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
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.
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.
Claims 1 – 2, 4 – 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Futai et al. (JP 2020129888 A).
Regarding Claim 1, Futai et al. discloses a method (Futai et al. Fig. 4) for magnetizing a plurality of magnetic material pieces (101) arranged in a first direction (circumferential direction) in order to form a Halbach array magnet (10) (Futai et al. Fig. 2),
comprising a step of arranging the plurality of magnetic material pieces so that the plurality of magnetic material pieces includes at least one magnetic material piece that can produce a magnetic orientation in a direction inclined from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (indicated by the purple arrows in annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2 below discloses at least one permanent magnet segment 101 that has a magnetic orientation inclined from a second direction perpendicular to the circumferential direction);
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a first magnetization step of arranging (circumferential magnetization step S12) (Futai et al. Fig. 5 (b) and Para [0046] whole paragraph),
in one of areas sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces in the second direction (Futai et al. Fig. 2),
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a first magnetization part and a second magnetization part with a space (annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (b) shown below discloses the first magnetization part and the second magnetization part are circumferentially spaced apart) therebetween in the first direction (Futai et al. Para [0041] whole paragraph discloses the circumferential magnetization step S12 that occurs in only the main magnetizer 30 can be performed first),
and forming a magnetic path between the first and second magnetization parts through the magnetic material piece that can produce the magnetic orientation in the direction inclined from the second direction and thereby magnetizing the magnetic material piece disposed between the first and second magnetization parts (together annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (b) and annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2 above discloses the forming of the magnetic path from the circumferential magnetization step S12, such that there can be a magnetic material piece that can have a magnetic orientation inclined from the second direction that is between the first and second magnetization parts);
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and a second magnetization step of disposing (radial magnetization S11) a third magnetization part in one of areas sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces (annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (a), shown below, and Futai et al. Para [0041] whole paragraph discloses the radial magnetization step S11 that occurs in both the main magnetizer 30 and the auxiliary magnetizer 40 can be performed second),
and forming a magnetic path through, among the plurality of magnetic material pieces, a magnetic material piece that can produce a magnetic orientation in the second direction and thereby magnetizing the magnetic material piece that can produce the magnetic orientation in the second direction (together annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (a) and annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2 above discloses the forming of the magnetic path from the radial magnetization step S11, such that there can be a magnetic material that can have a magnetic orientation in the second direction;
wherein a magnetic material piece (indicated by green arrows in annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2 shown above) is disposed in one of the areas sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces different from the one where the first and second magnetization parts are arranged in such a manner that this magnetic material piece is, in the second direction, opposed to the magnetic material piece that can produce the magnetic orientation in the direction inclined from the second direction (together annotated Futai et al. Fig 5 (b) and annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2 above discloses a magnetic material piece that has an magnetic orientation that is in the second direction and sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces inclined from the second direction).
Regarding Claim 2, Futai et al. discloses the magnetization method according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second magnetization parts is disposed so as to project, as viewed in the second direction, from the magnetic material piece that can produce the magnetic orientation in the direction inclined from the second direction toward the other of the first and second magnetization parts (together annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (b) and annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2 shown above discloses first and second magnetization parts are arranged at a second direction from respective magnetic material pieces 101).
Regarding Claim 5, Futai et al. discloses the magnetization method according to claim 1, wherein a fourth magnetization part (annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (a) shown below) is disposed in one of the areas sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces different from the one where the third magnetization part is disposed in such a manner that the fourth magnetic material part is opposed to
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the third magnetization part in the second direction (annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (a) shown above).
Regarding Claim 6, Futai et al. discloses the magnetization method according to claim 1,wherein a magnetic flux loop is formed between the first and second magnetization parts through the magnetic material piece that can produce the magnetic orientation in the direction inclined from the second direction (see above in annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (b)).
Regarding Claim 7, Futai et al. discloses the magnetization method according to claim 1,wherein the third magnetization parts are arranged with a space therebetween in the first direction (above in annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (a) discloses the circumferential spacing of the third magnetization parts),
and the space between the third magnetization parts in the first direction is wider than the space between the first and second magnetization parts in the first direction (annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (a) and Fig. 5 (b) discloses the circumferential spacing of the third magnetization parts is wider than the circumferential spacing of the first and second magnetization parts) .
