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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 6, filed 04/08/2026, with respect to rejections under 35 USC 112 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim 5 under 35 USC 112 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-12 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ENDO (US 20240275252).
Regarding claim 1, ENDO discloses a vibration motor 101 comprising:
a stationary portion FB; and
a movable portion MB capable of vibrating the stationary portion FB in an axial direction Z along a center axis VA (Fig. 1); wherein
the stationary portion FB includes a housing HS;
the housing HS includes:
a housing cylindrical portion 1,2 that has a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction along the center axis VA and in which the movable portion MB is located (Fig. 1);
a housing lid 3 located at an end on one side in the axial direction of the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 (Fig. 1); and
an adhesive (para [0033]);
the housing lid 3 includes:
a lid body portion 3T that covers an opening on one side in the axial direction of the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 (Fig. 1); and
a lid fixing portion 3F,3G that protrudes from the lid body portion 3T to another side in the axial direction and is located inside the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 (Fig. 1);
the adhesive is located in at least a portion of a bonding region between the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 and the lid fixing portion 3F,3G in a radial direction (para [0033]);
the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 includes a cutout portion 1C that is recessed from an end surface on one side in the axial direction of the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 to the other side in the axial direction and penetrates the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 in the radial direction (Fig. 1); and
a portion of the bonding region is exposed to an outside of the housing HS through the cutout portion 1C (para [0033]); and
the cutout portion 1C includes two opposing axially extending surfaces, an entirety of each of the two opposing axially extending surfaces is directly opposed to an entirety of another of the two opposing axially extending surfaces in a circumferential direction with an empty space provided therebetween (see annotated Fig. 3, below and para [0033]).
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Regarding claim 2, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 1, wherein a radially outer surface of the lid fixing portion 3F,3G extends continuously in a circumferential direction along a radially inner surface of the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the lid fixing portion 3F,3G in the axial direction is equal to or more than a half of a cutting depth of the cutout portion 1C in the axial direction (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 1, wherein the lid fixing portion 3F,3G closes an entire region of the cutout portion 1C when viewed from the radial direction (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 1, wherein an opening width of the cutout portion 1C in the circumferential direction is equal to or less than a half of a circumferential length of the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 in the circumferential direction (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 1, further comprising a circuit board PD, wherein
the stationary portion FB includes a coil 5 that is located inside (Fig. 4) the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 and applies a driving force to the movable portion MB;
the circuit board PD is electrically connected to the coil 5 (para [0027-0028]), the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 includes a substrate cutout portion 1AP that is recessed to one side in the axial direction from an end surface on the other side in the axial direction of the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 and penetrates the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 in the radial direction; and
at least a portion of the circuit board PD is located in the substrate cutout portion 1AP (Fig. 1).
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Regarding claim 7, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 6, further comprising:
a lead wire 4 that connects the coil 5 and the circuit board PD; and
a sealing portion 1AP1; wherein
a cutting depth of the substrate cutout portion 1AP in the axial direction reaches an arrangement region of the coil 5; and
the sealing portion 1AP1 is located in the substrate cutout portion 1AP and covers at least a connection portion between the coil 5 and the lead wire 4 from a radially outer side (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 6, wherein
the movable portion MB includes a core portion 8 extending in the axial direction along the center axis VA;
the stationary portion FB includes a bearing 9 that supports the core portion 8 to be able to vibrate in the axial direction along the center axis VA;
the bearing 9 includes a bearing cylindrical portion 9T that is located inside the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 and into which at least a portion of the core portion 8 is inserted (Fig. 3);
the bearing cylindrical portion 9T has a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction along the center axis VA, and includes a D-cut surface 9ED on a radially outer surface (Fig. 1); and
the D-cut surface 9ED radially opposes a portion of the circuit board PD located in the substrate cutout portion 1AP (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 8, wherein
the bearing cylindrical portion 9T includes a positioning portion; and
the positioning portion protrudes to a radially outer side from the D-cut surface and is in contact with an end on one side in the axial direction of the circuit board PD (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 10, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 9, wherein a radially outer tip of the positioning portion is located on a radially inner side 2S of a radially outer surface of the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 11, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 1, wherein
the movable portion MB includes a core portion 8 extending in the axial direction along the center axis VA;
the stationary portion FB includes a bearing 9 that supports the core portion 8 to be able to vibrate in the axial direction along the center axis VA;
the bearing 9 includes:
a bearing cylindrical portion 9T which is located inside the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 and into which at least a portion of the core portion 8 is inserted; and
a bearing lid 2B that covers an opening on another side in the axial direction of the bearing cylindrical portion 9T; an end on the other side in the axial direction of the bearing cylindrical portion 9T protrudes from the housing cylindrical portion 1,2 to the other side in the axial direction (Fig. 4); and
an end surface on the other side in the axial direction of the bearing cylindrical portion 9T includes an exhaust groove portion 2P that is recessed toward one side in the axial direction and penetrates in the radial direction.
Regarding claim 12, ENDO discloses the vibration motor according to claim 1, wherein a radially outer surface of the lid fixing portion 3F,3G includes an adhesive groove portion (see annotated Fig. 2, below) that is recessed to a radially inner side and extends in a circumferential direction.
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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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-20060168745-A1 Kobayashi discloses a linear vibration motor with a body and lid; US-20070207672-A1 TAKAGI discloses a linear vibration motor with a body and lid for adhesive assembly; US-20190006926-A1 Zhu discloses a linear vibration motor which may be square or round depending upon application; US-20200274412-A1 KANG; US-20250062669-A1 TAKAHASHI discloses a linear vibration motor with a body and lid; KR-20130125477-A LEE discloses a linear vibration motor with a body and lid and open adhesive gap 528.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN STEFANON whose telephone number is (703)756-4648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday and alternate Fridays 8AM - 5PM EDT.
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/JUSTIN STEFANON/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/OLUSEYE IWARERE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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