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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/30/2023 and 05/15/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-4 and 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo (JP 2021156336 A) in view of Zhang (CN 112901685 B).
Regarding claim 1, Kondo discloses a brake apparatus (figs. 1-2) for a vehicle, comprising:
a drum (2) configured to rotate together with a wheel of the vehicle;
a pair of brake shoes (5 and 6) to which linings for rubbing against a friction surface (2b) on an inner circumferential side of the drum are attached; and
a wheel cylinder (8) disposed to contact one end of each of the pair of brake shoes and configured to operate the pair of brake shoes outwardly by receiving braking hydraulic pressure.
Kondo does not disclose an air flow path allowing air flow formed inside the friction surface such that the lining and the friction surface are separated by the air flow as recited in claim. However, Zhang discloses a similar drum brake system (figs. 1-2) comprising a drum (1) having an air flow path (3-6) allowing air flow formed inside a friction surface such that a lining and the friction surface are separated by the air flow (note fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before filing date of the present application was made to modify the drum of Kondo with the air flow as taught by Zhang will ensure the excellent radiating performance of the drum.
Re-claim 2, the modified Kondo discloses the air flow path includes: a first air flow path (5) extending in an axial direction of the drum and provided inside the friction surface; and a second air flow path (3-4) extending from the first air flow path to the friction surface.
Re-claim 3, the modified Kondo discloses a plurality of first air flow paths (5) are provided along a side edge of the friction surface, a plurality of second air flow paths (3-4) extend from the first air flow path toward the friction surface, and the first air flow paths and the second air flow paths are arranged at a set number and interval so that the linings and the friction surface maintain a set distance.
Re-claim 4, the modified Kondo discloses wherein in the second air flow path (3-4), a first opening connected to the first air flow path (5) and a second opening connected to the friction surface are connected to each other and a flow path diameter is formed to be the same.
Regarding claim 9, Kondo discloses a brake apparatus (figs. 1-2) for a vehicle, comprising:
a drum (2) configured to rotate together with a wheel of the vehicle;
a pair of brake shoes (5 and 6) to which linings for rubbing against a friction surface (2b) on an inner circumferential side of the drum are attached;
a wheel cylinder (8) disposed to contact one end of each of the pair of brake shoes and configured to operate the pair of brake shoes outwardly by receiving braking hydraulic pressure; and
a restoring member (12) configured to exert a set elastic force and connected to the pair of brake shoes to provide a restoring force after outward operation of the pair of brake shoes.
Kondo does not disclose an air flow path allowing air flow formed inside the friction surface such that the lining and the friction surface are separated by the air flow as recited in claim. However, Zhang discloses a similar drum brake system (figs. 1-2) comprising a drum (1) having an air flow path (3-6) allowing air flow formed inside a friction surface such that a lining and the friction surface are separated by the air flow (note fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before filing date of the present application was made to modify the drum of Kondo with the air flow as taught by Zhang will ensure the excellent radiating performance of the drum.
Re-claim 10, the modified Kondo discloses wherein the air flow path includes: a first air flow path (5) extending in an axial direction of the drum and provided inside the friction surface; and a second air flow path (3-4) extending from the first air flow path to the friction surface.
Re-claim 11, the modified Kondo discloses wherein a plurality of first air flow paths (5) are provided along a side edge of the friction surface, a plurality of second air flow paths (3-4) extend from the first air flow path toward the friction surface, and the first air flow paths and the second air flow paths are arranged at a set number and interval so that the linings and the friction surface maintain a set distance.
Re-claim 12, the modified Kondo discloses wherein in the second air flow path (3-4), a first opening connected to the first air flow path (5) and a second opening connected to the friction surface are connected to each other, and a flow path diameter is formed to be the same.
Claims 5-8 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo (JP 2021156336 A) in view of Zhang (CN 112901685 B), further in view of Yao (CN 106763331 A).
Regarding claims 5-8 and 13-16, the modified Kondo discloses wherein in the second air flow path (3-4), a first opening connected to the first air flow path (5) and a second opening connected to the friction surface are connected to each other, but fails to disclose a flow path diameter is changed in a set pattern. However, Yao discloses a brake drum (1) with a plurality of heat radiating holes (3-4 in fig. 3) comprising various diameter portions (note the portions 3 and 4 in fig. 3, wherein each hole portions having a tapered end portion). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before filing date of the present application was made to modify the paths of the brake drum of Kondo with diameter changed in any desired set pattern and/or as taught by Yao will increase the radiating area of the brake drum and the radiating efficiency, so as to prolong the service life of the brake drum while saving the maintenance cost (note abstract of Yao).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHBUBUR RASHID whose telephone number is (571)272-7218. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am to 10pm EST.
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/MAHBUBUR RASHID/Examiner, Art Unit 3616
/NICHOLAS J LANE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616