Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
Claims filed 28 April 2025 have been entered.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 2, and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lam (US 2020/0149529) in view of Nagasaka (US 2018/0009098).
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Figure 1 of Lam
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Figure 2 of Lam
Regarding claim 1, Lam discloses an electric air pump comprising a power unit (power device, par 0028) including a first housing (fig 1, 10, par 0028) … and a motor (11) and an inflating unit (21, par 0029) including a second housing (20), an eccentric cam member (fig 7, driving pin 26 eccentrically provided on gear 25, par 0035) disposed inside the second housing, a linking member (fig 3, piston rod 27, par 0035) connected to the eccentric cam member, a piston (piston is driven by piston rod 27, par 0035) arranged at one end of the linking member, a cylinder (28) member accommodating the piston, and a connecting member (discharge outlet 23 may be connected to an object to be inflated, par 0045) arranged at one end of the cylinder member, wherein the eccentric cam member is detachably connected to the motor (clutch device selective engages gear 34 and 35 which are in the drivetrain between eccentric 26 and motor, par 0056), and wherein the connecting member is adapted for connecting (adapted via connection via a hose, par 0045) to an air valve (the hose is adapted to connect to an inflatable tire, par 0045; tires conventionally have an inlet air valve through which to be inflated by an airpump, it is within the ordinary skill of a worker in the art to adapt the hose to connect to a conventional air valve at the inlet of a tire); wherein the power unit is configured to connect (the clutch can be selectively activated, par 0037) to the inflating unit in one of a first position (fig 2, parallel position, 0039-0042), a second position (fig 1, folded position, par 0033-0038), or a third position (any angle between 90 and 180 degrees, par 0033; with clutch deactivated, par 0037); wherein when the power unit is in the first position (parallel), the motor is detached from the eccentric cam member (the clutch can be selective activated to disengage the first and second coupling means in any position, par 0037; therefore the clutch can disengage the power device and pumping device when parallel; fig 2, 20 and 21 are aligned), wherein when the power unit is in the second position (folded position), the motor is connected to the eccentric cam member (the clutch can be selective deactivated to engage the first and second coupling means in any position, par 0037; therefore the clutch can engage the power device and pumping device when folded; hand-held L, par 0028), wherein when the power unit is in the third position, the power unit and the inflating unit are completely separated from each other (the clutch is deactivated, thereby separating the motor and pump, par 0037; disengaged clutch with any angle between 90 and 180 degrees is a third configuration, par 0033, 0037).
Lam is silent on a battery disposed inside the first housing, a control circuit board electrically coupled to the battery, and the motor electrically coupled to the control circuit board;
Nagasaka teaches a battery (10, par 0037) disposed inside (battery 10 is disposed in the battery mounting portion 9 which is inside of the handle housing 8 portion of the device, par 0047) a first housing (housing of the drill includes a motor 2, gear 4, and handle 8 housing, par 0006, 0037), a control circuit board (75, par 0050) electrically coupled to the battery (battery provides electricity to the drill, the control circuit board 75 controls power to the motor 3, par 0062-0063), and a motor (3) electrically coupled (par 0063) to the control circuit board (control circuit board 75 control power to the motor switching elements, par 0063).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the first housing (10) and motor (11) of Lam by adding the battery (10) and control circuit board electrically coupled to the batter and the motor taught by Nagasaka in order to bring a portable power source to Lam and thereby increasing the handheld compressor’s utility as a portable compressor which does not need an external power source.
Regarding claim 2, Lam discloses the electric air pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first housing extends along a first reference axis (fig 1 and fig 2, axis of 10), wherein the second housing extends along a second reference axis (axis of 20); wherein when the power unit is in the first position (fig 2, parallel), the first reference axis is coaxial with the second reference axis (fig 2, 10 and 20 are parallel in the first position, par 0039-0042); wherein when the power unit is in the second position (fig 1, folded), the first reference axis intersects with the second reference axis (fig 1, 10 and 20 are folded, par 0033-0038; “L” shaped).
