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, pages 7 – 9, with respect to claims 1 – 4, 7 – 16, and 19 – 20 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. Claims 1, 4, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moussette et al. in view of Takahashi et al. (US20200381987A1), Claims 2 – 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moussette et al. in view of Takahashi et al. and further in view of Wang et al., Claims 8 and 10 – 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moussette et al. in view of Takahashi et al. and further in view of Tanaka et al., Claims 12 – 13, 16, and 19 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka in view of Moussette et al. and further in view of Takahashi et al., and Claims 14 – 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka in view of Moussette et al., Takahashi et al., and further in view of Wang et al.
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:
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.
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, 4, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moussette et al. in view of Takahashi et al.
Regarding Claim 1, Moussette et al. discloses a linear motor (magnetic circuit 400A) that reciprocates linearly (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A),
the linear motor (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A) comprising:
a movable element (401) including a permanent magnet (hard magnet 404 and second hard magnet 405) (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A);
a stator (fixed bar element 402) including a coil (electrical coil structure 407) positioned to face the permanent magnet (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A);
and a linear guide (second grooves 416) configured to guide the movable element to reciprocate linearly in a direction parallel to a direction in which a pair of magnetic poles of the permanent magnet are aligned (Moussette et al. c. 11, l. 26 – 29),
the coil includes a yoke (bar structure 406) having a plate shape (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A) and one winding wire wound around the yoke (Moussette et al. c. 10, l. 63 – 67),
and the one winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke to include a first region (first section 409) where the one winding wire is wound around the yoke in a first winding direction and a second region (second section 408) where the one winding wire is wound around the yoke in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction (Moussette et al. c. 11, l. 1 – 9),
the coil is arranged such that the direction of alignment between the first region and the second region is parallel to the direction of alignment between the pair of magnetic poles of the permanent magnet (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A),
and the first winding direction and the second winding direction are perpendicular to the direction of alignment between the pair of magnetic poles of the permanent magnet (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A).
Moussette et al. does not disclose:
the winding direction of the winding wire is switched at a notch portion of a resin portion which is located between the first region and the second region.
Takahashi et al. discloses:
the winding direction of the winding wire is switched at a notch portion (linking groove portion 55) of a resin portion (coil bobbin part 52) (Takahashi et al. Para [0124] whole paragraph).
Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. structurally discloses:
the winding direction of the winding wire is switched at a notch portion of a resin portion (of Takahashi et al. Para [0124] whole paragraph) which is located between the first region and the second region (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A).
Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. disclose windings therefore, Takahashi et al. constitutes as prior art. Takahashi et al. discloses a coil winding that forms two coils are reversed from each other via winding a first coil in a counterclockwise direction, switching the wire in a limiting groove of a coil bobbin part, then winding a second coil in a clockwise direction. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the winding direction of the winding wire is switched at a notch portion of a resin portion which is located between the first region and the second region of structurally disclosed Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. for the purpose of protecting, insulating, and stabilizing that section of the winding wire.
Regarding Claim 4, Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. disclose the linear motor according to claim 1, wherein the first region and the second region have the same area (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A discloses the first section 409 and the second section 408 have the same area).
Regarding Claim 7, Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. disclose the linear motor according to claim 1, wherein the linear motor includes a plurality of combinations of the permanent magnet and the coil positioned to face the permanent magnet (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4C discloses a two permanent magnet combination and a four permanent magnet combination, respectively).
Regarding Claim 9, Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. disclose the linear motor according to claim 1, wherein the linear guide includes two linear guides provided in parallel with each other to guide the movable element to move linearly (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A and Fig. B disclose there are two second grooves 416 that are on respective ends of the movable bar element 401).
Claims 2 – 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moussette et al. in view of Takahashi et al. and further in view of Wang et al.
Regarding Claim 2, Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. disclose the linear motor according to claim 1.
Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. do not disclose:
wherein a first resin portion located at a winding start of the first region,
a second resin portion located at a winding end of the second region,
and a third resin portion located at a boundary between the first region and the second region are integrally molded onto the yoke by outsert molding.
Wang et al. discloses:
a first resin portion (fixing member 23 on left side) (Wang et al. Fig. 6),
a second resin portion (fixing member 23 on right side) (Wang et al. Fig. 6),
and a third resin portion (fixing member 23 in the center) are integrally molded onto the yoke by outsert molding (Wang et al. Fig. 6 disclose the three fixing members 23 are outsert molded to the outer pipe 21).
