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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments and arguments, filed 12/17/2025, with respect to the rejection of claim 1 under 35 USC 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of 35 USC 103.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 08/05/2022. These drawings are accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 102324644) in view of Funke (US 2017/0197483).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a spring pad {Fig. 2} comprising: a body portion {100+200+1000+2000} disposed on one side {bottom side} of a spring {15} and configured to support the spring {15: “spring seating part 100 has a donut shape with a spring seating surface 110 on which the coil spring 15 is directly seated” [0013]}; and an insert portion {200+2000} embedded inside of the body portion {100+200+1000+2000 (Fig. 2); 200+2000 are each insert parts embedded into 100+1000 of the body portion: “In the spring pad 1000 and the insert part 2000 inserted in the pad part to prevent lifting of the pad part 1000 and improve durability, the pad part 1000 has a coil spring seated therein. It is formed of a spring seat 100 and a spring insert 200 that is inserted into the coil spring” [0012]} and integrally formed in the body portion {100+200+1000+2000 (Fig. 2): “the pad part 1000 and the insert part 2000 may be coupled to each other to provide a separation preventing means capable of preventing separation” [0015]}, wherein the spring {15} is seated on an inclined surface {110 (Fig. 2)} formed in the body portion {100+200+1000+2000: “And the spring seating part 100 has a donut shape with a spring seating surface 110 on which the coil spring 15 is directly seated” [0013]}, and the inclined surface {110} having a spiral shape that gradually increases in height along a winding direction of the spring {15 (Fig. 2): “The spring seating surface 110 is formed to gradually increase in a spiral structure starting from the lower end of the engaging end surface 130a” [0037]}, wherein the body portion {100+200+1000+2000} comprises: an interposition portion {200 (210): “the spring insert 200 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the lower portion of the spring insert 200 is coupled to the donut-shaped inner surface 210 and has an open upper portion, the lower surface of the spring pad” [0014]} formed in a cylindrical shape to be inserted into the spring {15: “inserted into the coil spring” [0033]}; a seating portion {110} extending radially {outward} from one end portion {an outer circumferential portion} of the interposition portion {200 (210)} and on which the spring {15} is seated {Figs. 2-5}; and a protruding step {130} formed in the seating portion {110} and to which one end of the spring {15} is caught {“stopper 130 has a locking end surface 130a in contact with the end surface of the coil spring” [0037]}, wherein the insert portion {200+2000} comprises, an insert interposition portion {2200} embedded inside of the interposition portion {200+2000 (Fig. 6)}; an insert seating portion {2100+2300} extending radially from one end portion of the insert interposition portion {2200 (Fig. 6)} and embedded inside of the seating portion {110 (100+1000): “In the spring pad 1000 and the insert part 2000 inserted in the pad part to prevent lifting of the pad part 1000 and improve durability, the pad part 1000 has a coil spring seated therein. It is formed of a spring seat 100 and a spring insert 200 that is inserted into the coil spring” [0012]}; and an insert protruding step {2100} formed in the insert seating portion {2100+2300} and embedded inside of the protruding step {130 (100+1000): “In the spring pad 1000 and the insert part 2000 inserted in the pad part to prevent lifting of the pad part 1000 and improve durability, the pad part 1000 has a coil spring seated therein. It is formed of a spring seat 100 and a spring insert 200 that is inserted into the coil spring” [0012]}, wherein an upper surface {Fig. 5} of the insert seating portion {2100+2300} comprises a concave portion {ribs extending between 2100 and 2200 (Fig. 5)} formed to be recessed corresponding to a portion in which a thickness of an elastic material layer {2000 [0020]} in the body portion {100+200+1000+2000} is reduced {Figs. 4-5}, and wherein the concave portion {ribs extending between 2100 and 2200 (Fig. 5)} is configured to surface-support the spring {15}, and a groove portion {11 groove portions between the separation preventing portions 2300 (Fig. 5)} is formed by ribs {ribs in Fig. 5} on a side surface opposite the spring {15} in the insert seating portion {2100+2300 (Fig. 5).
Kim further discloses wherein the body portion {100+200+1000+2000 (2000)} can be formed of an elastic material {“the insert part 2000 may be made of plastic or glass fiber (GF) or plastic or thermoplastic elastomer (emphasis added)” [0020]}, and the insert portion {200+2000} can be formed of a hard material {“the insert part 2000 may be made of plastic or glass fiber (GF) or plastic” [0020]}.
However, Kim does not explicitly disclose the body portion is formed of an elastic material, and the insert portion is formed of a hard material.
Funke teaches the body portion {4} is formed of an elastic material {“The second material layer 4 may comprise elastomer material, for example, a rubber” [0018]}, and the insert portion {3: “It is also possible for the first material layer 3 to be enclosed by the second material layer 4” [0040]} is formed of a hard material {“The first material layer 3 may comprise, for example, a metal, plastic, or composite fiber material” [0018]}.
In light of these teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the spring pad, as disclosed by Kim, such that the body portion is formed of an elastic material, and the insert portion is formed of a hard material, as taught by Funke, so that the spring pad “is subjected to less wear, improves the force action line of the helical spring, and in particular ensures that the predetermined force action of the helical spring is maintained” [0044].
Regarding claim 10, Kim and Funke disclose all the aspects of claim 1. Kim further discloses a plurality of through-holes {h1, h2 (Figs. 6-7)} arranged in a circumferential direction are formed in the insert seating portion {2100+2300}, the ribs {ribs in Fig. 5} surround each through-hole {h1, h2} of the plurality of through-holes {h1, h2 (Figs. 5-7)}.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Funke, as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Jang (WO 2017/082497).
Regarding claim 4, Kim and Funke disclose all the aspects of claim 1. However, Kim does not explicitly disclose the inclined surface is formed as a section spanning up to 270 degrees in a winding direction of the spring with respect to the starting point of the spring, wherein the starting point is defined as 0 degrees.
Jang teaches an inclined surface {120 (Fig. 2)} is formed as a section spanning up to 270 degrees {Figs. 1-2} in a winding direction of the spring {“A spring seating part 120 is formed at one end of the coil spring to support the bottom surface of the coil spring. The spring seating part starts from the lower end 111a of the engagement end 111 and has a spiral structure” [0032]} with respect to the starting point of the spring {111 (Fig. 2): “the spring pad 100 according to the present invention includes a protrusion 110 in which a locking end 111 is formed such that an end of a coil spring (not shown) is engaged” [0030]}, wherein the starting point {111} is defined as 0 degrees {Figs. 1-2}.
In light of these teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the spring pad, as disclosed by Kim and Funke, such that the inclined surface is formed as a section spanning up to 270 degrees in a winding direction of the spring with respect to the starting point of the spring, wherein the starting point is defined as 0 degrees, as taught by Jang, in order “to support the bottom face of the spring” [0012].
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daniel M Keck whose telephone number is (571)272-5947. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:00-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason Shanske can be reached at (571)270-5985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Daniel M. Keck/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614