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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore,
Claim 12: the phrases: “the shaft” and “rotational drive”,
Claim 19: the phrase: “the shaft and the annular armature are spaced apart from one another in each position of the annular armature” is not described in the drawing.
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 16 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 16, last line, the phrase “second production” appears to be a typographical error, creating ambiguity. It should be “projection” not “production”.
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.
Claims 3 and 4 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 3 is not clear. The claim is grammatically unclear as to what component(s) are arranged between the magnetic field sensor and the magnetic coil.
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 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hernandez-Oliver et al. (US 10,036,658).
Regarding claim 1, Oliver discloses a device comprising
a magnetic coil (112),
wherein the magnetic coil (112) is annular;
a housing (see the drawing below) attached to a radial outside of the magnetic coil (112); and
[AltContent: textbox (Housing )]a magnetic field sensor (118) fastened to or integrated in the housing (see the drawing below).
[AltContent: textbox (Electrical connection
Elongated projection
Connection line )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Plug)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
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Regarding claim 2, Oliver discloses:
the magnetic field sensor (118, 158) is arranged axially spaced apart from the magnetic coil (112).
Regarding claim 3, Oliver discloses:
a shielding magnetic material (see the abstract),
a magnetic body (110), for magnetically shielding the magnetic field sensor (118, 158) from the magnetic coil (112) is arranged between the magnetic field sensor (118, 158) and the magnetic coil (112) (see Figures 6, 7).
Regarding claim 7, Oliver discloses:
an electrical connection (see the drawing above) for connecting to a plug ((see the drawing above) is formed in the housing ((see the drawing above),
wherein the electrical connection (see the drawing above) is connected to the magnetic coil (112) and to the magnetic field sensor (118).
Regarding claim 8, Oliver discloses:
the electrical connection (see the drawing above) is arranged in the housing (see the drawing above) at a longitudinal end opposite to the magnetic field sensor (118).
Regarding claim 9, Oliver discloses:
the housing (see the drawing below) comprises an elongated projection (see the drawing below) in which the magnetic field sensor (118) is arranged.
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Regarding claim 10, Oliver discloses:
the elongated projection (see the drawing above) is aligned parallel or essentially parallel to a centre axis of the magnetic coil (112).
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, 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 4 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hernandez-Oliver et al. (US 10,036,658).
Regarding claim 4, Oliver discloses:
the magnetic field sensor (158, 188) comprises one or more connection lines (see the drawing below).
Oliver teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the magnetic field sensor comprises one or more connection lines which are arranged radially outside the shielding magnetic material, engage around the shielding magnetic material, or are arranged radially outside and engage around the shielding magnetic material.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the magnetic field sensor comprises one or more connection lines which are arranged radially outside the shielding magnetic material, engage around the shielding magnetic material, or are arranged radially outside and engage around the shielding magnetic material for the purpose of suitability of the design choice, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
[AltContent: textbox (Connection lines)][AltContent: arrow]
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Regarding claim 11, Oliver discloses:
the magnetic coil (112) comprises one or more connection lines (see the drawing above) which are guided in the housing (see the drawing above), connected to an electrical connection (see the drawing above).
Regarding claim 11, Oliver teaches the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the electrical connection connects to a plug that is formed in the housing.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the electrical connection connects to a plug that is formed in the housing for the purpose of design choice, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Claims 12 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hernandez-Oliver et al. (US 10,036,658) in view of Nonaka (US 2013/0025959).
Regarding claim 12, Oliver discloses: the claimed subject as disclosed above, however, fails to explicitly disclose the electromagnet comprises: an annular armature that surrounds the shaft on a section of the shaft; and
wherein the magnetic coil of the actuating unit is arranged on a radial outside of the annular armature.
Nonaka discloses a device comprising:
an annular armature (6) that surrounds the shaft (5) on a section of the shaft (5); and
wherein the magnetic coil (2) of the actuating unit is arranged on a radial outside of the annular armature (6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the magnetic coil (2) of the actuating unit is arranged on a radial outside of the annular armature (6) as taught by Nonaka with Oliver’s device for the purpose of dissipating heat.
Regarding claim 18, Nonaka discloses:
the annular armature (6) of the electromagnet is arranged on a radial outside of the shaft (5) and is axially displaceable relative to the shaft (5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 13-17, 19 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art does not teach or suggest the magnetic field sensor comprises:
Claim 5: a sensor support fastened on the shielding magnetic material, the magnetic body, the magnetic coil, or a combination thereof, wherein the housing comprises an elongated projection in which the magnetic field sensor is arranged, wherein the sensor support is connected in a mechanically fixed manner to an end of the elongated projection on which the magnetic field sensor is arranged.
Claim 13: a magnetic field generator which generates a measurement magnetic field and which is attached to the annular armature or to an element connected to the annular armature so it is fixed against axial displacement, wherein i) the magnetic field generator is arranged adjacent to the magnetic field sensor in at least one position of the annular armature, ii) the magnetic field generator is arranged such that in at least one position of the annular armature the measurement magnetic field is detectable by the magnetic field sensor, or iii) both i) and ii).
Claim 17: a tube fixedly connected to the annular armature and which is used for i) mounting the annular armature in an outer housing or a magnetic body, ii) mounting an interface element inside the tube, or iii) both i) and ii).
Claim 19: the shaft and the annular armature are spaced apart from one another in each position of the annular armature.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Lisa Homza whose telephone number is (571) 272-3592.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached on (571) 272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Lisa Nhung Homza/
Patent Examiner - Art Unit 2837
May 25, 2026
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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