Regarding Claim 8, Futai et al. discloses the magnetization method according to claim 1,wherein the first direction is a predetermined axial direction or a predetermined circumferential direction (Futai et al. Fig. 2 discloses the first direction is a circumferential direction).
Regarding Claim 9, Futai et al. discloses an apparatus (main magnetizer 30 and auxiliary magnetizer 40) for magnetizing a plurality of magnetic material pieces (101) arranged in a first direction (circumferential direction) in order to form a Halbach array magnet (10) (Futai et al. Fig. 4), comprising:
a first magnetization part and a second magnetization part (see above in annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (b)) arranged with a space (annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (b) shown above discloses the first magnetization part and the second magnetization part are circumferentially spaced apart) therebetween in the first direction (Futai et al. Para [0041] whole paragraph discloses the circumferential magnetization step S12 that occurs in only the main magnetizer 30 can be performed first),
in a state in which the plurality of magnetic material pieces are arranged so that the plurality of magnetic material pieces includes at least one magnetic material piece (indicated by purple arrows in annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2) that can produce a magnetic orientation in a direction inclined from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (Futai et al. Fig. 2),
in one of areas sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces in the second direction so that a magnetic path is formed through the magnetic material piece that can produce the magnetic orientation in the direction inclined from the second direction (together annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (b) and annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2 above discloses the forming of the magnetic path from the circumferential magnetization step S12, such that there can be a magnetic material that can have a magnetic orientation inclined from the second direction that is between the first and second magnetization parts);
and a third magnetization part (annotated Futai et al. Fig.5 (a) above) disposed in one of areas sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces so that a magnetic path is formed through (together annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (a) and Futai et al. Fig. 2 above discloses the forming of the magnetic path from the radial magnetization step S11, such that there can be a magnetic material that can have a magnetic orientation in the second direction),
among the plurality of magnetic material pieces (Futai et al. Fig. 2),
a magnetic material piece (indicated by one of the green arrows in annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2) that can produce a magnetic orientation in the second direction (Futai et al. Fig. 2);
further comprising a magnetic material piece (indicated by the other one of the green arrows in annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2) disposed in one of the areas sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces different from the one where the first and second magnetization parts are arranged in such a manner that this magnetic material piece is, in the second direction, opposed to the magnetic material piece that can produce the magnetic orientation in the direction inclined from the second direction (together annotated Futai et al. Fig 5 (b) and annotated Futai et al. Fig. 2 above discloses a magnetic material piece that has an magnetic orientation that is in the second direction and sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces inclined from the second direction).
Regarding Claim 11, Futai et al. discloses the magnetization apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a fourth magnetization part (above in annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (a)) disposed in one of the areas sandwiching the plurality of magnetic material pieces different from the one where the third magnetization part is disposed in such a manner that the fourth magnetic material part is opposed to the third magnetization part in the second direction (annotated Futai et al. Fig. 5 (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 (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.
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Futai et al. in view of Kim et al. (US 20030094873 A1).
Regarding Claim 4, Futai et al. discloses the magnetization method according to claim 1.
Futai et al. does not disclose:
wherein the magnetic material pieces that can produce the magnetic orientation in the direction inclined from the second direction are arranged with a space therebetween in the first direction.
Kim et al. discloses:
wherein the magnetic material pieces that can produce the magnetic orientation in the direction inclined from the second direction are arranged with a space therebetween in the first direction (Kim et al. Fig. 2 discloses a plurality of magnets that are inclined from the second direction arranged with a plurality of spacings therebetween via by a magnet holder in the circumferential direction).
Futai et al. and Kim et al. discloses Halbach arrays therefore, Kim et al. constitutes as prior art. Kim et al. discloses a permanent magnet array for a flywheel motor wherein a plurality of magnets are arranged on to a magnet holder and arranged with a spacing therebetween. 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 magnetic material pieces that can produce the magnetic orientation in the direction inclined from the second direction are arranged with a space therebetween in the first direction of Kim et al. for the purpose of controlling field concentration and leakage that may occur in the magnetic fields of the Halbach array.
Conclusion
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/THEODORE L PERKINS/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TERRANCE L KENERLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834