DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
This action is in response to the claims set filed 11/25/2025 following the Final Rejection of 08/26/2025. Claims 1 and 11-12 were amended. Claims 1 and 3-12 are currently pending.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 11/25/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) under 35 USC § 102 over Gabbin (US 2015/0300374) and claims under 35 USC § 103 over the combination of Liedel (US 2012/0128492) in view of Huang (US 7015606) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejections of 08/26/2025 as previously presented have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of the amendments made to the claims.
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 11/25/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) under 35 USC § 103 over the combination of Takeshita (US 8757978) and Okuda (US 2019/0285076) have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The prior art combination still reads on to the claims as currently presented.
Applicant's point on pages 4-5 of Remarks that “Gabbin discloses a separate component, such as a washer or an elastic material (e.g., vulcanized rubber) component, disposed between the fan hub and the rotor cap for cushioning purposes. Thus, Gabbin differs significantly from the claimed damping member "integrally formed with the fan hub." This feature is not disclosed in Gabbin” and that claim 1 particular limitations while “in contrast, Gabbin discloses a rubber washer that is a separate component inserted into a bolt-fastening region. Gabbin relies on a separate rubber washer located at a fastening point, and therefore cannot provide the advantages of the claimed integrally formed damping protrusion” was not found persuasive by the Examiner.
While the claim amendments did overcome the embodiment in fig. 4 of Gabbin, the embodiment shown in fig. 3 of Gabbin still anticipates claim 1 as currently presented. Fig. 3 of Gabbin does anticipate “wherein the damping member is formed in the shape of a protrusion extending from the inner surface of the fan hub toward the rotor” since the damping members 14 are shown to take on the shape of a protrusion which extends from the inner surface of the fan hub toward the rotor; this is due to them protruding/extending from the inner surface 9d of the hub 9 toward the rotor cap 8 in fig. 3. Gabbin also anticipates “wherein the damping member is integrally formed with the fan hub” since the damping members 14 are shown to be integrally formed, i.e. joined to form a single piece when assembled, with the fan hub 9 in fig. 3; this is evident by the fact that the narrower section of the damping members 14 provided at the through opening 9c keeps it retained therein and attached to the fan hub as shown in fig. 3. The phrase “integrally formed”, interpreted under a broadest reasonable interpretation, would merely mean that components are included as part of a whole rather than supplied separately. Fig. 3 of Gabbin would anticipate this since the damping members 14 are shown to be coupled/formed onto the fan hub 9.
Applicant's point on page 5 of Remarks that “Fixed stop 323 is taught by Liedel to be "a fixed stop", a structural fastening element. Paragraph 20 of Liedel merely states that the fixed stop 323 may be deformable, but it does not disclose that fixed stop 323 serves as a damping member or is positioned/functionally equivalent to one. Therefore, Liedel does not teach or suggest that fixed stop 323 is an ‘integrally formed damping protrusion’” is not found persuasive by Examiner.
Liedel states “It is also possible for the fixed stop 323 to be designed such that it can be plastically or elastically deformed by the fastening 15 of the fan 10; the deformable elements 321 may then if appropriate be omitted” in pr. 20. This deformability is what allows the fixed stop 323 to function similarly to the damping elements 321. This is the reason that it is stated that the deformable elements 321 maybe omitted in the case that the fixed stops 323 are designed such that they can be plastically or elastically deformed. Additionally, the fixed stop comprises the structure necessary to function as a damping member in light of Applicant's specification; that they form a physical connection between the fan hub and the rotor.
Applicant's point on page 6 of Remarks that “the fixed stop 323 of Liedel is not all of, or is not a combination of, described as a protrusion extending toward the rotor, described as performing a damping function, and described as integrally formed with the hub” is not found persuasive by the Examiner.
It is shown clearly in fig. 17 that the fixed stops 323 protrude from the inner surface of the fan hub toward the rotor. They would function as damping members given the disclosure in pr. 20 of Liedel as well as them forming a physical connection between the fan hub and the rotor.
Applicant's point on page 7 of Remarks that “Takeshita's adhesive also fails to disclose that ‘the damping member is integrally formed with the fan hub.’” Was not found persuasive by the Examiner.
The adhesive 241 is shown to be integrally formed, i.e. joined to form a single piece when assembled, with the cup portion 21 in fig. 12 of Takeshita. This is because the adhesive is fixed attached to the cup portion 21.
