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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/03/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by IGI et al. (US-20160214474).
Regarding claim 1, IGI et al. discloses a disk brake apparatus of an in-wheel driving system (fig 2, 1), comprising: an in-wheel driving device (1) having a rotor and a stator (at least rotor 12 and stator 11/13 and/or [0044], not shown) and being positioned within a wheel (fig 2); a first torque member (fig 3, 18A/29 right side of 16) fixed directly on the stator (at least 11/13, wherein 11 and 13 have been interpreted to be integral) by a first stator coupling part (figs 2-6, 32 or in a separate alternative interpretation, 13A, left side at or near 32 wherein 13A has been interpreted as a separate “coupling part”) and configured to support first side portions of a pair of brake pads (figs 2-4, 16); a second torque member (fig 3, 18A/29 left side of 16) connected to the stator by another stator coupling part (figs 2-6, 32 or alternatively, 13A, right side at or near 32) spaced apart from the first torque member and configured to support second side portions of the brake pads (fig 4); and a caliper body (18) having a first side portion coupled to the first torque member and a second side portion coupled to the second torque member([0052] at least at 31), and being configured to press the pair of brake pads toward a wheel disk (15).
Regarding claim 1, the limitation
Regarding claim 2, IGI et al. discloses wherein the first torque member (29) comprises: a caliper body coupling part (31) coupled to the caliper body ([0052], 18/18A); a pad support part (at least 18B/36) connected to the caliper body and adjoining the brake pad (figs 3-5); wherein the stator coupling part (figs 6 and 11, at least 13A, 13B, 29, 34, or 40) is connected to the caliper body coupling part (31) or the pad support part (18B/36) and coupled to the stator (figs 2 and 3 at least at 11/12/13).
Regarding claim 3, IGI et al. discloses wherein the caliper body coupling part (31) has a hole (39) or a groove structure at which a guide pin (38) is located, the guide pin being configured to movably support the caliper body in an axial direction of the guide pin (fig 5, [0057]).
Regarding claim 4, IGI et al. discloses wherein the pad support part (18A and/or 18B) comprises: a first pad support part (at or near 18C, figs 2 and 5) connected to a first side portion of the caliper body coupling part and configured to support a first brake pad (16) of the pair of brake pads (figs 2 and 5); and a second pad support part connected to a second side portion of the caliper body coupling part and configured to support a second brake pad (16) of the pair of brake pads (figs 2 and 5).
Regarding claim 5, IGI et al. discloses wherein the stator coupling part (figs 6 or 11, 13A/B, 29, 34 or 40) comprises: a first stator coupling part (figs 2-6, 32 or figs 11-13, unnumbered pin connecting 30 and 31, left side) coupled to a first side portion of the stator (figs 6 or 11, left side of 13 A); and a second stator coupling part (32) spaced apart from the first stator coupling part and coupled to a second side portion of the stator (figs 6 or 11, right side of 13 A).
Regarding claim 6, IGI et al. discloses wherein the pad support part (18B/36) comprises: a first pad support part (fig 2, at least 18A/36 left side) connected to a first side portion of the caliper body coupling part and configured to support a first brake pad (16) of the pair of brake pads (figs 2-5); and a second pad support part (fig 2, at least 18A/36 right side) connected to a second side portion of the caliper body coupling part and configured to support a second brake pad of the pair of brake pads (figs 2-5), wherein the first stator coupling part (fig 5, 32 left side or figs 11-13, unnumbered pin connecting 30 and 31, left side, 13A) is connected to the first pad support part (at or near 31 left side), and the second stator coupling part (fig 5, 32 right side or figs 11-13, or unnumbered pin connecting 30 and 31, right side) is coupled to the second pad support part (at or near 31 right side).
Regarding claim 7, IGI et al. discloses wherein the first stator coupling part (fig 11, unnumbered pin connecting 30 and 31, left side) has a first axis (left pin axis at least parallel to 10 and 23) spaced apart from a second axis of the second stator coupling part (right pin axis at least parallel to 10 and 23).
