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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 11-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 11, the claim recites the limitation that the coupling device connected to the vibration systems imparts push-pull coupling of the vibration system “as the mode with the lowest frequency.” It is unclear as to what is meant by this limitation as no modes have been disclosed previously. Additionally, it is not clear as to what the frequency would be in regard to and what it would be lower than as no other frequencies are disclosed.
The claim recites the limitation of “the first axis of symmetry” which lacks antecedent basis as no axes of symmetry have been previously disclosed.
Regarding claim 12, the claim recites the limitation of two axes of symmetry however it is not clear if one of these is the same as the first axis of symmetry of claim 11, or if it is two additional axes.
Regarding claim 14 and 15, the claims recite the limitation that the first (or second) spring elements can essentially only be deflected along the second direction, however it is not clear as to what is meant by “essentially” and whether any other deflection is allowed.
Regarding claim 15, the claim refers to “second spring elements” however since the first spring elements were disclosed in claim 14, and the claim depends from claim 11, it is not clear if the claim should depend from claim 14.
Regarding claim 17, the claim recites the limitation that the two vibration systems and the anchor structure are “designed on sides of the rectangle,” however it is not clear as to what is meant by “designed” and if that would require any structural limitations or merely an abstract design idea.
All claims which depend from those above are rejected for the same reasons due to their dependency thereon.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 11-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pruetz US 2020/0309806.
Regarding claim 11, Pruetz teaches, as seen in fig. 5, a device for coupling two vibration systems 2, 2’ which are mounted above a substrate (abstract, not shown) such that the vibration systems are linearly arranged along a first directions (horizontal in fig. 5) and can vibrate along the first direction (via drive springs 5, paragraph 0049). Pruetz further teaches a closed spring structure (comprising elements 8, 8’, 8”, 8’’’), which can be connected to the vibration systems on outer faces opposite each other along the first direction (seen in fig. 5);
an anchor structure 3’, 3’’, which is rigidly connected to the substrate (paragraph 0050) and which is arranged within the closed spring structure (as seen in fig. 5) and is connected to the spring structure on two inner faces opposite each other (top and bottom) along a second direction (vertical) that is orthogonal to the first direction;
wherein the coupling device connected to the vibration systems imparts push-pull coupling of the vibration systems (the springs 5 are drive springs which drive in a push-pull manner, paragraph 0025) and
the anchor structure includes two anchors 3’, 3’’ which are arranged on the first axis of symmetry (vertical axis).
Pruetz further teaches operating the drive at a desired frequency mode (paragraph 0060) and since the claim recites that limitation that the coupling device “imparts push-pull coupling of the vibration as the mode with the lowest frequency,” the limitation is interpreted as a step since the verb “imparts” is an action applied to the system, and not a physical limitation. Therefore, the remaining limitations have all been taught by Pruetz.
Regarding claim 12, the spring structure of Pruetz is configured symmetrically at least with respect to two axes that are perpendicular to each other (horizontal and vertical, fig. 5), the two vibration systems can be connected to the spring structure along the first axis of symmetry (horizontal) and the two connections of the spring structure to the anchor structure lie along the second axis of symmetry (vertical) as seen in fig. 5.
Regarding claim 13, due to the structural arrangement of Pruetz as seen in fig. 5, when the spring structure deforms along the horizontal axis during driving, it would equally deform along the vertical axis.
Regarding claim 14, Pruetz teaches first spring elements 7 which connect the anchor structure 3’ to the spring structure 8, wherein the first spring elements can essentially only be deflected along the second (vertical) direction.
Regarding claim 15, Pruetz teaches second spring elements 4 which connect the vibration system to the spring structure and can essentially only be deflected along the first direction as seen in fig. 2 and 3 for example which illustrate the motion of the system.
Regarding claim 16, the spring structure of Pruetz is rectangular, square or diamond-shaped as claimed.
Regarding claim 17, the spring structure of Pruetz is configured in a rectangular manner and the connections to the two vibration systems and the anchor structure are configured in the corners of the square.
Regarding claim 18, Pruetz teaches a micro-electro-mechanical component including the coupling device of claim 11 and the two vibration systems which are connected to the spring structure of the coupling device.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mark A. Shabman whose telephone number is (571)272-8589. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:30 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Laura Martin can be reached at 571-272-2160. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MARK A SHABMAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
Prosecution Insights