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 .
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-4 are amended.
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) 1 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2022/0009312 to Hayashi et al.
Regarding claim 1, Hayashi ‘312 discloses a supporting structure and a compressor supported by the supporting structure, wherein the supporting structure comprises elastic members 30 comprising a first elastic member 30a and a second elastic member 30b arranged on a circumferential side of the compressor in a first direction, a center of gravity of the compressor is between the first elastic member 30a and the second elastic member 30b, and from a view in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first elastic member 30a is disposed below the center of gravity in an up-down direction, wherein the up-down direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and from the view in the second direction, the second elastic member 30b is farther away from a compression mechanism side of the compressor than the first elastic member 30a (fig. 1 – the examiner equates the side supported by 30a to be the mechanism side – noting that the compressor is not even positively recited in the claim).
Regarding claim 3, Hayashi ‘312 discloses, wherein, from a view in the first direction, the elastic members 30ab are disposed on opposite two sides of the compressor (figs 1 and 4), and an angle between virtual lines connecting the elastic members located on the two sides of the compressor and the gravity is configured such that a vibration direction of the compressor is a shearing direction of the elastic members (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) 2 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2022/0009312 to Hayashi et al. in view of US 2021/0010561 to Kanamaru et al.
Regarding claim 2, Hayashi ‘312 discloses a first and second elastic member for supporting a machinery device.
Kanamaru ‘561 teaches that differentiating the elastic coefficients of the first elastic member and the second elastic member, resonant frequencies of the elastic members can be differentiated, and vibrations in different frequency regions can be effectively attenuated (para 0016).
Kanamaru ‘561 teaches wherein, an elastic coefficient of the second elastic member is less than an elastic coefficient of the first elastic member (para 0016). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the elastic members taught in Hayashi ‘312 to have varied elastic coefficient between the elastic members so that vibrations in different frequency regions can be effectively attenuated.
Regarding claim 4, Hayashi ‘312 discloses, wherein, from a view in the first direction, the elastic members 30ab are disposed on opposite two sides of the compressor, and an angle between virtual lines connecting the elastic members 30ab located on the two sides of the compressor and the gravity is configured such that a vibration direction of the compressor is a shearing direction of the elastic members (figs 1 and 4).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONICA E MILLNER whose telephone number is (571)270-7507. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MONICA E MILLNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632
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