DETAILED ACTIONNotice 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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informality: On line 12, it appears that “don” should read do. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 4. 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 – 14, 16, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as
being anticipated by Nozawa (WO2014045854 – See IDS dated 11/9/23).
Regarding claim 1, Nozawa discloses an apparatus comprising a first sensor portion 20 configured to detect deformation of an object 1 and having a film shape; a second sensor portion 30 configured to detect deformation of the object and having a film shape; and a sheet 10 attached to the object, wherein a main surface of the first sensor portion and a main surface of the second sensor portion are attached to the sheet, and wherein the main surfaces of the first sensor portion and the second sensor portion do not fully overlap each other in a planar plan view of the sheet along a direction normal to the main surface of the sheet, such that the main surface of the first sensor portion has a nonoverlapping region that does not overlap the main surface of the second sensor portion, and the main surface of the second sensor portion has a nonoverlapping region that does not overlap the main surface of the first sensor portion, wherein the portions are independently stretched (See Pg. 2, lines 25 – 40 and Pg. 3, lines 1 – 23).
Regarding claim 2, the first sensor portion 20 and the second sensor portion 30 are disposed between the object when the sensor unit is attached to the object (See Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, a shape of the object 1 extends in a first direction, wherein a rotating direction around the first direction is a circumferential direction, and wherein a length of the main surface of the sheet in the circumferential direction is shorter than a length of the object in the circumferential direction (See Figs. 1 and 2). Regarding claim 5, the main surface of the first sensor portion 20 has a second nonoverlapping region that does not overlap the main surface of the sheet in the planar plan view of the sheet (See Fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 6, the main surface of the second sensor portion 30 has a second nonoverlapping region that does not overlap the main surface of the sheet in the planar plan view of the sheet (See Fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 7, the sheet is an insulator (See Pg. 2, lines 34 - 37).
Regarding claim 8, part of an outer edge of the main surface of the first sensor portion 20 and part of an outer edge of the main surface of the second sensor portion 30 are in contact with each other (See Fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 9, the main surface of the first sensor portion 20 has an overlapping region that overlaps the main surface of the second sensor portion 30 in the planar plan view, and the main surface of the second sensor portion has an overlapping region that overlaps the main surface of the first sensor portion in the planar plan view (See Fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 10, a distance between a first center point of the first sensor portion and a second center point of the second sensor portion is one-fourth or three-fourths of a length of the object in a circumferential direction in the planar plan view, the circumferential direction being a rotating direction around an extension direction of the object (See Figs. 1 and 2B).
Regarding claim 11, the first sensor portion 20 comprises a first piezoelectric body 21 including a film comprising polylactic acid and extending in at least one axial direction, and a main surface of the first piezoelectric body has a rectangular shape in the planar plan view of the sheet, the second sensor portion 30 comprises a second piezoelectric body 31 including a film comprising polylactic acid and extending in at least one axial direction, and wherein a main surface of the second piezoelectric body has a rectangular shape in the planar plan view (See Pg. 2, lines 38 – 40 and Pg. 3, lines 1 – 11).
Regarding claim 12, an extension axis of the first piezoelectric body 20 forms an angle of 0 degrees relative to a longitudinal direction of the first piezoelectric body in the planar plan view (See Fig. 2C, See Pg. 3, lines 12 – 19).
Regarding claim 13, an extension axis of the second piezoelectric body 30 forms an angle of 0 degrees relative to a longitudinal direction of the second piezoelectric body in the planar plan view (See Fig. 2C, See Pg. 3, lines 12 – 19).
Regarding claim 14, the sensor portions 20, 20 include sensing elements 22, 23, 32, 33 having a film shape (See Fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 16, the sensor portions include sensing elements 22, 23, 32, 33 having a film shape (See Fig. 2B) and a piezoelectric film including polylactic acid and extending in at least one axial direction and having a rectangular shape in the planar plan view (See Pg. 2, lines 37 – 39 and Pg. 3, lines 1 – 11).
Regarding claim 19, the main surface of the first sensor portion 20 does not overlap the main surface of the second sensor portion 30 in the planar plan view, and wherein the main surface of the second sensor portion does not overlap the main surface of the first sensor portion in the planar plan view and the sensor portions stretch independently (See Fig. 2B, See Pg. 3, lines 20 – 23).
Regarding claim 20, a long side or a long axis of the main surface of the first sensor portion is parallel to a long side or a long axis of the main surface of the second sensor portion in the planar plan view (See Fig. 2B).
Claims 1 – 4, 7, 10, 14, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as
being anticipated by Yan et al. (CN112444333, hereinafter Yan – See IDS dated 11/9/23).
