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 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Raman et al. (US 2002/0175597).
With respect to claim 1, Raman et al. discloses an actuator (Fig 1) comprising: a first drive body including a first piezoelectric body (item 20) extending in a first axial direction intersecting a polarization axis (Fig 1); a second drive body including a second piezoelectric body (item 40) extending in the first axial direction (Fig 1); and a shim material (item 12) disposed between the first drive body and the second drive body (Fig 1), wherein one end of the actuator in the first axial direction is a fixed end, and another end of the actuator in the first axial direction is a free end (Fig 1, paragraph 7), and the shim material is exposed from the first piezoelectric body and the second piezoelectric body at an end in the first axial direction (Fig 1, wherein the shim material is exposed from the piezoelectric elements throughout the moving end of the shim material).
With respect to claim 2, Raman et al. discloses the actuator according to Claim 1, wherein the end of the shim material which is exposed from the first piezoelectric body and the second piezoelectric body in a part of the free end of the actuator (Fig 1, wherein the shim material is exposed from the piezoelectric elements throughout the moving end of the shim material).
With respect to claim 3, Raman et al. discloses the actuator according to Claim 2, wherein the shim material is exposed from the first piezoelectric body and the second piezoelectric body on one side surface of the actuator (Fig 1, wherein the shim material is exposed from the piezoelectric elements throughout the moving end of the shim material).
With respect to claim 4, Raman et al. discloses the actuator according to Claim 2, wherein the shim material is exposed from the first piezoelectric body and the second piezoelectric body on both side surfaces of the actuator (Fig 1, wherein the shim material is exposed from the piezoelectric elements throughout the moving end of the shim material on both sides of the shim material).
With respect to claim 5, Raman et al. discloses the actuator according to Claim 2, wherein the shim material is further exposed from the first piezoelectric body and the second piezoelectric body at a central part of the actuator (Fig 1, wherein the shim material is exposed from the piezoelectric elements throughout the moving end of the shim material, which includes the central portion).
With respect to claim 6, Raman et al. discloses the actuator according to Claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectric body and the second piezoelectric body are removed to expose the shim material (Fig 1, wherein the shim material is exposed from the piezoelectric elements throughout the moving end of the shim material).
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dedei Hammond can be reached at (571) 270-7938. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DEREK J ROSENAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights