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 .
DETAILED ACTION
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: “T1” and “T2” in Fig. 8. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because “A fluid pressure actuator with a cover, comprising a fluid pressure actuator and a cover covering the fluid pressure actuator, wherein” in lines 1-2 should be --A fluid pressure actuator:
Claim 2 is objected to because “The fluid pressure actuator with a cover according to claim 1” in line 1 should be --The fluid pressure actuator according to claim 1--.
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“The fluid pressure actuator with a cover according to claim 1” in line 1 should be --The fluid pressure actuator according to claim 1--;
“the thickness” in lines 4-5 should be --a thickness--.
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yusuke (JP-S61262205-A).
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Re claim 1:
Yusuke discloses a fluid pressure actuator with a cover (Fig. 1(a) (see Page 4, Lines 18-20)), comprising a fluid pressure actuator (1, elastic contracting body - Page 4, Line 18; 2, tubular body - Page 4, Line 20; 3, tubular body - Page 8, Line 5 (element 3 appears to be referenced in the translation, e.g. at Page 4, Line 21, as element 8); 4a, 4b, closing members - Page 5, Line 1; 5, crimping cap - Page 5, Line 3; 8, braided reinforcing structure - Page 4, Line 21 (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize elements 1, 2, 3, 4a, 4b, 5, 8 collectively as a type of fluid pressure actuator as shown in Fig. 1(a))) and a cover (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - A (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element A as a type of cover; element A corresponds to elements 10, which is a ring member per Page 5, Lines 19-20, and 11, which is a bendable cylindrical member per Page 5, Line 21)) covering the fluid pressure actuator (see Figs. 1(a) and Modified Fig. 1(a) above), wherein
the fluid pressure actuator (1, 2, 3, 4a, 4b, 5) comprises a cylindrical tube (2) that expands and contracts by fluid pressure (see Fig. 1(a) and Page 4, Line 18 - Page 5, Line 1), a sleeve (3) that is an elastic structure made of woven fiber cords oriented in a predetermined direction (see Fig. 1(a) and Page 4, Line 20 - Page 5, Line 11) and covers an outer circumference of the tube (2)( see Fig. 1(a) and Page 4, Line 18 - Page 5, Line 1), and a sealing member (4a, 4b, 5) that seals an end portion (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - B (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element B as a type of end portion in direction identified by element C of element 2)) in an axial direction (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - C (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element C as a type of axial direction of element 2 (see full Fig. 1(a) as well as Modified Fig. 1(a) above))) of the tube (2)(see Figs. 1(a), Modified Fig. 1(a) above, and Page 4, Line 17 - Page 5, Line 11), and
the sleeve (3) and the cover (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - A) are at least partially non-contact with each other in a state where no fluid pressure is applied (see Fig. 1(a) and Modified Fig. 1(a) above)
Re claim 2:
Yusuke discloses the fluid pressure actuator with a cover (Fig. 1(a)) according to claim 1 (as described above), wherein an outer diameter (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - D (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element D as a type of outer diameter of element 3)) of the sleeve (3) is smaller than an outer diameter (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - E (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element E as a type of outer diameter of element 4a))) of the sealing member (4a, 4b, 5) in a state where no fluid pressure is applied (see Fig. 1(a) and Modified Fig. 1(a) above and see Page 8, Lines 4-7).
Re claim 3:
Yusuke discloses the fluid pressure actuator with a cover (Fig. 1(a)) according to claim 1 (as described above), wherein the cover (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - A) is thinner in at least part of a sleeve cover portion (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - F (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element F as a type of sleeve cover portion covering element 3)) covering the sleeve (3) of the fluid pressure actuator (Fig. 1(a)) than in a sealing member cover portion (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - G (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element G as a type of sealing member cover portion covering element 5)) covering the sealing member (4a, 4b, 5) of the fluid pressure actuator (Fig. 1(a)), due to reducing the thickness of the sleeve cover portion (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - F) at an inner-circumference side (Modified Fig. 1(a) above - H (person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize element H as a type of inner-circumference side))(see Fig. 1(a) and Modified Fig. 1(a) above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Loren C Edwards whose telephone number is (571)272-7133. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 6AM-430PM.
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/LOREN C EDWARDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746 8/15/25