Regarding claim 1, Yan discloses a method and apparatus comprising a first sensor portion 2 (See Figs. 7 and 8) configured to detect deformation of an object 7 and having a film shape; a second sensor portion 2 configured to detect deformation of the object and having a film shape; and a sheet 1 attached to the object, wherein a main surface of the first sensor portion and a main surface of the second sensor portion are attached to the sheet, and wherein the main surfaces of the first sensor portion and the second sensor portion do not fully overlap each other in a planar plan view of the sheet along a direction normal to the main surface of the sheet, such that the main surface of the first sensor portion has a nonoverlapping region that does not overlap the main surface of the second sensor portion, and the main surface of the second sensor portion has a nonoverlapping region that does not overlap the main surface of the first sensor portion (See Pg. 4, lines 10 – 31). Regarding claim 2, the first sensor portion 2 and the second sensor portion 2 are disposed between the object 7 when the sensor unit is attached to the object (See Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 3, the sheet 1 is disposed between the object and the first sensor portion and between the object and the second sensor portion when the sensor unit is attached to the object since the sensor is disposed on top of the sheet (See Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 4, a shape of the object 7 extends in a first direction, wherein a rotating direction around the first direction is a circumferential direction, and wherein a length of the main surface of the sheet in the circumferential direction is shorter than a length of the object in the circumferential direction (See Fig. 8). Regarding claim 7, the sheet is an insulator (See Pg. 4, lines 10 – 12). Regarding claim 10, a distance between a first center point of the first sensor portion and a second center point of the second sensor portion is one-fourth or three-fourths of a length of the object in a circumferential direction in the planar plan view, the circumferential direction being a rotating direction around an extension direction of the object (See Fig. 8). Regarding claim 14, a metal sheet sensor 6 comprises the metal sheet 1 and includes a film shape and detects deformation of the object (See Pg. 6, lines 1 – 39). Regarding claim 19, the main surface of the first sensor portion 2 does not overlap the main surface of the second sensor portion 2 in the planar plan view, and wherein the main surface of the second sensor portion does not overlap the main surface of the first sensor portion in the planar plan view (See Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 20, a long side or a long axis of the main surface of the first sensor portion is parallel to a long side or a long axis of the main surface of the second sensor portion in the planar plan view (See Fig. 8).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15, 17 and 18 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject
matter: The primary reasons for indicating allowable subject matter is that the prior art does not anticipate or make obvious the provisions of “a fourth sensor portion configured to detect deformation of the object and having a film shape, wherein a main surface of the third sensor portion has a nonoverlapping region that does not overlap a main surface of the fourth sensor portion, and an overlapping region that overlaps the main surface of the first sensor portion or the main surface of the second sensor portion in the planar plan view, wherein the main surface of the fourth sensor portion has a nonoverlapping region that does not overlap the main surface of the third sensor portion and an overlapping region that overlaps the main surface of the first sensor portion or the main surface of the second sensor portion in the planar plan view, wherein part of an outer edge of the main surface of the third sensor portion and part of an outer edge of the main surface of the fourth sensor portion are in contact with each other, wherein in the planar plan view a distance between a first center point of the first sensor portion and a second center point of the second sensor portion is one-half of a length of the object measured in a circumferential direction, the circumferential direction being a rotating direction around an extension direction of the object, wherein in the planar plan view a distance between a third center point of the third sensor portion and a fourth center point of the fourth sensor portion is one-half of the length of the object in the circumferential direction, and wherein in the planar plan view a distance between the first center point of the first sensor portion or the second center point of the second sensor portion and the third center point of the third sensor portion or the fourth center point of the fourth sensor portion is one-fourth or three-fourths of the length of the object in the circumferential direction” (referring to claim 15), “the fourth sensor portion comprises a fourth piezoelectric body, the fourth piezoelectric body is a film comprising polylactic acid and extends in at least one axial direction, and wherein a main surface of the fourth piezoelectric body has a rectangular shape in the planar plan view” (referring to claim 17) and “an extension axis of a third piezoelectric body forms an angle of 45 degrees counterclockwise relative to a longitudinal direction of the third piezoelectric body in the planar plan view, and wherein an extension axis of the fourth piezoelectric body forms an angle of -45 degrees counterclockwise relative to a longitudinal direction of the fourth piezoelectric body in the planar plan view” (referring to claim 18) in combination with the other limitations presented in claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant's disclosure.
10. Makino et al. (2024/0143284) disclose a data processing apparatus and program. Makino et al. (2024/0142216) disclose a sensor unit. Iizuka et al. (2024/0091620) disclose a processing device. Iizuka et al. (2024/0068796) disclose a sensor unit and sensor unit attachment method. Ohta et al. (11,291,885) disclose a swing analysis device, swing analysis method, and swing analysis system. Sato et al. (2009/0247312) disclose a swing analyzer. Chiang et al. (2009/0233729) disclose a vibration reducing golf club. Garmash (SU1499106) disclose a method and apparatus for measuring deformations of rotary shafts. Uitermarkt (4,763,533) disclose a method and device for measuring the deformation of a rotating shaft.11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OCTAVIA HOLLINGTON whose telephone number is (571)272-2176. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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/OCTAVIA HOLLINGTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855 11/25/25