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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/18/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS is being considered by the examiner.
Foreign Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Drawing Objections
The drawings are objected to because Figure 1 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action.
The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance.
The primary reason for allowance of claims 1 - 3, 6, 9 is the prior art made of record neither shows or discloses the claim language found in claim 1, for a torque test device of an electric actuator, the device comprising:
a potentiometer having one end fixed by a first bracket, and disposed at an end of a shaft of the electric actuator;
a torque arm of the electric actuator that is disposed vertically to the shaft of the electric actuator.
Most notably, for a torque test device of an electric actuator, the device, further comprising:
a rod coupled to the torque arm of the electric actuator, and installed with a load cell;
a spring system having one end coupled to the rod and the other end coupled to a second bracket, and disposed vertically to the shaft of the electric actuator; and
a control unit calculating a torque of the electric actuator by receiving force data measured by the load cell and a rotation angle measured by the potentiometer,
in combination with all of the other claim limitations presented, in total.
The primary reason for allowance of claims 10 - 12 is the prior art made of record neither shows or discloses the claim language found in claim 10, for a torque test device of an electric actuator, the device comprising:
a potentiometer having one end fixed by a first bracket, and disposed at an end of a shaft of the electric actuator;
a torque arm of the electric actuator that is disposed vertically to the shaft of the electric actuator.
Most notably, for a torque test device of an electric actuator, the device, further comprising:
a rod coupled to the torque arm of the electric actuator, and installed with a load cell;
a spring system having one end coupled to a third bracket and the other end coupled to a second bracket, and disposed vertically to the shaft of the electric actuator; and
a control unit calculating a torque of the electric actuator by receiving force data measured by the load cell and a rotation angle measured by the potentiometer,
in combination with all of the other claim limitations presented, in total.
The primary reason for allowance of claim 14 is the prior art made of record neither shows or discloses the claim language found in claim 14, for a torque test device of an electric actuator, the device comprising:
a potentiometer having one end fixed by a first bracket, and disposed at an end of a shaft of the electric actuator;
a torque arm of the electric actuator that is disposed vertically to the shaft of the electric actuator.
Most notably, for a torque test device of an electric actuator, the device, further comprising:
a linkage coupled to the torque arm of the electric actuator, and including a plurality of links coupled thereto;
a rod coupled to the linkage, and installed with a load cell;
a spring system having one end coupled to the rod and the other end coupled to a second bracket, and disposed vertically to the shaft of the electric actuator; and
a control unit calculating a torque of the electric actuator and rigidity of the designed linkage by receiving displacement of the spring system and a force measured by the load cell.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled "Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance."
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Regarding claims 4, 5, 7, 8, and 13, the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claims does not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claim recites an abstract idea which is basically all math, for the sake of math. The claimed invention may mention what the variables are, but the claim boils down to solving equations with no application of the invention, beyond the claimed:
Regarding claim 4: The device of claim 1, wherein the control unit receives the rotation angle from the potentiometer and the force from the load cell to derive an inclination of the rod by; and derive the torque of the electric actuator.
Regarding claim 5: The device of claim 4, wherein the control unit receives the derived torque and derives each elastic modulus of the first and second springs coupled to the spring system.
Regarding claim 7: The device of claim 6, wherein the control unit receives the rotation angle from the potentiometer, the force from the load cell, and the displacement of the moving part from the displacement sensor to derive an inclination of the rod by, and derive the torque of the electric actuator.
Regarding claim 8: The device of claim 7, wherein the control unit receives the derived torque to derive each elastic modulus of the first and second springs.
Regarding claim 13: The device of claim 10, wherein the control unit receives the rotation angle from the potentiometer and the force from the load cell to derive an inclination of the rod, and derive the torque of the electric actuator.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WARREN K FENWICK whose telephone number is (571)270-3040. The examiner can normally be reached 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing 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, Walter L. Lindsay, Jr. can be reached at 571-272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WALTER L LINDSAY JR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2852
WKF