Examiner Note: DE10245295A1 (first cited in the Office Action of 03/26/2025) discloses wherein the damping member is integrally formed with the fan hub (see damping element 10 and impeller 6 fig. 2; “the damping element 10 may natural also in the impeller 6 can be glued in, also fastening by vulcanization or mechanical brackets is conceivable” p3; the damping element 10 being glued in to the impeller 6 establishes them as integrally formed, i.e. joined to form a single piece when assembled, given that they are fixedly attached). DE10245295A1 further teaches that this attachment method of the damping element can “secure attachment of the damping part allow and ensure that the attachment and the carrier are good damped against each other become” on p2.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3 and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2015/0300374, herein referenced as Gabbin.
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Figures 2 and 3 of Gabbin
Regarding Claim 1, Gabbin discloses a fan (1 fig. 1) comprising:
a fan hub (hub 9 fig. 2) having an inner surface (inner surface 9d fig. 3) and an outer periphery (see outer periphery at annular side wall 9b fig. 3), and being open on one side (the hub 9 would be open on its bottom side to accommodate rotor cap 8 and stator 6 as shown in fig. 3);
a blade formed on the outer periphery of the fan hub (see blade 10 fig. 3);
a rotor (rotor cap 8 fig. 3) having an outer surface (see outer surface of 8 fig. 3), being inserted and coupled to the fan hub (rotor cap 8 shown to be inserted into hub 9 in fig. 3); and
a damping member (see damping member(s) 14 in figs. 2-3) disposed between the inner surface of the fan hub (inner surface 9d of hub 9 fig. fig. 3) and the outer surface of the rotor (see outer surface of rotor cap 8 fig. 3; damping members 14 are shown to be disposed/exist between the inner surface 9d of the fan hub 9 and the outer surface of 8 in fig. 3), contacting both the fan hub and the rotor (shown in fig. 3),
wherein the fan hub comprises a first cooling hole (one of the cooling holes/slots provided annular on the front wall 9a of the hub 9 in fig. 2) formed to penetrate the inner surface thereof (the cooling holes/slots are shown to penetrate though to the inner surface 9d of the hub 9 in figs. 2-3),
wherein the damping member (damping member(s) 14 in figs. 2-3) is formed in the shape of a protrusion extending from the inner surface of the fan hub (the damping members 14 are shown to take on the shape of: a protrusion which extends from the inner surface of the fan hub toward the rotor; this is due to them protruding/extending from the inner surface 9d of the hub 9 toward the rotor cap 8 in fig. 3) toward the rotor, and is formed at a portion where the first cooling hole is not formed (the cooling holes/slots in fig. 2 are shown to be provided where the damping members 14 in fig. 3 are not formed based upon the location of the connection points 12; further it could be understood that the damping member which would be provided at a connection point 12 on the left in fig. 2 would be at a different position from where a cooling slot on the right in fig. 2 is formed), contacting the rotor (damping members 14 and washers 22 are shown to contact the rotor 8 in fig. 3), and
wherein the damping member (damping members 14 in figs. 2-3) is integrally formed with the fan hub (fan hub 9; the damping members 14 are shown to be integrally formed, i.e. joined to form a single piece when assembled, with the fan hub 9 in fig. 3; this is evident by the fact that the narrower section of the damping members 14 provided at the through opening 9c keeps it retained therein and attached to the fan hub as shown in fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 3, Gabbin discloses the fan of claim 1, wherein the fan hub comprises a bottom wall (front wall 9a fig. 3) and a side wall (annular side wall 9b fig. 3) defining a space into which the rotor is inserted (see rotor cap 8 inserted into space of hub 9 in fig. 3), the rotor comprising a bottom wall (see flat disk/shaped wall of rotor cap 8 in fig. 3; this would be analogous to the front wall 9a of the hub 9 but for the rotor cap 8) facing the bottom wall of the fan hub (9a of 9 in fig. 3) and a side wall (see annular side wall of rotor cap 8 in fig. 3; this would be analogous to the annular side wall 9b of the hub 9 but for the rotor cap 8) facing the side wall of the fan hub (9b of 9 in fig. 3), and the damping member is positioned between the bottom wall of the fan hub and the bottom wall of the rotor (the damping member(s) 14 in fig. 3 are shown to be positioned between the front wall 9a of the hub 9 and the front wall of the rotor cap 8).
