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Claims 15-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.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 12 June 2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of the invention of group I in the reply filed on 12 June 2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claims 9-14 are objected to because of the following informalities: in the preambles of claims 9-14, “ccording” should be “according”. 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.
Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wilkie et al. (US 6629341).
With respect to claim 1, Wilkie et al. discloses a piezoelectric composite material (Fig 9), comprising: an upper interdigital electrode layer (item 102), a piezoelectric fiber composite layer (item 106) and a lower interdigital electrode layer (item 104) which are arranged in sequence from top to bottom (Fig 9); the upper interdigital electrode layer, the piezoelectric fiber composite layer and the lower interdigital electrode layer each are of a parallelogram structure (Fig 9); a piezoelectric ceramic fiber array is embedded on the piezoelectric fiber composite layer (Fig 9); and the piezoelectric ceramic fiber array is of a parallelogram structure (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 3, Wilkie et al. discloses the piezo electric composite material according to claim 1, wherein the piezo electric ceramic fiber array comprises a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic blocks; the plurality of piezoelectric blocks have the same shape and size, and the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic blocks each are of a parallelogram structure; the bottom edges of the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic blocks are in the same direction; and the spacing distance between any two adjacent piezoelectric ceramic blocks is equal (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 4, Wilkie et al. discloses the piezoelectric composite material according to claim 1, wherein the upper interdigital electrode layer comprises a substrate, a positive electrode, and a negative electrode; the positive electrode and the negative electrode are arranged on the same side surface of the substrate in an interdigital manner; and the substrate is of a parallelogram structure (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 5, Wilkie et al. discloses piezoelectric composite material according to claim 4, wherein the positive electrode comprises a first main electrode wire, a second main electrode wire, and a plurality of first branch electrode wires; the first main electrode wire is arranged along the bottom edge of the substrate; the second main electrode wire is arranged along a first adjacent edge of the bottom edge of the substrate; the first adjacent edge is an adjacent edge with an obtuse angle with the bottom edge of the substrate; one end of the first main electrode wire intersects with one end of the second main electrode wire at an obtuse angle vertex on the bottom edge of the substrate; the length of the first main electrode wire is smaller than that of the bottom edge of the substrate; the length of the second main electrode wire is smaller than that of the first adjacent edge; the plurality of first branch electrode wires are arranged on the substrate in parallel; one end of each of the first branch electrode wires is connected to the first main electrode wire or the second main electrode wire; and the plurality of first branch electrode wires are arranged perpendicular to the first adjacent edge; and the spacing distance between any two adjacent first branch electrode wires is equal (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 6, Wilkie et al. discloses the piezoelectric composite material according to claim 5, wherein the negative electrode comprises a third main electrode wire, a fourth main electrode wire, and a plurality of second branch electrode wires; the third main electrode wire is arranged along an opposite edge of the bottom edge of the substrate; the fourth main electrode wire is arranged along a second adjacent edge of the bottom edge of the substrate; the second adjacent edge is an adjacent edge with an acute angle with the bottom edge of the substrate; one end of the third main electrode wire intersects with one end of the fourth main electrode wire at an obtuse angle vertex on the bottom edge of the substrate; the length of the third main electrode wire is equal to that of the first main electrode wire; the length of the fourth main electrode wire is equal to that of the second main electrode wire; the plurality of second branch electrode wires are arranged on the substrate in parallel; one end of each of the second branch electrode wires is connected to the third main electrode wire or the fourth main electrode wire; and the plurality of second branch electrode wires are arranged perpendicular to the first adjacent edge; the spacing distance between any two adjacent second branch electrode wires is equal (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 7, Wilkie et al. discloses the piezoelectric composite material according to claim 6, wherein the first branch electrode wires and the second branch electrode wires are arranged at intervals; the first branch electrode wires and the second branch electrode wires are connected to one main electrode wire; and the main electrode wire comprises a first main electrode wire, a second main electrode wire, a third main electrode wire, and a fourth main electrode wire (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 8, Wilkie et al. discloses an actuator, wherein the actuator employs the piezoelectric composite material according to claim 1 (Abstract).
With respect to claim 10, Wilkie et al. discloses the actuator according to claim 8, wherein the piezoelectric ceramic fiber array comprises a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic blocks; the plurality of piezoelectric blocks have the same shape and size, and the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic blocks each are of a parallelogram structure; the bottom edges of the plurality of piezoelectric ceramic blocks are in the same direction; and the spacing distance between any two adjacent piezoelectric ceramic blocks is equal (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 11, Wilkie et al. discloses the actuator according to claim 8, wherein the upper interdigital electrode layer comprises a substrate, a positive electrode, and a negative electrode; the positive electrode and the negative electrode are arranged on the same side surface of the substrate in an interdigital manner; and the substrate is of a parallelogram structure (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 12, Wilkie et al. discloses the actuator according to claim 11, wherein the positive electrode comprises a first main electrode wire, a second main electrode wire, and a plurality of first branch electrode wires; the first main electrode wire is arranged along the bottom edge of the substrate; the second main electrode wire is arranged along a first adjacent edge of the bottom edge of the substrate; the first adjacent edge is an adjacent edge with an obtuse angle with the bottom edge of the substrate; one end of the first main electrode wire intersects with one end of the second main electrode wire at an obtuse angle vertex on the bottom edge of the substrate; the length of the first main electrode wire is smaller than that of the bottom edge of the substrate; the length of the second main electrode wire is smaller than that of the first adjacent edge; the plurality of first branch electrode wires are arranged on the substrate in parallel; one end of each of the first branch electrode wires is connected to the first main electrode wire or the second main electrode wire; and the plurality of first branch electrode wires are arranged perpendicular to the first adjacent edge; and the spacing distance between any two adjacent first branch electrode wires is equal (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 13, Wilkie et al. discloses the actuator according to claim 12, wherein the negative electrode comprises a third main electrode wire, a fourth main electrode wire, and a plurality of second branch electrode wires; the third main electrode wire is arranged along an opposite edge of the bottom edge of the substrate; the fourth main electrode wire is arranged along a second adjacent edge of the bottom edge of the substrate; the second adjacent edge is an adjacent edge with an acute angle with the bottom edge of the substrate; one end of the third main electrode wire intersects with one end of the fourth main electrode wire at an obtuse angle vertex on the bottom edge of the substrate; the length of the third main electrode wire is equal to that of the first main electrode wire; the length of the fourth main electrode wire is equal to that of the second main electrode wire; the plurality of second branch electrode wires are arranged on the substrate in parallel; one end of each of the second branch electrode wires is connected to the third main electrode wire or the fourth main electrode wire; and the plurality of second branch electrode wires are arranged perpendicular to the first adjacent edge; the spacing distance between any two adjacent second branch electrode wires is equal (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 14, Wilkie et al. discloses the actuator according to claim 13, wherein the first branch electrode wires and the second branch electrode wires are arranged at intervals; the first branch electrode wires and the second branch electrode wires are connected to one main electrode wire; and the main electrode wire comprises a first main electrode wire, a second main electrode wire, a third main electrode wire, and a fourth main electrode wire (Fig 9).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 9 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not disclose or suggest “wherein a first polymer colloidal layer is provided between the upper interdigital electrode layer and the piezoelectric fiber composite layer; and a second polymer colloid layer is provided between the piezoelectric fiber composite layer and the lower interdigital electrode layer” in combination with the remaining elements of claims 2 and 9.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Derek John Rosenau whose telephone number is (571)272-8932. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7 am to 5:30 pm Central Time.
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/DEREK J ROSENAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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