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 .
Foreign Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on December 4, 2023, February 6, 2025, and March 10, 2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on December 4, 2023.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the connection sections arranged within the flat reinforcement body (see claim 22) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
(i) With regard to page 6 (line 7), the term "stator 1" should be changed to the term --stator 2-- in order to remain consistent with the drawings and the specification.
Appropriate correction is required.
Examiner Comments
The Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers, paragraphs, or figures in the reference(s) as applied to the claims for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the Applicant, in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
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.
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 16-27 and 29-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Marth et al. (US 2019/0074778 A1).
As per claim 16, Marth et al. (US 2019/0074778 A1) discloses an electromechanical drive comprising: two units (e.g., 3, 4) which are movable relative to each other; and a coupling element (e.g., 2) which has: a flat reinforcement body (e.g. 211); and at least two connection sections (e.g., 210, 220, 215, 225, 216, 226) which are attached to said reinforcement body (e.g., 211) in an articulated manner (e.g. see Fig. 2), wherein at least one of said connection sections (e.g., 210, 220) is coupled to one of said units (e.g., 3) and at least one other of said connection sections (e.g., 4) is coupled to the other of said units (e.g., 215, 225, 216, 226) or configured to be coupled to an element to be driven (e.g., see, inter alia, Figs. 1, 2).
As per claim 17, wherein said coupling element (e.g., 2) is firmly connected to at least one of said units (3 or 4 - see, inter alia, paragraphs [0047, 0050] - via adjustable screws or the flexure hinges integrally formed with the base frame, etc. See also Figs. 1(a) with the base frame 4.
As per claim 18, wherein said units (e.g., 3, 4) are movable relative to each other along a direction of motion (3 is a "drive member") and said flat reinforcement body (e.g., 211) extends in a plane parallel or perpendicular to said direction of motion.
As per claim 19, wherein at least said connection sections (e.g., 210, 220, 215, 225, 216, 226) of said coupling element (e.g., 2) extend in the same plane as said flat reinforcement body (e.g., 211) - see Fig. 2.
As per claim 20, wherein each connection section (e.g., at least two of 210, 220, 215, 225, 216, 226, i.e., 215, 225 or 216, 226) is attached to said flat reinforcement body (211) by at least one flexure hinge (e.g., 212).
As per claim 21, wherein said flat reinforcement body (211) is "ring-shaped" - closed loop .
As per claim 22, wherein said connection sections (e.g., at least two of 210, 220, 215, 225, 216, 226) are arranged within or outside said flat reinforcement body - see Fig. 2 ("within").
As per claim 23, wherein said connection sections (e.g., at least two of 210, 220, 215, 225, 216, 226, i.e., 215, 225 or 216, 226) are mirror-symmetrical with respect to a central axis of said flat reinforcement body (e.g., 211) , where said central axis extends in the plane of said flat reinforcement body (211) - see Figs. 1a, 1b.
As per claim 24, wherein said coupling element (e.g., 2) comprises four connection sections including two first connection sections (e.g., 215, 225 and/or 216, 226) and two second connection sections (e.g., sections 210, 220), the first connection sections (e.g., 215, 225 and/or 216, 226) being coupled to one of said units (e.g. 4), the two second connection sections (e.g., sections 210, 220) being coupled to the other of said units (3) or configured to be coupled to the element to be driven.
As per claim 25, wherein a line connecting said first connection sections (e.g., 215, 225 and/or 216, 226) and a line connecting said second connection sections (e.g., sections 210, 220) run parallel to each other (see Fig. 2 - lines run parallel and are perpendicular to the surface of (211)) or intersect at a right angle.
As per claim 26, wherein each connection section (e.g., at least two of 210, 220, 215, 225, 216, 226, i.e., 215, 225 or 216, 226) comprises an opening (e.g. the incision opening that forms the hinges (212) (Fig. 2) and/or wherein (211) is fastened to base frame 4 via the screws as depicted in Figs. 1a, b) for coupling to one of said units (3, 4) or to the element to be driven.
