DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-9 of U.S. Patent Application 18/352,208, filed on 13 July, 2023, were presented for examination. In the response filed 14 October, 2025, claims 5-9 were canceled. Claims 1-4 are currently pending in the application.
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 14 October, 2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In section IV of page 6 of the arguments/remarks, Applicant asserts that claim 1 is non-obvious under 35 U.S.C. 103, and in sub-section A of section IV, Applicant asserts that there is a lack of motivation to combine references. There have been no rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 so far in the prosecution, and no new ones are presented herein. Therefore, this argument cannot be addressed, as it is not responsive to any outstanding issue raised by the Office.
In section IV, subsection B, beginning at the bottom of page 6 of the arguments/remarks and continuing onto the top of page 7, Applicant asserts distinctions of claim 1, as currently amended, over a generic “prior art”, setting forth various structures, functions, and advantages (capabilities, etc.), and states that the generic “prior art” does not contain said structures, functions, and advantages. Sub-group IV-B-1 deals with the four coils, Sub-group IV-B-2 deals with identical fields and dual orientation. Sub-group IV-B-3 deals with opposite polarities and axial levitation. Sub-group IV-B-4 deals with integration of brush needles and commutators. Then, in subsection IV-C, an extension of the advantages is made while comparing the invention to a generic “prior art”.
However, the reply does not name the reference claim 1 is alleged to define over. Specifically, the reply does not name the reference used in the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejections of the prior Office Action, and does not point out or allege any limitation, or limitations, in the claim(s) that is/are not taught by the reference (CN 111585415 A to Luo et al.).
The insertion of new subject matter to claim 1, which new subject matter is indeed supported by the specification as originally filed, makes the filed response duly responsive to the prior Office action. However, as the newly-inserted limitations do not make claim 1 patentably distinct over Luo, the arguments, unspecific as they are, are not persuasive and the request for reconsideration of rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102 does not result in allowance of the claims, as detailed in the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) below.
Concerning formal matters, applicant asserts that the amendments to the specification and claims overcome the objections to the specification and the rejection of claims 1-9 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). Although the claim amendments do not remove completely all of the antecedent basis issues, the Examiner believes that claim 1, as amended, is clear enough to establish the metes and bounds of what is claimed, such that the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) have been withdrawn. The cancelation of claim 9 overcomes the outstanding 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection of that claim. The amendment to the specification has overcome the objection to ¶ 0028, which is also withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 38 recites the limitation “The bidirectional magnetic levitation brush motor device according to claim 1” which refers to the claim 1 that the limitation is part of. The limitation is clearly left over from the pasting of the limitations of claim 7 into claim 1 and should be removed entirely, as any part of it, if left in the claim, would fail to further limit the claim and would also result in grammatical errors.
Line 43 recites the limitation “The bidirectional magnetic levitation brush motor device according to claim 1” which refers to the claim 1 that the limitation is part of. The limitation is clearly left over from the pasting of the limitations of claim 8 into claim 1 and should be removed entirely, as any part of it, if left in the claim, would fail to further limit the claim and would also result in grammatical errors.
The claims are objected to because they include reference characters which are not enclosed within parentheses.
Reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description of the drawings and used in conjunction with the recitation of the same element or group of elements in the claims should be enclosed within parentheses so as to avoid confusion with other numbers or characters which may appear in the claims. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
The objected-to reference characters include 7, 8, 16, 15, 12, 2, and 10 and are found in lines 46-56 of the claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Luo (CN 111585415 A, reference provided with machine translation in prior Office Action).
With respect to claim 1, Luo teaches a bidirectional magnetic levitation brush motor device, comprising a motor housing [1], a motor shaft [2] and an end cover [3], wherein the end cover [3] is arranged at a bottom end of the motor housing [1] (lines 1-3 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “A bidirectional magnetic suspension brushed motor device comprises a motor housing (1), a motor shaft (2) and an end cover (3), characterized in that: the end cover (3) is arranged at the bottom end of the motor housing (1)”),
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shaft holes are formed in axes of the motor housing [1] and the end cover [3], the motor shaft is arranged between two shaft holes (lines 3-4 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “the motor housing (1) and the end cover (3) are both provided with shaft holes at their axis centers, the motor shaft (2) is arranged between the two shaft holes”),
bearings [4] are arranged at junctions of the motor shaft [2] with the motor housing [1] and the end cover [3], the end of the motor shaft [2] which is away from the end cover [3] extends out of the motor housing [1] (lines 5-7 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “bearings (4) are provided at the connection between the motor shaft (2), the motor housing (1) and the end cover (3), one end of the motor shaft (2) away from the end cover (3) extends out of the motor housing (1)”),
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a transmission connection shaft [5] is arranged at a top end of the motor shaft [2], an insulated protective shell [6] is arranged on the far side of the end cover [3] that is away from the motor housing [1] (lines 7-9 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “a transmission connection shaft (5) is provided at the top end of the motor shaft (2), an insulating protective shell (6) is provided on the side of the end cover (3) away from the motor housing (1)”),
a commutator [7] is sleeved on an outer side of a bottom of the motor shaft [2], two symmetrically distributed electric brush needles [8] are arranged on two sides of a bottom of the commutator [7] (lines 9-11 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “commutator (7) is sleeved on the outer side of the bottom of the motor shaft (2); two symmetrically distributed brush pins (8) are provided on both sides of the bottom of the commutator (7)”),
