DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, Figs. 2-7, and claims 1-19 in the reply filed on 8/4/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the frame body" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li US2017/0149304 A1.
Li discloses, regarding claim 17, fluid displacer comprising: an electric motor 30 comprising a stator 31 and a rotor 32, the stator 31 and rotor 32 disposed on an axis, the stator 31 at least partially disposed within the rotor 32; a stator support 12 extending into the electric motor 30, the stator 31 mounted on the stator support (see how stator 31 sits on element 125 of bracket 12) such that the stator support 12 holds the stator 31 stationary while the rotor 32 rotates around the stator 31; a drive 50 connected to the rotor 32 (via 351) and configured to convert a rotational output of the rotor 32 into reciprocating linear motion; a pump 70 comprising a fluid displacer 71 mechanically coupled to the drive to be reciprocated by the drive 50; and a first bearing 353 rotatably supporting the rotor 32, wherein an inner race of the first bearing is rotatably connected to the rotor 32 (via 351) and an outer race of the first bearing 353 is mounted to the stator support 12 (via 1233); Re claim 18, wherein the outer race (of 353) is disposed within the stator support 12 (clearly shown in Fig. 6).
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 10, 12-14, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Halladay 3,502,029 in view of Li US2017/0149304 A1.
Halladay discloses, regarding claims 1, 17, and 19, a fluid sprayer comprising: a hose 149, and a spray gun that receives fluid from the pump via the hose 149 (see col. 5, lines 63-66), the spray gun including a fluid outlet through which the fluid is sprayed (this is clearly the case); an electric motor 40 comprising a stator and a rotor (within 40), the stator and rotor (see shaft 60) disposed on an axis; a drive (combination of elements 49, 54, and 57) connected to the rotor (via 60) and configured to convert a rotational output of the rotor (60) into reciprocating linear motion; a pump 35 comprising a fluid displacer 50 mechanically coupled to the drive (49, 53, 57) to be reciprocated by the drive; a fluid outlet (gun, see col. 5, lines 63-66), that sprays the fluid output by the pump 35; and a first bearing (within end cap 39) supporting the rotor (60) the first bearing disposed within the motor 40. However, Halladay does not specifically disclose the statorat least partially disposed within the rotor; a stator support extending into the electric motor, the stator mounted on the stator support such that the stator support holds the stator stationary while the rotor rotates around the stator, wherein an inner race of the first bearing is rotatably connected to the rotor and an outer race of the first bearing is mounted to the stator support.
Li teaches a fluid displacer comprising: an electric motor 30 comprising a stator 31 and a rotor 32, the stator 31 and rotor 32 disposed on an axis, and a pump 70 comprising a fluid displacer 71 mechanically coupled to the drive to be reciprocated by the drive 50; further regarding claims 1, 13, 17, and 19, the stator 31 at least partially disposed within the rotor 32; a stator support (combination of elements 123, 125, and 1233, best shown in Fig. 6) extending into the electric motor 30, the stator 31 mounted on the stator support (see how stator 31 sits on element 125 of bracket 12) such that the stator support (123, 125, 1233) holds the stator 31 stationary while the rotor 32 rotates around the stator 31; a drive 50 connected to the rotor 32 (via 351) and configured to convert a rotational output of the rotor 32 into reciprocating linear motion; and a first bearing 353 rotatably supporting the rotor 32, wherein an inner race of the first bearing is rotatably connected to the rotor 32 (via 351) and an outer race of the first bearing 353 is mounted to the stator support (123, 125, 1233).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to have modified the motor of Halladay by implementing a stator at least partially disposed within the rotor, a stator support extending into the electric motor, and the first bearing coupling the rotor and the stator support, as taught by Li, in order to minimize noise and vibration, and to improve stability by having the stator support extend within the motor. Integral formation of the stator support, as shown in Li, would also reduce manufacturing time (see Li para. [0038]), and allow quick and easy attachment of the first bearing.
Re claim 2, Li further teaches that an inner race of the first bearing 353 is connected to the rotor 32 (via 351) to rotate with the rotor (clearly shown in Fig. 6).
Re claim 3, Li further teaches that the rotor 32 includes a housing and a magnetic array (see para. [0044]) connected to the housing.
Re claim 4, Li further teaches that the housing extends radially inward of the stator support (123, 125, 1233) and radially outward of the stator support (clearly shown in Fig. 6).
Re claim 6, Halladay further discloses that the drive (49, 53, 57) includes an eccentric driver 57 connected to a drive link 49 to cause reciprocation of the drive link 49.
Re claim 7, Li further teaches a support frame 12 supporting the electric motor 30 and the pump 70, wherein at least a portion 124 of a frame body of the support frame 12 is disposed between the rotor 32 and the pump 70 (clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 6).
Re claim 8, Li further teaches that the portion 124 of the frame body is disposed directly between the rotor 32 and the pump 70 (clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 6).
Re claim 10, Halladay further discloses an eccentric 57 configured to be rotated by the rotor (60) extends through the frame body.
Re claim 12, Halladay further discloses that the pump 35 further comprises a cylinder 87, and the fluid displacer is a piston 50 that is reciprocated within the cylinder 87 by the drive (49, 53, 57).
Re claim 14, Li further teaches a second bearing 353 (there are two 353 bearings shown in Fig. 6) rotatably supporting the rotor (via 351).
Re claim 16, Li further teaches that the second bearing 353 is connected to the stator support (via 15)
Re claim 18, Li further teaches that the outer race (of 353) is disposed within the stator support 12 (clearly shown in Fig. 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 9, and 15 are 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.
Claim 11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Peter J Bertheaud whose telephone number is (571)272-3476. The examiner can normally be reached 9am - 5pm M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark Laurenzi can be reached at 5712707878. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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PJB
/PETER J BERTHEAUD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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