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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 5 and 6 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 5, “the excess part of the second flexible vibration damping sleeve” should be “an excess part of the second flexible vibration damping sleeve”, and “the excess part of the first flexible vibration damping sleeve” should be “an excess part of the first flexible vibration damping sleeve”.
Claim 6 recites in part “wherein one circle of inwardly-protruding blocking part is disposed in the flexible vibration damping sleeve”. This is grammatically incorrect.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Pat. 12,152,436 – Kirby.
Regarding claim 1.
Kirby discloses a curtain drive device (120, fig 4), wherein the device comprises a housing (including 126, 144a, 144b and 122, fig 4), a control part (166, fig 7), a power supply part (130, fig 7) and a drive part (160, fig 7);
the housing comprises a first housing part (144a, fig 5) for accommodating the control part (See figs 5 and 7), a second housing part (126, fig 5) for accommodating the power supply part (See fig 5), and a third housing part (122, fig 5) for accommodating the drive part (See fig 5);
the power supply part and the drive part are both electrically connected to the control part (column 5, lines 43-49; Locating the motor drive unit 160 in the first end 121 of the roller tube 122 and the battery holder 130 adjacent to the first end 128 of the housing 126 may enable the connector 166 to be electrically connected to the motor drive unit 160 and to allow associated wires between the motor drive unit 160 and the battery holder 130 to be made as short as possible), and a vibration damping module (including 162 and 168, fig 6) is disposed between the drive part (160, fig 6) and the third housing part (122, fig 5).
Regarding claim 2.
Kirby discloses all limitations of claim 1.
Kirby further discloses the second housing part (126, fig 5) and the third housing part (122, fig 5) are both detachably (See fig 7) connected (See fig 4) with the first housing part (144a, fig 5), and the second housing part and the third housing part are both in communication with the first housing part (See fig 5).
Regarding claim 3.
Kirby discloses all limitations of claim 2.
Kirby further discloses the second housing part (126, fig 5) and the third housing part (122, fig 5) are both perpendicularly connected with the first housing part (144a, fig 5);
the second housing part (126, fig 5) and the third housing part (122, fig 5) are disposed up and down in parallel (See fig 5);
a first connection position (at 128, fig 4) connected with the second housing part and a second connection position (at 121, fig 4) connected with the third housing part are disposed on the first housing part (See fig 4).
Regarding claim 4.
Kirby discloses all limitations of claim 3.
Kirby further discloses the vibration damping module (including 162 and 168, fig 6) comprises at least one flexible vibration damping sleeve (162, fig 6) which is fully or partly wrapped on the drive part (at 164, fig 6), with its inner circumferential wall attached to an outer circumferential wall of the drive part (at 164, fig 6) and its outer circumferential wall attached to an inner circumferential wall of the third housing part (Column 4, lines 27-29; The drive coupler 162 may be notched about its outer periphery to facilitate engagement between the drive coupler 162 and an interior surface of the roller tube 122).
Regarding claim 5.
Kirby discloses all limitations of claim 4.
Kirby further discloses two flexible vibration damping sleeves are disposed, which comprise a first flexible vibration damping sleeve (162, fig 6) and a second flexible vibration damping sleeve (168, fig 6);
the first flexible vibration damping sleeve (162, fig 6) is wrapped on an output end of the drive part (at 164, fig 6) away from the second connection position (See fig 5), and the second flexible vibration damping sleeve (168, fig 6) is wrapped on an end of the drive part close to the second connection position (See fig 5);
an end of the second flexible vibration damping sleeve (168, fig 6) goes beyond the end of the drive part (See lip on 168, fig 6) and an end surface of the excess part (See lip on 168, fig 6) of the second flexible vibration damping sleeve is in contact with an end surface (end of tube, see fig 5) of the second connection position (at 121, fig 4);
an end of the first flexible vibration damping sleeve (162, fig 6) goes beyond an end of the output end of the drive part (at 164, fig 6), and an end surface of the excess part of the first flexible vibration damping sleeve is in contact with an inner end surface of the third housing part (Column 4, lines 27-29; The drive coupler 162 may be notched about its outer periphery to facilitate engagement between the drive coupler 162 and an interior surface of the roller tube 122).
Regarding claim 7.
Kirby discloses all limitations of claim 3.
Kirby further discloses catching grooves (column 4, lines 48-52; The first and second brackets 144a, 144b may also include couplings, such as holes, recesses, detents, projections, and other physical constructions that facilitate coupling the first and second brackets) are disposed symmetrically (as adjacent 155, fig 4) on the outer circumference of the second connection position (at 121, fig 4), and catches cooperating with the catching grooves are disposed on the third housing part (Column 4, lines 53-55; The roller tube 122 may be rotatably supported by the first and second brackets 144a, 144b.).
Regarding claim 10.
Kirby discloses all limitations of claim 3.
Kirby further discloses a detachable (See fig 4) cover plate (120, fig 3) is disposed on the first housing part (144a, fig 4).
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) 6, 11, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirby in view of US Pat. 11,060,353 – Kirby, hereinafter Kirby353.
Regarding claim 6.
Kirby discloses all limitations of claim 5.
Kirby does not disclose one circle of inwardly-protruding blocking part is disposed in the flexible vibration damping sleeve to achieve axial limitation for the drive part.
