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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: paragraph [0065] recites “the second spline hole 621” in line 18. Elsewhere, the second spline hole is referred to by numeral 731 and the second spline groove is 621.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 3-18 are 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.
The terms “hard materials” and “soft materials” in claim 1 are relative terms which renders the claim indefinite. The term “hard/soft” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The composition of the respective first through fourth connectors and first through fourth buffer pieces is thereby rendered indefinite.
Claims 3-18 depend from indefinite claim 1.
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 1-6 and 8-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HUA (CN 201197094).
Regarding claim 1, HUA discloses a noise reduction and shock absorption structure for a tubular motor, comprising a motor casing (2), a motor body (1), an output support (4), an output shaft (3), a fixing seat (8), a first damping assembly (6), and a second damping assembly (9) (see Fig. 1);
the motor body (1) is provided inside the motor casing (2); a front end of the motor body (1) is connected to a transmission shaft (13) to transmit motions (see Fig. 2);
the output support (4) is embedded at a front end of the motor casing (2);
the output shaft (3) is rotatable and passes through the output support (4);
the fixing seat (8) is embedded within the motor casing (2);
the first damping assembly (6) is provided between the transmission shaft (13) and the output shaft (3); the second damping assembly (9) is provided between a rear end of the motor body (1) and the fixing seat (8);
the first damping assembly (6) comprises a first connecter (51) and a second connecter (31) both made of hard materials, and a first buffer piece (61) and a second buffer piece (61) both made of soft materials; the transmission shaft (13), the first connecter (51), the second connecter (31), and the output shaft (3) are connected coaxially in sequence (see Figs. 1 and 3); the first buffer piece (61) is provided at a connecting portion between the transmission shaft (13) and the first connecter (51), and the second buffer piece (61) is provided at a connecting portion between the first connecter (51) and the second connecter (31) (see Figs. 1 and 3);
the second damping assembly (9) comprises a third connecter (71) and a fourth connecter (81) both made of hard materials, and a third buffer piece (91) and a fourth buffer piece (91) both made of soft materials; the rear end of the motor body (1), the third connecter (71), the fourth connecter (81), and the fixing seat (8) are connected coaxially in sequence (see Fig. 3);
the third buffer piece (91) is provided at a connecting portion between the third connecter (71) and the fourth connecter (81), and the fourth buffer piece (91) is provided at a connecting portion between the fourth connecter (81) and the fixing seat (8) (see Fig. 4).
PNG
media_image1.png
618
495
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
233
444
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
272
491
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein the hard materials are metals or high-strength plastics (steel is disclosed); the soft materials are rubber and silicone (rubber is disclosed).
Regarding claim 3, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein an input end of the first connecter (51) is a first spline hole, and a circumferential surface of the transmission shaft (13) is sleeved by a fifth connecter (14) made of a hard materials; an outer shape of the first buffer piece (61) matches with a shape of the first spline hole (see Fig. 3); an outer shape of the fifth connecter (14) matches with a shape of an inner cavity of the first buffer piece (61) (i.e. both are round), and an inner cavity of the fifth connecter (14) matches with a shape of the transmission shaft (13) (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 4, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein an output end of the first connecter (51) is a first spline head (52), and a first spline groove corresponding to the first spline head (52) is formed on the second buffer piece (61) (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 4, wherein an end surface of the second connecter (31) facing towards the first connecter (51) is recessed to form a second spline groove (42) (see Fig. 2); an end of the second spline groove (42) away from the first connecter (51) is stepped to form a through hole in communication with the second spline groove (42) for the output shaft (3) to pass through (see Fig. 2); a limiting plate is provided at an end of the output shaft (3) to abut against an end surface of the second buffer piece (61) (see Fig. 2); first limiting grooves (42) on which the limiting plate is slidable along an axial direction of the second spline groove (42) are formed on side walls of the second spline groove (42); the first limiting grooves (42) extend to the end of the second spline groove (42) away from the first connecter (51) (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 6, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 4, wherein a length of the first spline groove is greater than a length of the first spline head (52) (see Figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 8, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein a speed reduction device is provided on an output end of the motor body (1); an input end of the speed reduction device is connected with a rotating shaft of the motor body (1) to achieve motion transmission; an output end of the speed reduction device is connected with the transmission shaft (13) to achieve motion transmission (HUA discloses a “speed reducing transmission component”).
Regarding claim 9, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein a plurality of first limiting plates (82) are provided around a peripheral edge of an end surface of the rear end of the motor body (1); second limiting grooves (72) corresponding to the first limiting plates (82) are formed circumferentially around an end portion of the third connecter (71) facing towards the motor body (1); the first limiting plates (82) are inserted into the second limiting grooves (71) respectively.
