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)(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.
Claims 1-2, 4-11 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Uno et al (US 20220190670 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Uno discloses a brush holder for receiving a brush of a slip ring assembly, the brush holder comprising: at least one guiding member (fig. 7, brush holder 31); and one contacting member (fig. 7, brush holder assembly 31b), wherein the contacting member is electrically conductive (paragraph 60 “The second brush holder assembly 31b is fixed to the control module 17 with solder”) and the guiding member is electrically insulative (paragraph 63 “the first brush holder assembly 31a and an outer casing 31bh of the second brush holder assembly 31b are both molded of a resin having good thermal conductivity and electrical insulation.”), and wherein both members are configured to hold and guide a common brush (see at least figure 7, brush holder 31 guides the brush 16).
With respect to claim 2, Uno discloses the contacting member and the guiding member are connected to each other by one from the group consisting of form fit, force fit, material fit and an adhesive (paragraph 86 “The terminal-to-terminal insulating wall 24 is cast integrally with the outer casing 31b of the second brush holder assembly (control module connection side) 31b.” The Examiner is interpreting form fitting as encompassing integrally casting).
With respect to claim 4, Uno discloses the contacting member and the guiding member are connected to each other by a thread (paragraph 60 “the brush holder assembly 31a, and the first brush holder assembly 31a (brush built-in side) and the second brush holder assembly 31b (control module side) are fixed to each other by a binder such as a screw.”).
With respect to claim 5, Uno discloses the contacting member is electrically conductively connected to a substrate by one from the group of press-in technique and a solder connection (paragraph 60 “The second brush holder assembly 31b is fixed to the control module 17 with solder”).
With respect to claim 6, Uno discloses the contacting member and the guiding member comprise a receiving space for receiving the brush (fig. 7 brush holder 16 has space for brush 16a), which corresponds to the shape of the brush and can thereby hold and guide it (fig. 7, brush holder 16 corresponds to the shape of the brush 16a).
With respect to claim 7, Uno discloses said guiding member is formed in one piece (paragraph 86 “The terminal-to-terminal insulating wall 24 is cast integrally with the outer casing 31b of the second brush holder assembly (control module connection side) 31b.” The Examiner is interpreting the casting as formed part of one piece).
With respect to claim 8, Uno discloses said guiding member is arranged along a segment of a circle whose radius corresponds to that of a slipway to be contacted (fig. 4, brush assembly is arranged at center of rear bracket).
With respect to claim 9, Uno discloses said guiding member is arranged to contact a plurality of concentrically arranged slipways (paragraph 44 “A brush 16a that is in sliding contact with the slip ring 13 for energizing the field winding 2a is built in a brush holder 16 to be movablely held in the direction of the slip ring 13.”).
With respect to claim 10, Uno discloses said guiding member is interconnected by ribs (fig. 24, space solid parts on release part 23d above, below and between the relief hole 23e).
With respect to claim 11, Uno discloses a brush holder for receiving a brush of a slip ring assembly, the brush holder comprising: at least one guiding member (fig. 7, brush holder 31); one contacting member (fig. 7, brush holder assembly 31b), wherein the contacting member is electrically conductive (paragraph 60 “The second brush holder assembly 31b is fixed to the control module 17 with solder”) and the guiding member is electrically insulative (paragraph 63 “the first brush holder assembly 31a and an outer casing 31bh of the second brush holder assembly 31b are both molded of a resin having good thermal conductivity and electrical insulation.”), wherein both members are configured to hold and guide a common brush (see at least figure 7, brush holder 31 guides the brush 16), and wherein the contacting member and the guiding member are connected to each other by a fit connection (paragraph 86 “The terminal-to-terminal insulating wall 24 is cast integrally with the outer casing 31b of the second brush holder assembly (control module connection side) 31b.” The Examiner is interpreting fitting as encompassing integrally casting).
With respect to claim 14, Uno discloses the contacting member and the guiding member are connected to each other by a thread (paragraph 60 “the brush holder assembly 31a, and the first brush holder assembly 31a (brush built-in side) and the second brush holder assembly 31b (control module side) are fixed to each other by a binder such as a screw.”).
With respect to claim 15, Uno discloses the contacting member is electrically conductively connected to a substrate by one from the group of press-in technique and a solder connection (paragraph 60 “The second brush holder assembly 31b is fixed to the control module 17 with solder”).
With respect to claim 16, Uno discloses the contacting member and the guiding member comprise a receiving space for receiving the brush (fig. 7 brush holder 16 has space for brush 16a), which corresponds to the shape of the brush and can thereby hold and guide it (fig. 7, brush holder 16 corresponds to the shape of the brush 16a).
With respect to claim 17, Uno discloses said guiding member is formed in one piece (paragraph 86 “The terminal-to-terminal insulating wall 24 is cast integrally with the outer casing 31b of the second brush holder assembly (control module connection side) 31b.” The Examiner is interpreting the casting as formed part of one piece).
With respect to claim 18, Uno discloses said guiding member is arranged along a segment of a circle whose radius corresponds to that of a slipway to be contacted (fig. 4, brush assembly is arranged at center of rear bracket).
With respect to claim 19, Uno discloses said guiding member is arranged to contact a plurality of concentrically arranged slipways (paragraph 44 “A brush 16a that is in sliding contact with the slip ring 13 for energizing the field winding 2a is built in a brush holder 16 to be movablely held in the direction of the slip ring 13.”).
With respect to claim 20, Uno discloses a brush holder for receiving a brush of a slip ring assembly, the brush holder comprising: at least one guiding member (fig. 7, brush holder 31); and one contacting member (fig. 7, brush holder assembly 31b), wherein the contacting member is electrically conductive (paragraph 60 “The second brush holder assembly 31b is fixed to the control module 17 with solder”) and the guiding member is electrically insulative (paragraph 63 “the first brush holder assembly 31a and an outer casing 31bh of the second brush holder assembly 31b are both molded of a resin having good thermal conductivity and electrical insulation.”), wherein both members are configured to hold and guide a common brush (see at least figure 7, brush holder 31 guides the brush 16), and wherein the contacting member and the guiding member are connected to each other by a thread (paragraph 60 “the brush holder assembly 31a, and the first brush holder assembly 31a (brush built-in side) and the second brush holder assembly 31b (control module side) are fixed to each other by a binder such as a screw.”).
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.
Claims 3 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uno in view of Yagi et al (US 20020096949 A1).
With respect to claim 3, Uno teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the contacting member and the guiding member are connected to each other by one from the group consisting of rivets, snap rings and snap connections.”
Yagi teaches the contacting member and the guiding member are connected to each other by one from the group consisting of rivets, snap rings and snap connections (fig. 4, rivets 70).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to combine the brush holder of Uno with the connection of Yagi in order to secure the parts together thereby preventing any damages from vibration related to the motor.
With respect to claim 12, Uno teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the fit connection is an adhesive connection.”
Yagi teaches wherein the fit connection is an adhesive connection (fig. 8, adhesive 73).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to combine the brush holder of Uno with the connection of Yagi in order to secure the parts together thereby preventing any damages from vibration related to the motor.
With respect to claim 13, Uno teaches the above-mentioned limitations but does not teach “the contacting member and the guiding member are connected to each other by one from the group consisting of rivets, snap rings and snap connections.”
Yagi teaches the contacting member and the guiding member are connected to each other by one from the group consisting of rivets, snap rings and snap connections (fig. 4, rivets 70).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to combine the brush holder of Uno with the connection of Yagi in order to secure the parts together thereby preventing any damages from vibration related to the motor.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RILEY OWEN STOUT whose telephone number is (571)272-0068. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-5:30pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at (571)272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/R.O.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights