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 .
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(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, 11, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
Menjak et al (US 6,705,419). Menjak discloses:
With regard to claim 1 - A steer-by-wire steering device, comprising:
a steering shaft 16;
a first reaction force generator including at least one motor 66 connected to the steering shaft 16 (“The secondary shaft 58 is connected to an electric servomotor 66 through a planetary gear reducer 68. The motor 66 is operatively connected to the controller 36. The motor 66, as controlled by controller 36, is configured to angularly displace 30 the secondary shaft 58, which in turn angularly displaces the steering column 16. Accordingly, the steer-by-wire system 10 is configured to control the direction of the road wheels 12 without the manipulation of steering wheel 14 by the operator, and is configured to communicate road feel to the steering wheel 14.” – column 4, lines 35-44), at least one electronic control unit (ECU) 36 controlling the at least one motor 66 to generate a first steering reaction force to the steering shaft 16, and at least one sensor 64 for sensing a steering angle (“The lower end 54 of the steering column 16 is operatively coupled to a secondary shaft 58 by way of a torque sensor 60 having a torsion bar 62. Additionally, position sensors 64 are operatively positioned proximate the steering column 16 and/or the secondary shaft 58 to detect the angular displacement 30 of the steering column and/or the secondary shaft, respectively. The sensors 60 and 64 provide the signals 34 to the controller 36.” – column 4, lines 20-27); and
a second reaction force generator 56 generating a second steering reaction force generated by rotation of the steering shaft to the steering shaft 16 (“A first exemplary embodiment of the center feel mechanism 56 is illustrated in FIGS. 2-7. The center feel mechanism 56 is configured to limit rotation of the steering wheel 14 and the steering column 16 to about 1.5 rotations (e.g., .+-.540.degree.). The center feel mechanism 56 is configured to provide the steering column 16 with about 1080.degree. of angular displacement 30. Accordingly, the center feel mechanism 56 improves the feel of the steering system 10 by more closely mimicking the feel of mechanical steering systems, and prevents over rotation of the sensors 60 and 64.” – column 5, lines 11-20).
With regard to claim 2 - wherein the second reaction force generator 56 further includes a sensor 60 for sensing a steering angle.
With regard to claim 4 - wherein the second reaction force generator includes:
a gear 68 being rotatable in engagement with the steering shaft 16;
a plate (non-geared portion of 68) having a guide rail 114;
a pin 78 being movable on the guide rail 114 as the gear rotates; and
an elastic member 108 providing a restoring force to a center of the guide rail to the pin 78.
With regard to claim 5 - wherein rotation of the steering shaft 16 is stopped as the pin 78 is supported on two opposite ends of the guide rail 114 (see Figs. 6 and 7).
With regard to claim 11 - A steer-by-wire steering device, comprising:
a steering shaft 16;
a first reaction force generator including at least one motor 66 connected to the steering shaft 16 (“The secondary shaft 58 is connected to an electric servomotor 66 through a planetary gear reducer 68. The motor 66 is operatively connected to the controller 36. The motor 66, as controlled by controller 36, is configured to angularly displace 30 the secondary shaft 58, which in turn angularly displaces the steering column 16. Accordingly, the steer-by-wire system 10 is configured to control the direction of the road wheels 12 without the manipulation of steering wheel 14 by the operator, and is configured to communicate road feel to the steering wheel 14.” – column 4, lines 35-44), at least one electronic control unit (ECU) 36 controlling the at least one motor 66 to generate a first steering reaction force to the steering shaft 16, and at least one sensor 64 for sensing a steering angle (“The lower end 54 of the steering column 16 is operatively coupled to a secondary shaft 58 by way of a torque sensor 60 having a torsion bar 62. Additionally, position sensors 64 are operatively positioned proximate the steering column 16 and/or the secondary shaft 58 to detect the angular displacement 30 of the steering column and/or the secondary shaft, respectively. The sensors 60 and 64 provide the signals 34 to the controller 36.” – column 4, lines 20-27); and
a second reaction force generator 56 including a gear 68 being rotatable in engagement with the steering shaft 16, a plate having a guide rail 114, a pin 78 being movable on the guide rail 114 as the gear 68 rotates, and an elastic member 108 providing a restoring force to a center of the guide rail 114 to the pin 78 and generating a second steering reaction force generated by rotation of the steering shaft to the steering shaft 16 (“A first exemplary embodiment of the center feel mechanism 56 is illustrated in FIGS. 2-7. The center feel mechanism 56 is configured to limit rotation of the steering wheel 14 and the steering column 16 to about 1.5 rotations (e.g., .+-.540.degree.). The center feel mechanism 56 is configured to provide the steering column 16 with about 1080.degree. of angular displacement 30. Accordingly, the center feel mechanism 56 improves the feel of the steering system 10 by more closely mimicking the feel of mechanical steering systems, and prevents over rotation of the sensors 60 and 64.” – column 5, lines 11-20).
With regard to claim 12 - wherein the second reaction force generator 56 further includes a sensor 60 for sensing a steering angle.
With regard to claim 14 - wherein rotation of the steering shaft 16 is stopped as the pin 78 is supported on two opposite ends of the guide rail 114 (see Figs. 6 and 7).
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.
Claim(s) 3 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Menjak in view of Erickson et al (US 2021/0070361). Menjak fails to explicitly disclose wherein the at least one sensor of the first reaction force generator and the sensor of the second reaction force generator receive power from power sources independent from each other. Erickson teaches a steer-by-wire system with driver feedback including a first sensor 604a and a second sensor 604c, wherein each sensor receives power from power sources independent from each other. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the steer-by-wire system of Menjak with the teaching of Erickson such that at least one sensor of the first reaction force generator and the sensor of the second reaction force generator receive power from power sources independent from each other, with a reasonable expectation of success to ensure that should one fail the other will still be active.
Claim(s) 10 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Menjak in view of Delmarco et al (US 10,661,823). Menjak fails to explicitly disclose wherein the second reaction force generator further includes a damper for providing damping to the rotation of the steering shaft. Delmarco teaches a feedback actuator for a steer-by-wire steering mechanism comprising a first reaction force generator 10 and a second reaction force generator 3, wherein the second reaction force generator 3 further includes a damper for providing damping to the rotation of a steering shaft 2 (“FIG. 2 shows a feedback actuator 5 according to the invention with an electric motor 10 and a crank drive 11. The steering wheel 4 is connected to the steering shaft 2 in a torque-proof manner. There is an adjustable friction and damping element 3 arranged at the end of the steering shaft 2, which superimposes the applied manual torque depending on the motor vehicle and steering angle speed and the steering direction in order to give the driver the most natural steering feel possible.” – column 3, lines 35-43). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the steer-by-wire system of Menjak with the teaching of Delmarco such that the second reaction force generator further includes a damper for providing damping to the rotation of the steering shaft, with a reasonable expectation of success, to give the driver the most natural steering feel possible.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9 and 15-18 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY WILHELM whose telephone number is (571)272-6980. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-5:30.
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/TIMOTHY WILHELM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617 March 6, 2026