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 .
Priority
This application is a national stage entry under 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2022/017537, filed April 11, 2022. The effective filing date of the pending claims is April 11, 2022.
Status of Claims
Claims 1–11 are canceled. Claims 12–30 are pending. Claims 21–29 are rejected herein. Claims 12–20 and 30 are allowed, as set forth in the Allowable Subject Matter section below.
Claim Interpretation
Claims 12, 21, and 30 recite that "the set of parts comprises one or more of a switching element for controlling a current supplied to the motor, a control integrated circuit for controlling the switching element, a protection element for stabilizing a power supply voltage, and a resistor for measuring the current supplied to the motor." Because the species are recited in the alternative, a teaching of any one of the recited species satisfies the limitation of the independent claims; claims 13–15 and 22–24 require progressively greater numbers of the recited species.
The terms "switching element," "control integrated circuit," "protection element," and "resistor" are interpreted as naming known structural classes of circuit components consistent with the specification (see [0033], describing the switching element (K2) as, for example, a MOSFET having a gate connected with the control IC (K1)), and are not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). The phrase "arranged in a direction along an axis line of the motor" (claims 21 and 30) and "arranged about an axis line of the motor" (claim 12) are interpreted consistent with [0028] and [0032] of the specification, which describe the axial positional relationship of the base plate part and the circuit substrate relative to the motor along the axis line (C1).
Claim Rejections — 35 U.S.C. 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.
Claims 21 and 26 — rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kusano (US 2008/0219838 A1) in view of De Filippis et al. (US 2009/0155103 A1) ("De Filippis").Regarding claim 21, Kusano discloses a cooling fan (1 in FIG. 2) for an electronic device (a centrifugal fan for cooling heat-generating components of electronic apparatuses), the cooling fan comprising: a set of fins (22 in FIG. 2); a motor (3 in FIG. 2) configured to rotatably drive the fins (the electronic components (41 in FIG. 2) control the current supply to the coil (311 in FIG. 1), thereby generating torque around the central axis (J1 in FIGS. 1–2) through the interaction between the stator (312 in FIG. 1) and the magnet (323 in FIG. 1), such that the shaft (35 in FIG. 1) and the impeller (2 in FIG. 2) attached thereto are rotated about the central axis; [0026]); a circuit substrate (42 in FIG. 2) mounted with a set of parts (41 in FIG. 2) for selectively inducing the motor to drive ( [0026]–[0027]), the circuit substrate being arranged in a direction along an axis line of the motor (the circuit board (42 in FIG. 2) is arranged between the stator (312 in FIG. 1) and the base (52 in FIGS. 1–2); [0027]); at least one cable (a lead wire, not shown, connecting the connector (43 in FIG. 2) to an external power supply; [0027], the connector (43) connecting the electronic components (41) to an external power supply or the like); and a connection part (43 in FIG. 2) mounted on the circuit substrate and connected with the at least one cable ( [0027]), wherein: the set of parts is arranged on a same side as the connection part relative to a plane normal to a straight line connecting the axis line of the motor with the connection part, the plane further passing through the axis line (the electronic components (41 in FIG. 2) are mounted on the component mounting portion (44 in FIG. 2) within the space (7 in FIGS. 2–3) enclosed by the top plate (71 in FIGS. 2–3) and the sidewalls (72 in FIGS. 2–3), and the connector (43 in FIG. 2) is provided at a sidewall (72) of that same space (7); the circuit board (42 in FIG. 2) is fixed on the side of the exhaust port (515 in FIG. 2) so as not to overlap the through hole (521 in FIG. 2) and is disposed entirely to one side of the central axis (J1 in FIG. 2), such that the set of parts (41) and the connection part (43) are located together on the same side of the recited plane; FIG. 2). Kusano does not expressly disclose that the set of parts comprises one or more of a switching element for controlling a current supplied to the motor, a control integrated circuit for controlling the switching element, a protection element for stabilizing a power supply voltage, and a resistor for measuring the current supplied to the motor. The recited species are claimed in the alternative, such that a teaching of any one satisfies the limitation. De Filippis teaches a cooling fan module in which the components controlling the current supplied to a fan motor (11 in FIGS. 2–4) comprise switching transistors (17 and 17′ in FIGS. 2–4) supplying current to the motor (11) via lines (19 in FIGS. 2–4), the switching transistors being operated by a control circuit block (14 in FIGS. 2–4) connected to gates of the switching transistors (see also control unit (6 in FIG. 1; 13 in FIGS. 2–4)). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Kusano’s electronic components (41 in FIG. 2), which control the current supply to the coil (311 in FIG. 1), as switching transistors operated by a control circuit as taught by De Filippis (17, 17′, 14 in FIGS. 2–4), because such switching transistors and their control circuitry were the art-recognized components for controlling current supplied to electronically commutated fan motors, and doing so would have yielded the predictable result of commutated current control of the motor to rotatably drive the fan.Regarding claim 26, Kusano in view of De Filippis teaches the cooling fan of claim 21 as set forth above. Kusano further teaches that the circuit substrate is disposed between the motor and a base member that supports the motor (the circuit board (42 in FIG. 2) is arranged between the stator (312 in FIG. 1) of the motor (3 in FIG. 2) and the base (52 in FIGS. 1–2), [0027]; the base (52) supports the motor via the bearing holding portion (34 in FIG. 1) inserted into the through hole (521 in FIG. 2) of the base, the stator (312 in FIG. 1) being fixed to the outer periphery of the bearing holding portion (34); FIG. 1).
