CTNF 19/143,679 CTNF 64421 DETAILED ACTION This is the first Office action on the merits of Application No. 19/143,679. The preliminary amendment filed on June 26, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-18, 21 and 22 are currently pending. 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 26, 2025 has been considered by the examiner. Drawings The drawings received on June 26, 2025 are acceptable. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1, 4, 6, 7, 15, 18 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by CN 203488594 U (hereinafter, Luo) . Regarding claim 1, Luo resilient dust cover (19) for a fan clutch assembly (Fig. 1), the fan clutch assembly including a solenoid body (yoke 13), a drive shaft (11) extending through the solenoid body, and a clutch body (11a) connected to the drive shaft, the resilient dust cover comprising: a resilient body comprising: a first opening (the larger diameter portion surrounding yoke 13) arranged to allow the resilient body to receive the solenoid body within the resilient body and to fit tightly on the solenoid body; and a second opening (at the inner periphery of flange 19a) opposite the first opening arranged to fit loosely over the drive shaft to allow the drive shaft to rotate freely. The dust cover is considered to be formed of a resilient material as broadly claimed since all materials exhibit a degree of resiliency. Regarding claim 4, the resilient dust cover further comprises a retention member (the lip formed on the dust cover 19 contacting the left-hand end of the yoke 13) adjacent the first opening, wherein the retention member is arranged to hold the resilient dust cover onto the solenoid body (the shoulder prevents axial movement of the cover toward the right side as viewed in Fig. 1). Regarding claim 6, the retention member comprises a circumferential lip that fits over an end of the solenoid body. Regarding claim 7, the resilient dust cover (19) is shaped to conformally form to an outer profile of the solenoid body (13). Regarding claim 15, Luo discloses a fan clutch assembly (Fig. 1), comprising: a solenoid body (13); a drive shaft (11) extending through the solenoid body; a clutch body (11a) connected to the drive shaft; and a resilient dust cover (19) on the solenoid body, the resilient dust cover having a first opening (the larger diameter portion surrounding yoke 13) adjacent the clutch body, the first opening arranged to allow the resilient dust cover to receive the solenoid body within the resilient dust cover and to fit tightly on the solenoid body, and a second opening (at the inner periphery of flange 19a) opposite the first opening arranged to fit loosely over the drive shaft to allow the drive shaft to rotate freely. The dust cover is considered to be formed of a resilient material as broadly claimed since all materials exhibit a degree of resiliency. Regarding claim 18, the fan clutch assembly of Luo further comprises a retention member (the lip formed on the dust cover 19 contacting the left-hand end of the yoke 13) adjacent the first opening, wherein the retention member is arranged to hold the resilient dust cover onto the solenoid body (the shoulder prevents axial movement of the cover toward the right side as viewed in Fig. 1). Regarding claim 21, the resilient dust cover is shaped to conformally form to an outer profile of the solenoid body . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 3 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo . Luo does not specify the material of the dust cover. However, the selection of rubber or plastic material would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art since the cover 19 of Luo is intended to be waterproof, and rubber and plastic are well known to be suitable for this purpose . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2, 5, 8-14, 16 and 22 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. Reasons for allowance, if applicable, will be the subject of a separate communication to the Applicant pursuant to 37 CFR § 1.104(e) and MPEP § 1302.14. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 4,285,421 A discloses an electromagnetic clutch having a dust cover 102. US 5,396,976 A discloses an electromagnetic clutch having a dust cover 45 (Fig. 1) or 46 (Fig. 4). US 2010/0122885 A1 discloses a viscous fan drive similar to that shown in Fig. 7 of the present application. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Richard M. Lorence whose telephone number is 571-272-7094. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday-Thursday from 11:00 AM-7:00 PM. 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, John R. Olszewski can be reached at 571-272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /RICHARD M LORENCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/143,679 Page 2 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/143,679 Page 3 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/143,679 Page 4 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/143,679 Page 5 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/143,679 Page 6 Art Unit: 3617
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