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 14-15 and 18-19 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.
Regarding claims 14 and 18, it is unclear how a singular “end part” of the top foil can engage itself. The claim is requiring that the singular end part of the top foil has a convex end part and a concave end part that engage each other but if they are on the same “end part” as required by lines 1-2 of the claim it is unclear how they would engage each other. The issue in the claim is that this is in reference to the two overlapping ends of the top foil as shown in figure 5b, however the claim is only positively reciting that the top foil has one end part. The claim needs to be amended to define two ends, one convex and one concave, with the shapes of the end engaging each other.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, 10-13, 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xing, CN 112943789.
Regarding claim 1, Xing discloses a radial foil bearing configured to surround and support a rotation axis, the radial foil bearing comprising: a bearing housing (1); an insertion hole (hole holding 2/3) formed in the bearing housing and through which the rotation axis is to be inserted; a groove (4) provided in an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole; a through hole (hole for 6, indicated by the dashed lines in figure 4) including an opening formed in the groove and extending to an outer peripheral surface of the bearing housing (runs from the groove to the outer surface of the housing); a restricting pin (6) inserted into the through hole and extending into the groove; and
a top foil (2) located in the insertion hole, wherein the groove is formed so as to reach an axial end surface of the bearing housing (4 is a slot through the housing and runs the same length as the housing as the foils and the housing have the same axial length as shown in figure 2), wherein the top foil includes a circumferential end part located in the groove (at 7 or 9), and wherein the restricting pin passes through or abuts an inner side surface of the groove (passes through both the left and right side of the groove 4 in figure 4 as indicated by the dashed lines).
Regarding claim 2, Xing discloses that the groove extends so as to reach both end surfaces in an axial direction of the rotation axis of the bearing housing (see figure 2).
Regarding claim 3, Xing discloses that the inner side surface includes: a first groove side surface (left or right vertical sidewall of 4); and a second groove side surface (other one of the left or right vertical sidewall) facing the first groove side
surface, and wherein the restricting pin passes (6) through both the first groove side surface and the second groove side surface (see dashed line in figure 4).
Regarding claim 5, Xing discloses that the assembly can include multiple pins can be used, see translation page 4 paragraph beginning with “the adjusting piece 6”, when using multiple pins as disclosed the device would comprise a second restricting pin that passes through the inner side surface, where in the end part of the top foil is located between the restricting pin and the second restricting pin (at least a portion of the end part would be between the two pins when multiple pins are used) in an axial direction of the rotation axis.
Regarding claim 6, Xing discloses that the restricting pin (6) passes through a hole (8) provided at the end part of the top foil in the groove, and wherein the top foil is installed in a state that allows for a displacement corresponding to a dimensional difference between the restricting pin and the hole (the translation describes 8 as having a slightly larger size than 6 to allow for movement, see page 4 paragraph beginning (“the free end of the inner layer foil 2”).
Regarding claim 7, Xing discloses that one end of the restricting pin is screwed into a female screw hole provided in the inner side surface of the groove (6 is disclosed as a pin or a screw member, a screw member is retained in a female screw hole, this would be indicated by the dashed lines in Xing).
Regarding claim 10, Xing discloses that the groove (4) extends in an axial direction of the rotation axis (extends parallel to the axis), and wherein the restricting pin and the end part of the top foil overlap when viewed in an extending direction of the groove (the pin passes through a hole in the top foil end, this creates an overlap when viewed in the extending direction).
Regarding claim 11, Xing discloses a radial foil bearing configured to support a rotation axis, comprising: a bearing housing (1) including an insertion hole through which the rotation axis is to be inserted; a top foil (2) located inside an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole; a groove (4) formed on the inner peripheral surface in which an end part (7/9) of the top foil is located; a first restricting pin (6) configured to contact the end part in the groove to restrict a movement of the top foil in an axial direction of the rotation axis; and a second restricting pin (see translation page 4 paragraph beginning with “the adjusting piece 6”) configured to contact the end part in the groove to restrict the movement of the top foil in the axial direction (when additional pins are provided they perform the same function).
Regarding claim 12, Xing discloses that the end part of the top foil is located between the first restricting pin and the second restricting pin (when multiple pins are used at least a portion of the end of the foil will be positioned between the pins).
Regarding claim 13, Xing discloses that the end part of the top foil comprises: a first hole (8) through which the first restricting pin passes; and a second hole through which the second restricting pin passes (when additional pins are used, as disclosed by Xing, the feature of the hole in the foil would also be duplicated in order to accommodate the additional pins).
Regarding claim 16, Xing discloses that the groove (4) includes: a first groove side surface (left or right side); and a second groove side surface (other one of the left or right side) facing the first groove side surface, and wherein both of the first restricting pin and the second restricting pin pass through the first groove side surface and the second groove side surface (when additional pins are used both pins will pass through both sides as shown in figure 4).