As per claim 27, wherein said connection sections (e.g., 215, 225 and/or 216,. 226) are arranged in tabs (distal legs (215, 225, 216, 226 that turn inward and point toward section (211a - see Fig. 2) which are integrally connected to said flat reinforcement body (211), and flexure hinges (212) are formed by recesses (incision recesses as depicted in Fig. 2) in said tabs (that allow the formation of the flexure hingers (212)).
As per claim 29, wherein said two units (3, 4) comprise a stator (e.g., 4 which is a stationary base frame) and a rotor (3 - which is an element that is imparted with motion, with movement from the piezos that give rise to oscillatory-type motion to move (3)), wherein said rotor (3) is movable relative to said stator 4) by way of one or more guide elements (e.g., the portions of (2) in contact with (3) and which causes or gives rise to movement of (3).
As per claim 30, wherein said connection sections (e.g., 210, 220, 215, 225, 216, 226) are double mirror-symmetrical with respect to two central axes, where said two central axes extend in the plane of said flat reinforcement body (211) (see Figs. 1a, 1b).
As per claim 31, wherein said connection sections (e.g., 210, 220, 215, 225, 216, 226) are double mirror symmetrical with respect to two central axes intersecting at a right angle, where said central axes extend in the plane of said flat reinforcement body (211) (see Figs. 1a, 1b).
As per claim 32, wherein each connection section (e.g., 215, 225 and/or 216, 226) comprises an opening (e.g. the opening in (211) through which a screw is inserted for attachment to base frame (4) - see Figs. 1a, b) in a circular shape (e.g., opening into which the screws as depicted in Figs. 1a, b) are inserted) for coupling to one of said units (e.g., unit (4)) or to the element to be driven.
As per claim 33, wherein each connection section (e.g., 215, 225 and/or 216, 226) comprises an opening in a circular shape (e.g. the opening in (211) through which a screw is inserted for attachment to base frame (4) - see Figs. 1a, b) in a circular shape (e.g., opening into which the screws as depicted in Figs. 1a, b) are inserted) with a circumferential web (e.g., see Figs. 1a-2 - the structure of the driving apparatuses (2) as a whole) for coupling to one of said units (e.g. 4) or to the element to be driven.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marth et al. (US 2019/0074778 A1).
See the description of Marth et al. (US 2019/0074778 A1), supra.
As per claim 28, although Marth et al. (US 2019/0074778 A1) remains silent with regard to wherein said coupling element (2) is a one-piece flat metal sheet or is composed of several assembled flat metal sheets, Official notice is taken that coupling elements (made of metal) that include flexures, are notoriously old and well-known in the art.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed made to provide the coupling element (2) (at least parts thereof - note that the claim does not recite that the coupling element consists solely of metal) of Marth et al. (US 2019/0074778 A1) as being a one-piece flat metal sheet or is composed of several assembled flat metal sheets, in order to advantageously simplify the construction of the coupling element, which a known material (metal in lieu of plastic) that also has elasticity for flexural supports and movement of bodies to be driven, as is well-known, established and appreciated in the art, and capable of instant demonstration.
Citation of Prior or Relevant Art on enclosed PTO-892
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The cited art made of record (see the enclosed PTO-892), not applied to the rejection of the claims, supra, each disclose aspects of the claimed invention, including wherein electromechanical couplings include flexure joints. See attached PTO-892.
The best prior art has been applied to the claimed invention (see the rejection of the claims on the applied prior art, supra). However, if Applicant chooses to amend the claims in a manner to obviate the applied prior art, as noted in the rejection, supra, the Applicant is advised to not only carefully review the applied prior art for all it teaches and/or suggests, but also the cited prior art of record in order to obviate any potential rejections based on potential amendment(s); by doing so, compact prosecution on the merits can be enhanced.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to William J Klimowicz whose telephone number is (571)272-7577. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 8:00AM-6PM, ET.
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, Steven Lim can be reached at (571)270-1210. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM J KLIMOWICZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688
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