Claims 22–25 — rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kusano in view of De Filippis, and further in view of Erdman et al. (US 6,271,638) ("Erdman")Regarding claim 22, Kusano in view of De Filippis teaches the cooling fan of claim 21 as set forth above, including a switching element (switching transistors (17 and 17′ in FIGS. 2–4 of De Filippis)). The combination does not expressly disclose that the set of parts comprises two or more of the recited species. Erdman teaches an electronically commutated fan motor and control circuit assembly in which the fan motor is positioned on a circuit board (336 in FIG. 20; col. 15, ll. 20–25, "upon positioning of the evaporator fan motor on circuit board 336"), the assembly comprising: switching elements for controlling a current supplied to the motor (field effect transistor (FET) switches (154 and 156 in FIG. 21) controlling current flow to and through the windings (59 and 61 in FIG. 21) of the motor (16); col. 17, ll. 7–15); and a control integrated circuit for controlling the switching elements (ASIC (200 in FIGS. 21–22), pins 5 and 6 of which provide signals to drive or turn the FET switches (154 and 156) on and off, as controlled by the ASIC logic, in order to control current flow to the windings of the motor; col. 17, ll. 7–15). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Kusano’s electronic components (41 in FIG. 2 of Kusano) as switching elements together with a control integrated circuit controlling the switching elements as taught by Erdman (154, 156, 200 in FIGS. 21–22 of Erdman), because a control integrated circuit driving switching transistors was the art-recognized circuit architecture for controlling current supplied to electronically commutated fan motors, and doing so would have yielded the predictable result of commutated current control of the motor to rotatably drive the fan, such that the set of parts comprises two or more of the recited species.Regarding claim 23, Kusano in view of De Filippis and Erdman teaches the cooling fan of claim 22 as set forth above. Erdman further teaches: a resistor for measuring the current supplied to the motor (resistor (170 in FIG. 21) is a motor current shunt resistor that measures or senses the current supplied to the motor (16), the resistor developing a signal responsive to such current which is supplied to the ASIC (200) through resistor (172), the ASIC utilizing the signal to sense an overcurrent condition and thus detect motor stalling, and limiting the power supplied to the motor in response; col. 17, ll. 23–40); and a protection element for stabilizing a power supply voltage (filter capacitor (129 in FIG. 21), across diodes (132, 134), which smooths the DC output voltage and helps absorb line transients and transients generated by the switching circuits; col. 16, ll. 5–12; see also voltage regulator (134) in parallel with filter capacitor (129) providing a regulated voltage of approximately 8.7 volts, and MOV (120) positioned across the input lines (36, 37) to provide transient protection; col. 16, ll. 10–18). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further provide Kusano’s circuit board (42 in FIG. 2 of Kusano), implemented with the switching elements and control integrated circuit as set forth above, with a current-sensing shunt resistor and a supply-smoothing protection element as taught by Erdman, because Erdman teaches these components integrated in a fan motor’s own control circuit to detect and limit overcurrent and stall conditions and to stabilize the supply voltage against transients, and doing so would have yielded the predictable result of protecting the fan motor and its drive circuitry against overcurrent and voltage-transient damage. The combination thereby teaches at least three of the recited species.Regarding claim 24, Kusano in view of De Filippis and Erdman teaches the cooling fan of claim 21 as set forth above, and further teaches the set of parts comprising the switching element (154, 156 in FIG. 21 of Erdman; col. 17, ll. 7–15), the control integrated circuit (200 in FIGS. 21–22 of Erdman; col. 17, ll. 7–15), the protection element (129 in FIG. 21 of Erdman; col. 16, ll. 5–12), and the resistor (170 in FIG. 21 of Erdman; col. 17, ll. 23–40), for the reasons and with the motivation set forth in the rejections of claims 22 and 23 above, the combination thereby teaching all four of the recited species performing their known functions with predictable results.Regarding claim 25, Kusano in view of De Filippis and Erdman teaches the cooling fan of claim 21 as set forth above, including the set of parts comprising the switching element, the control integrated circuit, the protection element, and the resistor as applied to claims 22–24. The combination does not expressly state that one of the recited species is larger in size than any other part in the set of parts. Kusano teaches, however, that the electronic components (41 in FIG. 2) mounted on the circuit board (42) include at least a large-volume device such as a capacitor and a noise reducing coil ( [0027]), and Kusano arranges the components within the space (7 in FIGS. 2–3) so as to accommodate such large-volume devices. In the combination, the protection element implemented as the supply-smoothing filter capacitor (129 in FIG. 21 of Erdman) corresponds to Kusano’s large-volume capacitor. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the protection element implemented as an electrolytic smoothing capacitor would be larger in size than the other parts in the set, because Kusano expressly characterizes the capacitor among the board-mounted components as a large-volume device ( [0027]), and because the relative sizes of the components amount to a routine selection of component dimensions in which the components perform no function beyond their ordinary ones; where the only difference between the prior art and the claim is a recitation of the relative dimensions of components, and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device is not patentably distinct from the prior art device (see MPEP 2144.04(IV)(A)).
Claim 27 — rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kusano in view of De Filippis, and further in view of Yamasaki et al. (US 2020/0161941 A1) ("Yamasaki")Regarding claim 27, Kusano in view of De Filippis teaches the cooling fan of claim 21 as set forth above, including the circuit substrate (42 in FIG. 2 of Kusano) disposed between the motor (3 in FIG. 2 of Kusano) and the base (52 in FIGS. 1–2 of Kusano) supporting the motor ( [0027] of Kusano). Kusano’s base is a substantially flat plate and Kusano does not disclose the circuit substrate disposed between the motor and an inner ring part of the base member. Yamasaki teaches a fan motor (1 in FIGS. 1–2) in which the base portion (53 in FIGS. 3–7) supporting the motor comprises an inner tube portion (532 in FIGS. 3–6) disposed at the radially inner side adjacent the central axis (C) and holding the bearing structure (55, 56 in FIGS. 3–6) rotatably supporting the motor, an annular lid portion (531 in FIGS. 3–7), and an outer portion (533 in FIGS. 3–7), wherein the circuit board (54 in FIGS. 2–7) is arranged on the axially lower side of the stator (51, comprising 511, 512, 513 in FIGS. 2–7) and on the axially upper side of the base portion (53), such that the circuit board (54) is disposed between the motor and the radially inner annular ring region of the base member (the region of the lid portion (531) adjacent the inner tube portion (532); FIGS. 3–6; see also abstract, describing the base portion covering at least an axially lower side of the stator and the circuit board opposing the base portion in the axial direction). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute Yamasaki’s base construction — having an inner annular ring region and inner tube portion supporting the motor’s bearing structure, with the circuit board received between the stator and the base — for Kusano’s flat plate base, because both are art-recognized fan base constructions for commonly supporting a motor and its drive board, and the substitution would have yielded the predictable result of supporting the motor bearing structure and the circuit substrate on a single base member with the circuit substrate disposed between the motor and the inner ring part of the base member.
Claims 28 and 29 — rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kusano in view of De Filippis, and further in view of Wu (US 2013/0064700 A1)
Regarding claim 28, Kusano in view of De Filippis teaches the cooling fan of claim 21 as set forth above. Kusano does not disclose the circuit substrate having an opening therein through which a support tube part of the base member extends to support the circuit substrate on the base member; Kusano instead fixes the circuit board (42 in FIG. 2 of Kusano) at a position not overlapping the through hole (521 in FIG. 2 of Kusano). Wu teaches a cooling fan (1 in FIGS. 3–4) comprising a fan frame having a metal seat (11 in FIGS. 3–4) with an engaging face (111) and an engaging portion (112) mounted on the engaging face, the engaging portion (112) having one end (112a) protruding from the engaging face (111) and being a sleeve for coupling with the stator-coil unit (3) ( [0044]), wherein the circuit board (2 in FIGS. 3–4, 6) includes a positioning hole (23 in FIGS. 3, 6) extending through the base plate (20) and the insulation layer (21), the circuit board (2) being press fitted around the engaging portion (112) of the metal seat (11) via the positioning hole (23), with the end (112a) of the engaging portion forced through the positioning hole (23) to protrude from the circuit board (2), thereby positioning and supporting the circuit board on the seat of the base ( [0047]; FIGS. 5–6, circuit board assembly step (S1)).It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to mount Kusano’s circuit board (42) on the base by providing the board with an opening through which a support tube part of the base extends, as taught by Wu, because Wu teaches that press-fitting the circuit board’s positioning hole about the base’s projecting sleeve positions and secures the board on the base, and doing so would have yielded the predictable result of the circuit substrate positioned and supported on the base member by the support tube part. A stated preference in Kusano for a board arrangement avoiding the through hole is not a teaching away from the well-known alternative construction taught by Wu (see MPEP 2145(X)(D)).Regarding claim 29, Kusano in view of De Filippis and Wu teaches the cooling fan of claim 28 as set forth above. Wu further teaches that the support tube part supports the motor on the base member (the end (112a) of the engaging portion (112) forced through the positioning hole (23) firmly mounts the stator-coil unit (3) on the engaging portion (112), the engaging portion being a sleeve for coupling with the stator-coil unit; [0044], [0047]; FIGS. 7–8, stator-coil unit positioning step (S2)). The motivation set forth in the rejection of claim 28 applies equally, with the predictable result of the motor and the circuit substrate being commonly positioned and supported on the base member via the support tube part.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12–20 and 30 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter. The prior art of record teaches electronic devices having an exterior member with an intake port offset from internally housed cooling fans (Ootori, WO 2020/111274 A1, disclosing an exterior member (40) having an intake port (41i) formed along a first side of an internal heat sink (30), with cooling fans (15, 17) housed within the exterior member); cooling fans having a circuit substrate mounted with motor-drive components disposed adjacent the fan’s exhaust port on one side of the motor axis (Kusano, US 2008/0219838 A1, elements 41, 42, 44 relative to 515 and J1); and the general objective of protecting fan drive electronics and other components from contaminants entrained in intake airflow, achieved by enclosing the components away from the airflow (US 8,212,439) or by positioning intake ports to suppress dust reaching the components (US 8,462,505). However, the prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest, in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claims 12 and 30, an electronic device in which the exterior member comprises an air intake port positioned away from the motor in a radial direction thereof, and in which the set of parts mounted on the cooling fan’s circuit substrate is arranged on an opposite side of the air intake port with a plane interposed therebetween, the plane passing through the axis line of the motor. Kusano’s component placement is keyed to the fan’s own exhaust port rather than to any device-level intake port, Kusano’s intake port (511) being centered on the motor axis (J1); Ootori depicts the cooling fans as unitary components without disclosure of the internal arrangement of drive components relative to the device intake port; and the contamination-protection references achieve their objective by enclosure or by intake positioning rather than by the claimed arrangement of the drive components relative to a plane passing through the motor axis. Claims 13–20 are allowed as depending from claim 12. Multiple targeted searches of the patent and non-patent literature directed to the claimed arrangement did not uncover the combination of limitations recited.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: Ootori (WO 2020/111274 A1) discloses the device-level cooling architecture of an electronic device having an exterior member with offset intake ports and internal cooling fans; US 8,212,439 discloses a fan-motor unit in which sensitive control-board electronics are protected from contaminated forced airflow; US 8,462,505 discloses positioning intake port portions of a fan-cooled power supply to suppress dust drawn toward internal components; and US 8,033,799 discloses lead wires connected to a fan’s circuit board and drawn out of the housing at a connection portion.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHENGFU J FENG whose telephone number is (571) 272-2949. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 900am-530pm EST.
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/ZHENGFU J FENG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835 July 17, 2026
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