Regarding Claim 11, Gabbin discloses the fan of claim 1, wherein the damping member is formed in one or more protrusions (see plurality of damping members 14 which form one or more protrusions in figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding Claim 12, Gabbin discloses the fan of claim 11, wherein the damping member is formed in at least two protrusions a predetermined spacing therebetween (see plurality of damping members 14 in fig. 2 which are arranged with a predetermined spacing therebetween in an annular manner).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim(s) 1 and 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2012/0128492, herein referenced as Liedel, in view of US 7015606, herein referenced as Huang.
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Examiner Figure 1 – annotated version of fig. 17 of Liedel
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Figure 18 of Liedel
Regarding Claim 1, Liedel discloses a fan (see fig. 17 which possess the embodiment of the fixed stops being plastically or elastically deformable as disclosed in pr. 20) comprising:
a fan hub (hub 11 fig. 17) having an inner surface (see inner surface of hub 11 fig. 17) and an outer periphery (see outer periphery at axial portion 13 in fig. 17), and being open on one side (shown to be open on its lower side in fig. 17);
a blade (see blades 14 formed on axial portion of hub 11 in fig. 15) formed on the outer periphery of the fan hub (see axial portion 13 of hub 11 in fig. 17);
a rotor (motor rotor 22 fig. 17) having an outer surface (see outer/exterior facing surface of rotor 22 fig. 17), being inserted and coupled to the fan hub (rotor 22 shown to be inserted and coupled to hub 11 in fig. 17); and
a damping member (see fixed stop 323 on right side in fig. 17; alternatively, the damping member can encompass multiple fixed stops 323, such as the left and right one, in fig. 17; these being formed as plastically or elastically deformable members as disclosed in pr. 20 which states that “It is also possible for the fixed stop 323 to be designed such that it can be plastically or elastically deformed by the fastening 15 of the fan 10; the deformable elements 321 may then if appropriate be omitted”, basically where the fixed stops 323 in fig. 17 function as the deformable elements 321 in fig. 18) disposed between the inner surface of the fan hub (see inner surface of hub 11 fig. 17) and the outer surface of the rotor (see outer surface of rotor 22 fig. 17), contacting both the fan hub and the rotor (fixed stop 323 shown to be contacting both the fan hub 11 and rotor 22 in fig. 17),
wherein the damping member (at least 323 on the right in fig. 17) is formed in the shape of a protrusion extending from the inner surface of the fan hub (under a broadest reasonable interpretation, right fixed stop 323 is shown to be formed in a shape of: a protrusion extending from the inner surface of the hub 11 to the rotor 22 in fig. 17 due to extending/protruding between these components; pr. 20 states that “it is also possible for the fixed stop 323 to be designed such that it can be plastically or elastically deformed by the fastening 15 of the fan 10; the deformable elements 321 may then if appropriate be omitted”) toward the rotor, contacting the rotor (right 323 shown to contact rotor 22 in fig. 17), and
wherein the damping member (fixed stop 323 on the right in fig. 17) is integrally formed with the fan hub (right fixed stop 323 is shown to be integrally formed with the fan hub 11 in fig. 17).
However, Liedel fails to anticipate wherein the fan hub comprises a first cooling hole formed to penetrate the inner surface thereof, and wherein the damping member is formed at a portion where the first cooling hole is not formed.
Liedel and Huang are analogous art since they both relate to the field of endeavor of fans/blowers.
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Figure 2A of Huang
Huang teaches wherein the fan hub (13 fig. 2A) comprises a first cooling hole (aperture 18 of fan hub 13 fig. 2A) formed to penetrate the inner surface thereof (aperture 18 shown to penetrate bottom wall of hub 13 in fig. 2A). Huang also teaches of a second cooling hole (see opening 17 and corresponding projection 16 in fig. 2A) formed to penetrate the bottom wall (opening 17 shown to penetrate the bottom wall of rotor case 14 in fig. 2A). Huang further teaches that “the projection 16 and the corresponding opening 17 thereof and the aperture 18 are rotated together with the rotation of the rotor 11, thereby heat generated from the stator 31 is dissipated” in col. 3 lines 14-19.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the invention of Liedel to have the aperture 18, opening 17 and projection 16 disclosed by Huang, so as to obtain the benefit of ‘dissipating heat generated from the stator, as taught by Huang.
