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 08/05/2024 and 03/22/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Inventorship
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
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 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 1,2,4-6,8,9,11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lucas (US Patent 9534629 hereinafter “Lucas”) in view of official notice.
Re-claim 1, Lucas disclose motor bearing system (fig.1) comprising: a rolling bearing (23) that supports a rotary shaft of a motor (fig.1); a slide bearing (25,54) that is arranged in parallel with the rolling bearing (28) on an axis of the rotary shaft (18) to support the rotary shaft (18), the slide bearing (25,54) being operable as a gas-lubricated bearing (Col.3, L.8-9, air bearing assembly 25) that achieves gaseous lubrication with gas supplied to the slide bearing (25,54);
a pump (16) that supplies the gas to the slide bearing (air of air bearing is supplied by compressor wheel 16k wheel acta as the pump in the claim);
a switching structure (Fig.7, 75) to set one of a first state (step 204, fig.9) where the rolling bearing functions as a bearing that supports the rotary shaft (roller bearing supports shaft, step 204) and a second state (step at 208) where the slide bearing (fig.9, item 25,54) functions as the bearing that supports the rotary shaft (both bearings support shaft,18);
a detector (speed sensor, Col.6, L.27) configured to detect a rotation speed of the motor (fig.9, step 206); and
a controller (see fig.9, In a number of variations as depicted in FIG. 8, a method 100 may provide for the active control of a product such as the product 10, which may use the bearing system 22, 50 or 80, or another bearing system with mechanical bearing capability such as a rolling element or plain bearing, and which may use a bearing with hydrodynamic capability such as an air bearing assembly. In operation of the method 100, multiple methods, algorithms, or parts thereof may be implemented in a computer program product of an electronic controller including instructions or calculations carried on a computer readable medium for use by one or more processors to implement one or more of the method steps or instructions. The computer program product may include one or more software programs comprised of program instructions in source code, object code, executable code or other formats; one or more firmware programs; or hardware description language (HDL) files; and any program related data. The data may include data structures, look-up tables, or data in any other suitable format. The program instructions may include program modules, routines, programs, objects, components, and/or the like. The computer program may be executed on one processor or on multiple processors in communication with one another) that is configured to control the pump and the switching structure on a basis of the rotation speed detected by the detector and determine whether the pump is normal or abnormal (fig.9, see step 212),
wherein the controller is configured to set the switching structure into the first state when the rotation speed is lower than a threshold value (Steps 204, and 206, in fig.9), set the switching structure into the second state (Fig.9, steps 206, 208, 209) and controls the pump, so as to operate the slide bearing as the gas-lubricated bearing when the controller determines that the pump is normal (step 212) and when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than the threshold value, and set the switching structure into the first state (Fig.9, step 216) and control the motor to restrict the rotation speed of the motor to be lower than a predetermined speed even when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than the threshold value in a case where the controller determines that the pump is abnormal (col.8 Lines 63-64, reset to step 202, 202 being the one below the rotational speed threshold, see fig.9, In a number of variations as depicted in FIG. 8, a method 100 may provide for the active control of a product such as the product 10, which may use the bearing system 22, 50 or 80, or another bearing system with mechanical bearing capability such as a rolling element or plain bearing, and which may use a bearing with hydrodynamic capability such as an air bearing assembly. In operation of the method 100, multiple methods, algorithms, or parts thereof may be implemented in a computer program product of an electronic controller including instructions or calculations carried on a computer readable medium for use by one or more processors to implement one or more of the method steps or instructions. The computer program product may include one or more software programs comprised of program instructions in source code, object code, executable code or other formats; one or more firmware programs; or hardware description language (HDL) files; and any program related data. The data may include data structures, look-up tables, or data in any other suitable format. The program instructions may include program modules, routines, programs, objects, components, and/or the like. The computer program may be executed on one processor or on multiple processors in communication with one another).
Lucas does not explicitly show the pump (16) that supplies the gas to the slide bearing
However, in this case, air of air bearing is supplied by compressor wheel 16 wheel acting as the pump in the claim.
Therefore, Examiner takes official notice as the wheel of a compass provide air compression which provides compressed air into a device such as an air bearing. that it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to interpret the wheel 16 which is part of the compressor to act as a pump since it is actually pumping air into the air bearing of Lucas, as the wheel of a compass provide air compression which provides compressed air into a device such as an air bearing.