However, Kirby353 teaches one circle of inwardly-protruding blocking part (See at 572 in fig 5a) is disposed in the flexible vibration damping sleeve to achieve axial limitation for the drive part (See figs 5a-c).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kirby with the blocking part of Kirby353. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of achieving axial limitation for the drive part.
Regarding claim 11.
The combination of Kirby and Kirby353 teaches all limitations of claim 6.
Kirby further discloses catching grooves (column 4, lines 48-52; The first and second brackets 144a, 144b may also include couplings, such as holes, recesses, detents, projections, and other physical constructions that facilitate coupling the first and second brackets) are disposed symmetrically (as adjacent 155, fig 4) on the outer circumference of the second connection position (at 121, fig 4), and catches cooperating with the catching grooves are disposed on the third housing part (Column 4, lines 53-55; The roller tube 122 may be rotatably supported by the first and second brackets 144a, 144b.).
Regarding claim 14.
The combination of Kirby and Kirby353 teaches all limitations of claim 6.
Kirby further discloses a detachable (See fig 4) cover plate (120, fig 3) is disposed on the first housing part (144a, fig 4).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirby in view of PG Pub US 2015/0013920 A1 – Mullet et al., hereinafter Mullet.
Regarding claim 8.
Kirby discloses all limitations of claim 3.
Kirby does not disclose a signal magnet extending into the second connection position is disposed at an end of the drive part close to the second connection position;
a protective hood for protecting the signal magnet is integrally formed inside the second connection position.
However, Mullet teaches a signal magnet (264, fig 16) extending into the second connection position (see fig 16) is disposed at an end of the drive part (including 262, fig 16) close to the second connection position (See fig 16);
a protective hood (portion of housing 232 surrounding the signal magnet, see fig 16) for protecting the signal magnet is integrally formed inside the second connection position (Se fig 16).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kirby with the signal magnet and hood of Mullet. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of allowing the control part to measure displacement and speed of the curtain.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirby in view of US Pat. 11,713,619 – Negrello et al., hereinafter Negrello.
Regarding claim 9.
Kirby discloses all limitations of claim 3.
Kirby further discloses a power supply part (130, fig 4) mounting position (See at 130, fig 4) disposed inside the second housing part (126, See fig 4).
Kirby does not disclose the second housing part comprises an upper housing part and a lower housing part;
the upper housing part is connected to the first connection position by screws, and the lower housing part is fitted to the upper housing part;
a smart module mounting position disposed inside the second housing part;
the smart module mounting position is close to the first connection position, and the power supply part mounting position is away from the first connection position.
However, Negrello teaches the second housing part (43, fig 5) comprises an upper housing part (43b, fig 5) and a lower housing part (43a, fig 5);
the upper housing part is connected to the first connection position by screws (46, fig 5), and the lower housing part is fitted to the upper housing part (See fig 4);
a smart module (28, fig 5) mounting position (See fig 5) disposed inside the second housing part (See fig 5);
the smart module mounting position is close to the first connection position (adjacent 16a, fig 5), and the power supply part (31, fig 5) mounting position (See fig 5) is away from the first connection position (adjacent 16b, fig 5).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kirby with the housing, screws, and module of Negrello. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of allowing ease monitoring battery health, and ease of servicing the device.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Kirby and Kirby353, as applied to claim 6 above, and in further view of Mullet.
Regarding claim 12.
The combination of Kirby and Kirby353 teaches all limitations of claim 6.
The combination does not teach a signal magnet extending into the second connection position is disposed at an end of the drive part close to the second connection position;
a protective hood for protecting the signal magnet is integrally formed inside the second connection position.
However, Mullet teaches a signal magnet (264, fig 16) extending into the second connection position (see fig 16) is disposed at an end of the drive part (including 262, fig 16) close to the second connection position (See fig 16);
a protective hood (portion of housing 232 surrounding the signal magnet, see fig 16) for protecting the signal magnet is integrally formed inside the second connection position (Se fig 16).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the device of Kirby with the signal magnet and hood of Mullet. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of allowing the control part to measure displacement and speed of the curtain.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Kirby and Kirby353, as applied to claim 6 above, and in further view of Negrello.
Regarding claim 13.
The combination of Kirby and Kirby353 teaches all limitations of claim 6.
Kirby further discloses a power supply part (130, fig 4) mounting position (See at 130, fig 4) disposed inside the second housing part (126, See fig 4).
Kirby does not disclose the second housing part comprises an upper housing part and a lower housing part;
the upper housing part is connected to the first connection position by screws, and the lower housing part is fitted to the upper housing part;
a smart module mounting position disposed inside the second housing part;
the smart module mounting position is close to the first connection position, and the power supply part mounting position is away from the first connection position.
However, Negrello teaches the second housing part (43, fig 5) comprises an upper housing part (43b, fig 5) and a lower housing part (43a, fig 5);
the upper housing part is connected to the first connection position by screws (46, fig 5), and the lower housing part is fitted to the upper housing part (See fig 4);
a smart module (28, fig 5) mounting position (See fig 5) disposed inside the second housing part (See fig 5);
the smart module mounting position is close to the first connection position (adjacent 16a, fig 5), and the power supply part (31, fig 5) mounting position (See fig 5) is away from the first connection position (adjacent 16b, fig 5).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kirby with the housing, screws, and module of Negrello. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of allowing ease monitoring battery health, and ease of servicing the device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/J.W.H./ Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/ABE MASSAD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634