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 § 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5 & 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Harris (US 3592517).
1. Harris teaches:
A motor (fig 1) comprising:
a rotor 10 rotatable about a central axis (shaft 28 represents the central axis) extending in an axial direction (fig 1);
a bearing 30 to rotatably support the rotor radially inside;
a bearing accommodating portion/bore 17 to accommodate the bearing radially inside; and
an annular portion/retaining ring 38 located over at least a portion of an entire region in a circumferential direction (figs 1 and 2);
wherein the bearing includes a first groove 34 that is recessed radially inward on an outer peripheral surface and is located over at least a portion of an entire region in the circumferential direction (since the groove is annular, figs 1 and 2);
the bearing accommodating portion includes a second groove 36 that is recessed radially outward on an inner peripheral surface and is located over at least a portion of an entire region in the circumferential direction (since the groove is annular, figs 1 and 2);
a portion of the annular portion is accommodated in the first groove (figs 1 and 2); and another portion of the annular portion is accommodated in the second groove (figs 1 and 2).
2. Harris teaches:
The motor according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first groove and at least a portion of the second groove overlap each other in the axial direction (figs 1 and 2).
3. Harris teaches:
The motor according to claim 1, wherein the annular portion includes a cut in a portion of the entire region in the circumferential direction (figs 1 and 2).
5. Harris teaches:
The motor according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the annular portion taken along a section including the central axis has a circular or substantially circular shape (figs 1 and 2).
6. Harris teaches:
The motor according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the annular portion taken along a section including the central axis has a rectangular or substantially rectangular shape (figs 1 and 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 7 & 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harris in view of Yamamoto (US 20060158052).
7. Harris has been discussed above, re claim 1 above; but does not teach that the bearing accommodating portion includes a first wall portion located in the circumferential direction to oppose the bearing in a radial direction at an end on one side in the axial direction; and the rotor includes a second wall portion located in the circumferential direction in a radial gap between the bearing and the first wall portion.
Yamamoto teaches that the bearing accommodating portion includes a first wall portion (figs 1 and 2) located in the circumferential direction to oppose the bearing/sleeve 2 in a radial direction at an end on one side in the axial direction (figs 1 and 2); and the rotor 4 includes a second wall portion 14 located in the circumferential direction in a radial gap (figs 1 and 2) between the bearing and the first wall portion to improve the dynamic pressure of the fluid in the bearing which prolongs the service life of the motor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of Harris such that the bearing accommodating portion includes a first wall portion located in the circumferential direction to oppose the bearing in a radial direction at an end on one side in the axial direction; and the rotor includes a second wall portion located in the circumferential direction in a radial gap between the bearing and the first wall portion, as taught by Yamamoto to improve the service life of the motor.
8. Harris in view of Yamamoto teach:
The motor according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a thrust dynamic pressure groove 11 (of Yamamoto) provided at a position where the bearing (of Yamamoto) and the rotor (of Yamamoto) oppose each other in the axial direction (figs 1 and 2 of Yamamoto), and a radial dynamic pressure groove 10 (of Yamamoto) provided at a position where the bearing (of Yamamoto) and the rotor (of Yamamoto) oppose each other in the radial direction (figs 1 and 2).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harris in view of Horng (US 8366419).
9. Harris has been discussed above, re claim 1; but does not teach a blower comprising: the motor according to claim 1; and a rotor blade rotatable about the central axis together with the rotor of the motor.
Firstly, electric motors with the limitations of this claim are well known and Horng is being provided for explicit recitation of the claimed limitations.
Horng teaches that a blower comprising: the motor 1 according to claim 1; and a rotor blade 5 rotatable about the central axis (the center of shaft 132) together with the rotor of the motor. The person having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to use the motor of Harris in a Blower because the Blower would have all of the benefits of the motor configuration of Harris which would improve the blower.
As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the invention of Harris being effectively filed to modify it with a blower comprising: the motor according to claim 1; and a rotor blade rotatable about the central axis together with the rotor of the motor, as taught by Horng so as to improve the blower of Horng.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERRANCE L KENERLY whose telephone number is (571)270-7851. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/TERRANCE L KENERLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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