each of the electric brush needles [8] has an L-shaped section, a top end and a bottom end of each of the electric brush needles [8] are respectively connected to the commutator [7] and the end cover [3] in an inserted manner (lines 11-13 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “the cross-sectional shape of the brush pins (8) is set to be L-shaped, and the top and bottom ends of the brush pins (8) are respectively plugged into the commutator (7) and the end cover (3)”);
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a transmission unit is arranged inside the motor housing [1], the transmission unit comprises a stator assembly [9] and a rotor assembly [10], and the rotor assembly [10] is arranged inside the stator assembly [9] (lines 13-15 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “a transmission unit is provided inside the motor housing (1); the transmission unit is composed of a stator assembly (9) and a rotor assembly (10), and the rotor assembly (10) is arranged inside the stator assembly (9)”);
the stator assembly [9] comprises a stator framework [11] and magnetic steel [12], placing grooves [13] are formed in two sides of the stator framework [11], the magnetic steel [12] is arranged inside the placing grooves [13], and limiting frames [14] are arranged on two sides of an inner wall of the stator framework [11] (lines 16-19 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “The stator assembly (9) comprises a stator frame (11) and a magnetic steel (12), the stator frame (11) having placement grooves (13) on both sides, the magnetic steel (12) being arranged inside the placement grooves (13), and the inner walls of the stator frame (11) having limit frames (14) on both sides”);
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the rotor assembly [10] comprises a rotor core [15] and coil windings [16], the rotor core [15] is arranged on an outer side of the motor shaft [2] in an overlying manner, the rotor core comprises rotor teeth [151] and pole shoes [152], the rotor teeth [151] and the pole shoes [152] are arranged integrally, and the coil windings [16] are wound around outer sides of the rotor teeth [151] (lines 20-23 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “The rotor assembly (10) comprises a rotor core (15) and a coil winding (16); the rotor core (15) is laminated and arranged outside the motor shaft (2); the rotor core (15) is composed of rotor teeth (151) and pole shoes (152); the rotor teeth (151) and the pole shoes (152) are arranged in an integrated manner; and the coil winding (16) is wound around the outside of the rotor teeth (151)”); and
four placing grooves [13] are formed, the four placing grooves [13] are symmetrically distributed about a bisector of the rotor core [15], spacing angles among the four placing grooves [13] are unequal (lines 24-26 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “The number of the placement slots (13) is set to four, the four placement slots (13) are symmetrically distributed about the bisector of the rotor core (15), the spacing angles between the four placement slots (13) are unequal”),
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four pieces of magnetic steel [12] are distributed in a height staggered manner, every two adjacent pieces of magnetic steel [12] have unequal heights, self-attraction surfaces [121] and non-self-attraction surfaces [122] are formed by the magnetic steel [12] and the rotor core [15] (lines 26-28 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “the four magnetic steels (12) are staggered in height, and the heights of two adjacent magnetic steels (12) are unequal, the magnetic steels (12) and the rotor core (15) form a self-absorption surface (121) and a non-self-absorption surface (122)”), and
areas of the self-attraction surfaces [121] are greater than areas of the non-self-attraction surfaces [122] (lines 28-30 of claim 1 of the reference translation recite “the area of the self-absorption surface (121) is greater than the area of the non-self-absorption surface (122)”);
wherein the coil windings [16] have identical winding directions on the rotor teeth [151]; the two transmission units are electrically connected by means of coil taps; tap lines of the four coil windings [16] are respectively set as a first coil [161], a second coil [162], a third coil [163] and a fourth coil [164] (lines 1-5 of claim 5 of the reference translation recites “the coil windings (16) are wound in the same direction on the rotor teeth (151), the two transmission units are electrically connected via coil taps, the four coil winding (16) taps are respectively arranged as coil one (161), coil two (162), coil three (163) and coil four (164)”),
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a head of the first coil [161] is connected to a tail of the second coil [162], a head of the third coil [163 is connected to a tail of the fourth coil [164], a head of the second coil [162] and a head of the fourth coil [164] are connected on one side of the commutator [7], commutator segments are arranged on two sides of a top end of the commutator [7], and a tail of the first coil [161] and a tail of the third coil [163] are connected to the commutator segments of the commutator (lines 4-9 of claim 5 of the reference translation recites “the head of coil one (161) is connected to the tail of coil two (162), the head of coil three (163) is connected to the tail of coil four (164), the head of coil two (162) and the head of coil four (164) are connected to one side of the commutator (7), ears are provided on both sides of the top of the commutator (7), and the tail of coil one (161) and the tail of coil three (163) are connected to the ears of the commutator (7)”);
wherein coil winding wires of the coil windings [16] are respectively set as upper and lower windings and left and right windings, the upper and lower windings have identical magnetic fields after being electrified, and the left and right windings have opposite magnetic fields after being electrified (claim 6 of the reference translation recites “the coil windings of the coil winding (16) are respectively arranged as upper and lower windings and left and right windings, the upper and lower windings have the same magnetic field after being energized, and the left and right windings have opposite magnetic fields after being energized…”);
wherein the four pieces of magnetic steel [12] in the transmission unit are divided into two groups, two pieces of magnetic steel [12] are arranged in each group, the two pieces of magnetic steel [12] in each group have opposite polarities, and the two groups of magnetic steel [12] have correspondingly identical upper and lower polarities (claim 7 of the reference translation recites “the four magnetic steels (12) in the transmission unit are divided into two groups, the number of magnetic steels (12) in each group is set to two, and the two magnetic steels (12) in each group have opposite polarities, and the upper and lower magnetic poles of the two groups of magnetic steels (12) correspond to the same”);
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wherein the electric brush needles [8] are electrically connected to an external power supply, and the electric brush needles [8] are electrically connected to the coil windings [16] by means of the commutator [7] (claim 8 of the reference translation recites “the brush needle (8) is electrically connected to an external power supply, and the brush needle (8) is electrically connected to the coil winding (16) through a commutator (7)”).
