DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after May 19, 2022, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore,
In claims 5, 12 and 19, line 1, “a shoulder” is not shown in any of figures 1 to 6.
Those features must be shown, or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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.
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: fig. 1, element 56. 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.
Claims 1-6 and 16-20 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.
Claims 1 and 16 recite a phrase: “within the same housing” lacks antecedent basis and fails to clearly identify which housing is being referenced. The claim recites a “ball nut assembly” but does not introduce any “housing” prior to the phrase “within the same housing”. As a result, it is unclear whether the housing refers to: a housing of a wheel actuator assembly, a housing of the ball nut assembly, a housing associated withing the pulley assembly, or some other structure not explicitly recited. Because the claim does not provide a clear structural antecedent for “the same housing”, the scope of the claim in uncertain.
Accordingly, the claim fails to meet the requirement of 112(b) and is indefinite.
Regarding Claims 2-6 and 17-20, they are rejected as indefinite, since they depend from a rejected parent claim (see above).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
6. 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.
7. 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
8. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Eickholt et al. (US 2018/0354548 A1; hereinafter, “Eickholt”).
Regarding claim 1, Eickholt discloses: a steering assist system with a road wheel actuator assembly (10, figs. 1-5; [0013]), comprising:
a ball screw (“ball screw” [0014]) extending along a first axis (30, fig. 1);
a pulley assembly (46, [0015]); and
a ball nut assembly (44, [0015]) driven by the pulley assembly (46; [para 0019 discloses: “the pulley assembly 46 transmits torque from the motor 40 to the ball nut assembly 44], the ball nut assembly (44) comprising:
a first ball nut (“a first ball nut face 60, fig. 3; [0017]) that is disposed about the ball screw (figs. 1-3);
a second ball nut (second ball nut face 62, fig. 3; [0017]) that is disposed about the ball screw (figs. 1-3), wherein the first ball nut (60) and the second ball nut (62) are disposed within the same housing (fig. 1); and
an axial spacer (“retainer” 104, fig. 3) disposed between the first ball nut (60) and the second ball nut (62). See fig. 3 and para. [0024].
Regarding claim 2, Eickholt further discloses that the axial spacer (104) comprises: a main body portion (150, [0031]) extending circumferentially (fig. 5 shows circumferentially) around at least a portion of an inner surface (portion of 154; [0031]) of the housing (fig. 4 shows at least a portion of the inner surface of the housing); and a protrusion (notch 70; [0018]) extending (“extends between” [0018]) radially (reference to “axis 30” [0018]) inwardly from the main body portion (150) and disposed between an axially inward (fig. 3) end of the first ball nut (60; [0018]) and an axially inward end (“inner ball nut face 66”; [0018]) of the second ball nut (62). See paragraphs 0018 and 0031.
Regarding claim 3, Eickholt further discloses that a first bearing (102) operatively coupled (via “engagement”, [0042] and claim 16) to the first ball nut (60); and a second bearing (56) operatively coupled ([0017 discloses: “a bearing 56 that is operatively connected to a ball nut 58 that includes a first ball nut face 60, a second ball nut face 62]) to the second ball nut (62), wherein the axial spacer (104) is disposed between the first bearing (102) and the second bearing (58). See fig. 3.
Regarding claim 4, Eickholt further discloses that the axial spacer (104) includes a main body portion (150, [0031]) extending from a first axial end (first retainer end 156; [0031]) to a second axial end (“second retainer end” 158; [0031]), wherein the first axial end (156) is in abutment (via clearance slot 160) with an axially (along axis 30) inward end of the first bearing (102), wherein the second axial end (158) is in abutment (via 160) with an axially (via axis 30) inward end of the second bearing (56). See para. 0032 and figs. 3.
Regarding claim 5, Eickholt further discloses that a shoulder (“extension” 142, fig. 3) extending radially inwardly (fig. 3 shows radially inwardly) from an inner surface (“second interior surface” 122b within 122, fig. 3 and [0025-0026]) of the housing (fig. 3), the shoulder (142) in abutment with a radially outward end (via extension 128, fig. 3; [0026]) of the first bearing (102) to axially retain the first bearing (102). See figs 1-3.
Regarding claim 6, Eickholt further discloses that a retaining nut (biasing member 108; [0024]) operatively coupled to the housing (fig. 3 shows operatively coupled to the housing) and in abutment (via 58, fig. 1) with a radially outward end of the second bearing (56) to axially retain the second bearing (56; fig. 1 shows retention of the second bearing 56).
