DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claims 14 – 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 14, line 3 recites the limitation “the pressing member is inserted into the coupling hole” which should be changed to “the respective pressing member is inserted into the respective coupling hole”.
Claim 15, lines 5 – 7 recites the limitation “the coupling hole is formed to pass through a portion in which the rail groove is formed, and an end portion of the pressing member is supported by the guide protrusion” which should be changed to “the respective coupling hole is formed to pass through a portion in which the respective rail groove is formed, and an end portion of the respective pressing member is supported by a respective guide protrusion”
Claim 16, line 3 recites the limitation “the pressing member” which should be changed to “the respective pressing member”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 15 –20 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 15 recites the limitation "the guide protrusion" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16, line 1 – 2 recites the limitation “a plurality of coupling holes”, however, claim 14, lines 1 – 2 positively recites “a coupling hole”. Therefore, it is unclear whether “a plurality of coupling holes” is part of and includes the “a coupling hole” of claim 14 or are different coupling holes.
Claim 17, line 1 recites the limitation “the pressing member”, however, claim 12, lines 8 – 9, “each of the plate parts provided with a pressing member”. Therefore, it is unclear whether the “pressing member” is each respective pressing member or only one of the pressing members.
Claim 20, lines 1 – 2 recites the limitation “a pair of seating grooves”, however, claim 19, line 1 explicitly recites the limitation “a seating groove”. Therefore, it is unclear whether “a plurality of seating grooves” is part of and includes the “a seating groove” of claim 19 or are different seat grooves.
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, 2, and 8 – 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toyoda et al. (EP 2572961 A1) in view of Appleyard (US 2021/0001916 A1).
For claim 1, Toyoda et al. discloses [a steering device of a vehicle] (col. 8, line 33), comprising:
an upper tube 21 [receiving a steering shaft 1] (col. 9, lines 16 – 18);
a lower tube 22 [receiving the upper tube] (col. 9, lines 18 – 21);
a movable bracket 10 [to which the lower tube is coupled] (fig. 3col. 9, lines 9 – 10);
a fixed bracket 30 [fixed to a vehicle body 200] (fig. 3, col. 8, lines 53 – 57), [having the movable bracket slidably coupled thereto] (col. 9, lines 5 – 8),
a first driver 70 [for sliding the upper tube with respect to the lower tube] (col. 13, lines 4 – 15); but does not explicitly disclose
the fixing bracket is provided with a pressing member pressing the movable bracket, and configured such that a pressing force provided to the movable bracket by the pressing member is adjustable; and
a second driver for sliding the movable bracket with respect to the fixed bracket.
Appleyard discloses a fixed bracket 37 including a receiving part 212 [receiving the movable bracket] (indirectly via guide rails 38) and [a pair of plate parts (left and right flat parts of carriage 50) [supported on two widthwise opposite side surfaces of a movable bracket 50] (fig. 3), each of the plate parts provided with a pressing member 39 [supported on the movable bracket in a width direction] (fig. 3); and
a second driver 93 [for sliding the movable bracket with respect to the fixed bracket] (page 2, paragraph [0026]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to alternatively use the fixing bracket and movable bracket of Appleyard with the steering device of Toyoda et al. with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for moving the steering wheel into a stowed position during autonomous control of vehicle, thus providing for a maximum space available within the vehicle.
For claim 2, Toyoda et al. modified as above discloses the steering device wherein the first driver includes a nut 73 [coupled to the upper tube] (indirectly), a screw 72 [engaged with the nut] (col. 13, lines 7 – 8), and a motor 70 [coupled to the lower tube] (indirectly) [to rotate the screw] (col. 13, line 10 – 11).
For claim 8, Toyoda et al. modified as above discloses the steering device wherein the second driver includes [a nut 57 [coupled to the fixed bracket] (fig. 3, indirectly), [a screw 86 engaged with the nut] (fig. 2, page 2, paragraph [0026]), and a motor 93 [coupled to the movable bracket] (indirectly) [to rotate the screw] (page 2, paragraph [0026])] (of Appleyard).
For claim 9, Toyoda et al. modified as above discloses the steering device [wherein the second driver further includes a reducer connecting the screw and the motor.] (Appleyard discloses an electric motor 127 that drives a worm and gear reduction gearbox whose output engages with an internal threaded lead nut which engages with a substantially vertical lead screw 133] (fig. 3, page 3, paragraph [0031])). Therefore, using an alternative driver with a worm and gear reduction gearbox would allow for improved overall efficient power delivery, thus improving overall adjustment.