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wherein the external current is guided by the commutator [7] and the electric brush needles [8] to electrify the coil windings [16] to form magnetic fields at the rotor core [15] (¶ 0060 recites “the external current is guided to the coil winding 16 through the commutator 7 and the brush needle 8 to energize the rotor core 15 to form a magnetic field”),
the magnetic steel [12] is located in the range of the magnetic fields, the preset values are provided in the radial direction and in the axial direction, the magnetic steel interact with each other (¶ 0060 recites “the magnetic steel 12 is located within the magnetic field. Since there are preset values in the radial and axial directions, they interact with each other”),
stators of the same polarity push the anisotropic magnetic steel [12], the magnetic steel [12] of the same polarity is subjected to acting forces of magnetic fields of anisotropic stators (¶ 0060 recites “the stators with the same polarity push the magnetic steels 12 with different polarities. The magnetic steels 12 with the same polarity are acted upon by the stator magnetic fields with different polarities…”),
and thus the magnetic steel [12] pushes the rotor core [15] to reciprocate vertically while rotating (¶ 0060 recites “the magnetic steel 12 pushes the rotor core 15 to rotate and reciprocates up and down at the same time…”);
the rotor core [15] is fixedly connected to the motor shaft [2] and then drives the motor shaft [2] to reciprocate vertically while rotating (¶ 0060 recites “since the rotor core 15 is fixedly connected to the motor shaft 2, the motor shaft 2 is driven to rotate and reciprocate up and down at the same time…”),
the coil windings [16] switch a current direction and control the electrification time by means of an external circuit, thus rotors reciprocate left and right and up and down, and the movement of the rotor assembly [10] corresponds to the movement of the motor shaft [2] (¶ 0060 recites “The coil winding 16 switches the current direction and controls the energization time through the external circuit, so that the rotor produces left and right up and down reciprocating motions. The movement of the rotor assembly 10 is in response to the movement of the rotor shaft 2..”).
With respect to claim 2/1, Luo teaches the device of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the motor shaft [2] and the transmission connection shaft [5] are arranged coaxially, an inserting groove is formed at a bottom end of the transmission connection shaft [5], the top end of the motor shaft [2] is arranged inside the inserting groove, and the motor shaft [2] is in transmission connection with the transmission connection shaft [5] (lines 1-5 of claim 2 of the reference translation recite “the motor shaft branch (2) and the transmission connecting shaft (5) are coaxially arranged, the transmission connecting shaft (5) is provided with a plug-in slot at the bottom end, the top end of the motor shaft branch (2) is arranged inside the plug-in slot, and the motor shaft branch (2) is transmission-connected to the transmission connecting shaft (5)”).
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With respect to claim 3/1, Luo teaches the device of claim 1, and further teaches wherein one or more transmission units are arranged, and one or more preset values of a plurality of the transmission units are set (claim 3 of the reference translation recites “the number of the transmission units is set to one or more, and the preset values mentioned by the multiple transmission units are set to one or more”).
With respect to claim 4/1, Luo teaches the device of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the motor housing [1] has a flat or circular section, both the end cover [3] and the stator framework [11] match with an inner contour of the motor housing [1], the end cover [3] is connected to the motor housing [1] in a riveted manner, and the rotor core [15] matches with the inner wall of the stator framework [11] (claim 4 of the reference translation recites “the cross-sectional shape of the motor housing (1) is set to be flat or circular, the end cover (3) and the stator frame (11) both match the inner contour of the motor housing (1), and the end cover (3) and the motor housing (1) are riveted together, and the rotor core (15) matches the inner wall of the stator frame (11)”).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
An updated search resulted in a new reference cited in the PTO Form 892 but it does not affect the prosecution.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. 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 DANIEL K SCHLAK whose telephone number is (703)756-1685. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 6:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Seye 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.
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/Daniel K Schlak/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834