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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guggenmos et al. (Patent Pub. No. US 2019/0145799 A1) in view of Tsai et al. (Patent Pub. No. US 2020/0080870 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 11-12 and 22, Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 an encoder system for a galvanometer ([0010] – [0011]), said encoder system comprising: an emitter system (8) including at least one emitter for providing illumination ([0041]); a detector system (16) including at least one detector for detecting illumination ([0042] – [0043]); an encoder disc (6, i.e., diffraction element) coupled to a rotor of the galvanometer ([0041]); a rigid structure (10, i.e., plate) positioned between the emitter system and the detector system such that the illumination may pass through the rigid structure. Guggenmos et al. does not disclose a damping system including at least polymeric material positioned in contact with any of the emitter system and the detector system. Tsai et al discloses a damping system including at least polymeric material (rubber) ([0030} – [0032]). Also, positioning a damping system in contact with any of the emitter system and the detector system is notoriously well known in the art to reduce the vibration of emitter system and/or detector system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a damping system of Tsai et al. on the device of Guggenmos et al. for the purpose of reducing the vibration of the encoder.
Regarding claims 2 and 13, the modified device of Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 the encoder system of claim 1, wherein it is notoriously well known that the emitter system includes an emitter printed circuit board and the damping system includes an elastomeric material (rubber) on at least one side of the printed circuit board. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide an elastomeric material on at least one side of the printed circuit board on the modified device of Guggenmos et al. for the purpose of reducing the vibration of the emitter.
Regarding claims 3 and 14, the modified device of Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 the encoder system of claim 2, wherein it is notoriously well known that the emitter system includes an emitter printed circuit board and the damping system includes a first material on a first side of the emitter printed circuit board and a second elastomeric material on a second side of the emitter printed circuit board that is opposite the first side of the printed circuit board. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide elastomeric materials on both sides of the emitter printed circuit board on the modified device of Guggenmos et al. for the purpose of more effectively reducing the vibration of the emitter.
Regarding claims 4 and 15, the modified device of Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 the encoder system of claim 1, wherein it is notoriously well known that the detector system includes a detector printed circuit board and the damping system includes an elastomeric material one side of the detector printed circuit board. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide an elastomeric material on one side of the detector printed circuit board on the modified device of Guggenmos et al. for the purpose of reducing the vibration of detector.
Regarding claims 5 and 16, the modified device of Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 the encoder system of claim 1, wherein it is notoriously well known that the damping system includes an elastomeric material on a back side of the encoder disc. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide an elastomeric material on a back side of the encoder disc on the modified device of Guggenmos et al. for the purpose of reducing the vibration of the encoder disc.
Regarding claims 6, 17 and 23, the modified device of Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 the encoder system of claim 1, wherein it is notoriously well known that the emitter system includes an emitter printed circuit board and the damping system includes a first material on a first side of the emitter printed circuit board, a second elastomeric material on a second side of the emitter printed circuit board that is opposite the first side of the printed circuit board, and a third elastomeric material on a back side of the encoder disc. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide elastomeric materials on every sides of the elements on the modified device of Guggenmos et al. for the purpose of reducing the vibration of the encoder.
Regarding claims 7 and 18 , the modified device of Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 the encoder system of claim 6, wherein it is a design choice that the first elastomeric material, the second elastomeric material and the third elastomeric material each have a durometer of between about 30 Shore 00 durometer and 90 Shore 00 durometer.
Regarding claims 8 and 19, the modified device of Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 the encoder system of claim 6, wherein it is a design choice the first elastomeric material, the second elastomeric material and the third elastomeric material each have a thickness of at least about 2 mm.
Regarding claims 9 and 20, the modified device of Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 the encoder system of claim 6, wherein it is a design choice that at least one of the first elastomeric material, the second elastomeric material and the third elastomeric material is sized to fit within a recessed area of a respective receiving surface.
Regarding claims 10 and 21, the modified device of Guggenmos et al. shows in Fig. 1 the encoder system of claim 1, wherein it is notoriously well known that the rigid structure is integrally formed as a unitary structure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a unitary structure on the modified device of Guggenmos et al. for the purpose of reducing manufacturing costs.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Saldivar valdes et al. (Patent Pub. No. US 2024/0308138 A1) discloses damping of the vibrations comprising (I) using quieter actuator(s) and/or (II) using dampers such as flexible material, e.g., polymeric material.
Suzuki et al. (Patent Pub. No. US 2005/0058300 A1) discloses a damper comprised by a screw and a buffer material such as a vibration-absorbing rubber insert between the screw and the printed circuit board.
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/SEUNG C SOHN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878