DETAILED ACTION
The following Final Office Action is in response to the amendment filed 7/10/2026.
Status of the claims: Claims 1-10 are hereby examined below.
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 1, 2, 4 and 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bohlen et al WO 2013129917 in view of Goldberg US 2018/0023340
In regard to claim 1, Bohlen et al ‘917 disclose an electromechanical actuator for driving a winding tube of a closure, occultation or solar protection installation, the electromechanical actuator comprising at least a housing (14,24 Fig. 3), a torque support (19, Figs. 3 and 7) being fixed (shown in Fig. 7) at a first end of the housing (14), an electric supply cable (18, Fig. 7), the electric supply cable (18) being configured to be connected to an electrical energy supply network, an electric motor (12, Fig. 4), the electric motor being mounted within the housing (within 24), the electric motor (12) being supplied with electrical power via the electric supply cable (18), an electronic control unit comprising at least one electronic board (26, Fig. 3), the at least one electronic board (26) being arranged inside the torque support (19) (as shown in Fig. 7), wherein the torque support (19) forms a recess in which the at least one electronic board (26) is at least partially inserted, and the electromechanical actuator also comprises an cover (15,34,36), forming a space (as shown in Fig. 7 for receiving at least part of the at least one electronic board (26), the cover (15,34,36) being mounted on the torque support (19) by being received in the recess so as to close the recess of the torque support (19), the recess (of 19) and the cover (15,34,36) together forming a protective case for the at least one electronic board (26).
Bohlen et al ‘917 fails to disclose that the cover is electrically insulating. Goldberg ‘340 discloses that it is known to use an electrically insulating cover (paragraph [0220]) for the purpose of insulating against possible static electricity discharge which could harm the electrical components of the device.
In regard to claim 2, Bohlen et al ‘917 disclose wherein the insulating cover (15,34,36) is a drawer movable (34,36 are movable) on the torque support (19) between a rest position (down, not engaged by 20) and an actuating position (up, engaged by 20), wherein the drawer (15,34,36) comprises a bearing zone (bottoms of 34,36), wherein the drawer is configured so that a force exerted on the bearing zone (by 20) tilts the drawer (at 34,36) from its rest position (down) to its actuating position (up), and wherein the drawer is configured to actuate a selection device (38,40) of the at least one electronic board (26) when the drawer tilts to the actuating position.
In regard to claim 3, Bohlen et al ‘917 discloses wherein the drawer (formed by 15,34,36) comprises elastically deformable lugs (bottom legs of 34,36), bearing against the torque support (19), configured to push the drawer back from its actuating position (up) to its rest position (down) in the absence of force exerted on the bearing zone (by 20).
In regard to claim 4, Bohlen et al ‘917 disclose wherein the recess (of 19) comprises two walls (of top and bottom halves of 19) substantially parallel to each other, between which the at least one electronic board (26) is recessed at least in part, and wherein the drawer (formed by 15,34,36) slides between the walls of the recess.
In regard to claim 6, Bohlen et al ‘917 fails to disclose wherein the insulating cover is snap fitted on the torque support. However the examiner takes Official Notice that it is old and well known to use snap fit connections as such would eliminate the need for a separate mechanical fastener.
In regard to claim 7, Bohlen et al ‘917 disclose wherein the insulating cover (15,34,36) comprises: two side walls (shown below) parallel to each other and perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the electromechanical actuator, an end wall (shown below), which connects the two side walls, wherein the space for receiving the at least one electronic board (26) is formed (at 34,36) between the two side walls and the end wall, wherein the end wall has a shape of an arc of a circle (at the top), and wherein the end wall is flush with an outer surface of the torque support (19). (shown in Fig. 7)
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In regard to claim 8, Bohlen et al ‘917 disclose wherein the torque support (19) comprises a central stud (166), wherein
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In regard to claim 9, Bohlen ‘et al 917 discloses wherein the at least one electronic board further comprises a connector (right end of 26), and wherein the insulating cover (15,34,36) comprises a projection (formed by 34,36) surrounding the connector (right end of 26).
In regard to claim 10, Bohlen et al ‘917 disclose a closure, occultation or solar protection installation comprising a winding screen (architectural covering, shutter, blind or shade as stated in the Abstract]) on a winding tube (2, Fig. 12) and driven in movement by the electromechanical actuator.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bohlen et al WO 2013129917 and Goldberg US 2018/0023340 as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Tan et al US2020/0300032.
In regard to claim 5, Bohlen et al ‘917 fails to disclose the insulating cover comprises a light guide made of a translucent material and guiding light emitted by an illumination source of the at least one electronic board towards the outside of the electromechanical actuator. Tan et al ‘032 discloses the insulating cover (7)(15)(16) comprises a light guide (16) made of a translucent material and guiding light emitted by an illumination source (10) of the at least one electronic board (2) towards
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. Newly applied reference Bohlen et al ‘917 as modified by Goldberg ‘340 teach the limitations that are now claimed.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 JEREMY C RAMSEY whose telephone number is (571)270-3133. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Wed 7:00-3:30.
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/JEREMY C RAMSEY/Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/DANIEL P CAHN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3634
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