DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species 1, Figures 1-4, Claims 9-14, 17-18, and 21-22 in the reply filed on 02/18/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no search and examination burden to examine all of the species together. This is not found persuasive because there is a search and examination burden since analyzing, searching, and writing an office action for subject matter in all of the species requires more time than examining a single species. Field of search is only one of a plurality of criteria used to determine examination burden. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
Claim(s) 9-14, 17-18, and 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Phillips et al. (US 9624900) in view of Takeuchi (US 2002/0172060).
In re claim 9, Philips, in figures 1-24 (see figures 22a-c for best views), discloses a magnet element comprising: a magnet part (37); and a support (46, 23, 63) made of an elastic and configured to support the magnet part. Philips does not teach resin or foam. Takeuchi however, in figure 2, teaches that it is known in the art to use resin foam (30) in a similar device. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used resin foam as taught by Takeuchi in the device of Philips to reduce weight of the elastic.
In re claim 10, Philips discloses that the support has a columnar or cylindrical shape and includes a constricted portion (46) on an outer side surface of the support.
In re claims 11-12, Philips discloses that the magnet part is disposed at one end in an extension and compression direction of the support (at the upper end in figure 22).
In re claims 13-14, Philips discloses that the magnet has a ring shape (as best seen in figures 22a-c).
In re claims 17-18, Philips discloses that the magnet part is disposed on a surface of the support (as best seen in figures 22a-c).
In re claims 21-22, Philips discloses an electromagnetic induction coil (34).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. A list of pertinent prior art is attached in form PTO-892.
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/Alexander Talpalatski/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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