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Annotations on Lam fig 6
Regarding claim 3, Lam discloses the electric air pump as claimed in claim 2, wherein the power unit is provided with a first engaging portion (fig 6, shaft 3, par 0045, 0047; fig 7 depicts 35 on axis 3; 35 engages with 34, par 0056; in the first alternative, fig 6, shaft 3, par 0053) on the first housing (10, with motor 11), wherein the inflating unit (20 with piston) is provided with a second engaging portion (25, par 0045; in the first alternative, fig 6, the first of two support plates 29, par 0045) on the second housing (fig 1, 25 is in 20) and a third engaging portion (gear 25 when disengaged by clutch via the sliding of gear 25 of the second coupling device 22, par 0046, in the first alternative, fig 6, the second of two support plates 29, par 0045) on the cylinder member (25 is attached to cylinder via piston rod 27; 29 is attached to cylinder via bracket 24, par 0035); wherein when the power unit is in the first position (fig 2, parallel), the first engaging portion (35) is engaged with the second engaging portion (25, the clutch can selectively engage 25 and 35 in both the straight and L shaped positions, par 0037, in the first alternative, shaft 3 is connected to the first of two support plates 29); wherein when the power unit is in the second position (fig 1, folded), the first engaging portion (35) is engaged with the third engaging portion (25; the clutch can selectively engage 25 and 35 in both the straight and L shaped positions, par 0037, in the first alternative, shaft 3 is connected to the second of two support plates 29); wherein when the power unit is in the third position, the first engaging portion is disengaged from both the second and the third engaging portions (the clutch is disengaged, par 0037; in the disengaged state the first engaging portion gear 25 is disconnected from 35).
Claims 1, 2, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moynihan (US 4,874,296) in view of Nagasaka (US 2018/0009098).
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Moynihan fig 1 and 1A
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Annotations on Moynihan fig 4
Regarding claim 1, Moynihan discloses an electric air pump (fig 1, air compressor 10 powered by an electric power drill 19, c 4 ln 9-16) comprising: a power unit (drill 19) including a first housing (housing of drill 19), … an inflating unit (compressor 10) including a second housing (11), an eccentric cam member (eccentric pin 33, c 4 ln 55) disposed inside the second housing, a linking member (connecting rod 34, c 4 ln 55-56) connected to the eccentric cam member, a piston (36, c 4 ln 57) arranged at one end of the linking member, a cylinder (21, c 4 ln 21) member accommodating the piston, and a connecting member (hose 39, c 4 ln 64) arranged at one end of the cylinder member, wherein the eccentric cam member is detachably connected to the motor (compressor is a drill attachment which may be attached from a drill chuck, c 4 ln 15-18; and detached as an accessory into a toolbox for storage, c 1 ln 45-58), and wherein the connecting member is adapted (fitting 40 is adapted to engage with vale stem 41, c 4 ln 64-65) for connecting to an air valve (valve stem 41 of a tire 42, c 4 ln 65-67); wherein the power unit is configured to connect to the inflating unit in one of a first position (fig 1, connection between drive shaft 17 and drill 19 via the conventional drill chuck, c 4 ln 26; drive shafts 17 or alternatively stub shaft 26 may be driven by power drill 19, c 4 ln 26-35, 50-52), a second position (drive shaft 26 is in drill 19, c 4 ln 50-52), or a third position (neither drive shaft 17 or 26 is in drill 19 because the air compressor attachment is separated from the drill and put in a tool box for storage, c 1 ln 45-50; thereby enabling the power drill to be used for other tasks such as drilling as is known in the art); wherein when the power unit is in the first position (fig 1, drill 19 is attached to shaft 17), …; wherein when the power unit is in the second position (drill 19 attached to shaft 26), the motor is connected to the eccentric cam member (power drill 19 drives shaft 26, c 4 ln 50-52); wherein when the power unit is in the third position, the power unit and the inflating unit are completely separated from each other (the compressor may be stored in a tool box, completely separated from the power drill, c 1 ln 45-50; the compressor stored and separated from the drill is a different configuration than the drill attached to either drive shaft 17 or 26).
Moynihan is silent as to a battery disposed inside the first housing, a control circuit board electrically coupled to the battery, and a motor electrically coupled to the control circuit board… the motor is detached from the eccentric cam member.
Nevertheless, Moynihan discloses that the air compressor is driven by a home appliance portable power drill (c 1 ln 45-58) where the compressor is attached to the drill with the drill’s chuck (18, c 4 ln 33). A drill chuck (18) is ubiquitous and well known in the machining arts and has the plain meaning of a clamp of a drill used to temporarily hold a drill bit or cutting tool (See description of drill chuck, obtained from https://www.mscdirect.com/basicsof/drill-chucks, 1 October 2024).
