CTNF 18/417,692 CTNF 76482 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Drawings 06-36-01 AIA Figure s 6, 7 and 14 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Regarding claims 1, 15 and 17 lines 12 and 18, it is unclear which of the back plates that the recitation “the back plate” is referencing. It is noted the instant claims recite a pair of friction pads and that each pad comprises a back plate. As such there are two back plates. Claims 2-14, 16 and 18 are rejected due to their dependence upon claims 1, 15 and 17. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 7 recites the limitation " the second plane " in line 2 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by US 6,286,636 to Iwata . Re-claim 1, Iwata discloses a disc brake comprising: a brake disc rotates about a rotation axis; a caliper (such as 3 shown in figures 6/7); a pair of friction pads 6 are disposed on both sides of the brake disc and supported by the caliper, each of the friction pads comprising a back plate having a rotational direction end which is an end thereof in a rotational direction of the brake disc (such as figure 1), the caliper comprises a support bracket 2 extending in the direction of the rotation axis, the support bracket supports the rotational direction end of the back plate by surface contact when the caliper presses the pair of friction pads against the brake disc to generate a braking torque applied on the pair of friction pads, the support bracket includes a first support surface (such as facing 15 or a surface facing a top surface of 8a) that surface contacts with a first contact surface 15 of the rotational direction end of the back plate, the first support surface extends along a first plane inclined at a first angle relative to a normal plane perpendicular to a direction in which the braking torque acts on the pads. During actuation, the functional feature of a relative speed is generated between a sliding direction of the brake disc and a sliding direction of the pads. The pads will move slightly with respect to the brake disc and the support bracket. Re-claim 2, the support bracket includes a second support surface (such as a surface facing a top surface of protrusion 8a, or surface facing 15) that surface contacts with a second contact surface (top surface of 8a) of the rotational direction end of the back plate, the second support surface extends along a second plane inclined at a second angle relative to the normal plane, the first plane intersects with the second plane. The second plane is disposed at substantially a 90 degree angle with respect to the normal plane. Re-claim 3, see spring applying force 16 presses the back plate towards the second support surface. Re-claim 4, the first support surface includes a length along the first plane which is larger than a length of the second support surface along the second plane, a center of the braking torque is located in the first support surface (the center is along Y direction). Re-claim 5, the first and second support surfaces are located in a recessed surface. Re-claim 6, the support surfaces are located in a protruded surface 5 of the support bracket 2. Re-claim 7, the first plane intersects the second plane at an angle greater than 90 degrees. Re-claim 8, the first support surface is provided radially inward of the second support surface with respect to a radial direction of the brake disc, see figure 1. Re-claim 9, the first support surface is provided radially outward of the second support surface with respect to a radial direction of the brake disc. When defining the first support surface as the perpendicular surface. Re-claim 10, angle α is stated as being approximately 30 degrees, which indicates that the first angle with the normal plane is approximately 30 degrees. Re-claims 11 and 12, the first and second planes are inclined at a first angle and second angle with respect to the normal plane. Re-claim 13, the first support surface and the second support surface each face an end surface of the rotational direction end of the back plate, the first contact surface is a primary end surface of the rotational direction end of the back plate and the second contact surface is a secondary end surface of the rotational direction end of the back plate. Re-claim 14, the first support surface, the first contact surface, the second support surface and the second contact surface are each a substantially planar surface . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-3, 5-9, 11-15, 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2017/0234384 A1 to Sabeti . Re-claim 1, Sabeti discloses a disc brake comprising: a brake disc 2 rotates about a rotation axis; a caliper (such as 3 shown in figure 1); a pair of friction pads 11 are disposed on both sides of the brake disc and supported by the caliper, each of the friction pads comprising a back plate having a rotational direction end which is an end thereof in a rotational direction of the brake disc, the caliper comprises a support bracket 26 extending in the direction of the rotation axis, the support bracket supports the rotational direction end of the back plate by surface contact when the caliper presses the pair of friction pads against the brake disc to generate a braking torque applied on the pair of friction pads, the support bracket includes a first support surface (such as recesses 28 complimentary to extensions 16, see figure 5 and see paragraph 23) that surface contacts with a first contact surface (such as distal end surface) of the rotational direction end of the back plate, the first support surface extends along a first plane inclined at a first angle relative to a normal plane perpendicular to a direction in which the braking torque acts on the pads. PNG media_image1.png 519 586 media_image1.png Greyscale Re-claim 2, the support bracket includes a second support surface that surface contacts with a second contact surface (such as a bottom surface or top surface, see annotated figure) of the rotational direction end of the back plate, the second support surface extends along a second plane inclined at a second angle relative to the normal plane, the first plane intersects with the second plane. Re-claim 3, see spring applying force 18 presses the back plate towards the second support surface, such as the lower support surface complimentary to the second contact surface. Re-claim 5, the first and second support surfaces are located in a recessed surface 28. Re-claim 6, the support surfaces are located in a protruded surface 27 of the support bracket 26. Re-claim 7, the first plane intersects the second plane at an angle greater than 90 degrees, as indicated in figure 3. Re-claim 8, the first support surface is provided radially inward of the second support surface with respect to a radial direction of the brake disc, see annotated figure, as when the second support surface is interpreted as the top surface. Re-claim 9, the first support surface is provided radially outward of the second support surface with respect to a radial direction of the brake disc, as when the second support surface is interpreted as the bottom surface. Re-claims 11 and 12, the first and second planes are inclined at a first angle and second angle with respect to the normal plane. Re-claim 13, the first support surface and