Regarding claim 7, Eickholt discloses that a ball nut assembly for a rack electric power (via “electric motor”; [0001]) steering system in a vehicle (steering system assembly via actuator assembly 10 with power steering assist mechanism 24; [0013]), the ball nut assembly (44) comprising: a ball screw (“ball screw”; [0014]) at least partially disposed within a rack housing (fig. 1 shows partially disposed); a first ball nut (“a first ball nut face 60, fig. 3; [0017]) disposed about the ball screw (figs. 1-3); and a second ball nut (second ball nut face 62, fig. 3; [0017]) disposed about the ball screw (figs. 1-3), wherein the first ball nut (60) and the second ball nut (62) are disposed within the rack housing (fig. 1-3).
Regarding claim 8, Eickholt further discloses that an axial spacer (104, fig. 3) disposed between the first ball nut (60) and the second ball nut (62; see figs 1-3).
Regarding claim 9, Eickholt further discloses that the axial spacer (104) comprises: a main body portion (150, [0031]) extending circumferentially (fig. 4 shows circumferentially) around at least a portion of an inner surface (portion of 154; [0031]) of the rack housing (figs. 1-3); and a protrusion (notch 70; [0018]) extending radially inwardly from the main body portion (150, [0031]) and disposed between an axially inward end (figs. 1-3) of the first ball nut (60; [0018]) and an axially inward end (“inner ball nut face 66”; [0018]) of the second ball nut (62). See para. 0018 and 0031.
Regarding claim 10, Eickholt further discloses that a first bearing operatively coupled to the first ball nut (60); and a second bearing (58) operatively coupled to the second ball nut (62; [0017 discloses: “a bearing 56 that is operatively connected to a ball nut 58 that includes a first ball nut face 60, a second ball nut face 62]), wherein the axial spacer (104) is disposed (see fig. 3) between the first bearing (102) and the second bearing (56).
Regarding claim 11, Eickholt further discloses that the axial spacer (104) includes a main body portion (150, [0031]) extending from a first axial end (first retainer end 156; [0031]) to a second axial end (“second retainer end” 158; [0031]), wherein the first axial end (156) is in abutment (via clearance slot 160) with an axially (along axis 30) inward end of the first bearing (102), wherein the second axial end (158) is in abutment (via 160) with an axially (via axis 30) inward end of the second bearing (56). See para. 0032 and figs. 3.
Regarding claim 12, Eickholt further discloses that a shoulder (“extension” 142, fig. 3) extending radially inwardly (fig. 3 shows radially inward) from an inner surface (“second interior surface” 122b within 122, fig. 3 and [0025-0026]) of the rack housing (figs. 1-3), the shoulder (142) in abutment with a radially outward end (via extension 128, fig. 3; [0026]) of the first bearing to axially retain (fig. 3) the first bearing (102).
Regarding claim 13, Eickholt further discloses that a retaining nut (biasing member 108; [0024]) operatively coupled to the rack housing (fig. 3 shows operatively coupled to the rack housing) and in abutment (via 58, fig. 1) with a radially outward (fig. 3 shows radially outward) end of the second bearing (56) to axially retain the second bearing (56).
Regarding claim 14, Eickholt further discloses that a single, common driven pulley (82 of driven pulley assembly 88, fig. 1) operatively coupled [para. 0020 discloses: “The primary driven pulley 82 is disposed about the rack bar 20 and is operatively connected to the ball nut assembly 44”; thus, operably connected] to the first ball nut (60) or the second ball nut (62); [connected to assembly ball nut assembly 44 that constitutes the first ball nut 60 and second ball nut 62], wherein the first ball nut (60) and the second ball nut (62) are operatively coupled to each other to commonly rotate (via rack bar 20; [0020]), wherein the single, common driven pulley (driven pulley assembly 88, fig. 1 and [0019]) actuates rotation of both the first ball nut (60) and the second ball nut (62; [ see para. 0020-0021]).
Regarding claim 15, Eickholt further discloses that the first ball nut (60) and the second ball nut (62) are operatively coupled (via 88, 56 and 82; fig. 1) to each other with one of a coupler, a spine, a tooth and a pin [ fig. 1 explicitly shows spine feature of the shaft.]
