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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 23-Mar-2026 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “said connecting ring” lacks antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sari et al. (US 2016/0003197).
Regarding claim 8, Sari discloses a cover (38) (see FIG. 1) for a motor gear unit for a disc brake electric actuator (note: the “motor gear unit” is not a required element of the claim because it is only recited as an intended use), said motor gear unit having a housing containing an electric motor having an axis defining an axial direction (note: the “motor gear unit” is not a required element of the claim because it is only recited as an intended use); and a reduction mechanism mechanically connected to said electric motor to provide at the output of said reduction mechanism a rotational drive of a shaft along an output axis parallel to said axial direction (note: the “motor gear unit” is not a required element of the claim because it is only recited as an intended use); the motor gear unit having a damping device (64) capable of being positioned on an end part of the electric motor (see FIG. 1), comprising an element (76) for axial damping of movements of the motor in said axial direction (see ¶ 0038; FIGS. 1, 2) and an element (68) for radial damping of the movements of the motor in a radial direction of the electric motor (see ¶ 0038; FIGS. 1, 2) (note: the “motor gear unit” is not a required element of the claim because it is only recited as an intended use); said housing of said motor gear unit having an opening for access to the electric motor (note: the “motor gear unit” is not a required element of the claim because it is only recited as an intended use), said cover being capable configured for closing said opening for access to the electric motor (see FIG. 1, cover (38) closes housing (32)), said cover having an annular surface (69) and being equipped with said damping device (64) comprising said element (76) for axial damping of the movements of the motor in said axial direction (see ¶0038; FIGS. 1, 2) and said element for radial damping (68) of the movements of the motor in a radial direction of the electric motor (see ¶0038; FIGS. 1, 2), the damping device comprising said two coaxial rings, among which:- a first ring (68), capable of bearing against said cylindrical wall presented by said end part of the electric motor (see FIGS. 1, 2), said first ring forming said radial damping element (see ¶ 0038, FIGS. 1, 2), the first ring having a plurality of elements (78) in relief in the form of radial ribs on its outer peripheral wall (see ¶ 0038; FIG. 3), said radial ribs being configured to be crushed against said annular surface upon assembly of said damping device between said cover and said motor gear unit (see ¶¶ 0025, 0038) and - a second ring (see FIG. 2, portion comprising (76)), capable of bearing against said external surface of the motor perpendicular to said axial direction (see FIGS. 1, 2), said second ring forming said axial damping element (see ¶ 0038; FIGS. 1, 2); the first ring and the second ring are radially connected to each other by said connecting ring (see FIG. 2, portion between (68) and (76)), and in that the first ring is positioned inside the second ring (see FIG. 2); and the damping device is produced in a single piece (see FIG. 2).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dettenberger et al. (US 2013/0203554) in view of Sari (US 2016/0003197).
Regarding claim 1, Dettenberger discloses a motor gear unit for a disc brake electric actuator (see Abstract, FIG. 1), said motor gear unit comprising: a housing (2) containing an electric motor (10) having an axis defining an axial directions (see FIG. 2); and a reduction mechanism (7) mechanically connected to said electric motor to provide at the output of said reduction mechanism a rotational drive of a shaft (58) along an output axis parallel to said axial direction (see FIG. 2); the motor gear unit comprising: a damping device (104a) capable of being positioned on an end part of the electric motor (see FIG. 2), comprising an element (A) (see Annotated FIG. 2, below) for axial damping of movements of the motor in said axial direction (see Annotated FIG. 2) and an element (B) (see Annotated FIG. 2) for radial damping of the movements of the motor in a radial direction of the electric motor (see Annotated FIG. 2); said damping device comprising two coaxial rings (A, B), among which: - a first ring (B) which bears against a cylindrical wall (C) (see Annotated FIG. 2) presented by said end part of the electric motor (see Annotated FIG. 2), said first ring forming said radial damping element (see Annotated FIG. 2), and - a second ring (A) which bears against an external surface (D) (see Annotated FIG. 2) of the motor perpendicular to said axial direction (see Annotated FIG. 2), said second ring forming said axial damping element (see Annotated FIG. 2); the cylindrical wall and the external surface forma first should that the end of the motor presents (see Annotated FIG. 2, below; elements (C) and (D) form a shoulder) and that the first ring (B) is positioned inside the second ring (A) (see Annotated FIG. 2, below) and further bears against the first shoulder (see Annotated FIG. 2), and the motor gear unit comprises a cover (38) having an annular surface (E) (see Annotated FIG. 2, below) and said cylindrical wall (C) and the annular surface (E) are axially offset relative to each other when the cover is fixed on the housing (see FIG. 2).
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Dettenberger does not disclose that the first ring and the second ring are radially connected to each other by a connecting ring.
Sari teaches a damping device (64) for an electric motor (see e.g. ¶¶ 0004, 0005) comprising two coaxial rings (68, 76), among which: - a first ring (68) which bears against a cylindrical wall (56) presented by said end part of the electric motor (see FIGS. 1, 2), the first ring having at least one element in relief (78) on its outer peripheral wall (see FIG. 3; ¶ 0038), said first ring forming a radial damping element (see ¶¶ 0025, 0038), and- a second ring (see FIG. 2, portion comprising (76)) which bears against an external surface (66) of the motor perpendicular to said axial direction (see FIG. 1, 2), said second ring forming said axial damping element (see ¶ 0038); the cylindrical wall and the external surface form a first shoulder that the end of the motor presents (see FIG. 1); the first ring and the second ring are radially connected to each other by a coaxial connecting ring (see FIG. 2, connecting portion between (68) and (76)), in that the first ring is positioned inside the second ring (see FIGS. 1, 2) and further bears against the first shoulder (see FIGS. 1, 2), said at least one element in relief taking the form of an annular ring of radial ribs (see FIG. 3), said radial ribs being configured to be crushed against said annular surface upon assembly of said damping device between said cover and said motor gear unit (see ¶¶ 0025, 0038).
It would have been obvious to replace the damping element of Dettenberger with the damping element of Sari to provide damping in both axial and radial directions, while compensating for components having large tolerances (see e.g. Sari, ¶ 0016).
Regarding claim 5, Sair teaches that said radial ribs are uniformly distributed over said outer peripheral wall (see ¶ 0038; FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Sari teaches that the damping device is produced in a single piece by moulding (see FIG. 3).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dettenberger et al. (US 2013/0203554) and Sari (US 2016/0003197), as applied to claim 1, above, and further in view of Bourlon (US 9,707,948).
Regarding claim 3, Dettenberger does not disclose that that the connecting ring comprises a bead for radial positioning, capable of fitting into a groove arranged in said end part of the electric motor.
Bourlon teaches a motor gear unit for a disc brake electric actuator (see Abstract, FIGS. 1-13) comprising a damping element (130) (see FIG. 6) wherein the damping element comprises a bead (F) (see Annotated FIG. 6, below) for radial positioning, capable of fitting into a groove arranged in said end part of the electric motor (see FIG. 6, below).
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It would have been obvious to form a bead on the damping element of Dettenberger to provide a means for accurately positioning the damping element relative to the motor.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dettenberger et al. (US 2013/0203554) and Sari (US 2016/0003197), as applied to claim 1, above, and further in view Thye-Moormann (US 2019/0136929).
Regarding claim 7, Dettenberger does not disclose that the damping device is produced from ethylene-propylene-diene monomer and has a Shore D hardness comprised between 30 and 50, preferably of substantially 40.
Thye-Moorman teaches a damping material produced from ethylene-propylene-diene monomer and has a Shore D hardness comprised between 30 and 50, preferably of substantially 40 (see ¶ 0028).
It would have been obvious to use ethylene-propylene-diene monomer material to form the damping element of Dettenberger to utilize a known material that is suitable for use as damping material.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dettenberger et al. (US 2013/0203554) in view of Sari (US 2016/0003197), as applied to claim 1, above, and further in view of Song (US 2018/0238408).
Regarding claim 9, Dettenberger discloses an assembly comprising a disc brake (see ¶ 0004) and an actuator associated with a motor gear unit according to claim 1 (see Dettenberger in view of Sari, above). Dettenberger does not disclose a movable, in particular sliding, caliper. Song teaches a disc brake comprising an actuator in a movable, in particular sliding, caliper (see ¶ 0030). It would have been obvious to configure the brake of Dettenberger as a sliding caliper to utilize the well known construction that allows a single actuator to displace both brake pads to engage the disk.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 23-Mar-2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection noted above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS J LANE whose telephone number is (571)270-5988. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi can be reached at (571)272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICHOLAS J LANE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
April 29, 2026
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