Regarding claim 17, Xing discloses a radial foil bearing configured to support a rotation axis, comprising: a bearing housing (1) including an insertion hole through which the rotation axis is to be inserted; a top foil (2) located inside an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole; a groove (4) formed on the inner peripheral surface in which an end part (7/9) of the top foil is located; a restricting pin (6) configured to contact the end part in the groove to restrict a movement of the top foil in an axial direction of the rotation axis, wherein the groove includes: a first groove side surface (left or right side in figure 4); and a second groove side surface (other one of the left or right side) facing the first groove side surface, and wherein the restricting pin (6) passes through the first groove side surface and the second groove side surface (see dashed line in figure 4).
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-7 and 10-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Omori, USP 8,944,686.
Regarding claim 1, Omori discloses a radial foil bearing configured to surround and support a rotation axis, the radial foil bearing comprising: a bearing housing (12); an insertion hole (hole holding 1) formed in the bearing housing and through which the rotation axis is to be inserted; a groove (13) provided in an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole; a through hole (at 14) including an opening formed in the groove and extending to an outer peripheral surface of the bearing housing (runs from the groove to the outer surface of the housing); a restricting pin (15) inserted into the through hole and extending into the groove; and a top foil (21) located in the insertion hole, wherein the groove is formed so as to reach an axial end surface of the bearing housing (see figure 2b), wherein the top foil includes a circumferential end part (21b) located in the groove (at 7 or 9), and wherein the restricting pin passes through or abuts an inner side surface of the groove (passes through top surface of the groove and abuts the bottom surface of the groove as shown in figure 3a).
Regarding claim 2, Omori discloses that the groove extends so as to reach both end surfaces in an axial direction of the rotation axis of the bearing housing (see figure 2b).
Regarding claim 4, Omori discloses that the inner side surface includes: a first groove side surface (top at 13); and a second groove side surface (bottom facing surface indicated by 13 in figure 3a) facing the first groove side surface, and wherein the restricting pin (15) passes through the first groove side surface and abuts the second groove side surface (see figure 3a).
Regarding claim 5, Omori discloses a second restricting pin (15, one for each hole 14/22) that passes through the inner side surface, wherein the end part of the top foil is located between the restricting pin and the second restricting pin (at least a portion of the end part of the top foil extends between the two pins) in an axial direction of the rotation axis.
Regarding claim 6, Omori discloses that the restricting pin (15) passes through a hole (22) provided at the end part of the top foil in the groove, and wherein the top foil is installed in a state that allows for a displacement corresponding to a dimensional difference between the restricting pin and the hole (as shown in figure 3a the hole 22 is oversized relative to 15 which would allow for relative displacement).
Regarding claim 7, Omori discloses that one end of the restricting pin is screwed into a female screw hole provided in the inner side surface of the groove (15 is screwed in to hole 14).
Regarding claim 10, Omori discloses that the groove (13) extends in an axial direction of the rotation axis (extends parallel to the axis in and out of the page), and wherein the restricting pin and the end part of the top foil overlap when viewed in an extending direction of the groove (the pin passes through a hole in the top foil end, this creates an overlap when viewed in the extending direction).
Regarding claim 11, Omori discloses a radial foil bearing configured to support a rotation axis, comprising: a bearing housing (12) including an insertion hole through which the rotation axis is to be inserted; a top foil (21) located inside an inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole; a groove (13) formed on the inner peripheral surface in which an end part (21b) of the top foil is located; a first restricting pin (15) configured to contact the end part in the groove to restrict a movement of the top foil in an axial direction of the rotation axis; and a second restricting pin (second pin 15) configured to contact the end part in the groove to restrict the movement of the top foil in the axial direction.
Regarding claim 12, Omori discloses that the end part of the top foil is located between the first restricting pin and the second restricting pin (the end has a portion that extends between the pins).
Regarding claim 13, Omori discloses that the end part (21b) of the top foil comprises: a first hole (22) through which the first restricting pin passes; and a second hole (other hole 22) through which the second restricting pin passes.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 20, and those claims depending therefrom, 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.
Claims 14 and 18, and dependent claims 15 and 19, would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 8, the prior art of record does not teach nor render obvious the claimed combination of claim 1 with the restricting pin being configured with two ends that both protrude outside of the bearing housing.
Regarding claims 14 and 18, the prior art of record does not disclose a top foil with concave and convex ends that overlap each other while also using restricting pins to retain the overlapping ends in place.
Regarding claim 20, the prior art of record does not teach nor render obvious the claimed combination of claim 1 with the additional feature pin including a bent portion that is located outside of the housing.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES PILKINGTON whose telephone number is (571)272-5052. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 7-3.
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/JAMES PILKINGTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617