In this combination of Liedel modified by the teachings of Huang, it would be obvious that the damping member (see right 323 in fig. 17 of Liedel) be positioned in a portion wherein the first cooling hole (or potentially other cooling holes) is not formed so that the operation of the right 323 of Liedel and the operation of the cooling holes of Huang (as used to modify Liedel) are not affected by each other.
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Liedel and Huang comprises the fan of claim 1, wherein the fan hub (11 fig. 17 of Liedel) comprises a bottom wall (wall of radial portion 12 fig. 17 of Liedel) and a side wall (side wall of axial portion 13 fig. 17 of Liedel) defining a space into which the rotor is inserted (see space of hub 11 occupied by rotor 22 in fig. 17 of Liedel), the rotor (22 fig. 17 of Liedel; see rotor’s side wall and bottom wall in Examiner Figure 1) comprising a bottom wall (see radial wall of rotor 22, shown to face radial wall 12 in fig. 17 of Liedel) facing the bottom wall of the fan hub (radial portion 12 of hub 11 fig. 17 of Liedel) and a side wall (see axial wall of rotor 22, shown to face axial portion 13 of hub 11 in fig. 17 of Liedel) facing the side wall of the fan hub (axial portion 13 of hub 11 fig. 17 of Liedel), and the damping member (right 323 fig. 17 of Liedel) is positioned between the bottom wall of the fan hub and the bottom wall of the rotor (323 on the right is shown to be provided between the radial wall 12 of hub 11 and the radial wall of rotor 22 in fig. 17 of Liedel).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Liedel and Huang comprises the fan of claim 3, wherein the fan hub comprises a first bolt hole (see bolt hole in hub 11 for the fastening 15 on the left in fig. 17 of Liedel; 1st bolt hole in Examiner Figure 1), the rotor comprises a second bolt hole (see bolt hole in rotor 22 for the fastening 15 on the left in fig. 17 of Liedel; 2nd bolt hole in Examiner Figure 1) and a second cooling hole (see opening 17 and corresponding projection 16 in fig. 2A of Huang, as used to modify bottom wall of rotor 22 of Liedel above) formed to penetrate the bottom wall (opening 17 shown to penetrate the bottom wall of rotor case 14 in fig. 2A of Huang, as used to modify Liedel) thereof, and the damping member (321 on the right in fig. 17 of Liedel; see damping element in Examiner Figure 1) is positioned in a portion wherein the first bolting hole, the second bolting hole, the first cooling hole, and the second cooling hole are not formed (the damping element is shown to be positioned in a portion where the 1st bolt hole and 2nd bolt hole are not formed in Examiner Figure 1; further, the first cooling hole and the second cooling hole of Huang, as used to modify Liedel above, would be positioned in a different portion from the damping element in Examiner Figure 1 for the modification of Liedel in view of Huang so as main operation/function of the cooling holes and/or the damping member), contacting both the fan hub and the rotor (damping element shown to contact the hub 11 and rotor 22 in Examiner Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 5, the combination of Liedel and Huang comprises the fan of claim 3, wherein the damping member (fixed stop 323 fig. 17 of Liedel formed as deformable) has a height equal to a gap between the bottom wall of the fan hub and the bottom wall of the rotor (the fixed stop 323 are shown to have a height that is equal to the gap between the bottom walls of the fan hub 11 and the rotor 22 in fig. 17 of Liedel).
Claim(s) 1 and 6-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 8757978, herein referenced as Takeshita, in view of US 2019/0285076, herein referenced as Okuda.
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Figures 2 and 12 of Takeshita
Regarding Claim 1, Takeshita discloses a fan (see fan in fig. 2) comprising:
a fan hub (cup portion 21 fig. 2) having an inner hub (see inner surface of cup portion 21 in fig. 12) and an outer periphery (see outer periphery of cup portion 21 in fig. 2), and being open on one side (cup portion 21 shown to be open on its bottom side in fig. 4);
blade (22 fig. 2) formed on the outer periphery of the fan hub (shown in fig. 2);
a rotor (see rotor holder 31 of rotor portion 3 fig. 2) having an outer surface rotor (see outer surface of rotor holder 31 in fig. 12), being inserted and coupled to the fan hub (rotor portion 3 shown to be inserted and coupled to cup portion 21 in fig. 2); and
a damping member (see adhesive 241 fig. 12 which can be applied at each of the second ribs 24 in figs. 4 and 12, meaning the damping member can comprises a plurality of adhesive; “since there is a slight gap between the side wall portion of the rotor holder 31 and the radially inner end portion of each second rib 24, an adhesive 241 may be applied to this gap to further improve the retention between the cup portion 21 and the rotor holder 31, as shown, for example, in FIG. 12” col. 9 lines 40-45, this adhesive 241 in fig. 12 is analogous to the claimed damping member under a broadest reasonable interpretation since it contains the required structure which renders it a damping element, i.e. forming a contact and connection between the fan hub and rotor; additionally, “application of an adhesive 241 to a gap between the pedestals 23a and the annular plate portion of the rotor holder 31 will further improve retention between the cup portion 21 and the rotor holder 31” in col. 7 lines 46-50, this adhesive can similarly be interpreted as part of the damping member) disposed between the inner surface of the fan hub (see inner surface of cup portion 21 in fig. 12) and the outer surface of the rotor (see outer surface of rotor holder 31 in fig. 12), contacting both the fan hub and the rotor (adhesive 241 is shown to contact the rotor holder 31 and the cup portion 21 through its second ribs 24 in fig. 12),
wherein the damping member (adhesive 241 fig. 12) is formed in the shape of a protrusion extending from the inner surface of the fan hub (the adhesive 241 in fig. 12 is shown to take on the shape of: a protrusion which extends from the inner surface of the fan hub toward the rotor; this is due to the adhesive protruding/extending from the inner surface of the rib 24, which is an inner surface of the cup portion 21, toward the rotor holder 31 in fig. 12) toward the rotor, and contacting the rotor (adhesive 241 shown to contact the rotor holder 31 in fig. 12), and
wherein the damping member (adhesive 241 fig. 12) is integrally formed with the fan hub (cup portion 21 fig. 12; the adhesive 241 is shown to be integrally formed, i.e. joined to form a single piece when assembled, with the cup portion 21 in fig. 12; this is evident by the fact that the contact of the adhesive 241 with the cup portion keeps it connected/joined with the cup portion as shown in fig. 12).
However, Takeshita fails to anticipate wherein the fan hub comprises a first cooling hole formed to penetrate the inner surface thereof, and wherein the damping member is formed at a portion where the first cooling hole is not formed.
Takeshita and Okuda are analogous art since they both relate to the field of endeavor of fans.
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Figure 5A of Okuda
Okuda teaches wherein the fan hub (see hub 5 its protective cover 51 in fig. 5A) comprises a first cooling hole (see intake port 61 provided on fig. 5A) formed to penetrate the inner surface thereof (intake ports 61 shown to penetrate inner surface in fig. 5B). Okuda further teaches that due to the intake port(s), “a larger amount of ventilation can be obtained. Hence, the protection cover according to the embodiment is more suitable to improve internal cooling efficiency of the fan motor apparatus” in pr. 44.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the radial portion 12 of the cup portion 21 to include the intake ports disclosed by Okuda so as to obtain the benefit of ‘a larger amount of ventilation and improved internal cooling efficiency of the fan motor apparatus’ as taught by Okuda.
In this combination of Takeshita modified by the teachings of Okuda, it would be obvious that the first cooling hole damping member be positioned in a different portion from the damping member(s) is not formed so that the operation the operation of the cooling holes of Okuda (as used to modify Liedel) and function of the adhesive 241 in fig. 12 of Takeshita do not interfere with each other.
Regarding Claim 6, the combination of Takeshita and Okuda comprises the fan of claim 1, wherein the fan hub comprises a bottom wall (see radially extending wall or radial portion 12 of cup portion 21 fig. 2 of Takeshita) and a side wall (see axially extending wall of cup portion 21 fig. 2 of Takeshita) defining a space in which the rotor is inserted (shown in fig. 2 of Takeshita), the rotor comprises a bottom wall facing the bottom wall of the fan hub (see radially extending wall of rotor holder 31 in fig. 2 of Takeshita; shown to face the radially extending wall of cup portion) and a side wall facing the side wall of the fan hub (the axially extending wall of rotor holder 31 is shown to face the axially extending wall of cup portion 21 in figs. 2 and 12 of Takeshita), and the damping member (one or more of the adhesive 241 fig. 12 of Takeshita), based on the rotor being divided into at least two equal segments in the height direction of the rotor, is positioned at the segment corresponding to a part of the side wall closest to the bottom wall of the fan hub (see radially extending wall of cup portion 21 in fig. 2 of Takeshita) among the at least two segments (since the adhesive is applied to the gap between the sidewall portion of the rotor holder 31 and the radially inner end portion of each second rib 24, as disclosed in col. 9 lines 40-45 of Takeshita, and the second ribs 24 are shown in fig. 6A of Takeshita to extend from the radially extending wall of cup portion 21, this would mean that the adhesive 241 which is applied to this gap would be positioned/provided in a segment of the rotor 3 closest to the radially extending wall of the cup portion 21. In other words, positioned in the axially top half of rotor holder 31 in fig. 2 of Takeshita).