Moussette et al. and Wang et al. structurally discloses:
wherein a first resin portion (of Wang et al. Fig. 6) located at a winding start of the first region (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A),
a second resin portion (of Wang et al. Fig. 6) located at a winding end of the second region (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A),
and a third resin portion (of Wang et al. Fig. 6) located at a boundary between the first region and the second region (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A) are integrally molded onto the yoke by outsert molding (of Wang et al. Fig. 6).
Moussette et al., Takahashi et al., and Wang et al. disclose coils therefore, Wang et al. constitutes as prior art. Wang et al. discloses an electromagnetic actuator comprising three resin portions that are wrapped around a metal outer pipe and in-between two coil sets. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein a first resin portion located at a winding start of the first region, a second resin portion located at a winding end of the second region, and a third resin portion located at a boundary between the first region and the second region are integrally molded onto the yoke by outsert molding of structurally disclosed Moussette et al. and Wang et al. for the purpose of having improved stability between the coil and the yoke via the resin portions.
Regarding Claim 3, Moussette et al., Takahashi et al., and Wang et al. disclose the linear motor according to claim 2.
Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. do not disclose:
wherein switching between the first winding direction and the second winding direction is in the third resin portion and the winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke.
Moussette et al., and Wang et al. structurally disclose:
wherein switching between the first winding direction and the second winding direction (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A) is in the third resin portion (of Wang et al. Fig. 6) and the winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A).
It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein switching between the first winding direction and the second winding direction is in the third resin portion and the winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke of structurally disclosed Moussette et al. and Wang et al. for the purpose of have the switching between the first winding direction and the second winding direction be secured to the yoke of the linear motor.
Claims 8 and 10 – 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moussette et al. in view of Takahashi et al. and further in view of Tanaka et al.
Regarding Claim 8, Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. disclose the linear motor according to claim 1.
Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. do not disclose:
wherein the movable element includes an elastic member on at least one surface perpendicular to a linear movement direction.
Tanaka discloses:
wherein the movable element includes an elastic member (spring 55a and spring 55b) on at least one surface perpendicular to a linear movement direction (Tanaka Fig. 5 discloses springs 55a and 55b, respectively, abutting one end of lens 81 of the first drive unit 80).
Moussette et al., Takahashi et al., and Tanaka disclose movable elements therefore, Tanaka constitutes as prior art. Tanaka discloses a medical diagnosis device comprising a linear motor having a movable element including springs. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the movable element includes an elastic member on at least one surface perpendicular to a linear movement direction of Tanaka for the purpose of providing elastic force to the movable element in the linear motor.
Regarding Claim 10, Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. disclose the linear motor according to claim 1.
Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. do not disclose:
wherein the movable element has an opening in a linear movement direction and is configured to hold an optical component in the opening.
Tanaka discloses:
wherein the movable element has an opening in a linear movement direction (Tanaka Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 discloses a circular opening of the first drive unit 80) and is configured to hold an optical component (also lens 81) in the opening (Tanaka Fig. 4 and Fig. 5).
Moussette et al., Takahashi et al., and Tanaka disclose movable elements therefore, Tanaka constitutes as prior art. Tanaka discloses a medical diagnosis device comprising a linear motor having a movable element that includes an opening to hold an optical component. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the movable element has an opening in a linear movement direction and is configured to hold an optical component in the opening of Tanaka for the purpose of securing the optical component to the moveable element.
Regarding Claim 11, Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. disclose the linear motor according to claim 1.
Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. do not disclose:
wherein the movable element includes a cutting holding unit configured to hold a cutting tool.
Tanaka discloses:
wherein the movable element includes a cutting holding unit (381) configured to hold a cutting tool (385) (Tanaka Para [0127] whole paragraph).
Moussette et al., Takahashi et al., and Tanaka disclose movable elements therefore, Tanaka constitutes as prior art. Tanaka discloses a medical diagnosis device comprising a linear motor having a movable element that includes a cutting holding unit. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the movable element includes a cutting holding unit configured to hold a cutting tool of Tanaka for the purpose of suppressing residual vibration from the moveable element.
Claims 12 – 13, 16, and 19 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka in view of Moussette et al. and further in view of Takahashi et al.
Regarding Claim 12, Tanaka discloses a medical care apparatus (three-dimensional scanner 100) (Tanaka Fig. 3) comprising:
the linear motor (Tanaka Para [0027] whole paragraph) comprising:
a movable element (also first drive unit 80) (Tanaka Para [0037] line 1);
a stator (52a) including a coil (also 52a) (Tanaka Para [0042] line 2);
and a linear guide (60a and 60b) configured to guide the movable element to reciprocate linearly (Tanaka Para [0037] whole paragraph),
and a housing (77) configured to hold the linear motor such that the movable element can move linearly along the linear guide (Tanaka Fig. 2),
Tanaka does not disclose:
a movable element including a permanent magnet;
a stator including a coil positioned to face the permanent magnet;
and a linear guide configured to guide the movable element to reciprocate linearly in a direction parallel to a direction in which a pair of magnetic poles of the permanent magnet are aligned;
wherein the coil includes a yoke having a plate shape and one winding wire wound around the yoke,
and the one winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke to include a first region where the one winding wire is wound around the yoke in a first winding direction and a second region where the one winding wire is wound around the yoke in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction,
the winding direction of the winding wire is switched at a notch portion of a resin portion which is located between the first region and the second region,
the coil is arranged such that the direction of alignment between the first region and the second region is parallel to the direction of alignment between the pair of magnetic poles of the permanent magnet,
and the first winding direction and the second winding direction are perpendicular to the direction of alignment between the pair of magnetic poles of the permanent magnet.
Moussette et al. discloses:
a movable element (401) including a permanent magnet (hard magnet 404 and second hard magnet 405) (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A);
a stator (fixed bar element 402) including a coil (407) positioned to face the permanent magnet (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A);
and a linear guide (second grooves 416) configured to guide the movable element to reciprocate linearly in a direction parallel to a direction in which a pair of magnetic poles of the permanent magnet are aligned (Moussette et al. c. 11, l. 26 – 29),
the coil includes a yoke (bar structure 406) having a plate shape (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A) and a winding wire wound around the yoke (Moussette et al. c. 10, l. 63 – 67),
and the one winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke to include a first region (first section 409) where the one winding wire is wound around the yoke in a first winding direction and a second region (second section 408) where the one winding wire is wound around the yoke in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction (Moussette et al. c. 11, l. 1 – 9),
the coil is arranged such that the direction of alignment between the first region and the second region is parallel to the direction of alignment between the pair of magnetic poles of the permanent magnet (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A),
and the first winding direction and the second winding direction are perpendicular to the direction of alignment between the pair of magnetic poles of the permanent magnet (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A).
Tanaka and Moussette et al. do not disclose:
the winding direction of the winding wire is switched at a notch portion of a resin portion which is located between the first region and the second region.
Takahashi et al. discloses:
the winding direction of the winding wire is switched at a notch portion (linking groove portion 55) of a resin portion (coil bobbin part 52) (Takahashi et al. Para [0124] whole paragraph).
Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. structurally discloses:
the winding direction of the winding wire is switched at a notch portion of a resin portion (of Takahashi et al. Para [0124] whole paragraph) which is located between the first region and the second region (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A).
Tanaka, Moussette et al., and Takahashi et al. disclose windings therefore, Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. constitute as prior art. Moussette et al. discloses a haptic actuator comprising a movable element with a permanent magnet, a fixed element with a bar structure and coil, and the coil wound in a first direction and then in a second direction on the bar structure, and Takahashi et al. discloses a coil winding that forms two coils are reversed from each other via winding a first coil in a counterclockwise direction, switching the wire in a limiting groove of a coil bobbin part, then winding a second coil in a clockwise direction. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a movable element including a permanent magnet; a stator including a coil positioned to face the permanent magnet; the coil includes a yoke having a plate shape and a winding wire wound around the yoke, and the winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke to include a first region where the winding wire is wound around the yoke in a first winding direction and a second region where the winding wire is wound around the yoke in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction of Moussette et al., and to have the winding direction of the winding wire is switched at a notch portion of a resin portion which is located between the first region and the second region of structurally disclosed Moussette et al. and Takahashi et al. for the purpose of 1) having a magnet high in efficiency and power density to produce a steady magnetic field, 2) having the permanent magnet and coil interact with each other to produce a linear motion, 3) having improved magnetic flux control and concentration, 4) optimizing performance in the linear motor, and 5) protecting, insulating, and stabilizing that section of the winding wire.
