DETAILED ACTION
For
LOAD DETECTOR
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/24/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Oath/Declaration
The Oath/Declaration submitted on 05/24/2023 is noted by the Examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Load Detector for Use in Device During Human Surgery Has Strain Gage Attached to Inner Surface of Flexure Element.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taki (WO 2020158189).
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Regarding claims 1 and 13-14, Taki discloses a load detector, comprising: a flexure element (22); a base part (21) supporting the flexure element (Fig. 10A-B); one strain gauge (110) attached to an inner surface of a flexure part (22) constituting the flexure element (Fig. 14B), a stopper part (28; “the pillar 28 to the lower side of the middle of the pillars 22a to 22d”; see Page 10) attached to the base part [21, “the base 21, but the pillar 28 is fixed to the pillars 22a to 22d through the connecting beams 28a to 28d: see Page 11”, receiving the inner surface of the flexure part (22) when the flexure part (22) is deformed and regulating the deformation of the flexure part [“the pillars 22a to 22d through the connecting beams 28a to 28d, so that the moment when the moment (Mx, My) is input is obtained: see Page 11”; wherein a distance between the stopper part (28) and the inner surface of the flexure part (22) is adjustable [“23a to 23d which are movable parts”; see Page 12”]; the base part (21) includes an air vent (21a) connecting an internal space and an external space (Fig. 20), the internal space being formed between the flexure element (22) and the base part (21), and the air vent (21a) is blocked with a ventilating material (70; Fig. 19), the ventilating material (70) being breathable and waterproof [“and the medium 70, adhesion of dust or foreign matter to the sensor chip 110 is suppressed”; see Page 16”], and the ventilating material (70) being formed from a filter [“the medium 70 is preferably a gel (silicone gel or the like”; Page 16].
Taki fails to explicitly disclose the filter being attached to an outer surface of the base part.
However, Taki discloses air propagating through the cover 50 can be transmitted by filling the medium 70 only in the outer peripheral portion in addition, the medium 70 may be injected from the through hole 21a and/or the through hole 21x provided in the flexure element 20.
As long as the structure is taught by the prior art and the prior art is capable of performing the functions, then it does not have to be specifically stated in the reference.
Regarding claims 2 and 15, Taki further discloses the base part (21) includes a through hole (21a) connecting the internal space formed between the flexure element (22) and the base part (21), and the external space, and the stopper part is supported within the through hole (Fig. 11B).
Regarding claims 3 and 16, Taki further discloses the stopper part (28) includes a male screw at an outer peripheral surface of the stopper part (Fig. 10B), the through hole includes a female screw at an inner peripheral surface of the through hole (21a), and the distance is adjusted by turning the stopper part (28) via the through hole (21a).
Regarding claims 4 and 17, Taki further discloses a cover (50) attached to the flexure element (22) and formed including at least one opening, wherein the cover (50) covers at least a part of an outer surface of the flexure part (22).
Regarding claims 4 and 17, 5 and 18, Taki further discloses a load point (113) bearing a load (Fig. 8) and located at the outer surface of the flexure part (22), wherein the cover (50) covers the outer surface of the flexure part (22) around the load point.
Regarding claims 6 and 19, Taki further discloses the stopper part (28) faces the inner surface of the flexure part (22), the inner surface facing away from the load point (113) of the flexure part (22).
Regarding claims 7 and 20, Taki further discloses at least two of the strain gauges (110, 17) are attached at positions surrounding the inner surface facing away from the load point (113).
Regarding claims 8 and 21, Taki further discloses a height of the load point (113) from the outer surface of the flexure part (22) being set to be greater than a height of the cover (50) from the outer surface of the flexure part (22).
Regarding claims 9 and 22, Taki further discloses an end face (surface of 28) at the external space side of the stopper (28) part is at least partially covered by a covering material (Fig. 11B).
Regarding claims 11 and 23, Taki further discloses the base part includes a wiring hole “sensor chip 110 are electrically connected by a bonding wire (metal wire such as gold wire or copper wire” for drawing a wiring of the strain gauge (110) to the external space, and the wiring hole is sealed with a seal “wire bonding can be performed stably. The force sensor device 1 is completed through the above steps”
Regarding claims 24, Taki further discloses the base part (21) includes an attachment part for attaching the load detector to an external member (Fig. 10B), and the attachment part includes a through hole (50a) allowing insertion of a fixing member (25e), the fixing member (25e) being fixed to the external member (Fig. 11B).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDI N HOPKINS whose telephone number is (571)270-7042. The examiner can normally be reached M & F 9-5 and T-TH, 6-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Deherrera can be reached at (303) 297-4237. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRANDI N HOPKINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855