the second support surface each face an end surface of the rotational direction end of the back plate, the first contact surface is a primary end surface of the rotational direction end of the back plate and the second contact surface is a secondary end surface of the rotational direction end of the back plate. Re-claim 14, the first support surface, the first contact surface, the second support surface and the second contact surface are each a substantially planar surface. Re-claim 15, Sabeti discloses disc brake comprising: a brake disc 2 rotates about a rotation axis; a caliper 3; a pair of friction pads 6 are disposed on both sides of the brake disc and supported by the caliper movably in a direction of the rotation axis, each of the friction pads comprising a back plate having a rotational direction end which is an end thereof in a rotational direction of the brake disc, the caliper comprises a support bracket 26 extends in the direction of the rotation axis, the support bracket supports the rotational direction end of the back plate by surface contact when the caliper presses the pair of friction pads against the brake disc to generate a braking torque applied on the pair of friction pads, the support bracket includes a first support surface that surface contact with a first contact surface (as part of recesses 28) of the rotational direction end of the back plate, the first support surface extends along a first plane inclined at a first angle relative to a normal plane perpendicular to a direction in which the braking torque acts on the pads such that a relative speed is generated between sliding direction of the brake disc and sliding direction of the pads wherein the support bracket includes a second support surface that surface contacts with a second contact surface of the rotational direction end of the back plate, the second support surface extends along a second plane inclined at a second angle relative to the normal plane, the first plane intersects with the second plane, the first support surface of the support bracket is inclined away from a center of the caliper in the rotational direction toward radially outer side (see annotated figure), the second support surface is provided radially outward of the first support surface with respect to a radial direction of the brake disc. Re-claim 17, Sabeti discloses disc brake comprising: a brake disc 2 rotates about a rotation axis; a caliper 3; a pair of friction pads 6 are disposed on both sides of the brake disc and supported by the caliper movably in a direction of the rotation axis, each of the friction pads comprising a back plate having a rotational direction end which is an end thereof in a rotational direction of the brake disc, the caliper comprises a support bracket 26 extends in the direction of the rotation axis, the support bracket supports the rotational direction end of the back plate by surface contact when the caliper presses the pair of friction pads against the brake disc to generate a braking torque applied on the pair of friction pads, the support bracket includes a first support surface that surface contacts with a first contact surface of the rotational direction end of the back plate (as part of recess 28), the first support surface extends along a first plane inclined at a first angle relative to a normal plane perpendicular to a direction in which the braking torque acts on the pads such that a relative speed is generated between sliding direction of the brake disc and sliding direction of the pads wherein the support bracket includes a second support surface that surface contacts with a second contact surface of the rotational direction end of the back plate, the second support surface extends along a second plane inclined at a second angle relative to the normal plane, the first plane intersects with the second plane, the first support surface of the support bracket is inclined away from a center of the caliper in the rotational direction toward radially inner side, the second support surface is provided radially inward (as when the second support surface is below the second contact surface) of the first support surface with respect to a radial direction of the brake disc. Re-claim 18, a spring (such as 18) applies an elastic bias to the back plate such that the second contact surface is pressed against the second support surface, the spring is disposed radially outward of the back plate . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sabeti in view of Iwata . Sabeti fails to teach the first angle of the first plane and the normal plane, such as being between 0 and 45 degrees. Iwata teaches a first angle between a first plane and a normal plane as about 30 degrees. This value is selected to achieve a desired response of the brake pad, such as mitigating vibration or undesirable movement of the pad relative to the carrier. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have looked to Iwata and their selection of a first angle of about 30 degrees when having to select an first angle in the apparatus of Sabeti, thus optimizing the reaction between the brake pad and the brake carrier . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sabeti in view of US 3,920,104 to Hoffmann . Sabeti teaches a spring applying an elastic bias to the back plate. However, Sabeti fail to teach the spring disposed radially inward of the back plate such that the second contact surface (i.e. upper surface in the annotated figure) is pressed against the second support surface. Hoffmann teaches a brake pad having a spring biasing a brake pad into engagement with a support surface. Depending upon the desired biasing direction, the spring is positioned radially outward (figure 4) or radially inward (figure 3), thus achieving a desired biasing result. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the brake device of Sabeti with a biasing spring positioned radially inwardly as shown by Hoffmann, so as to obtain an outwardly biased brake pad assembly, thereby meeting a specific need as desired . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Mery, Mackiewicz, Irashko, and Radhakrishnan each teach a brake device with first and second support surfaces with intersecting planes, with corresponding pad contact surfaces . Any inquiries concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Thomas Williams whose telephone number is 571-272-7128. The examiner can normally be reached on Tuesday-Friday from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi, can be reached at 571-272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is 571-272-6584. TJW March 5, 2026 /THOMAS J WILLIAMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 2 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 3 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 4 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 5 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 6 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 7 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 8 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 9 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 10 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 11 Art Unit: 3616 Application/Control Number: 18/417,692 Page 12 Art Unit: 3616
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