Since Moynihan attaches to shaft (17, c 4 ln 15) of the compressor (10) via the drill chuck (18), inherently the drill chuck (18) must be open wide enough and disengaged in order for the shaft (17) to slide into the chuck (18) without resistance. When the shaft (17) is at the desired depth, the chuck (18) may be tightened to clamp on the shaft (17) so that rotational forces can be transferred from the drill (19) to the shaft (17) and eventually eccentric (33) which is connected to shaft (17). Therefore, if the drill chuck (18) is open and not delivering power to shaft (17) then the drill chuck is also not delivering power to eccentric (33).
Therefore, in the period when the shaft (17) is being slid into chuck (18), before the chuck (18) is tightened and engages with the shaft (17), the apparatus meets the limitation “when the power unit (drill 19) is in the first position (fig 1, chuck 18 around shaft 17) the motor is detached from the eccentric cam member (33).”
Nagasaka teaches an electric power drill with a battery pack (par 0002) and a chuck (7, par 0048) capable of clamping/unclamping (par 0048) a battery (10, par 0037) disposed inside (battery 10 is disposed in the battery mounting portion 9 which is inside of the handle housing 8 portion of the device, par 0047) a first housing (housing of the drill includes a motor 2, gear 4, and handle 8 housing, par 0006, 0037), a control circuit board (75, par 0050) electrically coupled to the battery (battery provides electricity to the drill, the control circuit board 75 controls power to the motor 3, par 0062-0063), and a motor (3) electrically coupled (par 0063) to the control circuit board (control circuit board 75 control power to the motor switching elements, par 0063), and a loop shaped handle for gripping (handle 8, par 0047).
Nagasaka also provides further evidence that chucks are known in the art as devices that are capable of clamping and unclamping (par 0048), as argued above.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the generic portable hand held power drill of Moynihan for the portable hand held power drill of Nagasaka as both function as power drills with chucks, such that one of ordinary skill could have simply substituted in Nagasaka for the predictable use of a portable hand-held power drill with a handle for gripping during operation.
As a result of the combination Moynihan in view of Nagasaka teaches a battery (Nagasaka, 10) disposed inside the first housing (Nagasaka, housing of drill), a control circuit board (Nagasaka, 75) electrically coupled to the battery (Nagasaka, 10), and a motor (Nagasaka, 3) electrically coupled to the control circuit board (Nagasaka, 75).
Regarding claim 2, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka teaches the electric air pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first housing (Nagasaka, power drill housing, a motor 2, gear 4, and handle 8 housing, par 0006, 0037) extends along a first reference axis (Nagasaka, rotating axis of chuck 7), wherein the second housing extends along a second reference axis (Moynihan, fig 1, axis of 17); wherein when the power unit (Nagasaka, power drill) is in the first position (Moynihan, fig 1, attached to drive shaft 17), the first reference axis is coaxial with the second reference axis (Moynihan, fig 1, drill chuck is parallel with drive shaft 17); wherein when the power unit (Nagasaka, power drill) is in the second position (Moynihan, fig 1, attached to drive shaft 26), the first reference axis intersects with the second reference axis (Moynihan, fig 1, the axis of the drill chuck on drive shaft 26 intersects at a right angle with the axis of drive shaft 17).
Regarding claim 3, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka teaches the electric air pump as claimed in claim 2, wherein the power unit (Nagasaka, power drill) is provided with a first engaging portion (Nagasaka, chuck 7) on the first housing (chuck 7 is on the power drill housing), wherein the inflating unit (Moynihan, fig 1, compressor 10) is provided with a second engaging portion (drive shaft 17) on the second housing (housing 11) and a third engaging portion (drive shaft 26) on the cylinder member (26 is attached to crankcase 20 which includes the cylinder 21, c 4 ln 20-21, 29-31); wherein when the power unit (Nagasaka, power drill) is in the first position (Moynihan, attached to drive shaft 17, c 4 ln 15-18), the first engaging portion (Nagasaka, chuck 7) is engaged with the second engaging portion (Moynihan, fig 1, chuck is attached to drive shaft 17, c 4 ln 15-18); wherein when the power unit is in the second position (Moynihan fig 1, chuck is attached to drive shaft 26, c 4 ln 50-52), the first engaging portion (Nagasaka, chuck 7) is engaged with the third engaging portion (Moynihan, fig 1, chuck is attached to drive shaft 26, c 4 ln 50-52); wherein when the power unit is in the third position, the first engaging portion (drill chuck 7) is disengaged from both the second engaging portion (shaft 17) and third (shaft 26) engaging portion (the drill is separated from the compressor and its drive shafts for storage, c 1 ln 45-50).
