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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 4-12, 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Holsapple (US 10087883) in view of Conrad (US 20190003745).
Regarding claim 1,
Holsapple teaches a stirling cycle machine (see abstract) comprising: a thermal energy exchange apparatus including: a first side plate (e.g. a side plates of the heater head 3, see Fig. 11, not labeled) having a plurality of first side pins 31 extending therefrom; a second side plate 43 having a plurality of second side pins 41 extending toward the plurality of first side pins; and a combination regenerator/displacer 2/5 positioned between the first side plate and the second side plate, the combination regenerator/displacer including a plurality of pin openings 21, each pin opening surrounding a first side pin and a corresponding second side pin (see col 4, lines 28-33); wherein the combination regenerator/displacer is configured to be driven in a first direction toward the first side plate and in a second direction toward the second side plate (see col 5, lines 47-67), the motion of the combination regenerator/displacer driving displacement of a working fluid in flow communication with the combination regenerator/displacer, the first side pins and the second side pins, to urge a thermal energy exchange between the first side pins and the second side pins via the working fluid (see col 6, line 50 – col 7, line 21), and an actuator 10 operably connected to the combination regenerator/displacer to drive the motion of the combination regenerator between the first side plate and the second side plate.
Holsapple does not teach wherein the actuator is a noncommutated DC direct drive linear motor (e.g. a voice coil actuator).
Conrad, directed to a stirling cycle machine, teaches an actuator comprising a noncommutated DC direct drive linear motor (e.g. a voice coil actuator, see abstract, par. 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Holsapple by Conrad with the motivation of obtaining the known advantages (e.g. high precision and repeatability, quiet and smooth motion, etc.) of noncommutated DC direct drive linear motors (e.g. a voice coil actuators).
Regarding claim 4,
Holsapple teaches a displacer shaft 8 operably connecting the actuator to the combined regenerator/displacer.
Regarding claim 5,
Holsapple teaches wherein the displacer shaft is disposed at a central axis of the thermal energy exchange apparatus (wherein the axis of the thermal energy exchange apparatus is defined in relation to the displacer shaft 8).
Regarding claim 6,
Holsapple does not teach an insulator disposed between each first side pin and the corresponding second side pin, but the examiner takes official notice that the use of, and advantage of, insulators would be well known to one of ordinary skill in the art; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Holsapple to comprise an insulator disposed between each first side pin and the corresponding second side pin with the motivation of, for example, preventing heat conduction (aka heat loss) between the first and second side pins.
Regarding claim 7,
Holsapple teaches wherein the first side pins and the second side pins each have a circular cross-sectional shape.
Regarding claim 8,
Holsapple teaches wherein the combined regenerator/displacer is a unitary structure including a body having the plurality of pin openings formed therein.
Regarding claim 9,
Holsapple teaches wherein the first side is defined as a hot side and the second side is defined as a cold side.
Regarding claim 10,
Holsapple teaches a bellows assembly 200 to one or more of add energy to the stirling cycle machine or remove energy from the stirling cycle machine but does not teach a power piston operably connected to the thermal energy exchange apparatus to one or more of add energy to the stirling cycle machine or remove energy from the stirling cycle machine. However, the examiner takes official notice that the use of, and advantages of, a power piston within a stirling cycle machine would be well known to one of ordinary skill in the art; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Holsapple to comprise a power piston operably connected to the thermal energy exchange apparatus to one or more of add energy to the stirling cycle machine or remove energy from the stirling cycle machine with the motivation of, for example, compressing the working fluid.
Regarding claim 11,
Holsapple teaches wherein the first side pins, the second side pins, and the combined regenerator/displacer are disposed in a common housing 1.
Regarding claims 12, 15-20,
If a prior art device, in its normal and usual operation, would necessarily perform the method claimed, then the method claimed will be considered to be anticipated or rendered obvious by the prior art device. When the prior art device is the same as a device described in the specification for carrying out the claimed method, it can be assumed the device will inherently perform the claimed process. Thus, the method, as claimed, would necessarily result from the normal operation of the apparatus. See MPEP 2112.02.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 9/8/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 under Holsapple have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Holsapple as modified by Conrad.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVE S TANENBAUM whose telephone number is (313)446-6522. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11 AM - 7 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Frantz Jules can be reached at (571) 272-6681. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Steve S TANENBAUM/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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