Regarding claim 10, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein a second spline head (82) is provided at one end of the third connecter (71) facing towards the fourth connecter (81); a second spline hole is formed at one end of the third buffer piece (91) facing towards the third connecter (71), and a third spline head is provided at another end of the third buffer piece (91) facing towards the fourth connecter (81); and the second spline hole extends through an end surface of the third spline head (see Fig. 4); a third spline hole is formed at one end of the fourth connecter (81) facing towards the third connecter (71) (see Fig. 2); the second spline head (82) is sleeved by the second spline hole (see Fig. 3), and the third spline head is sleeved by the third spline hole (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 11, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 10, wherein a first stepped platform is provided on a circumferential surface of the third buffer piece (91) (i.e., an inner circumferential surface; see Fig. 4), the third spline head protrudes from an end surface of the first stepped platform, and an end surface of the fourth connecter (81) abuts against the first stepped platform (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 12, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 10, wherein a plurality of second limiting plates (i.e. the surfaces around holes 72; see Fig. 4) are provided on a circumferential surface of the third connecter (71) (see Fig. 4); third limiting grooves corresponding to the second limiting plates (72) are formed on an end surface of the third buffer piece (91) facing towards the third connecter (71); the second limiting plates (72) are inserted into the third limiting grooves respectively.
Regarding claim 13, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein a fourth spline head (82) is provided at one end of the fourth connecter (81) facing towards the fixing seat (8); a fourth spline hole (i.e., the interior of tube 9) and a fifth spline head (i.e., the end of rib 91) are provided at two ends of the fourth buffer piece (91) respectively (see Fig. 4); the fourth spline hole extends through an end surface of the fifth spline head; a fifth spline hole (see Fig. 2) is formed at one end of the fixing seat (8) facing towards the fourth connecter (81) (see Fig. 4); the fourth spline head (82) is sleeved by the fourth spline hole, and the fifth spline head is sleeved by the fifth spline hole.
Regarding claim 14, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 13, wherein a second stepped platform is provided on a circumferential surface of the fourth connecter (81)(see Fig. 4), and the fourth spline head (82) protrudes from an end surface of the second stepped platform; a third stepped platform is provided on a circumferential surface of the fourth buffer piece (91) (see Fig. 4), and the fifth spline head protrudes from an end surface of the third stepped platform; an end surface of the fourth buffer piece (91) abuts against the second stepped platform, and an end surface of the fixing seat (8) abuts against the third stepped platform (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 15, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein a circumferential surface of the fixing seat (8) is sleeved with a first damping sleeve (12), and the first damping sleeve is elastically fitted between the fixing seat (8) and an inner wall of the motor casing (2) (via the second damping assembly see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 16, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein a third damping assembly is provided between a circumferential surface of the motor body (1) and an inner wall of the motor casing (2); the third damping assembly comprises a sealing tube (14) sleeving around the circumferential surface of the motor body (1), and a plurality of second damping sleeves (12) sleeving around a circumferential surface of the sealing tube 14; the second damping sleeves (12) are elastically fitted between the circumferential surface of the sealing tube (14) and the inner wall of the motor casing (2) (see Figs. 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 17, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 16, wherein fourth limiting grooves accommodating the second damping sleeves respectively are formed on the circumferential surface of the sealing tube (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 18, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 16, wherein a plurality of stripes oriented along an axial direction of the tubular motor are formed on a circumferential surface of each of the second damping sleeves (12) (see Fig. 1).
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUA in view of DE SALIS (US 20230006506).
Regarding claim 7, HUA discloses the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of claim 1, wherein a shaft rotation hole is formed in the output support (4) extending along an axis of the output support (4); the output shaft (3) passes through the shaft rotation hole and is rotatable inside the shaft rotation hole;
However, HUA does not disclose a plurality of damping rings are provided between a circumferential surface of the output shaft and an inner wall of the shaft rotation hole.
DE SALIS teaches a plurality of damping rings 131a, 131b are provided between a circumferential surface of an output shaft 5 and an inner wall of a shaft rotation hole 12.
It 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 to provide the noise reduction and shock absorption structure of HUA with the plurality of damping rings are provided between a circumferential surface of the output shaft and an inner wall of the shaft rotation hole, similar to DE SALIS.
A person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains would have been motivated to make such modification in order to be able to accommodate for a horizontal and/or vertical angular misalignment; and/or a horizontal and/or vertical displacement between the drive shaft and its surroundings, as taught by DE SALIS (see para [0040-0042])
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20100175838-A1 Faller discloses a tubular motor with a dual damping mechanism;
US-20110062000-A1 Yamamoto, Document 3 in the EP report, discloses a tubular motor with a dual damping mechanism and damping rings between a motor casing and a motor body; US-20230369936-A1 PENG is a commonly-owned application by the inventor of the instant product; US-20250239909-A1 PENG is a commonly-owned application by the inventor of the instant product; CN-100521452-C SUN, Document 1 in the EP report, discloses a tubular motor with a dual damping mechanism and damping rings between a motor casing and a motor body; EP-2466730-A1 BUETSCHI, Document 4 in the EP report, discloses a tubular motor with a dual damping mechanism and damping rings between a motor casing and a motor body; WO-2012149067-A2 PETERSON, Document 5 in the EP report, discloses a tubular motor with a dual damping mechanism; WO-2013181845-A1 NG, Document 2 in the EP report, discloses a tubular motor with a dual damping mechanism; CN-215897475-U LI discloses a tubular motor with a dual damping mechanism.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN STEFANON whose telephone number is (703)756-4648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternate Fridays 8AM - 5PM EDT.
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, Oluseye Iwarere can be reached at (571) 270-5112. 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.
/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights