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(s) (IDS) submitted on 04/08/2024 have been considered by the Examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1, 5 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites a term “an element”. Examiner suggests amending the term to recite “a retention element” to restore antecedent clarity for the term in dependent claims.
Claim 5 recites a phrase “in claim 1 4,”. Examiner suggests amending the phrase to recite “in claim 1,” to restore clarity.
Claim 9 recites a phrase “a sensor assembly as claimed in claim 1”. Examiner suggests amending the phrase to recite “the inductive-technology position sensor of claim 1” to restore antecedent clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ELDRED et al. (WO 2015049176; hereinafter ELDRED).
Regarding claim 1, ELDRED discloses in figure(s) 1-7 An inductive-technology position sensor for an electric machine,
wherein the position sensor is formed by a casing (20,22; fig. 2a,2b) and a sensitive element (pcb assembly 24 with position encoder; pg. 14 line 26-27 - position measurement device) disposed in the casing,
the casing comprising a cover (22) and a connector (39) from which at least one connection cable (32) extends,
wherein the position sensor comprises an element (21) for retaining the connection cable (pg. 14 line 19-25 – perimetral flange 21 with the open U-shaped channel 23 means cable 32 with its connector 39 can easily be installed).
Regarding claim 2, ELDRED discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the position sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retention element (21) is disposed on the cover (22) on the outside of the sensor (24).
Regarding claim 3, ELDRED discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the position sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retention element (21) is formed by a non-closed channel (23) in which the cable (32) or cable harness is disposed.
Regarding claim 4, ELDRED discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the position sensor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the channel (23) is rectilinear or in the shape of a wave.
Regarding claim 5, ELDRED discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the position sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retention element (21) is formed by at least one clip (25; pg. 13 lines 1-5 - ribbed regions 19 help the deformed point 25 of the flange 21 to engage with the lid 22, thereby helping to secure the lid 22 to the body 20 and in particular to help prevent the lid 22 from sliding around on the ledge 17).
Regarding claim 6, ELDRED discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the position sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retention element is formed by a non-closed channel (23) and at least one clip (25).
Regarding claim 7, ELDRED discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the position sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retention element is formed from the cover (pg. 10 line 15-20 - perimetral ledge 17 extending around the bottom of the perimetral flange 21 provides a seat for the lid 22).
Regarding claim 9, ELDRED discloses in figure(s) 1-7 An electric machine (pg. 15 - coordinate positioning apparatus such as coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and machine tools) comprising a sensor assembly as claimed in claim 1.
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 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.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ELDRED in view of LUNDIN et al. (WO 2008115131).
Regarding claim 8, ELDRED teaches in figure(s) 1-7 the position sensor as claimed in claim 1,
ELDRED does not teach explicitly wherein the retention element is overmolded from the cover.
However, LUNDIN teaches in figure(s) 1-7 wherein the retention element is overmolded from the cover (housing 20 with a flange 24 cable 40 guided by a peripheral recess or a groove 28 in the flange 24; fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of ELDRED by having wherein the retention element is overmolded from the cover as taught by LUNDIN in order to provide combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results as evidenced by "housing also comprises a lateral exit for said line which opens into said recess. Thus, the flexible line can be wound around the housing while being held snugly within the recess or groove, making it possible to direct the cable in any desired direction while avoiding that the cable bends or forms a loop." (abstract).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ELDRED in view of Hannewald et al. (US 20050155780).
Regarding claim 10, ELDRED teaches in figure(s) 1-7 an inductive-technology position sensor claimed in claim 1.
ELDRED does not teach explicitly a gearbox.
However, Hannewald teaches in figure(s) 1-3 a gearbox (para. 35 - drive pinion drives the throttle flap shaft 4 rotatably via a gearbox; fig. 1) comprising an inductive-technology position sensor claimed in claim 1.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of ELDRED by having a gearbox as taught by Hannewald in order to provide a use case as evidenced by "sensor can be a position sensor registering the position of the throttle flap shaft or of the gearbox" (para. 26).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See the List of References cited in the US PT0-892.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKM ZAKARIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0664. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-5 PM (PST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-2258. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AKM ZAKARIA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858