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 .
Status of Claims
This is a non-final rejection in response to the communication filed 05/13/2026. Claims 1-2 are currently pending.
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.
Drawings
Figures 4-6 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. 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.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 6,565,320 to Surls et al. (Surls) in view of US Patent Application Publication 2010/0322779 to Nakagawa et al. (Nakagawa).
In Reference to Claim 1
Surls discloses an axial flow fan (Fig. 1, 10 for instance) having a plurality of fan blades (12 for instance) radially extending from an outer periphery of a hub (11 for instance), the axial flow fan comprising a tapered boss (46 for instance, see figure 2) with a wide flat surface (of 46, see also figures 3-4) inclined toward a rotational direction (Fig. 2, 46 inclined counterclockwise for instance) of the fan (10) at a base section of each fan blade (13 for instance) on a side facing a rear surface of an adjacent fan blade (facing 19 for instance), except, "... a concave portion curved toward a windward side on an edge of the fan blade on a leeward side ....”
Nakagawa is related to an axial flow fan (Fig. 2, system thereof for instance) and configurations relative to a tip of the plurality of blades of the fan (see figures 3-4 for instance), as the claimed invention, and teaches a concave portion (Figs. 3-4, A for instance) curved toward a windward side (positive pressure surface for instance) on an edge of the fan blade (at 2c for instance) on a leeward side (negative pressure surface for instance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the system of Surls wherein a concave portion (as taught by Nakagawa) curves (as taught by Nakagawa) toward a windward side on an edge of the fan blade on a leeward side (of Surls), so as to use an art known technique (of the configuration of a tip of a fan blade as taught by Nakagawa) into the system of Surls and predictably control the flow of fluid over the surface of the fan blade.
In Reference to Claim 2
Surls, as modified by Nakagawa, discloses the axial flow fan according to claim 1, wherein a taper angle θ of a leading edge at a base portion of the fan blade (see tapered portion in annotated figure 3 for instance, see also portion 32 in figure 1 for instance) is 2 degrees or more and less than 90 degrees (as seen in the annotated figure the tapered portion being more than 2 degrees and less than 90 from either the annotated vertical or horizontal axes).
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Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, as cited in the Notice of References Cited, are cited to show configuration of fan blades including blade tips, and configuration of base portions of blades of an axial fan.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAYNE A LAMBERT whose telephone number is (571)270-3516. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9 am - 7 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, Nathaniel E Wiehe can be reached at (571)272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WAYNE A LAMBERT/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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