Regarding claim 10, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka teaches the electric air pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first housing (Nagasaka, power drill housing, a motor 2, gear 4, and handle 8 housing, par 0006, 0037) is further provided with an aperture (fig 10 depicts a hole in the housing between trigger 71 and switch 70, par 0049, 0052; inherently there is a hole to connect trigger 71 to the interior control of the apparatus), wherein the control circuit board has an activation control button (trigger 71) exposed outside the first housing (trigger 71 protrudes from the grip portion 63 of the handle housing 8, par 0049, 0072) through the aperture.
Claims 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown (US 2022/0412392) in view of Coppejeans (US 5528966).
Regarding claim 4, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka teaches the electric air pump as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first engaging portion (Nagasaka, chuck 7 of the power drill) is formed on a first end face of the first housing (Nagasaka, chuck 7 is at the end face of a housing; housing of power drill, a motor 2, gear 4, and handle 8 housing, par 0006, 0037)… wherein the second engaging portion (Moynihan, drive shaft 17 to which a power drill chuck clamps) is formed on a second end face of the second housing (Moynihan, fig 1, 17 is on rear wall 13 of the pump part, c 4 ln 13)… wherein the third engaging portion (Moynihan, drive shaft 26) is formed on an extension portion of the cylinder member (Moynihan, fig 1, 26 is mounted to crankcase 24, c 4 ln 29-31; crankcase 24 is an extension of cylinder 21, c 4 ln 18-21, therefore, crankcase 24 can reasonably be called an extension portion).
Moynihan in view of Nagasaka is silent on the first engaging portion (Nagasaka, chuck 7)… includes a pair of symmetrical first engaging protrusions, wherein each of the pair of first engaging protrusions has a first engaging slot on an outer side thereof, wherein the second engaging portion (Moynihan, drive shaft 17) … includes a pair of symmetrical second engaging protrusions, wherein the pair of second engaging protrusions is adjacent to a pair of symmetrical second engaging slots, wherein the third engaging portion (Moynihan, drive shaft 26) … includes a pair of symmetrical third engaging protrusions, and wherein each of the pair of third engaging protrusions forms a third engaging slot on an outer side thereof;
wherein when the power unit is in the first position, the pair of first engaging slots is engaged with the pair of second engaging protrusions; wherein when the power unit is in the second position, the pair of first engaging slots is engaged with the pair of third engaging slots; wherein when the power unit is in the third position, the pair of first engaging slots is disengaged from both the pair of second engaging protrusions and the pair of third engaging slots.
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Annotations on Brown
Brown teaches a torque applying connection between a torque-applying tool with a Phillips head blade of a screwdriver and a head with intersecting blade slots configured to accommodate a Phillips head bit (par 0058).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the direct chuck connection at the drive shaft 17 and the second connection at the drive shaft 26 of Moynihan with a Phillips connection taught by Brown as both have the same function of transferring torque applied from a hand held power drill, such that one of ordinary skill could have substituted in a Phillips connection for the predictable result of transferring torque from a portable hand-held power drill.
As a result of the combination of Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown, the combination teaches wherein the second engaging portion (Moynihan, drive shaft 17 modified in view of Brown to add a Phillips connection at the end of the shaft 16) … includes a pair of symmetrical second engaging protrusions (a first Phillips connection with the protrusions between the slots of the Phillip’s socket, see annotated drawing), wherein the pair of second engaging protrusions is adjacent to a pair of symmetrical second engaging slots (slots are between the protrusions, See annotated drawing), wherein the third engaging portion (Moynihan, drive shaft 26 modified in view of Brown to add a Phillips connection at the end of the shaft 26) … includes a pair of symmetrical third engaging protrusions (a second Phillips connection with protrusions between the slots of the Phillip’s socket, see annotated drawing), and wherein each of the pair of third engaging protrusions forms a third engaging slot on an outer side thereof (slots are between the protrusions, See annotated drawing).
