DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, Fig. 2, in the reply filed on 3/24/2026 is acknowledged. No claims were withdrawn by the Applicant; however, it should be noted that claims 13-18 are drawn to a non-elected species and are hereby withdrawn by the Examiner. Specifically, claims 13-14 are drawn to Species IV, Figure 15; claim 15 is drawn to Species VI, Figure 20; and claims 16-18 are drawn to Species III, Figure 9.
Thus, claims 1-12 and 19-20 of this Application are under examination. If a generic claim is found to be allowable, the withdrawn claims may be rejoined.
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.
Claims 1, 6-8, 10-11, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bang 10,778,065.
Bang discloses, regarding claims 1 and 20, a terminal device comprising an electric fan (see Fig. 4), wherein the fan comprises: a motor assembly (see motor assembly bellow impeller 130 in Fig. 4); an impeller assembly 130; and a diffuser assembly 122, wherein the motor assembly comprises an output shaft 172a, a bracket (combination of 150, 160, and 190), and a stator-rotor component 172/180; the bracket (150, 160, 190) and the stator-rotor 172/180 component are both sleeved on the output shaft 172a; the bracket (150, 160, 190) has an accommodation region, and the stator-rotor component 172/180 is disposed in the accommodation region (clearly shown in Figs. 4-7); the impeller assembly 130 is disposed on a side of the stator-rotor component 172/180 and is sleeved on the output shaft 172a; the diffuser assembly 122 is sleeved on the output shaft 172a and is disposed between the stator-rotor component 172/180 and the impeller assembly 130; and wherein a part of gas passing through the diffuser assembly 122 is configured to flow toward an outside of the bracket (150, 160, 190), and another part of the gas is configured to flow toward an interior of the stator-rotor component 172/180 (via 194, clearly shown in Fig. 4); Re claim 6, wherein the bracket (150, 160, 190) comprises a bracket body 160 and a support member 190; the bracket body 160 is sleeved on the output shaft 172a; the support member 190 is disposed on a side of the bracket body 160 close to the diffuser assembly 122, and the support member 190 is connected to the diffuser assembly 122 (via 150) and the bracket body 160, respectively; Re claim 7, wherein the motor assembly further comprises a connecting member 150; the connecting member 150 is sleeved on the output shaft 172a and is disposed on a side of the support member 190 away from the bracket body 160; the connecting member 150 is disposed on a radial inner side of the diffuser assembly 122; the connecting member 150 is connected to the support member 190 and the diffuser assembly 122, respectively (clearly shown in Fig. 4); Re claim 8, wherein the support member 190 comprises at least one support arm 191 and a support connection 191a; the at least one support arm 191 is disposed on a side of the diffuser assembly 122 close to the bracket body 160; the support connection 191a is disposed on a side of the at least one support arm 191 away from the diffuser assembly 122, and the support connection 191a is connected to the at least one support arm 191 and the bracket body 160, respectively (clearly shown in Figs. 6a-7); Re claim 10, wherein the at least one support arm 191 is a plurality of support arms (two), and the plurality of support arms 191 are distributed at equal intervals along a circumferential direction of the output shaft 172a (clearly shown in Figs. 6a-7); Re claim 11, wherein the motor assembly further comprises a first bearing 173a and a second bearing 173b; the connecting member 150 has a first bearing chamber 151a, and the bracket body 160 has a second bearing chamber 161a; the first bearing 173a and the second bearing 173a are both sleeved on the output shaft 172a, with the first bearing 173a being disposed in the first bearing chamber 151a and the second bearing 173b being disposed in the second bearing chamber 161a.
Claims 1-2, 6-10, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jang US 2022/0149674 A1.
