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 .
Status of Claims
This office action is in reply to the Amendment filed on November 18, 2025. Claims 1, 3, 4 and 9 have been amended. Claim 21 has been added. Claims 2, 10, 11 and 15 have been cancelled. Claim interpretation with respect to “the rotation locking assembly”, “the guide” and “the magnetic sensor” as previously made under 35 USC 112(f) is maintained. The previous 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection has been overcome however a new rejection is presented herewith. Claims 1, 3-9, 12-14 and 16-21 are currently pending and have been fully examined.
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 1, 3-9, 12-14 and 16-21 are Finally rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuji (JP 2020182978, translation included herewith) in view of Billings et al. (2022/0176534).
In reference to claim 1, Yuji discloses a screwdriver (1), comprising:
a housing (2);
a motor (10);
a pinion gear (66) rotatable by the motor (Figure 1);
a drive gear (70) meshing with the pinion gear and rotatable about a first rotation axis (not labeled but formed as a vertical axis extending through 70 in Figure 1);
a spindle (17) located frontward from the drive gear and supported by the housing in a manner movable in a front-rear direction (see following portion of translation disclosing “The spindle 17 is rotatably supported around an axis by a spindle bearing 110 (needle bearing) held in the tip housing 22 while allowing forward and backward movement.”), the spindle being rotatable about the first rotation axis with a tip tool (B) being attached to the spindle (Figure 3);
a drive cam (72) rotatable about the first rotation axis by the drive gear (Figure 3);
a follower cam (100) located frontward from the drive cam, the follower cam being movable in the front-rear direction together with the spindle to come in or out of contact with the drive cam (see different positions of element 100 in Figures 1 and 2);
a support shaft (14) supporting the drive gear and rotatable about the first rotation axis (Figure 1);
a first bearing (86) located rearward from the drive gear, the first bearing supporting the support shaft in a rotatable manner (Figure 2);
a magnet (104) located frontward from the first bearing, the magnet being movable in the front-rear direction in synchronization with the spindle (see different positions of element 104 in Figures 1 and 2).
Yuji lacks,
a magnetic sensor located radially outward from and the first rotation axis, the magnetic sensor being configured to detect the magnet; and
a controller configured to control the motor in response to a detection signal from the magnetic sensor.
However, Billings et al. teach that it is old and well known in the art at the time the invention was made to provide a screwdriver (10) with a magnetic sensor (i.e. Hall sensor 92, which meets the limitation of the magnetic sensor as previously interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), see section 6a in the previous non-final office action filed 9/2/25, because it is a sensor that can detect the position of a magnet 86, see Figures 17-19D and paragraph 122) located radially outward from a first rotation axis (formed as the axis extending along the length of 16, Figure 17a), the magnetic sensor being configured to detect a magnet (86, paragraph 122); and a controller (at 29 or at 62/29) configured to control the motor in response to a detection signal from the magnetic sensor (paragraphs 88, 98, 128 and 155).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the screwdriver, of Yuji, with the known technique of providing a screwdriver with the magnetic sensor that detects a magnet; and with the controller configured to control the motor in response to a detection signal from the magnetic sensor, as taught by Billings et al., and the results would have been predictable. In this situation, one could provide a more advantageous and versatile device that automatically detects and triggers one or more modes of operation and/or which increases the accuracy of sensing the position of an output clutch and reduces the complexity of prior sensing linkages (paragraph 83).
In reference to claim 3, Yuji discloses that the magnet and at least a part of the spindle are aligned with each other in the front-rear direction (Figures 1, 2 and 7).
In reference to claims 4 and 12, Yuji discloses further comprising: a movable member (see figure below) surrounding the spindle, the movable member being movable in the front-rear direction together with the spindle, wherein the magnet is fixed to the movable member (Figure 7).
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Movable member)]
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In reference to claim 5, Yuji discloses further comprising: a second bearing (84) between the spindle and the movable member (Figure 7), but lacks,
a rotation locking assembly configured to restrict rotation of the movable member relative to the housing.
However, Billings et al. teach that it is old and well known in the art at the time the invention was made to provide a screwdriver (10) with a rotation locking assembly/braking mechanism (i.e. formed from protrusion 91 and recess 93 , which meets the limitation of the rotation locking assembly as previously interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), see section 6b in the previous non-final office action filed 9/2/25, see Figures 13C and 13G and paragraphs 122-123) configured to restrict rotation of the movable member relative to the housing (paragraphs 122-123).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the screwdriver, of Yuji, with the known technique of providing a screwdriver with the rotation locking assembly, as taught by Billings et al., and the results would have been predictable. In this situation, one could provide a more advantageous and versatile device including a braking mechanism such that when the screwdriver is in a “dead spindle” position the braking mechanism prevents rotation of an output clutch and a tool bit holder (paragraph 123).
In reference to claim 6, Yuji discloses further comprising: a clutch cam (74) surrounding the spindle and connected (at least through the connection of parts therebetween) to the spindle with a ball (76) in between, the clutch cam including the follower cam, wherein the movable member surrounds the clutch cam, and the second bearing is between the clutch cam and the movable member (Figure 7 and 8).
Additionally, Billings et al. also teach that it is old and well known in the art at the time the invention was made to provide a screwdriver (10) further comprising: a clutch cam (see figure below) surrounding the spindle and connected to the spindle with a ball in between, “the clutch cam including the push-in clutch”; and wherein the movable member (80) surrounds the clutch cam (note; the definition of the term “surround” is defined according to www.meriam-webster.com as being; “to extend around the margin or edge of” see definition 1d. Since, the upper portion of movable member 80 extends around the margin or edge of the clutch cam, see Figure 14, it meets the definition above and thus the limitation of the claim), and the second bearing is between the clutch cam and the movable member (Figure 14).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the screwdriver, of Yuji, with the known technique of providing a screwdriver with the clutch cam, as taught by Billings et al., and the results would have been predictable. In this situation, one could provide a more advantageous and versatile device including a braking mechanism such that when the screwdriver is in a “dead spindle” position the braking mechanism prevents rotation of an output clutch and a tool bit holder (paragraph 123).
In reference to claims 7, 13 and 14, Yuji discloses further comprising: a guide (formed as the recess/opening within bearing 110, which meets the limitation of the guide as previously interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), see section 6c in the previous non-final office action filed 9/2/25, because it is formed as a recess) configured to guide the movable member in the front-rear direction (Figure 1).
In reference to claims 8 and 16-20, Yuji discloses that the spindle includes the support shaft (Figure 1)
In reference to claim 9, Yuji discloses further comprising: a drive cam (72) included in the drive gear (Figure 7).
In reference to claim 21, Yuji discloses that the magnet (104) is located frontward from the drive gear (70, Figure 1).
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 as previously applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter as specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action.
Specifically, applicant further defined claim 1 to at least require a pinion gear, a drive gear meshing with the pinion gear and rotatable about a first axis, a spindle also rotatable about the same first axis, a drive cam and a follower cam.
Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J SCRUGGS whose telephone number is (571)272-8682. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6-2.
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/ROBERT J SCRUGGS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723