DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the following communications: the response filed on 07/14/2026.
Claims 1-18 are presented for Examination. Claim 1 is independent. Claims 19-20 are cancelled.
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 Arguments
Applicants’ arguments filed 07/14/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Previous rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112, First paragraph and Second paragraph withdrawn due to amendment of claims.
Applicants’ arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to new combinations of references including new prior art being used in the current rejection. The new grounds of rejection are necessitated by amendment.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over US20120133308A1 (Elenga et al.) in view of US20040237529A1 (Da Silva; “Silva”).
Regarding independent claim 1, Elenga et al teach that an actuator comprising:
a housing (402 in Fig. 4A; ¶[0028]: "The LRVM includes a cylindrical housing 402 within which a solid, cylindrical mass 404, or weight, can move linearly along the inner, hollow, cylindrically shaped chamber 406 within the cylindrical housing or tube 402");
a moving element (404 in Fig. 4A; ¶ [0028]: "a solid, cylindrical mass 404, or weight, can move linearly along the inner, hollow, cylindrically shaped chamber 406"); and
Elenga et al is silent with respect to the specific provision of that a drive component that causes the moving element to oscillate over an arc such that during one cycle of the oscillation, the moving element produces both a centrifugal force and a force tangential to the arc, non-centrifugal force wherein the force tangential to the arc is associated with the moving element reversing direction along the arc.
But Silva teaches that a drive component that causes the moving element to oscillate over an arc such that during one cycle of the oscillation, the moving element produces both a centrifugal force and a force tangential to the arc, non-centrifugal force wherein the force tangential to the arc is associated with the moving element reversing direction along the arc (Fig.7A-Fig7B, ¶[0131]-[0132]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in art, before the effective filing date of the invention. Because Elenga recognizes the limitations of traditional vibration modules (¶ [0005]-[0009]) and seeks more efficient vibration-generating unitsSilva specifically addresses efficiency improvements in dynamic performance with unbalanced masses (¶[0134]: "to achieve the best dynamic performance goal for the transfer of energy between rotating and inertial forces according to each application.").
Regarding claims 2 and 6, Elenga et al fail but Silva teaches that wherein the magnitude of the centrifugal force oscillates (Fig.7A).
Regarding claim 3, Elenga et al fail but Silva teaches that wherein the magnitude of the centrifugal force oscillates between a value of zero and a maximum value (Fig.7B).
Regarding claim 4, Elenga et al fail but Silva teaches that wherein the magnitude
of the non-centrifugal force oscillates (¶[0133]).
Regarding claim 5, Elenga et al fail but Silva teaches that wherein the direction of the non-centrifugal force alternates between a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction (Fig.7A).
Regarding claims 7-8, Elenga et al fail to teach but Silva teaches these relationships through the harmonic equations (¶[0102).
Regarding claim 9, Elenga et al teach that wherein the moving element oscillates on an arc-shaped path without making a complete circle (Fig. 8A-8C showing arc-shaped oscillation; ¶[0029]: "the weight linearly oscillates back and forth within the cylindrical housing 402").
Regarding claim 10, Both Elenga et al and Silva fail to teach that wherein arc-shaped path subtends an angle of between thirty degrees and seventy degrees but this is a matter of design choice and optimization that would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of both references regarding oscillation angles and force generation.
Regarding claims 11-12, These claims define the moving element structure. Elenga teaches various moving element configurations including platforms and weights (¶[0039]-[0040]: various implementations with different moving mass configurations).
Regarding claim 13, Elenga et al teach that wherein the drive component comprises: a magnet that moves with the moving element; and a coil separate from the moving element (¶[0028]: "The weight is a magnet in the described implementation of the linear-resonant vibration module to which current application is directed, with polarity indicated by the '+' sign 410 on the right-hand end and the '-' sign 412 on the left-hand end of the weight 404"; ¶[0028]: "Finally, a coil of conductive wire 420 is positioned at the mid-point of the cylindrical housing").
Regarding claims 14-16, These claims further define the drive component arrangement. Elenga teaches various coil and magnet configurations for driving oscillation (¶[0040]-[0042]: different coil arrangements and electromagnetic configurations).
Regarding claim 17, Elenga et al teach that wherein the actuator is incorporated into an electronic device, appliance, or system to provide haptic signals to a user (¶[0002]: "The current application is related to vibration-generating devices and, in particular, to vibration modules that can be incorporated into a wide variety of different types of electromechanical devices and systems to produce vibrations of selected amplitudes and frequencies over a wide range of amplitude/frequency space").
Regarding claim 18, Elenga et al teach that further comprising two springs attached to the moving element and to the housing (¶[0039]: "Note that, in place of the end magnets 1002 and 1004, mechanical springs may alternatively be used).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 MUHAMMAD S ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)272-8439. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30am to 6:00pm.
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, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached on 571-272-2060. 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.
/MUHAMMAD S ISLAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights