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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 13, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the active quadrants" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the opposite direction" in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
It is unclear what direction is intended for patent coverage. The claim recites “a current direction” but fails to elaborate upon any other movement direction.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the desired direction" in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
It is unclear what direction is intended for patent coverage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-12 and 14-18 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art fails to show or render obvious an MR fluid actuator comprising a motor assembly, an MR fluid clutch that applies a variable amount of force from the motor assembly, and further controlling the motor assembly to accelerate or decelerate toward a given value of a first frequency range, and concurrently reducing a torque transmission from the MR fluid clutch during a lag period in which the torque transmission acts opposite to the desired force.
Claims 19 and 20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Plante, Krebs et al. and Denninger each teach an MR actuating device.
Any inquiries concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
examiner should be directed to Thomas Williams whose telephone number is 571-272-7128.
The examiner can normally be reached on Tuesday-Friday from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
supervisor, Robert Siconolfi, can be reached at 571-272-7124. The fax phone number for the
organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding
should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is 571-272-6584.
TJW /THOMAS J WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616 October 8, 2026
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