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 1-2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Meyer (U.S. Publication No. 20090120208).
Regarding claim 1, Meyer teaches a sensor unit of a human-powered vehicle, comprising: a first sensor (Fig.4, two strain gage grids 110) configured to sense first information relating to an amount of compression in response to input torque; a second sensor (Fig.4, two strain gage grids 110) configured to sense second information relating to an amount of extension in response to the input torque (Paragraphs 35-42); and electronic controller circuitry electrically (Paragraphs 61 and 62, “microcontroller” and “RF transmission components”) connected to the first sensor and the second sensor (Paragraphs 61 and 62), wherein the electronic controller circuitry includes a wireless communicator (Paragraphs 61 and 62, “RF transmission components”) configured to wirelessly communicate with an additional wireless communicator (Paragraphs 61 and 62, “The RF components transmit the data to a computer”).
Regarding claim 2, Meyer teaches the electronic controller circuitry is configured to obtain the input torque based on a difference between the first information and the second information (Paragraphs 7-9, 35-42 and 61-62).
Regarding claim 4, Meyer teaches a first portion configured to receive a first force in a compression direction in response to the input torque; a second portion configured to receive a second force in an extension direction in response to the input torque; and the sensor unit according to claim 1 (Paragraphs 35-42).
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 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meyer (U.S. Publication No. 20090120208) in view of Lo (Publication No. 20180229799).
Regarding claim 27, Meyer teaches all the features of claim 1 as outlined above, Meyer is silent about an electric power source that is electrically connected to the electronic controller circuitry to supply electricity to the electronic controller circuitry, wherein the electric power source includes a battery and a battery holder, and the battery holder is configured to detachably and reattachably hold the battery.
Lo teaches an electric power source that is electrically connected to the electronic controller circuitry to supply electricity to the electronic controller circuitry (Paragraph 17, “A battery 81 is used to provide power to the at least one torque detection sensor 60 and the control module 70”), wherein the electric power source includes a battery and a battery holder, and the battery holder is configured to detachably and reattachably hold the battery (Paragraphs 21-22 and 25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use Lo’s battery holding structure for Meyer’s system because it would provide quick-release to the battery and be convenient to the riders.
Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meyer (U.S. Publication No. 20090120208) in view of Kuwayama (Publication No. 20190048952).
Regarding claim 28, Meyer teaches a rotary device comprising: a first portion (Fig.4, two strain gage grids 110) configured to receive a first force in a compression direction in response to input torque; a second portion (Fig.4, two strain gage grids 110) configured to receive a second force in an extension direction in response to the input torque; and a sensor unit configured to measure the first force and the second force (Paragraphs 35-42).
Meyer is silent about wherein the rotary device includes a disc brake rotor.
Kuwayama teaches wherein the rotary device includes a disc brake rotor (Abstract and paragraph 69).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use Meyer’s torque sensors to measure a disc brake rotor because it could detect a state of the disc brake rotor.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-25 are allowed over the prior art of record.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The primary reasons for allowance of independent claim 5 is the inclusion of the specific limitations of “a first recess provided between the first portion and the second portion, the first longitudinal center axis extending through the recess; and a sensor unit configured to measure the first force and the second force, wherein the sensor unit includes a first sensor, the first portion is provided on a first surface, the first surface faces in a first circumferential direction toward the first longitudinal center axis, and the first sensor is at least partially provided on the first surface”, in combination of with all other recited associated elements in a rotary device.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
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/XIN Y ZHONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855