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 .
Specification
Paragraph [0063] the frameless electric motor is referred by reference number (420) however in line 11, the frameless electric motor is referred by reference number (410). Correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-5, 8-12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kageyama [ JP 2008/185043] in view of Wiggins [WO 9604494].
Regarding claim 1: Kageyama shows a steering system comprising: an arm (61d) configured to couple with a tie rod (65), a screw (61) rotatably coupled to an inverted planetary roller screw (62, the screw 61 moves axially and the nut is axially fixed), the screw coupled with the nut (53);
a rotor (58) coupled to the nut (53) and to a housing (51), the housing configured to be fixedly coupled to a frame (54); and a stator (52) coupled to the housing (51) and around the rotor (58) and the inverted planetary roller screw (62), the stator electrically coupled to a power source.
Kageyama does not explicitly show the arm coupled through a journal bearing; a thrust bearing coupled to the journal bearing and to a nut; However, Wiggins shows the arm coupled through a journal bearing (13); a thrust bearing (12) coupled to the journal bearing (13) and to the nut (see fig 1 and fig 3).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have modified Kageyama reference and connect the arm through journal bearing and the thrust bearing to support the arm and prevent deflection and also to allow the arm to translate with less friction
Regarding claim 2: Kageyama shows wherein rotation of the inverted planetary roller screw and the nut results in axial translation of the arm (61d, see fig 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 3: Kageyam does not show wherein the journal bearing is fixedly coupled to the housing. However, Wiggins shows the journal bearing (13) is fixedly coupled to the housing (40).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have modified Kageyama reference and connect the arm through journal bearing and the thrust bearing to support the arm and prevent deflection and also to allow the arm to translate with less friction
Regarding claim 4: Kageyama shows wherein the housing prevents axial translation of the inverted planetary roller screw (62) during rotation of the inverted planetary roller screw (the rollers 62 does not translate).
Regarding claim 5: Kageyama shows wherein the nut (53) can only rotate in a fixed axial position. Kageyama does not explicitly show the thrust bearing. However, Wiggins shows thrust bearing (12).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have modified Kageyama reference to add a thrust bearing to support the arm and prevent deflection.
Regarding claim 8: Kageyama shows A steering system comprising:
an arm (61d), a screw (61) rotatably coupled to an inverted planetary roller screw (62), the screw rotatably coupled with the nut; a rotor (58) fixedly coupled to the nut (53); a housing (51); and
a stator (52) integrated with the housing (51) and oriented around the rotor (58).
Kageyama does not explicitly show the arm coupled through an opening in a journal bearing and only axially slidable therein, the journal bearing coupled to a thrust bearing fixedly coupled to a nut; However Wiggins shows the arm coupled through a journal bearing (13); a thrust bearing (12) coupled to the journal bearing (13) and to the nut (see fig 1 and fig 3).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have modified Kageyama reference and connect the arm through journal bearing and the thrust bearing to support the arm and prevent deflection and also to allow the arm to translate with less friction
Regarding claim 9: Kageyama shows wherein rotation of the inverted planetary roller screw (61) and the nut (53) results in only axial sliding of the arm (61d)
Kageyama does not show the arm through the opening in the journal bearing, However Wiggins shows the arm through the opening in the journal bearing (13).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have modified Kageyama reference and connect the arm through journal bearing and the thrust bearing to support the arm and prevent deflection and also to allow the arm to translate with less friction.
Regarding claim 10: Kageyam does not show wherein the journal bearing is fixedly coupled to the housing. However, Wiggins teaches the journal bearing (13) is fixedly coupled to the housing (4)
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have modified Kageyama reference and connect the arm through journal bearing and the thrust bearing to support the arm and prevent deflection and also to allow the arm to translate with less friction.
Regarding claim 11: Kageyama shows wherein the housing (51) prevents axial translation of the inverted planetary roller screw (62) during rotation of the inverted planetary roller screw.
Regarding claim 12: Kageyama shows wherein the nut (53) can only rotate in a fixed axial position. Kageyama does not explicitly show the thrust bearing. However, Wiggins shows thrust bearing (12).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have modified Kageyama reference to add a thrust bearing to support the arm and prevent deflection.
Regarding claim 15: Kageyama shows wherein rotation of the inverted planetary roller screw (61) inside the nut (53) results in only axial sliding of the arm
Kageyama does not show the arm through the opening in the journal bearing, However Wiggins shows the arm through the opening in the journal bearing (13).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have modified Kageyama reference and connect the arm through journal bearing and the thrust bearing to support the arm and prevent deflection and also to allow the arm to translate with less friction.