Regarding Claim 13, Tanaka, Moussette et al., and Takahashi et al. disclose the medical care apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the medical care apparatus is a hand-held three-dimensional scanner (Tanaka Para [0011] whole paragraph).
Regarding Claim 16, Tanaka, Moussette et al., and Takahashi et al. disclose the medical care apparatus according to claim 12.
Tanaka does not disclose:
wherein the first region and the second region have the same area.
Moussette et al. discloses:
wherein the first region and the second region have the same area (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A discloses the first section 409 and the second section 408 have the same area).
It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the first region and the second region have the same area of Moussette et al. for the purpose of improving efficiency of both regions of the winding in the first direction and second direction.
Regarding Claim 19, Tanaka, Moussette et al., and Takahashi et al. disclose the medical care apparatus according to claim 12.
Tanaka does not disclose:
wherein the linear motor includes a plurality of combinations of the permanent magnet and the coil positioned to face the permanent magnet.
Moussette et al. discloses:
wherein the linear motor includes a plurality of combinations of the permanent magnet and the coil positioned to face the permanent magnet (Moussette et al. Fig. 4A and 4C discloses a two permanent magnet combination and a four permanent magnet combination, respectively).
It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the linear motor includes a plurality of combinations of the permanent magnet and the coil positioned to face the permanent magnet for the purpose of optimizing the magnetic field in the linear motor.
Regarding Claim 20, Tanaka, Moussette et al., and Takahashi et al. disclose the medical care apparatus according to claim 12.
wherein the movable element includes an elastic member (spring 55a and spring 55b) on at least one surface perpendicular to a linear movement direction (Tanaka Fig. 5).
Claims 14 – 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka in view of Moussette et al., Takahashi et al., and further in view of Wang et al.
Regarding Claim 14, Tanaka, Moussette et al., and Takahashi et al. disclose the medical care apparatus according to claim 12.
Tanaka, Moussette et al., and Takahashi et al. do not disclose:
wherein a first resin portion located at a winding start of the first region,
a second resin portion located at a winding end of the second region,
and a third resin portion located at a boundary between the first region and the second region are integrally molded onto the yoke by outsert molding.
Wang et al. discloses:
a first resin portion (fixing member 23 on left side) (Wang et al. Fig. 6),
a second resin portion (fixing member 23 on right side) (Wang et al. Fig. 6),
and a third resin portion (fixing member 23 in the center) are integrally molded onto the yoke by outsert molding (Wang et al. Fig. 6 disclose the three fixing members 23 are outsert molded to the outer pipe 21).
Moussette et al. and Wang et al. structurally discloses:
wherein a first resin portion (of Wang et al. Fig. 6) located at a winding start of the first region (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A),
a second resin portion (of Wang et al. Fig. 6) located at a winding end of the second region (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A),
and a third resin portion (of Wang et al. Fig. 6) located at a boundary between the first region and the second region (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A) are integrally molded onto the yoke by outsert molding (of Wang et al. Fig. 6).
Tanaka, Moussette et al., Takahashi et al., and Wang et al. disclose coils therefore, Wang et al. constitutes as prior art. Wang et al. discloses an electromagnetic actuator comprising three resin portions that are wrapped around a metal outer pipe and in-between two coil sets. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein a first resin portion located at a winding start of the first region, a second resin portion located at a winding end of the second region, and a third resin portion located at a boundary between the first region and the second region are integrally molded onto the yoke by outsert molding of structurally disclosed Moussette et al. and Wang et al. for the purpose of having improved stability between the coil and the yoke via the resin portions.
Regarding Claim 15, Tanaka, Moussette et al., Takahashi et al., and Wang et al. disclose the medical care apparatus according to claim 14.
Tanaka, Moussette et al., and Takahashi et al. do not disclose:
wherein switching between the first winding direction and the second winding direction is in the third resin portion and the winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke.
Moussette et al., and Wang et al. structurally disclose:
wherein switching between the first winding direction and the second winding direction (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A) is in the third resin portion (of Wang et al. Fig. 6) and the winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke (of Moussette et al. Fig. 4A).
It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein switching between the first winding direction and the second winding direction is in the third resin portion and the winding wire is continuously wound around the yoke of structurally disclosed Moussette et al. and Wang et al. for the purpose of have the switching between the first winding direction and the second winding direction be secured to the yoke of the linear motor.
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 THEODORE L PERKINS whose telephone number is (703)756-4629. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00am- 17:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached on (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THEODORE L PERKINS/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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