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 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.
Claim(s) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Kazama et al. (US 20240405623).
Regarding claims 1 and 18, Kazama teaches a rotation drive apparatus comprising: a rotor 110 that includes a first magnetic force unit and is rotatable in a rotation direction around a rotation axis intersecting a direction of gravity; a stator 120 that includes a second magnetic force unit; a support that supports the rotor positioned in a first position; and a control unit, wherein the first magnetic force unit is arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction on an outer peripheral side surface of the rotor, wherein the second magnetic force unit is arranged in an arc shape along the rotation direction above the rotor (para 87), and wherein, when the rotor is positioned at the first position and a levitation force with respect to the rotor is less than a predetermined value (figure 3b 0.35 degrees mechanical angle), the control unit rotates the rotor to a second position where the levitation force is equal to or greater than the predetermined value and levitates the rotor from the second position (figure 3a 0 degrees mechanical angle, para 108-117).
Regarding claim 2, Kazama teaches the control unit levitates the rotor from the first position when the rotor is positioned at the first position and the levitation force is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (figure 3a-b, 0 degrees and 0.35 degrees mechanical angle, para 108-117).
Regarding claim 3, Kazama teaches the second magnetic force unit includes a plurality of coils, and wherein the plurality of coils are arranged in line symmetry with respect to an axis along the direction of gravity in a plan view viewed in a direction along the rotation axis (para 53).
Regarding claim 4, Kazama teaches the first magnetic force unit includes a plurality of permanent magnets, and wherein, in the second position, the plurality of permanent magnets are arranged in line symmetry with respect to an axis along the direction of gravity in a plan view viewed in a direction along the rotation axis (para 78+).
Regarding claim 5, Kazama teaches in the second position, a magnetic pole direction of one of the plurality of permanent magnets is parallel to the direction of gravity (figure 3a 0 degrees mechanical angle, para 108-117).
Regarding claim 6, Kazama teaches the plurality of permanent magnets includes a first magnet group having magnetic poles aligned alternately in the rotation direction and a second magnet group having magnetic poles aligned alternately in a direction intersecting the rotation direction, and wherein, in the second position, the second magnet group is arranged in line symmetry with respect to an axis along the direction of gravity (para 78+).
Regarding claim 7, Kazama teaches the levitation force changes with an electric angle of the rotor (figure 3a 0 degrees mechanical angle, para 108-117).
Regarding claim 8, Kazama teaches when the rotor is supported by the support, the control unit rotates the rotor to a position where a levitation force with respect to the rotor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and then makes the rotor supported by the support and stopped (figure 3a 0 degrees mechanical angle, para 108-117).
Regarding claims 9 and 17, Kazama teaches a rotation drive apparatus comprising: a rotor 110 that includes a first magnetic force unit and is rotatable in a rotation direction around a rotation axis intersecting a direction of gravity; a stator 120 that includes a second magnetic force unit; a support that supports the rotor positioned in a first position; and a control unit, wherein the first magnetic force unit is arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction on an outer peripheral side surface of the rotor, wherein the second magnetic force unit is arranged in an arc shape along the rotation direction above the rotor (para 87), and
wherein, when the rotor is positioned at the first position and a cogging torque with respect to the rotor is equal to or more than a predetermined value (figure 3b 0.35 degrees mechanical angle), the control unit rotates the rotor to a second position where the cogging torque is less than the predetermined value and levitates the rotor from the second position (figure 3a 0 degrees mechanical angle, para 108-117).
Regarding claim 10, Kazama teaches the control unit levitates the rotor from the first position when the rotor is positioned at the first position and the cogging torque is less than the predetermined value (figure 3a 0 degrees mechanical angle, para 108-117).
Regarding claim 11, Kazama teaches the second magnetic force unit includes a plurality of coils, and wherein the plurality of coils are arranged asymmetrically with respect to an axis along the direction of gravity in a plan view viewed in a direction along the rotation axis (different number of magnetic poles, para 53-54).
Regarding claim 12, Kazama teaches a void is formed between the coils adjacent to each other in the plurality of coils, wherein the first magnetic force unit includes a plurality of permanent magnets, and wherein, in the second position, the plurality of permanent magnets are arranged so that one of the permanent magnets does not face both the coil adjacent to the void and the void (para 78+).
Regarding claim 13, Kazama teaches the first magnetic force unit includes a plurality of permanent magnets, and wherein, in the second position, a torque in the rotation direction generated between the plurality of permanent magnets and the plurality of coils is cancelled out (para 78+)..
Regarding claim 14, Kazama teaches the cogging torque changes with an electric angle of the rotor (para 53-54).
Regarding claim 15, Kazama teaches when the rotor is supported by the support, the control unit rotates the rotor to a position where a cogging torque with respect to the rotor is less than a predetermined value, and then makes therotor supported by the support and stopped (para 53-54).
Regarding claim 17, Kazama teaches a control method of a rotation drive apparatus comprising: a rotor that includes a first magnetic force unit and is rotatable in a rotation direction around a rotation axis intersecting a direction of gravity; a stator that includes a second magnetic force unit; and a support that supports the rotor positioned in a first position, wherein the first magnetic force unit is arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction on an outer peripheral side surface of the rotor, and wherein the second magnetic force unit is arranged in an arc shape along the rotation direction above the rotor, the control method comprising:
Claim(s) 1, 16 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Kim (US 20200403536).
Kim teaches a rotation drive apparatus comprising: a rotor 120 that includes a first magnetic force unit and is rotatable in a rotation direction around a rotation axis intersecting a direction of gravity; a stator 110 that includes a second magnetic force unit; a support that supports the rotor positioned in a first position; and a control unit, wherein the first magnetic force unit is arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction on an outer peripheral side surface of the rotor, wherein the second magnetic force unit is arranged in an arc shape along the rotation direction above the rotor, and wherein, when the rotor is positioned at the first position and a levitation force with respect to the rotor is less than a predetermined value, the control unit rotates the rotor to a second position where the levitation force is equal to or greater than the predetermined value and levitates the rotor from the second position (para 114+).
Claim(s) 1, 16 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Yamaguchi et al. (US 20250175110).
Yamaguchi teaches a rotation drive apparatus comprising: a rotor 21 that includes a first magnetic force unit and is rotatable in a rotation direction around a rotation axis intersecting a direction of gravity; a stator 22 that includes a second magnetic force unit; a support that supports the rotor positioned in a first position; and a control unit, wherein the first magnetic force unit is arranged circumferentially along the rotation direction on an outer peripheral side surface of the rotor, wherein the second magnetic force unit is arranged in an arc shape along the rotation direction above the rotor (para 39), and
wherein, when the rotor is positioned at the first position and a levitation force with respect to the rotor is less than a predetermined value, the control unit rotates the rotor to a second position where the levitation force is equal to or greater than the predetermined value and levitates the rotor from the second position (figure 3a-d, para 74 and 87, non-levitation and levitation rotation speeds).
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) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazama in view of Harper et al. (US 20180133518).
Regarding claim 19, Kazama fails to teach the component includes: an irradiation unit that irradiates a subject with radiation, the subject being arranged inside the rotor; and a detection unit that is arranged to face the irradiation unit across the rotation axis and detects the radiation transmitted through the subject.
Harper teaches the component includes: an irradiation unit that irradiates a subject with radiation, the subject being arranged inside the rotor; and a detection unit that is arranged to face the irradiation unit across the rotation axis and detects the radiation transmitted through the subject (figure 1b).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the rotation drive apparatus of Kazama with the CT system as taught by Harper, since it would reduce cogging torque.
Conclusion
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/HOON K SONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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