Jang discloses, regarding claims 1 and 20, a terminal device comprising an electric fan (see Figs. 1-2), wherein the fan comprises: a motor assembly (see motor assembly bellow diffuser 9 in Fig. 1); an impeller assembly 8; and a diffuser assembly 9, wherein the motor assembly comprises an output shaft 2, a bracket (combination of elements 100 and 160), and a stator-rotor component 3/6; the bracket (100, 160) and the stator-rotor 3/6 component are both sleeved on the output shaft 2; the bracket (100, 160) has an accommodation region, and the stator-rotor component 3/6 is disposed in the accommodation region (clearly shown in Figs. 1-2); the impeller assembly 8 is disposed on a side of the stator-rotor component 3/6 and is sleeved on the output shaft 2; the diffuser assembly 9 is sleeved on the output shaft 2 and is disposed between the stator-rotor component 3/6 and the impeller assembly 8; and wherein a part of gas passing through the diffuser assembly 9 is configured to flow toward an outside of the bracket (through opening 12/13), and another part of the gas is configured to flow toward an interior of the stator-rotor component 3/6 (via 110/112-115; see para. [0094]; clearly shown in Figs. 1-3); Re claim 2, wherein a gap is defined between the stator-rotor component 3/6 and the diffuser assembly 9 in an extension direction of an axis of the output shaft 2 (clearly shown in Fig. 1); Re claim 6, wherein the bracket (100, 160) comprises a bracket body 160 and a support member 100; the bracket body 160 is sleeved on the output shaft 2; the support member 100 is disposed on a side of the bracket body 160 close to the diffuser assembly 9, and the support member 100 is connected to the diffuser assembly 9 (clearly shown in Fig. 1) and the bracket body 160, respectively; Re claim 7, wherein the motor assembly further comprises a connecting member 4; the connecting member 4 is sleeved on the output shaft 2 and is disposed on a side of the support member 100 away from the bracket body 160; the connecting member 4 is disposed on a radial inner side of the diffuser assembly 9; the connecting member 4 is connected to the support member 100 and the diffuser assembly 9, respectively (clearly shown in Fig. 1); Re claim 8, wherein the support member 100 comprises at least one support arm 150 and a support connection 130; the at least one support arm 150 is disposed on a side of the diffuser assembly 9 close to the bracket body 160; the support connection 130 is disposed on a side of the at least one support arm 150 away from the diffuser assembly 9, and the support connection 130 is connected to the at least one support arm 150 and the bracket body 160, respectively (clearly shown in Figs. 1-2); Re claim 9, wherein the at least one support arm 150 is recessed toward the output shaft 2 (clearly shown in Figs. 1-2); Re claim 10, wherein the at least one support arm 150 is a plurality of support arms (three), and the plurality of support arms 150 are distributed at equal intervals along a circumferential direction of the output shaft 2 (clearly shown in Figs. 2-3).
Claims 1-5 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Adachi 10,794,391.
Adachi discloses, regarding claims 1 and 20, a terminal device comprising an electric fan (see Fig. 1), wherein the fan comprises: a motor assembly 9; an impeller assembly 11; and a diffuser assembly 15, wherein the motor assembly 9 comprises an output shaft 10, a bracket 20, and a stator-rotor component (clearly shown within 20 in Fig. 1); the bracket 20 and the stator-rotor component are both sleeved on the output shaft 10; the bracket 20 has an accommodation region, and the stator-rotor component is disposed in the accommodation region (clearly shown in Fig. 1); the impeller assembly 11 is disposed on a side of the stator-rotor component and is sleeved on the output shaft 10; the diffuser assembly 15 is sleeved on the output shaft 10 and is disposed between the stator-rotor component and the impeller assembly 11 (clearly shown in Fig. 1); and wherein a part of gas passing through the diffuser assembly 15 is configured to flow toward an outside of the bracket (see flow arrows extending down from 19 and radially outside of 20 in Fig. 1), and another part of the gas is configured to flow toward an interior of the stator-rotor component (see flow arrows extending down from 19 and radially inside of 20 in Fig. 1); Re claim 2, wherein a gap is defined between the stator-rotor component and the diffuser assembly 15 in an extension direction of an axis of the output shaft 10 (clearly shown in Fig. 1); Re claim 3, wherein the diffuser assembly 15 has an air outlet (at the bottom end of 13 and through the apertures in 19 in Fig. 1) on an end close to the stator-rotor component (clearly shown in Fig. 1); in the extension direction of the axis of the output shaft 10, a positive projection of the air outlet (from 19) at least partially overlaps with a positive projection of the stator-rotor component (air flow from the apertures in 19 clearly overlaps with the stator-rotor component in the radial