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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 10-14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 10-14 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c), as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of a previous claim. Applicant is required to cancel the claim(s), or amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, or rewrite the claim(s) in independent form. The method claims 10-14 fail the “Infringement Test” for dependent claims (See MPEP § 608.01(n)).
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)(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 1-7 and 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Becker (Patent/Publication Number 4,036,565).
Regarding claims 1 and 9-10, Becker discloses a vacuum pump (1) comprising a rotor assembly rotatably supported by one or more radial bearings (20, 21) (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-20 and 48-56), a magnetic assembly for a rotor (6, 7) preferably of a molecular drag vacuum pump (1), comprising a first rotated magnet (15, 13) to be connected to the rotor and rotated together with the rotor (e.g. See Column 3, lines 60-67: A similar arrangement with circular knife edges 11 and 12 and magnets 13 is provided at the opposite or lower end of the rotor and they form a second passive bearing also centering and exerting an axial pull on the rotor. At the inner or exhaust end of the pumping system, the rotor also carries a magnet arrangement 15 accommodated in a yoke 14 and produces a radial magnetic field in a cylindrical air gap 16 which is coaxial of the rotor shaft 6.) (e.g. See Column 3, lines 35-67), a static damper element (19) arranged axially next to the first rotated magnet, acting as a damper magnet to induce eddy currents into the static damper element (e.g. See Column 4, lines 24-36: In order to eliminate axial oscillations of the rotor, the electrodynamic system may also be controlled by damping means which may be produced by electronic devices or by additional sensors which determine the velocity of the oscillation. Radial motions, for example, precession movements of the rotor, are damped by the described provision of ferromagnetic sections on the rotor, since upon a radial deviation of the ferromagnetic pole-shoe from the field of the fixed permanent magnet, eddy currents are induced which dampen this motion. For a more intense damping of the radial movements, additional damping elements 19 may be provided which are controlled through corresponding sensors.) (e.g. See Column 4, lines 24-36), a rotated yoke (14) extending radially and arranged axially next to the first rotated magnet (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-10), a static coil (24, 17) configured to generate a magnetic field (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-10 and 50-67), and a static yoke (14) connected to the static coil and arranged directly next to the rotated yoke to induce an axial magnetic force into the rotated yoke such that the first rotated magnet at the same time acts as a bias magnet (e.g. See Column 4, lines 60-67: Yoke 14 is enlarged at its bottom where it accommodates a magnet arrangement 23 of a DC motor, which is of a known kind and which does not have a commutator. The motor includes an iron-free winding in order to avoid radial forces which could be exerted by the motor on the rotor of the pump. The winding pack 24 of the drive motor and the coil 17 of the electrodynamic system are combined in a subassembly which can be removed from the casing of the pump in an assembled state. In this subassembly, for example, the sensors 18 for the axial and radial positioning of the rotor and the effective controls and damping devices associated therewith are provided.) (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-10 and 50-67).
Regarding claim 2, Becker further discloses wherein the static yoke surrounds the static coil and comprises a gap, wherein the rotated yoke extends into the gap (e.g. See Column 4, lines 50-60: The magnetic arrangement of the electrodynamic system which produces the radial magnetic field is secured to the inner surface of the pot-shape yoke 14. The yoke 14 is connected to the rotor and it is provided with a central core pin 22 which engages within the conical recess of the bearing bush 20. Permanent magnet 15 includes a plurality of individual magnets in the magnetic arrangement and this has the advantage that the magnets are pressed against the wall by centrifugal force.) (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-10 and 50-67).
Regarding claim 3, Becker further discloses wherein the rotated yoke and/or the static yoke are made from a magnetic material (e.g. See Column 4, lines 24-36: In order to eliminate axial oscillations of the rotor, the electrodynamic system may also be controlled by damping means which may be produced by electronic devices or by additional sensors which determine the velocity of the oscillation. Radial motions, for example, precession movements of the rotor, are damped by the described provision of ferromagnetic sections on the rotor, since upon a radial deviation of the ferromagnetic pole-shoe from the field of the fixed permanent magnet, eddy currents are induced which dampen this motion.) (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-10 and 50-67).
Regarding claim 4, Becker further discloses wherein the static damper element is made of a conductive material (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-10 and 50-67).
Regarding claim 5, Becker further discloses wherein the first rotated magnet comprises a first axial end and an opposite second axial end, wherein the static damper element is arranged directly axially next to the first axial end and the rotated yoke is connected to the second axial end (e.g. See Column 4, lines 24-36: In order to eliminate axial oscillations of the rotor, the electrodynamic system may also be controlled by damping means which may be produced by electronic devices or by additional sensors which determine the velocity of the oscillation. Radial motions, for example, precession movements of the rotor, are damped by the described provision of ferromagnetic sections on the rotor, since upon a radial deviation of the ferromagnetic pole-shoe from the field of the fixed permanent magnet, eddy currents are induced which dampen this motion.) (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-10 and 50-67).
Regarding claim 6, Becker further discloses comprising a second rotated magnet (e.g. See Column 3, lines 48-67).
Regarding claim 7, Becker further discloses wherein the second rotated magnet is arranged axially next to the first rotated magnet in a distance to create a gap in-between, wherein preferably the static damper element extends into the gap between the first rotated magnet and the second rotated magnet (e.g. See Column 3, lines 65-67 and Column 4, lines 1-5: At the inner or exhaust end of the pumping system, the rotor also carries a magnet arrangement 15 accommodated in a yoke 14 and produces a radial magnetic field in a cylindrical air gap 16 which is coaxial of the rotor shaft 6. In this air gap, a cylindrical fixed coil 17 is positioned, which forms an electrodynamic system by which exclusively axial forces are exerted on the rotor.) (e.g. See Column 3, lines 65-67 and Column 4, lines 1-25).
Regarding claim 11, Becker further discloses wherein a first part of the static yoke, the rotated yoke, the first rotated magnet, the damper element and a second rotated magnet are assembled in this order (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-67).
Regarding claim 12, Becker further discloses wherein a first part of the static yoke, the first rotated magnet, the damper element, a second rotated magnet and the rotated yoke are assembled in this order (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-67).
Regarding claim 13, Becker further discloses wherein a first part of the static yoke, the damper element, the first rotated magnet and the rotated yoke are assembled in this order (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-67).
Regarding claim 14, Becker further discloses wherein a first part of the static yoke, the rotated yoke, the first rotated magnet and the damper element are assembled in this order (e.g. See Column 4, lines 1-67).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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; and also to overcome the claim objections set forth in this Office action, such as to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 101, 112 2nd paragraph, and double patenting.
Since allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant is encouraged to submit Final Formal Drawings (If Needed) in response to this Office action. The early submission of formal drawings will permit the Office to review the drawings for acceptability and to resolve any informalities remaining therein before the application is passed to issue. This will avoid possible delays in the issue process.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and consists of seven patents:
Murakami et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 6213737), Miki et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 4609332), Hoesgen et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2026/0071636), Oshikiri et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2017/0231451), Nakazawa et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2021/0115929), Nagayama et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 5779453), and Chen et al. (Pat./Pub. No. US 2020/0018318), all discloses a vacuum pump for use with fluid dispensing system.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Primary Examiner Binh Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-4865. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors, Mark Laurenzi, can be reach on (571) 270-7878. The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are (571) 273-8300 for regular communications and for After Final communications.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
Binh Q. Tran
/BINH Q TRAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3748
July 25, 2026
Prosecution Insights