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Re-claim 2, Lucas disclose motor bearing system (fig.1) comprising: a bearing (23,25,54) that includes rolling elements (outer and inner racings) that supports a rotary shaft of a motor (fig.1); the bearing being operated as a rolling bearing (23) or being operated as a being operable as a gas-lubricated bearing (25,54,Col.3, L.8-9, air bearing assembly 25) that achieves gaseous lubrication with gas supplied to the bearing (25,54);
a pump (16) that supplies the gas to the bearing (air of air bearing is supplied by compressor wheel 16k wheel acta as the pump in the claim);
0 a pump (16) that supplies the gas to the bearing (since the air of the air
bearing is supplied by the compressor wheel 16, said wheel acts as a
pump in the meaning of the claimed invention);
a detector (column 6, line 27: "speed sensor") that detects a rotation
speed of the motor (fig. 9 (steps 206)); and
a controller that controls the pump on the basis of the rotation speed
detected by the detector and determines whether the pump is normal or
abnormal (fig. 9 (step 212)),
wherein the controller:
stops the pump or reduces a driving force of the pump to be smaller than
that at the time when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than a
threshold value, so as to operate the bearing as the rolling bearing in the
case where the rotation speed is lower than the threshold value (fig. 9
(steps 210 and 216), and column 8, lines 63-64: "reset to step 202", said
step 202 being the one below the rotational speed threshold),
controls the pump to operate the bearing as the gas-lubricated bearing
when the controller determines that the pump is normal, and when the
rotation speed is equal to or higher than the threshold value (fig. 9 (step
206)), and in the case where the controller determines that the pump is abnormal (fig.
9 (steps 210, 212 and 214)), operates the bearing as the rolling bearing
(fig. 9 (216)) even when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than the
threshold value and controls the motor to restrict the rotation speed of the
motor to be lower than a first predetermined speed (column 8, lines 63-64:
"reset to step 202", said step 202 being the one below the rotational
speed threshold, col.8 Lines 63-64, reset to step 202, 202 being the one below the rotational speed threshold, see fig.9, In a number of variations as depicted in FIG. 8, a method 100 may provide for the active control of a product such as the product 10, which may use the bearing system 22, 50 or 80, or another bearing system with mechanical bearing capability such as a rolling element or plain bearing, and which may use a bearing with hydrodynamic capability such as an air bearing assembly. In operation of the method 100, multiple methods, algorithms, or parts thereof may be implemented in a computer program product of an electronic controller including instructions or calculations carried on a computer readable medium for use by one or more processors to implement one or more of the method steps or instructions. The computer program product may include one or more software programs comprised of program instructions in source code, object code, executable code or other formats; one or more firmware programs; or hardware description language (HDL) files; and any program related data. The data may include data structures, look-up tables, or data in any other suitable format. The program instructions may include program modules, routines, programs, objects, components, and/or the like. The computer program may be executed on one processor or on multiple processors in communication with one another).
Lucas does not explicitly show the pump (16) that supplies the gas to the bearing
However, in this case, air of air bearing is supplied by compressor wheel 16 wheel acting as the pump in the claim the pump (16) that supplies the gas to the bearing (25,23, 28).
Therefore, Examiner takes official notice as the wheel of a compass provide air compression which provides compressed air into a device such as an air bearing. that it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to interpret the wheel 16 which is part of the compressor to act as a pump since it is actually pumping air into the air bearing of Lucas, as the wheel of a compass provide air compression which provides compressed air into a device such as an air bearing, the pump (16) that supplies the gas to the bearing.
Re-claim 4,Lucas as modified disclose the motor bearing system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold value on a basis of the rotation speed of the motor at which a required pressure of the pump to operate the slide bearing as the gas-lubricated bearing can be obtained Fig.1, step 212), the controller used at this stage is "configured to" achieved the claimed evaluation
of the pump pressure, at least indirectly through the calculated "compressor
power and bearing losses").
Re-claim 5, Lucas as modified discloses 5. The motor bearing system according to claim 4, wherein in a case where the set threshold value is equal to or higher than the predetermined speed, the controller is configured to set the switching structure into the first state even when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than the threshold value (fig. 9 (steps 210).
Re-claim 6, Lucas as modified discloses the motor bearing system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold value on a basis of the rotation speed of the motor at which a required pressure of the pump to operate the bearing as the gas-lubricated bearing can be obtained (Fig.9, Step 216, and step 210) .
Re-claim 8, Lucas as modified discloses the motor bearing system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold value on a basis of a radial load that is applied to the rotary shaft (fig. 9 (steps 212,214,214, 209,210 and
216) and column 8, lines 63-64: "reset to step 202", said step 202 being the one
below the rotational speed threshold).
Re-claim 9, Lucas as modified discloses the motor bearing system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold value on a basis of a radial load that is applied to the rotary shaft (fig. 9 (steps 212,214,214, 209,210 and
216) and column 8, lines 63-64: "reset to step 202", said step 202 being the one
below the rotational speed threshold).