Regarding claim 16, Eickholt discloses: a steering assist system with a road wheel actuator assembly (10, figs. 1-5; [0013]), comprising:
a ball screw (“ball screw” [0014]) extending along a first axis (30, fig. 1);
a pulley assembly (46, [0015]) comprising:
a first drive pulley (80, fig. 1; [0018]) operatively coupled [ para. 0020 discloses: “the primary drive pulley (a first drive pulley) 80 is disposed about the drive pulley shaft 42; thus, operatively coupled]) to a motor pulley shaft (42; fig. 1) and connected (via belt 84) to a first driven pulley (82); and
a second drive pulley (86) operatively to a motor pulley shaft (42) and connected to a second driven pulley (88, [0021];
a ball nut assembly (44, [0017]) comprising:
a first ball nut (60) that is disposed about the ball screw (fig. 3) and driven by (belt 84, fig1; [0019]) the first driven pulley (82); and
a second ball nut (second ball nut face 62, fig. 3; [0017]) that is disposed about the ball screw (fig. 3) and driven by (via belt 90, [0019]) the second driven pulley (88), wherein the first ball nut (60) and the second ball nut (62) are disposed within the same housing (fig. 1 shows same housing);
an axial spacer (104) disposed (fig. 3) between the first ball nut (600 and the second ball nut (62);
a first bearing (102) operatively coupled (via “engagement”, [0042] and claim 16) to the first ball nut (60); and
a second bearing (56) operatively coupled ([0017 discloses: “a bearing 56 that is operatively connected to a ball nut 58 that includes a first ball nut face 60, a second ball nut face 62]) to the second ball nut (62), wherein the axial spacer (104) is disposed between the first bearing (102) and the second bearing (56). See fig. 3.
Regarding claim 17, Eickholt further discloses that the axial spacer (104) comprises: a main body portion (150, [0031]) extending circumferentially (figs. 1-3) around at least a portion of an inner surface (portion of 154; [0031]) of the housing (fig. 4 shows at least a portion of the inner surface of the housing); and a protrusion (notch 70; [0018]) extending (“extends between” [0018]) radially inwardly (“parallel to axis 30” [0018]) from the main body portion (150) and disposed between an axially inward end (fig. 3) of the first ball nut (60; [0018]) and an axially inward end (“inner ball nut face 66”; [0018]) of the second ball nut (62). See paragraphs 0018 and 0031.
Regarding claim 18, Eickholt further discloses that the main body portion (150) of the axial spacer (104) extends from a first axial end (first retainer end 156; [0031]) to a second axial end (“second retainer end” 158; [0031]), wherein the first axial end (156) is in abutment (via clearance slot 160) with an axially (along axis 30) inward end of the first bearing (102), wherein the second axial end (158) is in abutment (via 160) with an axially (along axis 30) inward end of the second bearing (56). See para. 0032 and figs. 3.
Regarding claim 19, Eickholt further discloses that a shoulder (“extension” 142, fig. 3) extending radially inwardly (fig. 3 shows radially inwardly) from the inner surface (“second interior surface” 122b within 122, fig. 3 and [0025-0026]) of the housing (fig. 3), the shoulder (142) in abutment with a radially outward end (via extension 128, fig. 3; [0026]) of the first bearing (102) to axially retain the first bearing (102). See figs. 1-3.
Regarding claim 20, Eickholt further discloses that a retaining nut (biasing member 108; [0024]) operatively coupled to the housing (figs. 1-3 shows operatively coupled to the housing) and in abutment (via 58, fig. 1) with a radially outward end of the second bearing (56) to axially retain the second bearing (56; fig. 1 shows retention of the second bearing 56).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20160075368 A1 to Naomasa discloses: a steering apparatus includes a motor, a rack shaft, a belt transmission mechanism that is provided with a drive pulley connected to the motor, a driven pulley, and a belt wrapped around the drive pulley and the driven pulley.
US 20170008555 A1 to Keisuke discloses: a power steering device provided to including: a steering shaft; a cylinder-like nut; a ball circulation groove including a steering shaft-side ball screw groove and a nut-side ball screw groove; balls; a first connecting passage; a second connecting passage; a connecting member; and an electric motor.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NABIN KUMAR SHARMA whose telephone number is (703)756-4619. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Friday: 8:00am - 5 PM EST.
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/NABIN KUMAR SHARMA/Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/VALENTIN NEACSU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611