Regarding Claim 7, the combination of Takeshita and Okuda comprises the fan of claim 6, wherein the fan hub comprises a plurality of ribs formed radially on the bottom wall and the side wall (see plurality of second ribs 24 in figs. 6A and 12 of Takeshita, the second ribs 24 are shown to be formed radially on the radially extending wall and the side wall of cup portion 21 in fig. 6A of Takeshita) thereof, the damping member is positioned at an inner end of at least one of the plurality of ribs (adhesive 241 shown to be positioned at the inner ends of ribs 24 in fig. 12 of Takeshita, also see col. 9 lines 40-45 of Takeshita), contacting both the at least one of the plurality of ribs and the side wall of the rotor (adhesive 241 shown to be contacting both the ribs 24 and side wall of rotor holder 31 in fig. 12 of Takeshita).
Regarding Claim 8, the combination of Takeshita and Okuda comprises the fan of claim 7, wherein the damping member is positioned at inner ends of at least three ribs of the plurality of ribs (see adhesive 241 positioned at inner end of the ribs 24 in fig. 12 of Takeshita, this adhesive can be applied to multiple of the ribs 24; “a slight gap between the side wall portion of the rotor holder 31 and the radially inner end portion of each second rib 24, an adhesive 241 may be applied to this gap to further improve the retention between the cup portion 21 and the rotor holder 31, as shown, for example, in FIG. 12” col. 9 lines 40-45 of Takeshita, since the adhesive would be applied to each of the second ribs 24 and there are at least three ribs 24 as shown in fig. 6A of Takeshita, the combination of Takeshita and Okuda comprises this limitation).
Regarding Claim 9, the combination of Takeshita and Okuda comprises the fan of claim 8, wherein the damping (adhesive 241 fig. 12 of Takeshita; “a slight gap between the side wall portion of the rotor holder 31 and the radially inner end portion of each second rib 24, an adhesive 241 may be applied to this gap to further improve the retention between the cup portion 21 and the rotor holder 31, as shown, for example, in FIG. 12” col. 9 lines 40-45 of Takeshita) forms an imaginary circle tangent to the damping member with a diameter smaller than or equal to a diameter of the rotor (see diameter of rotor holder 31 in fig. 2 of Takeshita; since the adhesive 241 is applied to the side wall of rotor holder 31, as shown in fig. 12 of Takeshita, an imaginary circle tangent to the adhesives would have a diameter equal to the diameter of the rotor holder 31 where it is attached).
Regarding Claim 10, the combination of Takeshita and Okuda comprises the fan of claim 7, wherein the damping member (“application of an adhesive 241 to a gap between the pedestals 23a and the annular plate portion of the rotor holder 31 will further improve retention between the cup portion 21 and the rotor holder 31” col. 7 lines 46-50 of Takeshita) is positioned between the bottom wall of the fan hub (see pedestal 23a which is an axial extension of the radially extending wall of cup portion 21 fig. 6A of Takeshita) and the bottom wall of the rotor (radially extending wall of rotor holder 31 fig. 2 of Takeshita), contacting both the bottom wall of the fan hub (the adhesive 241 described in col. 7 lines 46-50 of Takeshita contacts pedestals 23a which are extensions of the radially extending wall of cup portion 21 in fig. 6A of Takeshita) and the bottom wall of the rotor (“application of an adhesive 241 to a gap between the pedestals 23a and the annular plate portion of the rotor holder 31” col. 7 lines 46-50 of Takeshita).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Wesley Fisher whose telephone number is (469)295-9146. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00AM to 5:30PM, Monday - Friday.
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/W.L.F./Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/COURTNEY D HEINLE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745