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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the magnetic circuit component forming part of a magnetic bearing of claim 13, the magnetic circuit component forming part of a reactor of claim 14 and the compressor with the magnetic bearing formed partly by the magnetic circuit of claim 17 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: MAGNETIC CIRCUIT COMPONENT WITH A CORE INCLUDING A DYNAMIC DAMPER.
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 13-14, 17 and 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.
In claim 13 “the magnetic circuit component forms part of a magnetic bearing” is unclear.
In the specification the magnetic circuit is disclosed as a stator for an electric motor 30 (fig 3). The specification mentions the magnetic circuit can be a magnetic bearing that generates a levitation force on the rotor (pg 19, [0101]), but does not disclose if this is incorporated with a motor stator or a separate magnetic bearing structure. It is not clear if the claim is claiming a magnetic bearing incorporated with an electric motor stator or a separate stator for a magnetic bearing.
In order to further prosecution examiner will interpret the limitation as the magnetic circuit is capable of being employed as a magnetic bearing, since it discloses the claimed magnetic circuit component. Claims 17 and 19 are rejected since they depend on claim 13.
In claim 14 “the magnetic circuit component forms part of a reactor” is unclear. In the specification the magnetic circuit is disclosed as a stator for an electric motor 30 (fig 3). The specification mentions the magnetic circuit can be a reactor that smooths the current pulse (pg 19, [0101]), but does not disclose if this is incorporated with a motor stator or a separate reactor structure. It is not clear if the claim is claiming a reactor incorporated with an electric motor stator or a separate reactor structure.
In order to further prosecution examiner will interpret the limitation as the magnetic circuit is capable of being employed as a reactor, since it discloses the claimed magnetic circuit component.
In claim 17 “A compressor comprising the magnetic circuit component of claim 13” is unclear.
As discussed above for claim 13 it is unclear if the magnetic bearing is incorporated with an electric motor stator or a separate stator for a magnetic bearing. Here it is unclear if the compressor has magnetic bearings formed by the magnetic circuit component as well as an electric motor or if the magnetic bearing is incorporated with the electric motor of the compressor.
In order to further prosecution examiner will interpret the limitation as the magnetic circuit is capable of being employed as the magnetic bearing in a compressor, since it discloses the claimed magnetic circuit component. Claim 19 is rejected since it depends on claim 17.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-14 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ishimaru et al. (JP2011055576, “Ishimaru”, using machine translation).
Re claim 1, Ishimaru discloses magnetic circuit component forming part of a magnetic circuit, the magnetic circuit component comprising:
a core 8 made of a soft magnetic material (figs 1 & 6-8, [0038] & [0040]), using figs 6-8 for rejection but has same structure as fig 1 except for 41), the core including an annular yoke 40 (figs 1 & 6-8); and a dynamic damper 41 provided on the core (figs 6-8), the dynamic damper being configured to reduce vibration of the core ([0057]), the dynamic damper including
a weight (Figs 6-8, [0057-0059], 41a, 41b & 7a weight) and
a connection that connects the weight with the yoke 40 and that is elastically deformable (Figs 6-8, [0057-0059], connection formed by portions of 41 connecting 41a, 41b & 7a to 40 formed by holes/grooves 45-47; connections elastically deformably do to thinness), and
the dynamic damper being integrated with the core 8 (figs 1 & 7-8, [0040]).
Re claim 2, Ishimaru discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further discloses the weight extends along a circumferential direction of the yoke (figs 6-8).
Re claims 3 and 4, Ishimaru discloses claims 1 and 2, respectively, as discussed above and further discloses the dynamic damper is provided on an outer periphery or an inside of the yoke 40 (figs 6-8).
Re claims 5, 6 and 7, Ishimaru discloses claims 1, 2 and 3, respectively, as discussed above and further discloses the core 8 includes a plurality of electromagnetic steel sheets stacked on each other ([0040]), and the plurality of electromagnetic steel sheets are fastened to each other at the weight ([0043], fastened by weld).
Re claims 8, 9, 10 and 11, Ishimaru discloses claims 1, 2, 3 and 5, respectively, as discussed above and further discloses the magnetic circuit includes a rotor 9 configured to be rotatable on an axial center of a shaft 6 (figs 1-2), and a stator disposed to face the rotor in a radial direction of the shaft (figs 1-2), the stator has a stator core as the core 8 and a coil 38 wound around the stator core (figs 1-2), and the dynamic damper 41 is arranged opposite to the rotor in the radial direction (figs 1-2 & 6-8).
Re claim 12, Ishimaru discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further discloses the magnetic circuit component forms part of an electric motor 3 (fig 1, [0033]).
Re claim 13, Ishimaru discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further discloses the magnetic circuit component forms part of a magnetic bearing (as best understood by examiner the magnetic circuit is capable of being employed as a magnetic bearing, since it discloses the claimed magnetic circuit component.).
Re claim 14, Ishimaru discloses claim 1 as discussed above and further discloses the magnetic circuit component forms part of a reactor (the magnetic circuit is capable of being employed as a reactor, since it discloses the claimed magnetic circuit component).
Re claim 16, Ishimaru discloses claim 12 as discussed above and further discloses a compressor 1 comprising the magnetic circuit component of claim 12 (fig 1, [0033]).
Re claim 17, Ishimaru discloses claim 19 as discussed above and further discloses a compressor comprising the magnetic circuit component of claim 13 (the magnetic circuit is capable of being employed as the magnetic bearing in a compressor, since it discloses the claimed magnetic circuit component).
Re claim 18, Ishimaru discloses claim 16 as discussed above and further discloses a refrigeration apparatus including the compressor 1 of claim 16, the refrigeration apparatus further comprising: a refrigerant circuit through which a refrigerant compressed by the compressor flows (fig 1, [0032-0035]).
Re claim 19, Ishimaru discloses claim 17 as discussed above and further discloses a refrigeration apparatus including the compressor of claim 17, the refrigeration apparatus further comprising: a refrigerant circuit through which a refrigerant compressed by the compressor flows (fig 1, [0032-0035]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishimaru in view of Gilliland et al. (US5734214, “Gilliland”).
Re claim 15, Ishimaru discloses claim 12 as discussed above and further discloses the electric motor 3 including the magnetic circuit component of claim 12 and a compressor 1 configured to be driven by the electric motor 3 (fig 1, [0033]).
Ishimaru is silent with respect to a blower comprising: the electric motor including the magnetic circuit component of claim 12; and a fan configured to be driven by the electric motor.
Gilliland discloses a blower and a fan configured to be driven by an electric motor (figs 1-2, col 1, lns 14-17 & col 3, lns 7-15); and
It is known to employ electric motors to drive a blower with a fan or a compressor (col 1, lns 14-17).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the electric motor of Ishimaru as a blower comprising: the electric motor; and a fan configured to be driven by the electric motor, as disclosed by Gilliland, in order to employ the electric motor in different known applications, as demonstrated by Gilliland.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Naka et al. (WO2021065676), Nigo et al. (JP2011019398, fig 7) and Ogawa (JP05191935) from the ids read on at least claim 1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5715. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:30-5pm 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, Seye Iwarere can be reached on (571)270-5112. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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