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 § 102
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 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) 1-3, 11-13 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tatum et al. (US 2023/0135743).
Re claim 1, Tatum et al. disclose a brake apparatus comprising: a brake controller (136) configured to receive a brake command for braking a vehicle and generate a current corresponding to a braking force based on the brake command; a brake disc (116); and a disc interface configured to receive the generated current from the brake controller, the disc interface (163a) electrically connected to the brake disc such that the current generated by the brake controller flows through the disc interface and the brake disc to generate an electromagnetic force causing the brake disc to be braked. (Fig. 1, 3, 4, 5, 7; [0052] – [0057])
Re claims 2 and 12, Tatum et al. disclose wherein the disc interface (163a) includes: a first interface provided on one side of the brake disc; and a second interface provided on another side of the brake disc. (Fig. 5)
Re claims 3 and 13, Tatum et al. disclose, wherein the brake controller (136) is configured to apply the generated current to one of the first interface and the second interface. ([0053])
Re claim 11, Tatum et al. disclose a vehicle (100a) comprising: a brake controller (136) configured to generate a current corresponding to a braking force based on a brake command for braking the vehicle; a brake disc (116); a wheel configured to rotate with the brake disc; and a disc interface (163a) configured to receive the generated current from the brake controller, the disc interface electrically connected to the brake disc such that the current generated by the brake controller flows through the disc interface and the brake disc to generate an electromagnetic force causing the brake disc to be braked. (Fig. 1, 3, 4, 5, 7; [0052] – [0057])
Re claim 18, Tatum et al. disclose a method for braking a vehicle, the method comprising: determining an intensity and direction of a current corresponding to a brake command for braking the vehicle; applying the current to a brake disc through one of a first interface provided on one side of the brake disc and a second interface provided on another side of the brake disc such the current generates an electromagnetic force while flowing through the first interface, the brake disc, and the second interface and the generated electromagnetic force causes the brake disc to be braked. ([0055], [0057])
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10, 14-17, 19 and 20 and 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.
Strothmann, Leask, Kuwahara, and Park et al., teach similar brake apparatuses.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELANIE TORRES WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-7127. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday - Friday 7:00AM-3:00PM.
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/MELANIE TORRES WILLIAMS/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
MTWMarch 2, 2026