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 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, 10, 11, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang et al. (KR 101836128 B1) in view of Yoshida (JP 2004152087 A).
Re claim 1, Jang et al. teach an actuator comprising: a motor (11) configured to generate power; and a gear assembly (18, 40, 50, 60) configured to transmit the power provided from the motor, wherein the gear assembly includes: a plurality of gears; and a pocket (25) covering around at least one of the gears (40). (Fig. 2-3)
Jan et al. does not teach grease applied to the at least one of the gears in the pocket, the pocket comprising a swellable material capable of swelling in contact with the grease. Yoshida teaches grease applied to the at least one gear (11) in a pocket (20), the pocket comprising a swellable material (22) capable of swelling in contact with the grease. (Fig. 1) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to apply the teachings of Yoshida in the actuator of Jang et al. to provide extended lubrication to the assembly.
Re claims 10 and 19, Jang et al. teaches wherein the swellable material comprised in the pocket is not limited and includes any material capable of absorbing some of the grease. Felt and sponge are cited as examples and are capable of increasing in volume. (Translation – Pg. 6, 3rd Par.) Jang et al. do not explicitly teach a rubber material. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use rubber since it is well known for its use in lubrication and being capable of absorbing grease and increasing in volume.
Re claim 11, Jang et al. teaches an actuator comprising: a motor (11) configured to generate power; a gear assembly including a plurality of gears (18, 40, 50, 60) to transmit the power provided from the motor; and a housing (10) having an inner space so that the gear assembly is disposed in the inner space of the housing, wherein: the gear assembly includes a pocket (25) covering around at least one of the gears (40) and the pocket has an outer surface, which is in contact with and supported by the housing (10).
to accommodate grease applied to the at least one of the gears in the pocket, and a swellable material (22) capable of swelling inward toward the at least one of the gears (11) by absorbing the grease.
Jan et al. does not teach grease applied to the at least one of the gears in the pocket, the pocket comprising a swellable material capable of swelling inward toward the at least one of the gears by absorbing the grease. Yoshida teaches grease applied to the at least one gear (11) in a pocket (20), the pocket comprising a swellable material (22) capable of swelling inward toward the at least one of the gears by absorbing the grease.. (Fig. 1) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to apply the teachings of Yoshida in the actuator of Jang et al. to provide extended lubrication to the assembly.
Re claim 20, Jang et al. teaches a brake system comprising the actuator according to claim 1. (Jang et al. - Abstract)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-9 and 12-18 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.
JP ‘161 teaches a similar actuator.
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/MELANIE TORRES WILLIAMS/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
MTWJanuary 8, 2026