Coppejans teaches a Phillips head bit to be inserted into a power drill (fig 5, c 3 ln 34-35) which includes a pair of symmetrical first engaging protrusions (fig 6, Phillips blades 25, c 4 ln 13) wherein each of the pair of first engaging protrusions has a first engaging slot on an outer side thereof (recess 27 between the protrusions, c 4 ln 10).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a Phillips drill bit taught by Coppejans at the chuck (Nagasaka chuck 7 substituting for Moynihan chuck18) of Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown, in order to transfer torque from the portable hand-held power drill of Nagasaka to the Phillips socket taught by Brown, for the predictable result of transferring torque from a portable hand-held power drill via a Phillips connection.
As a result of the combination, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans makes obvious the limitation wherein when the power unit (Nagasaka power drill) is in the first position (Nagasaka chuck 7 aligned with Moynihan shaft 17), the pair of first engaging slots is engaged with the pair of second engaging protrusions (the engagement of slots is the expected result of using a Phillips bit with a Phillips socket); wherein when the power unit (Nagasaka power drill) is in the second position (Nagasaka chuck 7 aligned with Moynihan shaft 26), the pair of first engaging slots is engaged with the pair of third engaging slots (the engagement of slots is the expected result of using a Phillips bit with a Phillips socket), wherein when the power unit is in the third position, the pair of first engaging slots is disengaged from both the pair of second engaging protrusions and the pair of third engaging slots (Nagasaka chuck 7 is disconnected with Moynihan’s shafts).
Regarding claim 5, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans teaches the electric air pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pair of first engaging protrusions (Coppejans, fig 2, surface 21 is at the base of the rib 25, surface 21 appears to be curved as it transitions to the hexagon shank 19 of the drill bit, c 3 ln 36, 38), the pair of second engaging protrusions (See annotated drawing at claim 4, the socket protrusions are curved), and the pair of third engaging protrusions are each curved in shape (See annotated drawing at claim 4, the socket protrusions are curved).
Regarding claim 6, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans teaches the electric air pump as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first housing (Nagasaka, housing of power drill) is provided with a first through-hole (Nagasaka, fig 6, hole surrounded by bearing 53, in receiving tube 50 for spindle 6 which drives chuck 7, par 0045) penetrating through the first end face (end face of receiving tube 50, par 0045) along the first reference axis and disposed between (the hole in bearing 53 has a center axis aligned with the center axis of the Phillips head bit, therefore a portion of the hole on the center axis is between the outer radial portions of the Phillips head which are away from the center axis shared by the hole and the Phillips head bit) the pair of first engaging protrusions (Coppejans, protrusions of Phillips head bit), wherein the motor has a rotating shaft (spindle 6 which is driven by motor via output shaft 43, par 0045) inserted into the first through-hole (spindle 6 is through the hole in tube 50, par 0045) and a meshing member (Coppejans, Phillips head drill bit) disposed at one end of the rotating shaft (the expected result of combining the power drill bit of Coppejans and the chuck 7 of Nagasaka is that the drill bit clamped in the chuck and put on the same rotational axis) and disposed outside the first housing (Nagasaka, fig 6, spindle 6 of chuck 7 is outside of the receiving tube 50),
wherein the second housing is provided with a second through-hole (Moynihan, bearing 16 is around a hole in rear wall 13 for shaft 17, c 4 ln 12-14) penetrating through the second end face (Moynihan, 13) along the second reference axis (Moynihan, fig 1, axis of 17), a third end face (Moynihan, housing 11 with bearing 27) adjacent to the second end face (Moynihan, fig 1, the side of hosing 11 with bearing 27 shares an edge with rear wall 13),
and a third through-hole (hole surrounded by bearing 27, c 4 ln 30) penetrating through the third end face, wherein the eccentric cam member (fig 1, eccentric pin 33 on crank 32, is on shaft 26, c 4 ln 54-55) is provided with a meshing groove (Phillips socket of Brown on drive shaft 26 of Moynihan) detachably engaged with the meshing member (Phillips head of Coppejans in the chuck of Nagasaka).
Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans does not explicitly disclose wherein when the power unit is in the first position, the meshing member extends into the second through-hole; wherein when the power unit is in the second position, the meshing member extends into the third through-hole and engages with the meshing groove.
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Annotations on Moynihan fig 1a, second embodiment
Nevertheless, in a separate embodiment, Moynihan teaches that the outward protruding portion of drive shaft 26 can be removed and provided with a female socket 47 in its place for driving by a drive shaft 48 in the drill chuck of the powered drill (c 5 ln 5-12).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to remove the outwardly-protruding portion of the drive shaft 17, as well as the outwardly-protruding portion of drive shaft 26 of Moynihan fig 1 and replace with an inward drive socket as done for Moynihan’s shaft 26 (Moynihan, c 5 ln 4-12) for the expected result of providing a means of transferring torque.
It would have been further obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to maintain the Phillips connection of Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans on the shortened drive shaft (17) of Moynihan for the expected result of maintaining a torsion connection between shaft 17 and the hand powered drill with the Phillips bit driver of the above combination.
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Annotations on Moynihan fig 1
As a result, the combination meets the limitation, the meshing member extends into (since the protruding portion of shaft 17 has been removed in light of Moynihan, the head must protrude into the hole) the second through-hole (the Phillips connection of Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans is between the drill and the drive shaft 17; the Phillips connection does not engage its outward protruding portions with the second through hole, which is the hole in the rear wall surrounded by bearing 16); wherein when the power unit is in the second position (Moynihan, fig 1, drill attached to shaft 26), the meshing member (Coppejans, Phillips head drill bit) extends into (since the protruding portion of shaft 26 has been removed in light of Moynihan, the head must protrude into the hole) the third through-hole (hole surrounded by bearing 27, c 4 ln 30) and engages with the meshing groove (Phillips socket of Brown on drive shaft 26 of Moynihan; of the eccentric cam member fig 1, eccentric pin 33 on crank 32, is on shaft 26, c 4 ln 54-55).
Regarding claim 7, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans teaches the electric air pump as claimed in claim 6, wherein the eccentric cam member (Moynihan, fig 1, crank 32 with eccentric pin 33, c 4 ln 55) is provided with an eccentric connecting column (Moynihan, fig 1, eccentric pin 33, c 4 ln 56; equivalent to applicant connecting column 222, See applicant’s fig 4, par 0027), wherein one end of the linking member (34) opposite to the piston has a connecting hole (Moynihan, connecting rod 34 is on eccentric pin 33, c 4 ln 56; fig 1 depicts pin 33 penetrating connecting rod 34) sleeved onto the eccentric connecting column (eccentric pin 33), wherein the extension portion (crankcase 20, c 4 ln 20-21) of the cylinder member (21) forms a fourth through-hole (Moynihan, fig 1, bearing 28 is around the hole, c 4 ln 30) corresponding to the third through-hole (Moynihan, bearing 27 is around the hole, c 4 ln 30), and wherein the eccentric cam member is rotatably arranged in the fourth through-hole.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans in view of Wilber (US 2,759,665).
Regarding claim 8, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans the electric air pump as claimed in claim 6, … where the cylinder member is further provided with a chamber (Moynihan, fig 1, cylinder 21 has a compression chamber) extending along the second reference axis (Moynihan, axis of shaft 17).
Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans does not disclose wherein the piston is provided with a unidirectional sealing ring on an outer periphery thereof, … wherein the unidirectional sealing ring abuts against an inner surface of the chamber.
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Wilber fig 4
Wilber teaches an air compressor powered by a portable electric drill (c 1 ln 15-18) with a cylinder member (fig 4, cylinder 25 with cylinder head 40, c 3 ln 14-15) wherein a piston (30, c 3 ln 1) is provided with a unidirectional sealing ring (cup washer 38, c 3 ln 1-2) on an outer periphery thereof (fig 4 depicts cup washer 38 outside of the periphery of piston 30), wherein the cylinder member is further provided with a chamber (interior of cylinder 25), where the unidirectional sealing ring (38) abuts against an inner surface of the chamber (fig 4 depicts 38 abutting against cylinder 25).
Wilbur does not explicitly say that cup washer (38) is a unidirectional sealing valve.
