DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
This Office Action is in response to the claims set filed 12/31/2024 containing amendments. Claims 3-5 were amended. Claims 1-5 are currently pending.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: “MULTI-BLADE CENTRIFUGAL AIR-SENDING DEVICE WITH A FAN HAVING A BACKWARD VANE PORTION AND A FORWARD VANE PORTION”.
Claim Objections
Claims 3-4 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding Claim 3, “a radial direction of the fan” should likely read “[[a]] the radial direction of the fan”.
Regarding Claim 4, “a radial direction of the fan” should likely read “[[a]] the radial direction of the fan”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 5 is 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 5 recites the limitation “the at least one circular arc portion”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The limitation earlier in the claim reciting “in a case in which, as viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis, a portion of each of the plurality of blades that is formed in a circular arc shape is defined as a circular arc portion” appears to only introduce a single “circular arc portion” for each of the plurality of blades.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-2 are allowed.
Claims 3-5 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the claim objections and/or rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 1 and its respective dependent claims, no prior art was found which anticipated or rendered obvious the claimed invention. Specifically, “the fan having a backward vane portion that forms a backward vane of each of the plurality of blades that is located at an outer circumference of the plurality of blades in a radial direction of the fan, a forward vane portion that forms a forward vane of each of the plurality of blades that is located at an outer circumference of the plurality of blades in the radial direction of the fan, and
an inflection-point portion that forms an inflection point between the backward vane portion and the forward vane portion when the inflection-point portion is viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis, the inflection-point portion being formed over an entire length of a portion of each of the plurality of blades in the axial direction of the rotation axis, the inflection-point portion being located between a proximal end of each of the plurality of blades that is located closest to the main plate and a distal end of each of the plurality of blades that is located closest to the side plate, an entire portion of the inflection-point portion in the axial direction positioned further inside in the radial direction of the fan than an inner circumferential end portion that forms an inner edge of the bell mouth” in context of the other limitations recited in the claim. The closest prior art found was WO2022085175A1 which discloses a centrifugal air-sending device with a plurality of blades provided between a main plate and a side plate, where an inner peripheral end of the side plate (bell mouth) can coincide with the blade boundary that separates a sirocco blade portion and a turbo blade portion (i.e., forward blade portion). While it is stated that they do not necessarily have to coincide, the alternative stated would still have the turbo blade portion covered by the side plate, which substantially coincides with the inner peripheral end of the side wall. This would require that the blade boundary be located more outward relative to the inner end of the bell mouth.
Another closer reference found was WO2021130821A1 which discloses a similar centrifugal air-sending device to the one cited above. It appears to show a dotted line which indicates a boundary between a forward blade portion and a backward blade portion in figs. 29-31 where it appears that this dotted line is radially aligned (possibly inside) relative to the inner peripheral end portion of the bell mouth. However, its instant disclosure instead states the opposite is the case with the dotted line BD being arranged on the outer peripheral side of the end portion of the bell mouth.
CN102478021A was cited in the Taiwanese Office Action for the foreign filing of the instant application and was listed as an X reference. However, upon further inspection of this reference, it failed to teach of the key aspects required by the claim. Specifically, the limitations related to the forward vane portion, backward vane portion, and inflection point portion which is formed over an entire length of a portion of each blade and an entire portion of the inflection point portion in the axial direction being positioned further inside in the radial direction of the fan than an inner circumferential end portion that forms an inner edge of the bell mouth.
For the reasons listed above, the claimed invention is deemed to contain allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 12241477 and US 12196218 – US patent grant of prior art cited above.
JP5879363B2 – presents a centrifugal air-sending device similar in type to the instant invention, presents a transition point that is on a relatively radially inward part of the blade, while also argues against this arrangement.
US 11808270 – discloses a centrifugal air-sending device similar in type to the instant invention, also presents the step/notch aspect of the blade adjacent the bell mouth.
JP2002070793A – discloses a centrifugal air-sending device similar in type to the instant invention, presents a relatively open impeller where a large portion of the blades are radially inward from the inner end of a bell mouth of the suction port.
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/W.L.F./Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/COURTNEY D HEINLE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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