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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 30 – Fig. 1A. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim 11 is 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 11 recites “a second material” in line 3. The limitation is unclear since there is no previously recited material.
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 and 4-6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Morimoto et al. (JP 2011202702 A).
Re claim 1, Morimoto et al. disclose a damping cartridge system (10) configured to be arranged in a leg of a vehicle front fork, the damping cartridge system comprising: an inner cartridge tube (21) configured to be coupled to a first part of the vehicle front fork leg, a piston head (23) coupled to a second part of the vehicle front fork leg configured to be moveable relative the first part of the front fork leg, the piston head configured to be moveable inside the inner cartridge tube between a first position and a second position, an outer cartridge tube (60) sized and adapted to at least partly house the inner cartridge tube, characterized in that wherein the outer cartridge tube comprises a plurality of ridges (62) and grooves (63) arranged side-by-side along the axial direction of the outer cartridge tube, thereby forming a corrugated portion for distributing radial forces acting on the damping cartridge system. (Fig. 4, 5-10)
Re claim 4, Morimoto et al. disclose wherein ridge (62)of the corrugated portion varies along the axial direction of the corrugated portion. (Fig. 8)
Re claim 5, Morimoto et al. disclose wherein the corrugated portion [[(31)]] comprises a helical groove axially extending along the axial direction of the corrugated portion [[(31)]] and/or independent radial grooves arranged side-by-side along the axial direction of the corrugated portion [[(31)]].
Re claim 6, Morimoto et al. disclose wherein the wall thickness of the corrugated portion [[(31)]] is substantially even along the axial direction of the corrugated portion [[(31)]].
Re claim 8, Morimoto et al. disclose, wherein the corrugated portion is arranged such that the piston head, when in the first position, is located within the corrugated portion, and, when in the second position, is located fully outside the corrugated portion. (Fig. 8)
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Baldomero et al. (US 6142497).
Re claim 1, Baldomero et al. disclose a damping cartridge system configured to be arranged in a leg of a vehicle front fork, the damping cartridge system comprising: an inner cartridge tube (24) configured to be coupled to a first part of the vehicle front fork leg, a piston head (32) coupled to a second part of the vehicle front fork leg configured to be moveable relative the first part of the front fork leg, the piston head configured to be moveable inside the inner cartridge tube between a first position and a second position, an outer cartridge tube (40) sized and adapted to at least partly house the inner cartridge tube, characterized in that wherein the outer cartridge tube comprises a plurality of ridges (42) and grooves arranged side-by-side along the axial direction of the outer cartridge tube, thereby forming a corrugated portion for distributing radial forces acting on the damping cartridge system.
Re claim 2, Baldomero et al. disclose wherein at least two grooves of the corrugated portion have groove depths which are different. (Fig. 3-4, Col. 4, lines 35-36)
Re claim 3, Baldomero et al. disclose wherein the groove depths of the corrugated portion varies along the axial direction of the corrugated portion. (Fig. 3-4, Col. 4, lines 35-36)
5. Claims 1, 12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uchiyama (US 8672306 B2).
Re claim 1, Uchiyama discloses a damping cartridge system configured to be arranged in a leg of a vehicle front fork, the damping cartridge system comprising: an inner cartridge tube (35) configured to be coupled to a first part of the vehicle front fork leg, a piston head (37) coupled to a second part of the vehicle front fork leg configured to be moveable relative the first part of the front fork leg, the piston head configured to be moveable inside the inner cartridge tube between a first position and a second position, an outer cartridge tube (46) sized and adapted to at least partly house the inner cartridge tube, characterized in that wherein the outer cartridge tube comprises a plurality of ridges and grooves (35a) arranged side-by-side along the axial direction of the outer cartridge tube, thereby forming a corrugated portion for distributing radial forces acting on the damping cartridge system. (Fig. 5)
Re claim 12, Uchiyama discloses wherein the outer cartridge tube (46) comprises a spring receiving portion (39) axially displaced from the corrugated portion, said spring receiving portion adapted for receiving the helical spring (34) when arranged to the cartridge system, wherein the corrugated portion has a first diameter and the spring receiving portion has a second diameter smaller than said first diameter. (Fig. 3)
Re claim 15, Uchiyama discloses vehicle comprising: a vehicle front fork (23), the damping cartridge system according to claim 1 (see above) arranged in a leg of said vehicle front fork, and a helical spring (34) configured to counteract the movement of the piston head (37) when moved between the first and second position, said helical spring arranged such that the spring receiving portion of the outer cartridge tube is arranged at least partly inside said helical spring. (Fig. 1)
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.
Claim 7, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morimoto et al. (JP 2011202702 A).Uchiyama (US 8672306 B2).
Re claim 7, Morimoto et al. do not teach wherein the wall thickness of the corrugated portion is about 0.5-2.5 mm. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to select a wall thickness based on desired specifications. Applicant has not disclosed that the specific range solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose and it appears that the wall thickness would be effective in a range of thicknesses.
9. Claims 11, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama (US 8672306 B2).
Re claim 11, Uchiyama et al. do not teach wherein the inner cartridge tube is made from a material comprising aluminum, the second material preferably comprising 95-98% aluminum. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to make a damping component from aluminum since it is known for being lightweight.
Re claim 13, Uchiyama et al. as modified teach wherein the outer cartridge tube comprises a conical portion connecting the corrugated portion and the spring receiving portion. (Fig. 3)
Re claim 14, Uchiyama et al. as modified teach spring protection means arranged on the outside of the spring receiving portion. (Fig. 3)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 10 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ma, Cotter, Lai, Janes, Daner and GB ‘022 teach similar damping systems.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELANIE TORRES WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-7127. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday - Friday 7:00AM-3:00PM.
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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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/MELANIE TORRES WILLIAMS/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
MTWJanuary 23, 2026