DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-13 are currently pending and have been examined.
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 Objections
Claims 1-13 are objected to because of the following informalities: the claim limitation “convertor” is misspelled. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claims 1-4, 7, & 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gong (CN111446885A) in view of Wu (CN110572073A).
As per claim 1, Gong teaches a convertor of mechanical energy for converting the mechanical energy of the movement of the heart muscle into electrical energy comprising:
a first flexible block (Fig. 1, 1),
a second flexible block (Fig. 1, 3),
wherein a first and a second end of a plurality of extendable elements (Fig. 1, 2) are immovably connected on the first and on the second flexible blocks (Fig. 1), wherein each of the plurality of extendable elements (Fig. 1, 2) comprises a layer of triboelectric material (pg. 3), wherein each of the plurality of the extendable elements comprises a triboelectric spiral structure wherein the triboelectric spiral structure comprises a plurality of twisted elongated elements (Fig. 1, 2; the elements are entangled)(pg. 4: spiral structure).
Gong does not expressly teach a hollow portion, wherein each of the plurality of the extendable elements comprises a triboelectric structure that is mounted within the hollow portion, wherein the triboelectric structure comprises a plurality of elongated elements that are movable within the hollow portion of the extendable elements.
Wu, however, teaches to a friction power generator containing an interior space with a triboelectric with several layers (fig. 1 & 2)(pg. 9). The triboelectric layers change shape and move based on an external force (pg. 9).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the aforementioned features in Wu with Gong based on the motivation of improve the generating efficiency and output capacity of the nano generator (abstract).
As per claim 2, Gong and Wu teach the convertor of claim 1. Gong teaches wherein each of the plurality of the elongated elements has the shape of a rod and wherein each of the elongated elements comprises a triboelectric material layer and a conducting material layer (Fig. 1; pg. 4, 10-11: fibers in shape of bundle with triboelectric and conducting layers).
As per claim 3, Gong and Wu teach the convertor of claim 1. Gong teaches wherein the triboelectric layer of the extendable elements and the triboelectric layer of the elongated elements come in direct contact by movement (pg. 10: layers of filament move separately to generate friction and convert mechanical energy to electrical).
As per claim 4, Gong and Wu teach the convertor of claim 1. Gong teaches wherein the plurality of twisted elongated elements consists of three rods (pg. 10: plurality of fibers).
As per claim 7, Gong and Wu teach the convertor of claim 1. Gong teaches wherein each of the plurality of extendable elements has a cylindrical shape (Fig. 1; pg. 4, 10-11: fibers in shape of bundle with triboelectric and conducting layers).
As per claim 14, Gong and Wu teach the convertor of claim 1. Gong teaches use of the convertor of claim 1 for converting the mechanical energy of the movement of an organ of the human body into electrical energy (pg. 10: layers of filament move separately to generate friction and convert mechanical energy to electrical in human body).
As per claim 15, Gong and Wu teach the convertor of claim 14. Gong teaches with a system comprising a voltage stabilizer and an accumulator, configured to produce electrical power derived by the contraction and the expansion of the heart muscle of a human body (pg. 10: layers of filament move separately to generate friction and convert mechanical energy to electrical in human body; capacitor is charged using the energy generated).
Prior Art Rejection
All of the cited references fail to expressly teach or suggest, either alone or in combination, the features found within dependent claims 5-6 & 8-13. The most relevant prior art of record includes:
Gong (WO2021237908) teaches to a flexible hybrid generator, a preparation method therefor and the use thereof, and a flexible self-charging device. The flexible hybrid generator comprises an upper electrode layer, a lower electrode layer, and multiple power-generating fibers with one end connected to the upper electrode layer and the other end connected to the lower electrode layer.
Wu (CN110572073A) teaches to a hybrid friction nano-generator. The hybrid friction nano-generator comprises an insulating package layer, a grounding shield layer, an insulating layer, a first conductive element, a first friction layer placed on the lower surface of the first conductive element in a contact manner, a second conductive element, a second friction layer placed on the upper surface of the second conductive element in a contact manner, and a third friction layer located between the first friction layer and the second friction layer.
Brenner (US9259580) teaches to a system for harnessing natural power of cardiac muscle movement using a piezoelectric energy converter. Further, the disclosure relates to piezoelectric kits, medical procedures and methods of deployment inside and extraction from a mammal heart. In another aspect the invention relates to piezoelectric energy converters.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Park (US 20200147398) teaches to a heart pacemaker according to the present invention includes a generator configured to generate nonlinear electrical energy using a friction element and an energy harvester configured to sequentially store the generated nonlinear electrical energy in multi-stage multiple energy storages and supply the electrical energy stored in the multiple energy storages.
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/Jonathan Ng/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619