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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(1)(1) & 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jin (US-20220134618).
In regards to claim 1, Jin teaches a magnetostrictive torque sensor that is configured to be attached around a rotating shaft exhibiting a magnetostrictive effect (para [0036]) and detects torque transmitted by the rotating shaft, the magnetostrictive torque sensor comprising: (para(s) [0003-0005, 0034-0038])
a holder being composed of a resin and comprising a cylinder portion with a hollow cavity in a center through which the rotating shaft is inserted; and
( 5, 51, 51a, 51b fig. 5A, ‘2nd resin member’, ‘outer cylinder’, ‘inner circumferential surface’, ‘outer circumferential surface’)
a flexible substrate that comprises a detection portion on which a coil group comprising a combination of a plurality of detection coils aligned in a predetermined direction is formed by a wiring pattern, and a signal line portion on which a plurality of signal lines electrically connecting the coil group to an external device are formed by a wiring pattern, (71-72 fig. 2, ‘signal lines’; 21-23 fig(s) 3A, ‘flexible substrates’; para [0034],’drive force vehicle engine’)
wherein the flexible substrate is arranged in such a manner that the detection portion is wrapped around an outer circumference of the cylinder portion of the holder and held by the holder, and a portion of the signal line portion is led out of the holder. (para(s) [0005, 0035, 0037-0038, 0041], 4 fig. 4A, ‘1st resin member’, 5 fig. 5A, ‘2nd resin member’; 71-73 fig(s) 1-2, 3(A-C))
In regards to claim 2, Jin teaches a magnetostrictive torque sensor according to claim 1, (see claim rejection 1) wherein the detection portion has a rectangular shape with a long-side direction coincident with an alignment direction of the plurality of detection coils, (222(a-j) fig(s) 3(A-C), ‘222(a-j)-ten detection coils’) wherein the signal line portion comprises a protruding portion protruding from the detection portion in a direction perpendicular to the long-side direction, and a linear portion extending from the protruding portion in the long-side direction, and wherein a portion of the linear portion is led out of the holder. (71-73 fig(s) 1-2, 3(A-C); 41, 44 fig. 4A, ‘inner cylinder’, extending first guide’; 53 fig. 5A, ‘extending second guide.’)
In regards to claim 3, Jin teaches a magnetostrictive torque sensor according to claim 2, (see claim rejection 2) wherein the holder comprises a recessed portion to house the portion of the linear portion, (41, 44 fig. 4A, ‘inner cylinder’, extending first guide’; 53 fig. 5A, ‘extending second guide.’) and wherein the linear portion is bent inside the recessed portion and is led out of the holder so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to a circumferential direction of the cylinder portion. (41, 44 fig. 4A, ‘inner cylinder’, extending first guide’; 53 fig. 5A, ‘extending second guide.’)
In regards to claim 4, Jin teaches a magnetostrictive torque sensor according to claim 3, further comprising: (see claim rejection 3)
a cover member comprising a raised portion fitted into the recessed portion of the holder, wherein the linear portion is sandwiched and held between an inner surface of the recessed portion and an outer peripheral surface of the raised portion. (4 fig. 4A, ‘1st resin member’, 5 fig. 5A, ‘2nd resin member’; 71-73 fig(s) 1-2, 3(A-C); 41, 44 fig. 4A, ‘inner cylinder’, extending first guide’; 53 fig. 5A, ‘extending second guide.’)
In regards to claim 5, Jin teaches a magnetostrictive torque sensor according to claim 4, (see claim rejection 4) wherein one of the recessed portion and the raised portion comprises a salient angle portion at which contact surface pressure between the salient angle portion and the linear portion increases when the linear portion is pulled outside the holder, (3, 4, 5, 6, 7 fig. 2, ‘resin housing’, ‘1st resin member’, ‘2nd resin member’, ‘sealing member’, ‘cable’; all comprise a recess and raised portion with an extending 1st and 2nd guide 44, 53 angled’)
wherein an other of the recessed portion and the raised portion comprises a reentrant angle portion corresponding to the salient angle portion, and wherein the linear portion is arranged between the salient angle portion and the reentrant angle portion. (3, 4, 5, 6, 7 fig. 2, ‘resin housing’, ‘1st resin member’, ‘2nd resin member’, ‘sealing member’, ‘cable’; all comprise a recess and raised portion with an extending 1st and 2nd guide 44, 53 angled’)
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin (US-20220134618) , in view of, Okuyama (US-20220228935).
Jin teaches:
In regards to claim 6, Jin teaches a magnetostrictive torque sensor according to claim 4, further comprising: (see claim rejection 4)
Jin teaches the magnetostrictive torque sensor device, however, doesn’t specifically disclose a magnetic ring.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention for Jin to provide a magnetostrictive torque sensor to enable the measurement of a torque to control a rotating element of desired devices such as vehicles, windmills, or turbines.
Jin does not teach:
a magnetic ring with a cylindrical shape comprising a soft magnetic material and being arranged so as to surround an outer circumference of the detection portion of the flexible substrate,
wherein movement of the cover member in a direction in which the raised portion separates away from the recessed portion of the holder is restricted by the magnetic ring.
Okuyama teaches:
a magnetic ring with a cylindrical shape comprising a soft magnetic material and being arranged so as to surround an outer circumference of the detection portion of the flexible substrate, (4 fig. 5, ‘cylindrical magnetic ring’)
wherein movement of the cover member in a direction in which the raised portion separates away from the recessed portion of the holder is restricted by the magnetic ring. (4-7 fig. 5, ‘cylindrical magnetic ring’, ‘molded resin portion’)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention for Okuyama to provide a mangnetic ring with a cylindrical shape for a magnetostrictive torque sensor to enable the measurement of a torque to control a rotating element of desired devices such as vehicles, windmills, or turbines.
In regards to claim 7, Jin & Okuyama teach a magnetostrictive torque sensor according to claim 6, (see claim rejection 6) wherein the detection portion of the flexible substrate is adhered to the cylinder portion of the holder, and a space is formed between the detection portion and the magnetic ring. (Okuyama: 3-7, 9, 31-43 fig(s) 2(A-B), 3-5, ‘detection units’, ‘magnetic ring’, ‘bobbin’, ’flexible substrate’, ‘drive unit’); 71 fig. 1, ‘main body with a space for components’)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references cited Fukuda (WO-2025220477), Nakamura (US 2017/0284877), and Fujita (US 2016/0273981) references further describe a magnetostrictive torque sensor as described by the claims.
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/K.C.B/Examiner, Art Unit 2852
/STEPHANIE E BLOSS/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852