DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 23 July 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 13 July 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-5 and 7-8 under 35 USC 102 or 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Liang et al (CN 214499480 U) and Chen et al (CN 213450910 U).
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang et al – hereafter Liang – (CN 214499480 U).
Regarding claim 1, Liang teaches an air guide structure of an axial flow fan (Fig.6-8), comprising a first inner ring (213), a second inner ring (214), an outer ring (223), a plurality of first grille bars (222), and a second grille bar (212), wherein:
the first inner ring and the outer ring are both annular (Fig.6-8), the outer ring is arranged around a periphery of the first inner ring (Fig.6-8), and the plurality of first grille bars are evenly spaced in a circumferential direction of the first inner ring (Fig.6-8), and one end of each of the plurality of first grille bars is connected to the first inner ring and other end of each of the plurality of first grille bars is connected to the outer ring (Fig.6-8); and
each of the plurality of first grille bars is in a shape of a twisted sheet extending in a spiral (Fig.6-8);
the second inner ring is annular and is arranged along an inner circumference of the first inner ring (Fig.6-8); and
two ends of the second grille bar are respectively connected to the first inner ring (Fig.6-8), the second grille bar extends straight along a radial direction of the first inner ring (Fig.6-8), however, does not explicitly teach a width of each of the plurality of first grille bars decreases or increases along an extension direction from the end connected to the first inner ring to the other end connected to the outer ring.
In Gardner v. TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert, denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984), the Federal Circuit held that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. In the current instance the only difference between claim 1 and the disclosed air guide structure of Liang is the relative dimensions of a width of each of the plurality of first grille bars decreases or increases along an extension direction from the end connected to the first inner ring to the other end connected to the outer ring. Since Liang has disclosed an air guide structure with the claimed components and, if having said claimed relative dimensions between a width of each of the plurality of first grille bars decreases or increases along an extension direction from the end connected to the first inner ring to the other end connected to the outer ring would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claims are not patentably distinct and said relative dimensions modification would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 2, Liang teaches all the limitations of claim 1, see above, however, does not explicitly teach a diameter of the first inner ring is 0.1-0.3 times a diameter of the outer ring.
In Gardner v. TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert, denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984), the Federal Circuit held that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. In the current instance the only difference between claim 2 and the disclosed air guide structure of Liang is the relative dimensions of the first inner ring diameter and the outer ring diameter. Since Liang has disclosed an air guide structure with the claimed components and, if having said claimed relative dimensions between the first inner ring diameter and the outer ring diameter would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claims are not patentably distinct and said relative dimensions modification would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 7, Liang further teaches each of the plurality of first grille bars comprises a windward surface (where 222 points to) in a thickness direction of the each of the plurality of first grille bars (Fig.8), and the windward surface of each of the plurality of first grille bars faces a radial plane of the outer ring (Annotated Fig.8);
a second angle (Annotated Fig.8, second angle is defined by 90°-α2) is formed between the windward surface of each of the plurality of first grille bars and the radial plane of the outer ring (Annotated Fig.8), and a value range of the second angle is greater than or equal to 50° and less than 90° (machine translation page 8 ¶6, note alpha 2 as defined between windward surface and rotating axis b is 10 degrees to 30 degrees; to determine the second angle as claimed we subtract 10 degrees to 30 degrees from 90 degrees, which gives us a value range of 60° to 80° for the second angle); and
a numerical value and a direction of the second angle at each position on the windward surface of each of the first grille bars are in continuous relationship (Annotated Fig.8).
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Regarding claim 8, Liang teaches all the limitations of claim 7, see above, however, do not explicitly teach the second angle at each position on the windward surface of each first grille bar of the plurality of first grille bars continuously decreases along a direction from a connection position between the first grille bar and the outer ring to a connection position between the first grille bar and the first inner ring; and a difference between the second angle of the windward surface at the connection position between the first grille bar and the outer ring and the second angle of the windward surface at the connection position between the first grille bar and the first inner ring is less than or equal to 5°.
However, Liang recognizes the second angle as being a result effective variable that could be optimized to help avoid bad wind expanding and wind increased resistance effects (Liang machine learning page 8 ¶6).
Therefore, It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the air guide structure of Chen and Liang by having the second angle at each position on the windward surface of each first grille bar of the plurality of first grille bars continuously decreases along a direction from a connection position between the first grille bar and the outer ring to a connection position between the first grille bar and the first inner ring; and a difference between the second angle of the windward surface at the connection position between the first grille bar and the outer ring and the second angle of the windward surface at the connection position between the first grille bar and the first inner ring is less than or equal to 5° via routine optimization based on the teachings of Liang.
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chen et al – hereafter Chen – (CN 213450910 U).
Regarding claim 3, Liang teaches all the limitations of claim 1, see above, however, does not explicitly teach a radial plane of the first inner ring and a radial plane of the outer ring are not in the same plane and are parallel to each other.
