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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 July 14, 2026 has been entered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because they fail to show features corresponding to the following claim limitations:
Claim 17, lines 30+: “the opening-side annular web coming into contact with the opening-side supporting face and the connection-side annular web coming into contact with the connection-side supporting face each have a non-circular circumferential contour with at least three maxima and three minima, and a maximum peak-to-valley value, that is formed between a smallest radius and a largest radius of the non-circular circumferential contour”. In the reply filed July 14, 2026 applicant argues these features are shown in Fig. 4 and are indicated in an annotated Fig. 4 by circles and triangles. However:
Fig. 4 is just a collection of geometric shapes. It doesn’t show the opening-side annular web, the opening-side supporting face, the connection-side annular web and the connection-side supporting face.
There aren’t circles and triangles in Fig. 4 to indicate at least three maxima and three minima.
Fig. 3A purports to show the opening-side annular web 37 and the connection-side annular web 38, but it doesn’t show a non-circular circumferential contour with at least three maxima and three minima.
Fig. 1A purports to show the opening-side supporting face 24a and connection-side supporting face 24b, but it doesn’t show a non-circular circumferential contour with at least three maxima and three minima.
Claim 21, “wherein the non-circular circumferential contour [of each of the opening-side annular web coming into contact with the opening-side supporting face and the connection-side annular web coming into contact with the connection-side supporting face] has at least six maxima and six minima.” In the reply filed July 14, 2026 applicant argues these features are shown in Fig. 5B and are indicated in an annotated Fig. 5B by circles and triangles. However:
Fig. 5B is just a collection of geometric shapes. It doesn’t show the opening-side annular web, the opening-side supporting face, the connection-side annular web and the connection-side supporting face.
There aren’t circles and triangles in Fig. 5B to indicate at least three maxima and three minima.
Fig. 3A purports to show the opening-side annular web 37 and the connection-side annular web 38, but it doesn’t show a non-circular circumferential contour with at least six maxima and six minima.
Fig. 1A purports to show the opening-side supporting face 24a and connection-side supporting face 24b, but it doesn’t show a non-circular circumferential contour with at least six maxima and six minima.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because in the second sentence of paragraph 0066, the ball cage 15 is identified by an incorrect reference numeral.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 17-29 & 31-32 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.
As noted above, claims 17 & 21 recite features that are not shown in the drawings. Without such it is not possible to accurately determine the metes and bounds of the claims
Claim 17, lines 30-32 recites the limitation, “the opening-side annular web coming into contact with the opening-side supporting face and the connection-side annular web coming into contact with the connection-side supporting face each have”. That which is referred to by “each” is unclear. Does “each” include the opening-side annular web, the opening-side supporting face, the connection-side annular web and the connection-side supporting face. Or does “each” only include the opening-side annular web and the connection-side annular web.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. At Fig. 8, Thomas shows an undercut embodiment of a constant velocity joint.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Greg Binda whose telephone number is (571)272-7077. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-5:30 et.
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/Greg Binda/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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