FINAL REJECTION
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/5/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With respect to claims 1-8, 15-17, and 20, the applicant argues that:
“Ohsato discloses a six-axis force sensor 61 having a plinth 62, a cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63, and a six-axis force sensor chip 1. The plinth 62 is described as a support stage part made of stainless steel. The plinth 62 supports the sensor chip 1 and the cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63. The sensor chip 1 includes strain resistance devices for force sensing. The cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63 is described as a buffering mechanism that weakens the external force transmitted to the sensor chip 1.
Ohsato provides no support for characterizing the plinth as a force-sensitive elastomer. Ohsato's plinth is a rigid metallic support that reduces residual stress and provides mounting, it does not provide force sensing capabilities nor elastomeric capabilities. The force sensing element in Ohsato is the six-axis force sensor chip mounted on the plinth and not the plinth. Ohsato provides no teaching or suggestion for characterizing the cylindrical attenuating mechanism as a thermal conductivity component adapted to transfer an external load to the force-sensitive elastomer. The cylindrical attenuating mechanism is a mechanical buffering component that transfers external force to the action part of the sensor chip and not to a force- sensitive elastomer. Ohsato does not attribute thermal conductivity function to the cylindrical attenuating mechanism.
Ohsato fails to provide support for at least these elements as required by claim 1. As such, Ohsato does not teach, in the least, a force-sensitive elastomer and a thermal conductivity component adapted to transfer and external load to the force-sensitive elastomer. Independent claim 1 and, consequently, dependent claims 2-8, and 15-17 are therefore patentably distinct and allowable over Ohsato. Reconsideration and removal of the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) is requested.” (page 8, remarks).
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The claim recites a “force-sensitive elastomer” and a “thermal conductivity component” without describing any further details of the materials that the components are made of. The disclosure also is silent to any materials which form the above components. Therefore, the prior art must only read on the claimed elements, structure, and details provided of the elements in the claims. In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., specific materials and functions of the claimed elements) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Ohsato teaches a plinth 62 and an attenuating mechanism 63 that are part of a force sensor chip, where the plinth 62 is a support stage part made of for example stainless steel and the attenuating mechanism 63 transfers an external load to the plinth 62 through the peripheral part (see reproduced figure below). Ohsato is silent to the exact materials of the plinth and attenuating mechanism other than giving the example that the plinth may be made of stainless steel. However, the claims only describe the configuration of the claim elements with no details specifying any materials that are required to form the claim elements. The terms “elastomer” and “thermal conductivity component” are given plane meanings when no additional details of the components materials are provided. The above components of Ohsato are thereby interpreted as the claimed elements because any material has a variable of elasticity or thermal conductivity. Therefore, Ohsato is interpreted as anticipating the current claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 15-17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ohsato et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0086190.
With respect to claim 1, Ohsato taches force sensing (force sensor 61) having a force-sensitive elastomer (plinth 62); a thermal conductivity component (cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63) adapted to transfer an external load to the force-sensitive elastomer (figure 12), a peripheral part (the edge of the cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63) of the force-sensitive elastomer is in contact with the thermal conductivity component and a remaining part (interior area of the cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63) of the force-sensitive elastomer is separated from the thermal conductivity component (see reproduced figure 12 below); a plurality of strain gauges attached to the force-sensitive elastomer (force sensor chip 1 having twelve strain resistance devices Sxa1 to Sxa3, Sxb1 to Sxb3, Sya1 to Sya3 and Syb1 to Syb3, paragraph 51, figures 2 and 12); and a circuit board (force sensor chip 1 having a semiconductor substrate 2, figure 2) adapted to electrically connect the plurality of strain gauges to a detection circuit for detecting a strain applied to the force-sensitive elastomer (paragraph 126), the plurality of strain gauges are attached on the remaining part of the force-sensitive elastomer and do not contact the thermal conductivity component (the force sensor chip is attached to plinth 62 within the remaining part area, see reproduced figure 12 below).
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With respect to claim 2, Ohsato teaches wherein the force-sensitive elastomer includes: a body part (inner part of the plinth 62, see reproduced figure 12 above); and a flange part (the outer part of the plinth 62) formed on the periphery of the body part and protruding towards the thermal conductivity component (see reproduced figure 12 above), the flange part of the force-sensitive elastomer is in contact with the thermal conductivity component, and the body part of the force-sensitive elastomer is separated from the thermal conductivity component (see reproduced figure 12 above).
