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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yelton US 6,146,066.
In regards to claim 1, Yelton discloses a dental drilling device (10) comprising: a spindle (18) including a spindle shaft (18) rotatably mounted inside a drilling device housing (11) and a spindle shaft fan (30) formed in a fan-blade shape (col 4, lines 58-60) on an outer surface of the spindle shaft (18); a fixing socket (28) fixedly mounted to one end of the drilling device housing (11) and surrounding the spindle shaft fan with a gap (15) therebetween; a processing drill (26) mounted on a front end of the spindle to process a workpiece; and a driving motor (16) coupled to a rear end of the spindle to rotate the spindle, wherein the spindle shaft fan (30) rotates air to generate a flow of air discharged into the gap (15) between the spindle shaft fan (18) and the fixing socket (28) and discharges air from inside of the drilling device housing to outside (into 32) through the gap (15), thereby preventing impurities from penetrating into the drilling device, and wherein an oblique groove (refer to the groove formed between elements 29) is formed inside the fixing socket (28).
In regards to claim 3, Yelton discloses the drilling device according to claim 1, Yelton also discloses that the drilling device housing (11) is equipped with one or more bearings (19) rotatably supporting the spindle shaft (18) and a bearing housing (17) to which the bearings are mounted (see Figure 3).
In regards to claim 4, Yelton discloses the drilling device according to claim 3, Yelton also discloses that the drilling device housing (11) is formed with an air inlet (refer to any inlet where air is supplied to supplying air within 15) on an outer circumference of the bearing housing (17).
In regards to claim 8, Yelton discloses the drilling device according to claim 7, Yelton also discloses that the oblique groove has a thread shape to be directed in an opposite1 direction to the spindle shaft fan (see Figure 3).
Claim(s) 1, 3, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 4-193486 (hereafter—JP’486--).
In regards to claim 1, JP’486 discloses a dental drilling device (Figures 1-2) comprising: a spindle (5) including a spindle shaft (refer to the shaft of 5) rotatably mounted inside a drilling device housing (11) and a spindle shaft fan (13) formed in a fan-blade shape (see Figures 1 and 2) on an outer surface of the spindle shaft (5); a fixing socket (10) fixedly mounted to one end of the drilling device housing (11) and surrounding the spindle shaft fan (13) with a gap therebetween (refer to the axial gap thorough the inner circumference of 10); a processing drill (9) mounted on a front end of the spindle to process a workpiece; and a driving motor (3) coupled to a rear end of the spindle to rotate the spindle, wherein the spindle shaft fan (13) rotates air to generate a flow of air discharged into a gap (refer to the axial gap thorough the inner circumference of 10) between the spindle (5) and the fixing socket (10) and discharges air from inside of the drilling device housing to outside through the gap, thereby preventing impurities from penetrating into the drilling device, and wherein an oblique groove (10e) is formed inside the fixing socket (10).
In regards to claim 3, JP’486 discloses the drilling device according to claim 1, JP’486 also discloses that the drilling device housing (11) is equipped with one or more bearings (8) rotatably supporting the spindle shaft (5) and a bearing housing (refer to 6 which houses bearing 8) to which the bearings are mounted (see Figures 1 and 2).
In regards to claim 8, JP’486 discloses the drilling device according to claim 1, JP’486 also discloses that the oblique groove has a thread shape (see Figures 1 and 2) to be directed in an opposite2 direction to the spindle shaft fan (note that the fan rotates clockwise while the grooves are counterclockwise, so as to provide counterclockwise air flow).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 is 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.
Response to Arguments
Rejections not based on prior art
In view of Applicant's amendments, the previous 35 U.S.C. § 112 rejection of claims 1-9 has been withdrawn.
Rejections not based on prior art
In view of Applicant's amendments, the previous 35 U.S.C. § 103 rejection of claims 1, 3, 5 and 6 has been withdrawn
Applicant's arguments filed 05/05/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on page 7 regarding the Yelton and JP’486 references, that in both Yelton and JP’486 their invention is to a suction device and not a blower device, “both Yelton and JP’486 fail to teach or suggest discharging air from inside of the drilling device to outside through a gap formed between a spindle shaft fan and a fixing socket”.
In response to applicant's argument that “both Yelton and JP’486 fail to teach or suggest discharging air from inside of the drilling device to outside through a gap formed between a spindle shaft fan and a fixing socket”, a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
As discussed in the rejection above, in Yelton, there is a driving motor (16) coupled to a rear end of the spindle to rotate the spindle, so that then, the spindle shaft fan (30) is also actuated in tandem and thus rotates air to generate a flow of air discharged into the gap (15) between the spindle shaft fan (18) and the fixing socket (28) and discharges air from inside of the drilling device housing to outside (into 32) through the gap (15).
As discussed in the rejection above, in JP’486, there is a driving motor (3) coupled to a rear end of the spindle to rotate the spindle, so that then, the spindle shaft fan (13) is also actuated in tandem and thus rotates air to generate a flow of air discharged into a gap (refer to the axial gap thorough the inner circumference of 10) between the spindle (5) and the fixing socket (10) and discharges air from inside of the drilling device housing to outside through the gap.
Accordingly, the Examiner’s interpretation is not precluded.
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., “In contrast, Yelton and JP '486 disclose, at most, a suction device, rather than a blower device”) 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).
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 NICOLE N RAMOS whose telephone number is (571)272-5134. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu 7:00 am -5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sunil K Singh can be reached at (571) 272-3460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICOLE N RAMOS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3722
1 Opposite: “having a position on the other or further side of something” opposite definition - Search
2 Opposite: “having a position on the other or further side of something” opposite definition - Search
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