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 & 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamaumi (JP 2008110198).
[Claim 1] Yamaumi teaches:
A driving unit 11 of a wearable device/motion assisting device 1, the driving unit comprising:
an auxiliary frame/flanges 23 & 24 configured to support at least part of a body/arm of a user to assist with a body motion of the user (movement of the arm);
a motor housing 31 configured to accommodate a motor (since it is a motor housing) for supplying power (mechanical power) to the auxiliary frame; and
a heat dissipation channel (every material has some degree of heat conductivity…still further, it is well known that heat travels from a hot body towards a cold body…therefore a heat dissipating channel is inherently disclosed, MPEP 2112) configured to discharge heat generated from the motor to the outside of the motor housing (since heat ravels from a hot body to a cold body, the feature regarding the discharge of heat from the motor towards an outside of the motor housing is inherently disclosed since the motor [in the most general case] is hotter while working than outside of the motor…MPEP 2112).
[Claim 12] Yamaumi teaches:
A wearable device comprising: the driving unit of claim 1; a power supply unit/batteries 320 (the batteries reside in first rim 250 which is a part of the trunk member of the movement assisting device 1); and a main frame unit/trunk member 2 configured for connecting the driving unit 11 or 290 of the wearable device and the power supply unit of the wearable device and accommodating at least part of a body of a user therein (figs 1 & 23 and excerpt below).
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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.
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) 2 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaumi in view of Ikonen (US 10374487).
[Claim 2] Yamaumi has been discussed above, re claim 1; but does not teach that the heat dissipation channel comprises a plurality of heat dissipation plates spaced apart at predetermined intervals, and is configured so that air can flow between the plurality of heat dissipation plates.
Ikonen teaches that the heat dissipation channel (figs 1 & 2) comprises a plurality of heat dissipation plates/fins 240 spaced apart at predetermined intervals (fig 2), and is configured so that air F2 can flow between the plurality of heat dissipation plates to cool the motor which prolongs the service life of the entire device.
Consequently, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the invention of Yamaumi being effectively filed to modify it such that the heat dissipation channel comprises a plurality of heat dissipation plates spaced apart at predetermined intervals, and is configured so that air can flow between the plurality of heat dissipation plates, as taught by Ikonen so as to prolong the devices service life.
[Claim 3] Yamaumi teaches:
The driving unit of the wearable device of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary frame (of Mamaumi) is rotatably connected to a side of the motor housing (Yamaumi figs 1 & 2), and the heat dissipation channel (of Ikonen) is at least partially positioned on another side of the motor housing (the heat dissipation channel of Ikonen is on the outer cylindrical side of the motor housing which would work fine, being that it is not in the way of the rotary connection of the auxiliary frame and motor).
Claim(s) 10 & 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaumi in view of Ikonen and in further view of Sankai (US 20170143517) & Bodor et al. (US 9572552).
[Claim 10] Yamaumi in view of Ikonen have been discussed above, re claim 1; but does not teach a power supply unit of a wearable device, the power supply unit comprising: a waist plate configured for supporting a lower back of a user; a battery housing configured for accommodating a battery and a resistor capable of supplying and controlling power to the driving unit; and a heat dissipation channel configured for discharging heat generated from the battery and the resistor to outside of the battery housing.
Sankai teaches that a power supply unit/battery 132 of a wearable device/frame mechanism 118, the power supply unit comprising: a waist plate/fastening member 130 configured for supporting a lower back of a user P; a battery housing 132 configured for accommodating a battery 132 capable of supplying and controlling power to the driving unit 120 to make the power supply easier to check/switch out the power supply as it is on the user’s waist which improves the reliability of the device.
As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the invention of Yamaumi being effectively filed to modify it such that a power supply unit of a wearable device, the power supply unit comprising: a waist plate configured for supporting a lower back of a user; a battery housing configured for accommodating a battery capable of supplying and controlling power to the driving unit, as taught by Sankai so as to improve the reliability of the device.
Bodor et al. teach that a resistor/thermistor (col 7 3rd para) and battery/battery cells 14 and a heat dissipation channel (formed by fins 16, fig 1) configured for discharging heat generated from the battery and the resistor to outside of the battery housing 12 to prolong the service life of the power supply.
As a result, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the invention of Yamaumi being effectively filed to modify it with a resistor and battery and a heat dissipation channel configured for discharging heat generated from the battery and the resistor to outside of the battery housing, as taught by Bodor et al. so as to prolong the service life of the power supply.
[Claim I1] Yamaumi in view of Ikonen and in further view of Sankai & Bodor et al. teach:
The power supply unit of the wearable device of claim 10, wherein the heat dissipation channel (of Bodor et al.) comprises a plurality of heat dissipation plates/fins 16 spaced apart at predetermined intervals, and is configured so that air is allowed to flow between the plurality of heat dissipation plates (see Bodor et al. fig 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-9 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.
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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