With respect to claim 3, Ohsato teaches wherein: the plurality of strain gauges are attached on a surface of the body part of the force-sensitive elastomer facing the thermal conductivity component and are not in contact with the thermal conductivity component (see reproduced figure 12 above); or the plurality of strain gauges are attached on a surface of the body part of the force-sensitive elastomer opposite the thermal conductivity component (see reproduced figure 12 above).
With respect to claim 4, Ohsato teaches wherein the body part of the force-sensitive elastomer is in a shape of a circular plate (the plinth 62 is circular, figure 12), and the flange part of the force-sensitive elastomer is circular and perpendicular to the surface of the body part (figure 12).
With respect to claim 5, Ohsato teaches wherein: the circuit board is attached to a surface of the body part of the force-sensitive elastomer facing the thermal conductivity component and does not contact the thermal conductivity component (figure 12); or the circuit board is attached to a surface of the body part of the force-sensitive elastomer opposite the thermal conductivity component (figure 12).
With respect to claims 6 and 7, Ohsato teaches wherein: the circuit board and the plurality of strain gauges are attached on a surface of the body part of the force-sensitive elastomer facing or opposite the thermal conductivity component (figure 12); and a plurality of slot holes are formed on the circuit board to prevent the strain gauges from contacting the circuit board (the semiconductor substrate 2 has holes A, B, C, D, K, L, M, N formed passing through it in the thickness direction of the plate material, paragraph 54).
With respect to claim 8, Ohsato teaches wherein the circuit board comprises: a plate body attached to the body part of the force-sensitive elastomer (the semiconductor substrate is interpreted as a plate body and is attached to the plinth 62, figures 2 and 12); and conductive traces formed on the plate body and electrically connecting the plurality of strain gauges (figure 2).
With respect to claim 15, Ohsato teaches wherein the thermal conductivity component is in a cap shape (the cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63 is cap shaped, figure 12) and includes: an end wall facing the body part of the force-sensitive elastomer (the plinth 62 faces the cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63, figure 12); and a peripheral wall extending away from the force-sensitive elastomer, the flange part of the force-sensitive elastomer contacts the peripheral part of the end wall of the thermal conductivity component (the edges of the plinth 62 and cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63 contact, reproduced figure 12 above).
With respect to claim 16, Ohsato teaches wherein a contact flange is formed on the peripheral part of the end wall of the thermal conductivity component facing the outer side of the force-sensitive elastomer (the area of the edges of the plinth 62 and cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63 that are in contact, reproduced figure 12 above), the contact flange protrudes toward the force-sensitive elastomer and contacts an end face of the flange part of the force-sensitive elastomer (reproduced figure 12 above), the thermal conductivity component is not in contact with the force-sensitive elastomer except for the contact flange (reproduced figure 12 above).
With respect to claim 17, Ohsato teaches a heat generating component (interpreted as bond part 68, paragraph 127, figure 12) contained in the inner cavity surrounded by the end wall and the peripheral wall of the thermal conductivity component and contacting a middle part of an inner side of the end wall of the thermal conductivity component (the bond part is contact with the cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63, figure 12), the middle part of the end wall of the thermal conductivity component is separated from the force-sensitive elastomer such that heat cannot be directly transferred from the middle part of the thermal conductivity component to the force-sensitive elastomer (figure 12), and a convex part contacting with the heat generating component formed on the middle part of the inner side of the end wall of the thermal conductivity component (the part of the cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63 contacting the bond part 68 is interpreted as being convex, figure 12).
With respect to claim 20, Ohsato teaches a force sensor (force sensor 61) having an elastomer (plinth 62) including a first peripheral part and a second part (the above peripheral part and remaining part, reproduced figure 12 above); a thermal conductivity component (cylindrical attenuating mechanism 63) adapted to transfer an external load to the elastomer (reproduced figure 12 above), the first peripheral part of the elastomer arranged in contact with the thermal conductivity component and the second part of the elastomer separated from the thermal conductivity component (reproduced figure 12 above); and a plurality of strain gauges (force sensor chip 1 having twelve strain resistance devices Sxa1 to Sxa3, Sxb1 to Sxb3, Sya1 to Sya3 and Syb1 to Syb3, paragraph 51, figures 2 and 12) attached to the second part of the elastomer and separated from the thermal conductivity component by a portion of the elastomer (the force sensor chip is attached to plinth 62 within the remaining part area, see reproduced figure 12 above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-14, 18, and 19 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.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 FREDDIE KIRKLAND III whose telephone number is (571)272-2232. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John Breene can be reached at (571) 272-4107. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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FREDDIE KIRKLAND III
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2855
/Freddie Kirkland III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855 1/31/2026
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