Chen teaches an air guide structure of an axial flow fan (Fig.3/5/6), comprising a first inner ring (3212), an outer ring (3211) and a plurality of first grille bars (3213), wherein: the first inner ring and the outer ring are both annular (Fig.5/6), the outer ring is arranged around a periphery of the first inner ring (Fig.5/6), and the plurality of first grille bars are evenly spaced in a circumferential direction of the first inner ring (Fig.5), and one end of each of the plurality of first grille bars is connected to the first inner ring and other end of each of the plurality of first grille bars is connected to the outer ring (Fig.5); and each of the plurality of first grille bars is in a shape of a twisted sheet extending in a spiral (Fig.5). Chen further teaches a radial plane of the first inner ring and a radial plane of the outer ring are not in the same plane and are parallel to each other (Fig.6, A); note that said configuration allows improving the air output effect of the fan (machine translation ¶34).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to further modify the air guide structure of Liang by having a radial plane of the first inner ring and a radial plane of the outer ring are not in the same plane and are parallel to each other based on the teachings of Chen because this would allow improving the air output effect of the fan.
Regarding claim 4, Liang teaches all the limitations of claim 1, see above, however, does not explicitly teach a vertical distance (A) between the radial plane of the first inner ring and the radial plane of the outer ring is less than or equal to 5-10% of a diameter of the outer ring.
Chen teaches an air guide structure of an axial flow fan (Fig.3/5/6), comprising a first inner ring (3212), an outer ring (3211) and a plurality of first grille bars (3213), wherein: the first inner ring and the outer ring are both annular (Fig.5/6), the outer ring is arranged around a periphery of the first inner ring (Fig.5/6), and the plurality of first grille bars are evenly spaced in a circumferential direction of the first inner ring (Fig.5), and one end of each of the plurality of first grille bars is connected to the first inner ring and other end of each of the plurality of first grille bars is connected to the outer ring (Fig.5); and each of the plurality of first grille bars is in a shape of a twisted sheet extending in a spiral (Fig.5). Chen further teaches a vertical distance (A) between the radial plane of the first inner ring and the radial plane of the outer ring is less than or equal to 5-10% of a diameter of the outer ring (machine translation ¶34); note that said configuration allows improving the air output effect of the fan (machine translation ¶34).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to further modify the air guide structure of Liang by having a vertical distance (A) between the radial plane of the first inner ring and the radial plane of the outer ring is less than or equal to 5-10% of a diameter of the outer ring based on the teachings of Chen because this would allow improving the air output effect of the fan.
Regarding claim 5, Liang teaches all the limitations of claim 1, see above, and further teaches each first grille bar of the plurality of first grille bars comprises a first end (Fig.6-7) and a second end (Fig.6-7), the first end of the first grille bar is connected to the first inner ring (Fig.6-7), and the second end of the first grille bar is connected to the outer ring (Fig.6-7), an orthographic projection of a line connecting a center point of the first end of the first grille bar and a center of the first inner ring on a radial plane of the outer ring is a first connection line (Fig.7); an orthographic projection of a line connecting a center point of the second end of the first grille bar and the center of the first inner ring on the radial plane of the outer ring is a second connection line (Fig.7), however, does not explicitly teach the first connection line and the second connection line intersect to form a first angle, and a value range of the first angle is less than or equal to 75° and greater than 50°.
Chen teaches an air guide structure of an axial flow fan (Fig.3/5/6), comprising a first inner ring (3212), an outer ring (3211) and a plurality of first grille bars (3213), wherein: the first inner ring and the outer ring are both annular (Fig.5/6), the outer ring is arranged around a periphery of the first inner ring (Fig.5/6), and the plurality of first grille bars are evenly spaced in a circumferential direction of the first inner ring (Fig.5), and one end of each of the plurality of first grille bars is connected to the first inner ring and other end of each of the plurality of first grille bars is connected to the outer ring (Fig.5); and each of the plurality of first grille bars is in a shape of a twisted sheet extending in a spiral (Fig.5). Chen further teaches an orthographic projection of a line connecting a center point of the first end of the first grille bar and a center of the first inner ring on a radial plane of the outer ring is a first connection line (M); an orthographic projection of a line connecting a center point of the second end of the first grille bar and the center of the first inner ring on the radial plane of the outer ring is a second connection line (S); the first connection line and the second connection line intersect to form a first angle (α), and a value range of the first angle is less than or equal to 75° and greater than 50° (machine translation ¶36); said configuration results in good noise reduction (machine translation ¶36).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to further modify the air guide structure of Liang by having the first connection line and the second connection line intersect to form a first angle, and a value range of the first angle is less than or equal to 75° and greater than 50° based on the teachings of Chen because this results in good noise reduction.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUAN G FLORES whose telephone number is (571)272-3486. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:30pm Pacific Time.
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/JUAN G FLORES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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