller for programming) to determine the electrical path length of the conductive path, and a transmitter (controller for storing and/or real time control of the device) to transmit the relative position of the PCB and the wiper to a controller. Engler further teaches the meter, in operation, determining the electrical path length of the conductive path based at least in part on an electrical resistance of the conductive path (“sensors 246 send electrical signals to the controller…”). The meter and the transmitter allow for a precision-controlled manipulation/movement the mechanical arm, wherein the movement can be programmed and/or performed remotely (see col. 6, line 46 to col. 7, line 29 and claim 1).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Engler with Fukaya, since the meter and the transmitter taught by Engler allows for determining the precise location of the wiper placement and movement for the potentiometer device of Fukaya.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Figley et al., Lee et al. and Ruoff et al. teach movement sensors for a hand (human or robot).
Fan et al., Kawaguchi et al., Miura et al., Taguchi et al., and Yagi et al. teach a curved conductive trace with wiper connection, the trace having a U-shape.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYUNG S LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1994. The examiner can normally be reached 7AM-3PM M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KYUNG S LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
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