Regarding claim 8, IGI et al. discloses wherein the first and second stator coupling parts (fig 11, unnumbered pin connecting 30 and 31, left side) are coaxial (fig 11 at least wherein the left and right pin axis are least parallel to each other).
Regarding claim 9, IGI et al. discloses wherein the first and second stator coupling parts (32) are coupled to one of the first and second pad support parts (18B/36).
Regarding claim 10, IGI et al. discloses wherein the first and second torque members (29) are symmetrically with respect to the pair of brake pads and the caliper body (figs 3 or 11).
Regarding claim 11, IGI et al. discloses wherein the stator comprises: a stator body part (13) positioned within the rotor (fig 2 or 13, at least wherein 13B is positioned axially inside of 11); and a torque member coupling part (at least one of 32, 34, 36,40) positioned on the stator body part (at least via 32) and coupled to the first torque member (fig 3, 29/31 right or left side of 16).
Regarding claim 12, IGI et al. discloses wherein the torque member coupling part comprises: a first torque member coupling part (figs 3 and 11 at least one of 32, 34, 36,40) positioned at a first side portion of the stator body part (figs 3 and 11 left and right side at or near 18A) and coupled to the first torque member (29, figs 2/3, and 11/13); and a second torque member (figs 3 and 11 at least one of 32, 34, 36,40) coupling part positioned at a second side portion of the stator body part, spaced apart from the first torque member coupling part, and coupled to the second torque member(29 right side, figs 2/3, and 11/13).
Regarding claim 13, IGI et al. discloses wherein: the torque member coupling part comprises: a protrusion part (34) formed on an inner diameter portion of the stator body part (11/13/13a); and a fastening part (32/33, threads/holes) formed on the protrusion part (figs, 6, 8, 10, and/or 12), and a fastening member (32) configured to connect the first torque member to the protrusion part is fastened to the fastening part (figs, 6, 8, 10, and/or 12).
Regarding claim 15, IGI et al. discloses wherein the second torque member (29, right side) comprises: a caliper body coupling part (31) coupled to the caliper body ([0052], 18/18A); a pad support part (at least 18B/36) connected to the caliper body and adjoining the brake pad (figs 3-5); wherein the another stator coupling part (figs 6 and 11, at least 13A, 29, 34, and/or 40) is connected to the caliper body coupling part (31) or the pad support part (18A) and coupled to the stator (figs 2 and 3 at least at 11/12/13).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 14 is allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/03/2025 have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the IGI reference lacks wherein first and second torque members are fixed directly to a stator by stator coupling parts, Examiner respectfully disagrees. As set forth above, the amended limitation of claim 1, “a first torque member fixed directly to the stator by a first stator coupling part” has been interpreted in two ways. In a first interpretation, it is noted that Applicant’s stator coupling parts (26/27) are integrally formed with the first and second torque members. In IGI et al. , elements 11 and 13 have been interpreted to be integral ([0044], wherein the stator is fixed and the rotor rotates relative to 11/13) and under the broadest reasonable interpretation, in at least figures 2-8, element 29 is connected to the stator at least when the stator has been interpreted to be the 11 and 13 together.
In another interpretation, while it is noted that Applicant’s stator coupling parts (26/27) are integrally formed with the first and second torque members, the limitations “a first stator coupling part” and “another stator coupling part” have been interpreted wherein the coupling parts are separate parts that couple the torque members and the stator together. It has been interpreted that the torque members 29 are at least fixed directly to a stator through a coupling part, in this case, a housing portion 13A fixed to a stator.
It appears with regards to the amendment in claim 1, Applicant’s arguments are more specific than the limitation set by the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES K HSIAO whose telephone number is (571)272-6259. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5, Monday-Friday.
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/JAMES K HSIAO/Examiner, Art Unit 3616