DETAILED ACTION
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 submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/05/2023 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 5: “the set of amplitude differences” lacks antecedent basis.
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 of this title, 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 1-6, 8-13, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lang et al. (US 20180038417 A1) in view of Wherritt (US 20130176038 A1).Regarding claim 1:Lang teaches a system for detecting contamination condition of lubricating grease of a mechanical component, the system comprising:
a radio frequency signal generator (e.g., FIG. 2 - 258) configured to generate a radio frequency signal with a frequency higher than 1.0 GHz (e.g., FIGS. 3a, 4a, 5; [0038], [0046]-[0047]); a sensor comprising a sensing assembly configured to contact lubricating grease to be sensed in the mechanical component ([0038]); and a radio frequency signal analyzer (e.g., FIG. 2 - 259); and wherein the radio frequency signal analyzer is configured to perform an analysis based on the signal to detect the contamination condition of the lubricating grease (e.g., abstract)Lang fails to teach:
a switch assembly configured to switch between a first mode and a second mode, wherein when the switch assembly is in the first mode, the radio frequency signal is transmitted via a first transmission path, thereby providing a first feedback signal for the radio frequency signal analyzer, and when the switch assembly is in the second mode, the radio frequency signal is transmitted via a second transmission path, thereby providing a second feedback signal for the radio frequency signal analyzer; and configured to perform an analysis based on both the first feedback signal and the second feedback signalWherritt teaches:
a switch assembly configured to switch between a first mode and a second mode, wherein when the switch assembly is in the first mode, the frequency signal is transmitted via a first transmission path, thereby providing a first feedback signal for the frequency signal analyzer, and when the switch assembly is in the second mode, the frequency signal is transmitted via a second transmission path, thereby providing a second feedback signal for the frequency signal analyzer; and configured to perform an analysis based on both the first feedback signal and the second feedback signal(e.g., FIGS. 2-3 and 7; abstract, [0006], [0019], [0079]-[0080])
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the switch and alternative / calibration / refence path of Wherritt in the device of Lang to yield reduced drift and increased accuracy (e.g., Wherritt - [0006], [0032]).
Regarding claim 2:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 1, as mentioned above.Lang also teaches:
wherein the sensing assembly is configured to contact the lubricating grease to be sensed in the mechanical component when the mechanical component is in operation ([0038]-[0040])
Regarding claim 3:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 1, as mentioned above.As combined in the claim 1 rejection above, Lang and Wherritt teach:
wherein: the first feedback signal comprises a first set of feedback signals corresponding to a set of carrier frequencies; and the second feedback signal comprises a second set of feedback signals corresponding to the set of carrier frequencies(In the combination, the same circuitry is configured to send the same signal to each of the two paths, thus sharing the carrier frequencies.)
Regarding claim 4:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 3, as mentioned above.As combined in the claim 1 rejection above, Lang and Wherritt teach or render obvious:
wherein the radio frequency signal analyzer is further configured to: perform signal processing on the first set of feedback signals to obtain a signal-processed first set of signals; obtain a first set of amplitude values of the first set of signals; perform signal processing on the second set of feedback signals to obtain a signal-processed second set of signals; obtain a second set of amplitude values of the second set of signals; and calculate a set of amplitude differences between the first set of amplitude values and the second set of amplitude values(Lang teaches amplitude subtraction as a correction - [0041], [0056]. Wherritt teaches the use of the switching / calibration path. As such, one of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to perform a similar correction to that of Lang when incorporating the calibration / switched path of Wherritt.)
Regarding claim 5:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 3, as mentioned above.As combined in the claim 1 rejection above, Lang and Wherritt teach or render obvious:
wherein the radio frequency signal analyzer is further configured to: determine a resonance point (Lang - [0019], [0022], FIG. 3a, FIG. 4a, FIG. 5) based on the set of amplitude differences and the set of carrier frequencies; and evaluate the contamination condition of the lubricating grease based on the resonance point(Lang teaches amplitude subtraction as a correction - [0041], [0056]. Wherritt teaches the use of the switching / calibration path. As such, one of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to perform a similar correction to that of Lang when incorporating the calibration / switched path of Wherritt.)
