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 .
Claims 7-13 have been canceled. Claims 1-6 are pending.
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 3 and 4 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.
In claim 3, applicant claims that the laser etched bushing surface is in surface contact with the steering gear (the rack assembly housing). However, claim 3 depends upon claim 1, and claim 1 recites that the frame has a first interface and the mounting bushing has a second interface that is laser etched and is in operative contact with the first interface surface on the frame. That is, claim 1 indicates that the laser etched surface contacts the frame whereas claim 3 claims that the laser etched surface is in contact with the steering gear (housing). These recitations contradict each other.
In claim 4, applicant claims the subject matter that is now recited in claim 1, so it is not clear how claim 4 is meant to further limit the claimed invention.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (CN 108657263) in view of Ribeiro (PGPub 2021/0388867).
Regarding claims 1 and 2, Liu teaches a friction assembly for mounted components comprising: a steering gear having a housing of a rack assembly (see title; page 2, lines 7-10 of Liu translation, “vehicle steering system is operating device for vehicle driving direction, by a rack and pinion type steering gear”); a frame 1 having a first interface surface comprising a frame surface (upper contact surface of frame 1 that contacts bushing 3); a mounting bushing 3 inserted into an aperture of the steering gear housing 2 (see Figure 2 of Liu, bushing 3 is mounted in an aperture of housing 2) having a second interface surface 31 comprising a bushing surface, wherein the first interface surface and the second interface surface are in contact in an assembled condition (see Figure 3), the bushing surface being in operative contact with the frame surface and the steering gear; wherein the bushing surface is texturized to form a friction surface, and is made with a harder material property (steel) than the material of the frame (aluminum) to provide sufficient friction to eliminate movement between the steering gear and the frame in the assembled condition (bushing 3 has a texture surface 311; Figures 4 and 5; abstract refers to an “embedded pattern” that increases the coefficient of friction between the sleeve/bushing 3 and the frame 1; page 6, first full paragraph, teaches a “texture 311” on sleeve/bushing 3).
Liu is silent regarding the textured pattern 311 being laser etched.
Ribeiro teaches a friction assembly for mounted components comprising: a first component (outer ring 14 of bearing) having a first interface surface (surfaces of the outer ring that contact the housing 16; see Ribeiro, para [0014], lines 1-4; Figure 1); and a second component (housing 16) having a second interface surface (inner surface of housing that contact the outer bearing ring 14), wherein the first interface surface and the second interface surface are in contact in an assembled condition (Figure 1), wherein one of the first interface surface and the second interface surface are textured to form a friction surface (laser etched contact surface; para [0014], lines 3-4). The laser etching improves the security of the press fit between the first component (bearing 14) and second component (housing 16; see abstract and para [0014], lines 1-4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, form the texture on the bushing of Liu by laser etching, as taught by Ribeiro, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to improve the contact interface between the bushing and frame (first and second components).
Regarding claim 3, as understood, the bushing surface of Liu that is the textured surface is in contact with a surface of the frame but the bushing also interacts with the steering gear in the assembly condition to secure the bushing, frame and housing together.
Regarding claim 4, the first component/frame is formed of a first material (aluminum) having a first hardness, wherein the second component/bushing is formed of a second material (steel) having a second hardness that is greater than the first hardness (see Liu, page 3, fifth full paragraph of the translation), and wherein the one of the first interface surface and the second interface surface which is etched is the second interface surface.
Regarding claim 5, the first component/frame and the second component/bushing are assembled to each other in a vehicle (automobile, see title).
Regarding claim 6, the first component/frame and the second component/bushing are assembled to each other in a steering system (see title, abstract, etc.).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/28/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant has argued that neither Liu nor Ribeiro teaches the entire claimed combination. The examiner maintains that the combination of Liu and Ribeiro does teach the claimed combination and Rubeiro provides motivation to make the combination to achieve the benefits associated with a laser textured surface. Liu teaches all of the claimed structure, including a textured surface on the bushing that is mounted inside an aperture in a rack housing, except that it fails to teach that the textured surface is laser etched. Assuming that a laser etched textured surface is materially different from the textured surface of Liu, the feature is obvious because Ribeiro teaches laser etching a textured surface on a bushing/outer ring of a bearing. Laser etching removes a small amount of material from the surface, creating peaks and valleys to increase friction between the bushing and the housing which reduces the chance of failures and improves the bearing and system lifetime (Rubeiro, para [0014]). The textured surface provides a secure connection between the bushing and the housing that promotes durability of the assembly (Rubeiro, para [0013]). Applicant states that neither reference teaches the entire combination but applicant’s response does not convincingly argue why, or present evidence that, it would not have been obvious to modify Liu in view of Rubeiro as set forth above. Therefore, the rejection is being maintained.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anne Marie M. Boehler whose telephone number is (571)272-6641. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Valentin Neacsu can be reached at 571-272-6265. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANNE MARIE M BOEHLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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