Claims 6, 7, 13, 14, 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kageyama [ JP 2008/185043] in view of Wiggins [WO 9604494] in further view of Krishnasamy [US Pub # 2016/0226321]
Regarding claim 6: Kageyam does not explicitly disclose wherein the stator and the rotor comprise a frameless electric motor. However, Krishnasamy the electric motor (60) is frameless motor (see [0050], lines 14-16)
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have replaced conventional motor with frameless motor because frameless motors offer superior performance, compact design and high torque density.
Regarding claim 7: Kageyama shows further comprising a fly-by-wire steering system comprising a steering sensor (31), a processing circuit (34), memory (is has electronic control unit 30 (ECU) which inherently has memory), and a power converter configured to provide a drive signal (“…The steering wheel steering angle sensor 31 is assembled to the steering shaft 12 and outputs a signal representing a steering wheel…”) to the electric motor to generate translation of the arm in response to detecting movement of a steering wheel by the steering sensor (31). Kageyama does not explicitly disclose the motor is frameless motor, However Krishnasamy teaches the electric motor (60) is frameless motor (see [0050], lines 14-16)
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have replaced conventional motor with frameless motor because frameless motors offer superior performance, compact design and high torque density.
Regarding claim 13: Kageyama wherein the stator and the rotor comprise a frameless electric motor. However, Krishnasamy the electric motor (60) is frameless motor (see [0050], lines 14-16)
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have replaced conventional motor with frameless motor because frameless motors offer superior performance, compact design and high torque density.
Regarding claim 14: Kageyama shows further comprising a fly-by-wire steering system comprising a steering sensor (31), a processing circuit (34), memory (is has electronic control unit 30 (ECU) which inherently has memory), and a power converter configured to provide a drive signal (“…The steering wheel steering angle sensor 31 is assembled to the steering shaft 12 and outputs a signal representing a steering wheel…”) to the electric motor to generate translation of the arm in response to detecting movement of a steering wheel by the steering sensor (31).
Kageyama does not explicitly disclose the motor is frameless motor, However Krishnasamy teaches the electric motor (60) is frameless motor (see [0050], lines 14-16)
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have replaced conventional motor with frameless motor because frameless motors offer superior performance, compact design and high torque density.
Regarding claim 16: Kageyama a steering system comprising:
a steering sensor (31), a processing circuit (34), a memory (the electronic control unit 30 (ECU) inherently has memory), and a power converter electrically coupled with a electric motor wherein the electric motor further comprises:
a rotor (58) coupled to a nut (53) and to a housing (51), the housing (51) configured to be fixedly coupled to a frame (54); and a stator (52) coupled to the housing and around the rotor and an inverted planetary roller screw, the stator (52) electrically coupled with the power converter; and
an arm (61d) configured to couple with a tie rod (65), the arm (61d) coupled with the inverted planetary roller screw (62).
Kageyama does not explicitly disclose the motor is frameless motor, However Krishnasamy teaches the electric motor (60) is frameless motor (see [0050], lines 14-16).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have replaced conventional motor with frameless motor because frameless motors offer superior performance, compact design and high torque density.
Regarding claim 17: Kageyama wherein rotation of the inverted planetary roller screw inside the nut (53) results in axial translation of the arm (61d).
Regarding claim 18: Kageyama wherein the housing (51) prevents axial translation of the inverted planetary roller screw (62) during rotation of the inverted planetary roller screw.
Regarding claim 19: Kageyama shows wherein the steering system is a fly-by-wire steering system.
Regarding claim 20: Kageyama wherein the steering sensor (31), the processing circuit (34), memory, and the power converter are configured to provide a drive signal (“…The steering wheel steering angle sensor 31 is assembled to the steering shaft 12 and outputs a signal representing a steering wheel…”) to the electric motor in response to detecting movement of a steering wheel by the steering sensor (31).
Kageyama does not explicitly disclose the motor is frameless motor, However Krishnasamy teaches the electric motor (60) is frameless motor (see [0050], lines 14-16).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have replaced conventional motor with frameless motor because frameless motors offer superior performance, compact design and high torque density.
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAKARIA ELAHMADI whose telephone number is (571)270-5324. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10-6 EST.
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/ZAKARIA ELAHMADI/
Examiner, Art Unit 3618