Regarding claim 6:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 1, as mentioned above.As combined in the claim 1 rejection above, Wherritt teaches:
wherein the system further comprises a controller configured to control the switch assembly to switch between the first mode and the second mode (e.g., claim 1, claim 15. The examiner also notes that automating a manually activity is prima facie obvious and, further, one of ordinary skill in the art would know that the switch or switches of Wherritt are not manually switched by hand)
Regarding claim 8:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 1, as mentioned above.Lang also teaches:
wherein the mechanical component comprises a bearing (e.g., title), wherein the sensor is mounted on a fixed inner ring or outer ring of the bearing ([0023]), or on a seat where the outer ring is mounted, so that the sensing assembly of the sensor can contact the lubricating grease to be sensed in the bearing
Regarding claim 9:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 8, as mentioned above.Lang fails to explicitly teach:
wherein the bearing comprises a fan bearing, the outer ring of the fan bearing is fixed, and the sensor is mounted between the radial three o'clock direction and the radial nine o'clock direction of the outer ring, so that the sensing assembly of the sensor faces the radial inner direction
However, Lang already teaches that the sensing element may be mounted on a stationary ring of the bearing and that the sensing element may form part of a system that is lubricated via a circulating grease supply ([0023]). One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to use the sensor of Lang and Wherritt in most any system which contains lubricating grease which may become contaminated. Thus, the examiner concludes it prima facie obvious to merely place the lubricating grease sensor in another type of bearing which uses lubricating grease. Further, the examiner notes that the ”radial three o-clock direction” and the “radial nine o’clock direction” are relative to the orientation of the device (e.g., if the fan or that which the fan is attached to is moved or rotated, the “three o-clock direction” would change, unless a location and reference frame are explicitly defined relative to the device itself).
Regarding claim 10:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 2, as mentioned above.As combined in the claim 1 rejection above, Lang and Wherritt teach:
wherein: the first feedback signal comprises a first set of feedback signals corresponding to a set of carrier frequencies; and the second feedback signal comprises a second set of feedback signals corresponding to the set of carrier frequencies(In the combination, the same circuitry is configured to send the same signal to each of the two paths, thus sharing the carrier frequencies.)
Regarding claim 11:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 10, as mentioned above.As combined in the claim 1 rejection above, Lang and Wherritt teach or render obvious:
wherein the radio frequency signal analyzer is further configured to: perform signal processing on the first set of feedback signals to obtain a signal-processed first set of signals; obtain a first set of amplitude values of the first set of signals; perform signal processing on the second set of feedback signals to obtain a signal-processed second set of signals; obtain a second set of amplitude values of the second set of signals; and calculate a set of amplitude differences between the first set of amplitude values and the second set of amplitude values(Lang teaches amplitude subtraction as a correction - [0041], [0056]. Wherritt teaches the use of the switching / calibration path. As such, one of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to perform a similar correction to that of Lang when incorporating the calibration / switched path of Wherritt.)
Regarding claim 12:Lang and Wherritt teach or render obvious all the limitations of claim 11, as mentioned above.As combined in the claim 1 rejection above, Lang and Wherritt teach or render obvious:
wherein the radio frequency signal analyzer is further configured to: determine a resonance point (Lang - [0019], [0022], FIG. 3a, FIG. 4a, FIG. 5) based on the set of amplitude differences and the set of carrier frequencies; and evaluate the contamination condition of the lubricating grease based on the resonance point(Lang teaches amplitude subtraction as a correction - [0041], [0056]. Wherritt teaches the use of the switching / calibration path. As such, one of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to perform a similar correction to that of Lang when incorporating the calibration / switched path of Wherritt.)