For claim 10, Toyoda et al. modified as above discloses the steering device further comprising: a tilt bracket 3 [rotatably coupled to each of the fixed bracket and the movable bracket; and a third driver for rotating the tilt bracket] (fig. 3).
For claim 11, Toyoda et al. modified as above discloses the steering device [wherein the third driver includes a nut coupled to the tilt bracket, a screw engaged with the nut, and a motor coupled to the lower tube to rotate the screw] (through mere duplication of parts, wherein Toyoda et al. discloses a nut 73, screw 72, and motor 70).
For claim 12, Toyoda et al. discloses [a steering device of a vehicle] (col. 8, line 33), comprising:
an upper tube 21 [receiving a steering shaft 1] (col. 9, lines 16 – 18);
a lower tube 22 [receiving the upper tube] (col. 9, lines 18 – 21);
a movable bracket 10 [to which the lower tube is coupled] (fig. 3col. 9, lines 9 – 10);
a fixed bracket 30 [fixed to a vehicle body 200] (fig. 3, col. 8, lines 53 – 57), [opening to two axially opposite sides 31] (fig. 3, col. 8, lines 57 – 58), [having the movable bracket slidably coupled thereto] (col. 9, lines 5 – 8),
a first driver 70 [for sliding the upper tube with respect to the lower tube] (col. 13, lines 4 – 15); but does not explicitly disclose
the fixed bracket including a receiving part receiving the movable bracket and a pair of plate parts supported on two widthwise opposite side surfaces of the movable bracket, each of the plate parts provided with a pressing member supported on the movable bracket in a width direction; and
a second driver for sliding the movable bracket with respect to the fixed bracket.
Appleyard discloses a fixed bracket 37 including a receiving part 212 [receiving the movable bracket] (indirectly via guide rails 38) and [a pair of plate parts (left and right flat parts of carriage 50) [supported on two widthwise opposite side surfaces of a movable bracket 50] (fig. 3), each of the plate parts provided with a pressing member 39 [supported on the movable bracket in a width direction] (fig. 3); and
a second driver 93 [for sliding the movable bracket with respect to the fixed bracket] (page 2, paragraph [0026]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to alternatively use the fixing bracket and movable bracket of Appleyard with the steering device of Toyoda et al. with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for moving the steering wheel into a stowed position during autonomous control of vehicle, thus providing for a maximum space available within the vehicle.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toyoda et al. (EP 2572961 A1) in view of Appleyard (US 2021/0001916 A1), and further in view of Meyer et al. (US 2011/0247891 A1).
For claim 3, Toyoda et al. modified as above does not explicitly disclose the steering device wherein the first driver further includes a reducer connecting the screw and the motor.
Meyer et al. discloses a steering system comprising an upper steering shaft 2; an upper jacket unit 12a; a lower jacket unit 12b; and [electromotive power of an adjusting motor 501is transmitted via a gear connection consisting of a worm gear 502 and a toothed wheel 503 to a screw shaft 504; this screw movement is converted via a threaded nut 505 into a translatory movement which is conveyed to the upper jacket tube via a driver unit 506] (page 2, paragraph [0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to alternatively use the motor, gear connection, screw shaft, and nut of Meyer et al. with the steering device of Toyoda et al. modified as above with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for improved overall efficient power delivery, thus improving overall adjustment.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 – 7, 13, and 14 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.
Claims 15 – 20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fails to disclose:
For claims 4 – 7: the nut is coupled to the upper tube through an impact load absorber including a bending plate;
For claim 13; a rail recess is formed in an inner surface of the plate part along an axial direction, wherein a guide protrusion inserted into the rail recess is formed on the two widthwise opposite side surfaces; and
For claims 14 – 20: a coupling hole penetrating the plate parts in the width direction, and wherein the pressing member is inserted into the coupling hole and has an end portion supported by the movable bracket.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
WO-2020185030 – comprising a steering column comprising an upper tube; a middle tube; a lower tube; a telescope motor; and a tilt motor;
EP-2572960 – comprising a steering apparatus comprising a main housing; a fixing bracket; a movable column member; a telescopic mechanism; an electric motor; and a tilt mechanism; and
CN-202138407 – comprising a steering pipe column comprising a tilt mechanism and a telescopic mechanism.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jacob D. Knutson whose telephone number is (571)270-5576. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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/JACOB D KNUTSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611