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.
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, 4-8, 10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0033254 (Gattere et al.).
With regards to claim 1, Gattere et al. discloses an accelerometer comprising, as illustrated in Figures 1-8C, a vibration detector 1 (e.g. MEMS accelerometer; paragraph [0017]; Figures 2,3) comprising a vibration member 21** (e.g. distal portion of cantilever element; paragraph [0023]) to vibrate in a thickness direction (e.g. z-axis direction; Figures 2,3); a fixed end beam member 21* (e.g. deformable portion of cantilever element; paragraph [0023]) connected to the vibration member at one end (e.g. right-hand end) of the fixed end beam member in a first direction (e.g. x-axis direction; Figures 2-3); a fixed member 2 (e.g. supporting structure; paragraph [0017]) connected to another end (e.g. left-hand end) of the fixed end beam member in the first direction; a strain detection member 51 (e.g. piezoelectric detection structure; paragraph [0039]) on at least one of the fixed end beam member or the vibration member and configured to detect strain of the vibration member (e.g. paragraph [0048]); a length of the one end (e.g. right-hand end) in a second direction (e.g. y-axis direction) perpendicular to the first direction and the thickness direction is shorter than a length of one side of the vibration member in the second direction, the one side of the vibration member is opposed to the fixed member in the first direction (e.g. observed in Figure 2). (See, paragraphs [0017] to [0114]).
With regards to claim 2, Gattere et al. further discloses multiple vibration members 22**,23**,24** including the vibration member 21**; multiple fixed end beam members 22*,23*,24* including the fixed end beam member 21*; a total length of the one end of the fixed end beam member of the multiple fixed end beam members is shorter than a length of the vibration member opposed to the fixed member (e.g. observed in Figure 2).
With regards to claim 4, Gattere et al. further discloses the strain detection member 51 includes a piezoelectric film to convert a vibration of the vibration member into an electronic signal (e.g. paragraphs [0039],[0043],[0053]).
With regards to claim 5, Gattere et al. further discloses the strain detection member 51 is asymmetrical with respect to a center of the fixed end beam member in the second direction (e.g. observed in Figures 2,3).
With regards to claim 6, Gattere et al. further discloses a tip of the vibration member 21** in a direction away from the fixed member 2 is chamfered (e.g. observed in Figure 2).
With regards to claim 7, Gattere et al. further discloses the fixed member 2, the fixed end beam member 21*, the vibration member 21**, and the strain detection member 51 are bonded to each other to form a single body (e.g. observed in Figures 1,2).
With regards to claim 8, Gattere et al. further discloses the vibration member 21** further includes a weight member 31 (e.g. mobile mass; paragraph [0031]; Figure 3) at a position symmetrical with respect to the fixed end beam member in the second direction, and closer to a tip of the vibration member than the one end of the fixed end beam member in the first direction (e.g. observed in Figure 2).
With regards to claim 10, Gattere et al. further discloses the vibration member 21** has a cantilever structure having one end (e.g. left-hand end) connected to the fixed end beam member 21*, and another end (e.g. right-hand end) as a free end (e.g. observed in Figures 2,3).
With regards to claim 14, Gattere et al. discloses an accelerometer comprising, as illustrated in Figures 1-8C, a vibration detector 1 (e.g. MEMS accelerometer; paragraph [0017]; Figures 2,3) comprising a vibration member 21** (e.g. distal portion of cantilever element; paragraph [0023]) to vibrate in a thickness direction (e.g. z-axis direction; Figures 2,3); a fixed end beam member 21* (e.g. deformable portion of cantilever element; paragraph [0023]) connected to the vibration member at one end (e.g. right-hand end) of the fixed end beam member in a first direction (e.g. x-axis direction; Figures 2-3); a fixed member 2 (e.g. supporting structure; paragraph [0017]) connected to another end (e.g. left-hand end) of the fixed end beam member in the first direction; a strain detection member 51 (e.g. piezoelectric detection structure; paragraph [0039]) on at least one of the fixed end beam member or the vibration member and configured to detect strain of the vibration member (e.g. paragraph [0048]); a length of the another end (e.g. left-hand end) in a second direction (e.g. y-axis direction) perpendicular to the first direction and the thickness direction is shorter than a length of one side of the vibration member in the second direction, the one side of the vibration member is opposed to the fixed member in the first direction (e.g. observed in Figure 2). (See, paragraphs [0017] to [0114]).
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.
Claims 3, 9 and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0033254 (Gattere et al.) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0217378 (Ishikawa et al.).
With regards to claim 3, Gattere et al. does not specify such structural parameter, the strain detection member covers both of the fixed end beam member and the vibration member, as presently claimed. However, to have set such structural arrangement characteristic as in the claim to have the strain detection member covers both of the fixed end beam member and the vibration member in lieu of just the fixed end beam member of Gattere et al. is considered to have been a matter of choice possibilities to shift location of parts that would have been obvious to a skilled artisan in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention without altering and/or changing the operation and/or performance of the strain detection member, namely to detect strain of the vibration member [NOTE: In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950)].
With regards to claim 9, Gattere et al. does not disclose the fixed end beam member has one or more openings.
Ishikawa et al. discloses an inertial sensor comprising, as illustrated in Figures 1A-8, a vibration detector (e.g. the entire system illustrated in Figure 1) comprising a vibration member 12 (e.g. weight part; paragraph [0005]) to vibrate in a thickness direction (e.g. z-axis direction; paragraph [0037]); a fixed end beam member 13 (e.g. beams; paragraph [0005]) connected to the vibration member at one end (e.g. right-hand end) of the fixed end beam member in a first direction (e.g. x-axis direction); a fixed member 14 (e.g. frame; paragraph [0005]) connected to another end (e.g. left-hand end) of the fixed end beam member in the first direction; a strain detection member 11 (e.g. piezoelectric resistors; paragraph [0005]) on at least one of the fixed end beam member or the vibration member and configured to detect strain of the vibration member (e.g. paragraph [0037]); a length of the one end (e.g. right-hand end) in a second direction (e.g. y-axis direction) perpendicular to the first direction and the thickness direction is shorter than a length of one side of the vibration member in the second direction, the one side of the vibration member is opposed to the fixed member in the first direction (e.g. observed in Figure 1B); the fixed end beam member 13 has one or more openings 15 (e.g. holes; paragraphs [0039],[0040]; Figure 3B). (See, paragraphs [0014] to [0053]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have readily recognize the advantages and desirability of employing the fixed end beam member has one or more openings as suggested by Ishikawa et al. to the system of Gattere et al. to have the ability to improve the sensitivity of the sensor by configuring holes on the fixed end beam such that the fixed end beam can be distorted easily. (See, paragraphs [0035] of Ishikawa et al.).
With regards to claims 11-13, Gattere et al. discloses machinery comprising the vibration detector (e.g. paragraph [0002]); however, the reference does not specify the vibration detector used in a sound wave detector, a microphone, or a wearable device comprising the vibration detector. To have set such usage for the vibration detector as claimed in these claims is considered to have been a matter of choice possibilities and a well-known concept (e.g. as evidence by U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0242604 or U.S. Patent Application Publication 2018/0186623 where the vibration detector is used for accelerometer, microphone, pressure sensor, gas sensor) that would have been obvious to person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention without departing from the scope of the invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The references cited are related to various arrangements and configurations for a vibration detector comprising a vibration member, a fixed end beam, and strain detection member.
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/HELEN C KWOK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855