Regarding claim 13:Lang and Wherritt teach or render obvious all the limitations of claim 12, as mentioned above.As combined in the claim 1 rejection above, Wherritt teaches:
wherein the system further comprises a controller configured to control the switch assembly to switch between the first mode and the second mode(e.g., claim 1, claim 15. The examiner also notes that automating a manually activity is prima facie obvious and, further, one of ordinary skill in the art would know that the switch or switches of Wherritt are not manually switched by hand)
Regarding claim 18:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 1, as mentioned above.As combined in the claim 1 rejection above, Lang and Wherritt teach:
a bearing (e.g., Lang - title), lubricating grease (e.g., Lang - abstract) and the system according to claim 1 (see claim 1 rejection above)
Claims 7 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lang et al. (US 20180038417 A1) in view of Wherritt (US 20130176038 A1) and further in view of Wu et al. (CN 102469472 B).Regarding claim 7:Lang and Wherritt teach all the limitations of claim 1, as mentioned above.Lang and Wherritt fail to teach:
wherein the switch assembly comprises two single-point double-throw (SPDT) switchesWu teaches:
wherein the switch assembly comprises two single-point double-throw (SPDT) switches (e.g., FIGS. 4-5)
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use two (or more) SPDT switches, as taught by Wu, as it is an equivalent structure for switching between calibration/reference circuit(s) and measurement circuit(s). One of ordinary skill in the art, viewing FIG. 2 of Wherritt would recognize that, if switch 120 is flipped to connect to the reference element, then element 30 is an open circuit, disconnected at 120. Thus, one could easily replace the ground with another SPDT switch that feeds back to the measurement equipment. Alternatively, one could modify FIG. 7 of Wherritt to use multiple SPDT switches to connect various different reference sources (e.g., duplicate 110s of FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 14:Lang and Wherritt teach or render obvious all the limitations of claim 13, as mentioned above.Lang and Wherritt fail to teach:
wherein the switch assembly comprises two single-point double-throw (SPDT) switchesWu teaches:
wherein the switch assembly comprises two single-point double-throw (SPDT) switches (e.g., FIGS. 4-5)
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use two (or more) SPDT switches, as taught by Wu, as it is an equivalent structure for switching between calibration/reference circuit(s) and measurement circuit(s). One of ordinary skill in the art, viewing FIG. 2 of Wherritt would recognize that, if switch 120 is flipped to connect to the reference element, then element 30 is an open circuit, disconnected at 120. Thus, one could easily replace the ground with another SPDT switch that feeds back to the measurement equipment. Alternatively, one could modify FIG. 7 of Wherritt to use multiple SPDT switches to connect various different reference sources (e.g., duplicate 110s of FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 15:Lang, Wherritt, and Wu teach or render obvious all the limitations of claim 14, as mentioned above.Lang also teaches:
wherein the mechanical component comprises a bearing (e.g., title), wherein the sensor is mounted on a fixed inner ring or outer ring of the bearing ([0023]), or on a seat where the outer ring is mounted, so that the sensing assembly of the sensor can contact the lubricating grease to be sensed in the bearing
Regarding claim 16:Lang, Wherritt, and Wu teach or render obvious all the limitations of claim 15, as mentioned above.Lang fails to explicitly teach:
wherein the bearing comprises a fan bearing, the outer ring of the fan bearing is fixed, and the sensor is mounted between the radial three o'clock direction and the radial nine o'clock direction of the outer ring, so that the sensing assembly of the sensor faces the radial inner direction
However, Lang already teaches that the sensing element may be mounted on a stationary ring of the bearing and that the sensing element may form part of a system that is lubricated via a circulating grease supply ([0023]). One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to use the sensor of Lang and Wherritt in most any system which contains lubricating grease which may become contaminated. Thus, the examiner concludes it prima facie obvious to merely place the lubricating grease sensor in another type of bearing which uses lubricating grease. Further, the examiner notes that the ”radial three o-clock direction” and the “radial nine o’clock direction” are relative to the orientation of the device (e.g., if the fan or that which the fan is attached to is moved or rotated, the “three o-clock direction” would change, unless a location and reference frame are explicitly defined relative to the device itself).
Regarding claim 17:Lang, Wherritt, and Wu render obvious all the limitations of claim 16, as mentioned above.As set forth in the claim 16 rejection above, Lang, Wherritt, and Wu render obvious:
a bearing (e.g., Lang - title), lubricating grease (e.g., Lang - abstract) and the system according to claim 16 (see claim 16 rejection above)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Herbert Keith Roberts whose telephone number is (571)270-0428. The examiner can normally be reached 10a - 6p MT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Peter Macchiarolo can be reached at (571) 272-2375. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HERBERT K ROBERTS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855