Nevertheless, Wilber teaches that the piston (30) are configured as inlet valves (c 2 ln 72). Wilbur’s fig 4 depicts the cup washer (38) bending toward the compression chamber of the cylinder (25), which could indicate directionality of seal around said cup washer (38). Wilbur discloses no other features besides the cup washer (38) which could enable the piston (30) to act as an inlet valve. A person of ordinary skill in the art would reasonably infer based on the disclosure of pistons acting as inlet valves and figure 4 showing cup washer (38) with a bend, that the cup washer (38) functions as a unidirectional seal, and further meets the plain meaning of ring because it encircles the piston (30). Therefore, Wilber’s cup washer implicitly meets the limitation unidirectional sealing ring.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to replace the inlet valve means of Moynihan with the inlet valve means of Wilber for the expected result of providing an inlet valve to a compressor driven by a portable hand power drill, by replacing Moynihan’s piston 36 and cylinder (21) with the inlet (37) with the Wilber’s piston (30) and cylinder (25), thereby meeting the limitation “wherein the piston (Wilber, 30) is provided with a unidirectional sealing ring (38) on an outer periphery thereof, … wherein the unidirectional sealing ring (38) abuts against an inner surface of the chamber (inner surface of cylinder 25).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans in view of Wilber in view of Komiya (US 2020/0011311).
Regarding claim 9, Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans teaches the electric air pump as claimed in claim 8, wherein … a connecting hole (hose 39 has a hole for air passage within the hose, fig 1 depicts hole 39 as hollow) extending along the second reference axis (hose 39 extends along the axis of shaft 17), and wherein the connecting member is further provided with an airtight member (fitting 40 adapted to engage the valve stem 41, c 4 ln 64-66) disposed in the connecting hole and adapted for clamping the air valve.
Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans does not disclose the cylinder member is further provided with a threaded hole communicating with the chamber, wherein the connecting member (hose 39, c 4 ln 64 ) is provided with a threaded portion formed on an outer periphery thereof and detachably engaging with the threaded hole… where the airtight member is disposed in the connecting hole and adapted for clamping the air valve.
Wilber further teaches an air compressor powered by a portable electric drill (c 1 ln 15-18) with a cylinder member (fig 4, cylinder 25 with cylinder head 40, c 3 ln 14-15) provided with a threaded hole (opening 340, outlet fitting 42 is threaded into opening c 3 ln 21-23) communicating with a cylinder chamber (interior of cylinder 25, c 4 ln 6), wherein a connecting member (outlet fitting 42 and hose 143, c 3 ln 23) is provided with a threaded portion (outlet fitting 42 is threaded, c 3 ln 21) formed at an outer periphery thereof (fig 4 depicts threads of 42 on the outer diameter) and detachably engaging with the threaded hole (42 is threaded into 340, c 3 ln 21-22; conventional threaded connections are known in the art as separable, it is reasonable to conclude that one skill in the art would infer that the threaded connection between fitting 42 and opening 340 is capable of separating because it is a threaded connection, See MPEP 2144.01).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the threaded connection at the outlet of the compressor of Wilber into the compressor of Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans in view of Wilber, to make an air tight connection between the pump cylinder and hose.
Moynihan in view of Nagasaka in view of Brown in view of Coppejans in view of Wilber is silent on the airtight member disposed in the connecting hole and adapted for clamping the air valve.
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Annotations on Komiya fig 2
Komiya discloses an inflator (1, par 0018) which attaches to an object be inflated with an air chuck (9, par 0018) includes a clamp lever (901, par 0039) and engages by holding onto the tire valve by pivoting the clamp lever to the locked position (par 0039).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute Moynihan’s air fitting (40) with Komiya’s clamping air chuck (9) as both have the same function of engaging the valve stem of an inflatable tire for the delivery of pressurized air, for the predictable result of attaching to a valve stem for delivering pressurized air.
As a result, the combination makes obvious the limitation “the airtight member (Komiya clamping air chuck 9) is disposed in the connecting hole (inherently the seal of the clamping air chuck 9 must be on the interior of the air chuck 9 housing because the valve stem is insert into the air chuck 9 housing to seal) and adapted for clamping (air chuck 9 clamps/holds the valve stem) the air valve (valve stem).”
Conclusion
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/GEOFFREY S LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 3746 /DOMINICK L PLAKKOOTTAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746