Re-claim 11, Lucas as modified discloses the motor bearing system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold value on a basis of a radial load that is applied to the rotary shaft (fig. 9 (steps 212,214,214, 209,210 and
216) and column 8, lines 63-64: "reset to step 202", said step 202 being the one
below the rotational speed threshold).
Re-claim 12, Lucas as modified discloses the motor bearing system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold value on a basis of a radial load that is applied to the rotary shaft (fig. 9 (steps 212,214,214, 209,210 and
216) and column 8, lines 63-64: "reset to step 202", said step 202 being the one
below the rotational speed threshold).
Re-claim 13, Lucas as modified discloses the motor bearing system according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold value on a basis of a radial load that is applied to the rotary shaft (fig. 9 (steps 212,214,214, 209,210 and
216) and column 8, lines 63-64: "reset to step 202", said step 202 being the one
below the rotational speed threshold).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 7 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Re-claim 3 recites “inter alia” claim 1. A motor bearing system comprising: a rolling bearing that supports a rotary shaft of a motor; a slide bearing that is arranged in parallel with the rolling bearing on an axis of the rotary shaft to support the rotary shaft, the slide bearing being operable as a gas-lubricated bearing that achieves gaseous lubrication with gas supplied to the slide bearing; a pump that supplies the gas to the slide bearing; a switching structure to set one of a first state where the rolling bearing functions as a bearing that supports the rotary shaft and a second state where the slide bearing functions as the bearing that supports the rotary shaft; a detector configured to detect a rotation speed of the motor; and a controller that is configured to control the pump and the switching structure on a basis of the rotation speed detected by the detector and determine whether the pump is normal or abnormal, wherein the controller is configured to set the switching structure into the first state when the rotation speed is lower than a threshold value, set the switching structure into the second state and controls the pump, so as to operate the slide bearing as the gas-lubricated bearing when the controller determines that the pump is normal and when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than the threshold value, and set the switching structure into the first state and control the motor to restrict the rotation speed of the motor to be lower than a predetermined speed even when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than the threshold value in a case where the controller determines that the pump is abnormal.
and 3. The motor bearing system according to claim 1, wherein the rolling bearing has an outer ring, an inner ring, and a rolling element provided therebetween, and in order to switch between the first state and the second state, the switching structure can move a part of the rolling bearing, so as to switch between a state where (i) the outer ring and the inner ring and (ii) the rolling element are in contact with each other in the rolling bearing and a state where the outer ring or the inner ring is not in contact with the rolling element in the rolling bearing.
Claim 3 combination with claim 1 all limitations combined make the claim allowable, none of the prior art of record, ip search or ai search fail to teach alone or together the combination of claim 3 with claim 1 as indicated above.
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Claim 10 objected to as being dependent from claim 3.
Re-claim 7, “inter alia” with claim 2 and 6 combined together, showing “ motor bearing system comprising: a bearing that includes plural rolling elements and supports a rotary shaft of a motor, the bearing being operated as a rolling bearing or being operated as a gas-lubricated bearing that achieves gaseous lubrication with gas supplied to the bearing; a pump that supplies the gas to the bearing; a detector configured to detect a rotation speed of the motor; and a controller that is configured to control the pump on a basis of the rotation speed detected by the detector and determine whether the pump is normal or abnormal, wherein the controller is configured to stop the pump or reduce a driving force of the pump to be smaller than that at a time when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than a threshold value, so as to operate the bearing as the rolling bearing in a case where the rotation speed is lower than the threshold value, control the pump to operate the bearing as the gas-lubricated bearing when the controller determines that the pump is normal, and when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than the threshold value, and operate the bearing as the rolling bearing and control the motor to restrict the rotation speed of the motor to be lower than a predetermined speed even when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than the threshold value in a case where the controller determines that the pump is abnormal. 6. The motor bearing system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold value on a basis of the rotation speed of the motor at which a required pressure of the pump to operate the bearing as the gas-lubricated bearing can be obtained. 7. The motor bearing system according to claim 6, wherein in a case where the set threshold value is equal to or higher than the predetermined speed, the controller is configured to operate the bearing as the rolling bearing even when the rotation speed is equal to or higher than the threshold value.”
Claim 7 combination with claim 6 and 2 all together all limitations combined make the claim allowable, none of the prior art of record, ip search or ai search fail to teach alone or together the combination of claim 7 with claims 6 and 2 as indicated above.
Claim 14 is objected to as being dependent from claim .
conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure in PTO892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAGED M ALMAWRI whose telephone number is (313)446-6565. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M. Koehler can be reached on 5712723560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MAGED M ALMAWRI/ Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834