direction; shown in Figs. 1); Re claim 4, wherein the stator-rotor component comprises a rotor and a stator (clearly shown in Fig. 1); the rotor is sleeved on the output shaft 10, and the stator is sleeved outside the rotor (see stator with coils outside of the rotor in Fig. 1); in the extension direction of the axis of the output shaft 2, a positive projection of the air outlet (from 19) at least partially overlaps with a positive projection of the stator (this is clearly shown in Fig. 1); Re claim 5, wherein in the extension direction of the axis of the output shaft 10, the positive projection of the air outlet (from 19) is a first projection (first projection is the total width of the aperture segment of 19), and the positive projection of the stator (see core and coil portion of the motor in Fig. 1) is a second projection (second projection is the width of the stator core in Fig. 1); an area where the first projection and the second projection overlap is greater than or equal to half an area of a small projection (the first projection - the total width of the aperture segment of 19); the small projection is the first projection, and the area of the small projection (the first projection) is less than an area of the other the second projection (again this is clearly shown by the outlet apertures within 19 and the way their width overlaps the width of the stator core in Fig. 1); Re claim 19, wherein the diffuser assembly 15 comprises a first axial flow diffuser 12 and a second axial flow diffuser 13; the first axial flow diffuser 12 and the second axial flow diffuser 13 are arranged along an extension direction of an axis of the output shaft 10; the first axial flow diffuser 12 is sealed and connected to the second axial flow diffuser 13 (substantially broad), and the first axial flow diffuser 12 is in communication with the second axial flow diffuser 13; an end of the first axial flow diffuser 12 away from the second axial flow diffuser 13 is sealed and connected to the impeller assembly 11, and the first axial flow diffuser 12 is in communication with the impeller assembly 11.
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 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bang 10,778,065 in view of Hwang 10,916,990.
Bang discloses the invention as discussed above. However, Bang fails to teach the motor assembly further comprises a plurality of elastic members; a first group of the plurality of elastic members is arranged between the first bearing and an inner wall of the first bearing chamber and respectively abuts against the first bearing and the first bearing chamber; a second group of the plurality of elastic members is arranged between the second bearing and an inner wall of the second bearing chamber and respectively abut against the second bearing and the second bearing chamber.
Hwang teaches an electric fan (see Fig. 1), wherein the fan comprises: a motor assembly (see motor below 8 in Fig. 1); an impeller assembly 71; and a diffuser assembly 74, wherein the motor assembly comprises an output shaft 3, a bracket 8/14, and a stator-rotor component 2/4; the bracket 8/14 and the stator-rotor component 2/4 are both sleeved on the output shaft 3; the bracket 8/14 has an accommodation region, and the stator-rotor component 2/4 is disposed in the accommodation region (clearly shown in Fig. 1); the impeller assembly 71 is disposed on a side of the stator-rotor component 2/4 and is sleeved on the output shaft 3; the diffuser assembly 74 is sleeved on the output shaft 3 and is disposed between the stator-rotor component 2/4 and the impeller assembly 71 (clearly shown in Fig. 1); wherein the motor assembly further comprises a first bearing 5 and a second bearing 6; a connecting member 8 has a first bearing chamber, and a bracket body 14 has a second bearing chamber; the first bearing 5 and the second bearing 6 are both sleeved on the output shaft 3, with the first bearing 5 being disposed in the first bearing chamber and the second bearing 6 being disposed in the second bearing chamber; regarding claim 12, wherein the motor assembly further comprises a plurality of elastic members 9, 9’; a first group of the plurality of elastic members 9 is arranged between the first bearing 5 and an inner wall of the first bearing chamber and respectively abuts against the first bearing and the first bearing chamber (clearly shown in Fig. 4); a second group of the plurality of elastic members 9’ is arranged between the second bearing 6 and an inner wall of the second bearing chamber and respectively abut against the second bearing and the second bearing chamber (clearly shown in Fig. 9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to have modified the bearing assemblies of Bang by incorporating elastic members between the bearings and the bearing chambers, as taught by Hwang, in order to dissipate heat from the bearings.
Conclusion
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PJB
/PETER J BERTHEAUD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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