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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/4/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the gap C does not meet the second condition, which is to allow the bearing to be removed; however, one of ordinary skill in the art would have the knowledge that the second condition can also be seen as when the snap ring has been removed from the groove to the point that the snap ring is not in contact with the bearing, therefore the bearing can be removed. The rejection in view of NSK will be altered to fit the arguments brought up by applicant.
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) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NSK Ltd (JP 2015113849A, NSK from now on). NSK discloses a vehicle steering assembly comprising:
a rack (30) which is translatable and disposed within a rack housing (32);
a pinion shaft (28) operatively coupled to the rack (see figure 2);
a bearing (34) in contact with the pinion shaft and disposed within the rack housing (see figure 2); and
a snap ring (10,11,12) partially disposed within a groove (45) defined by the rack housing (see figure 2), the snap ring in contact with the bearing (34) in a first condition (when large axial forces are present, see Par. 0029), the snap ring having an ear portion (62a,67b) defining a hole (67a,67b), wherein the snap ring is moveable from the first condition to a second condition (see Par. 0028, when the gap C is formed), the first condition pressing the bearing to hold the bearing in place (see Par. 0029), the second condition allowing the bearing to be removed from the rack housing (see Par, 0028); additionally the second condition can be met as when the snap ring has been removed from the groove ( or detached from the groove) to the point that the snap ring is not in contact with the bearing, therefore allowing the bearing to be able to be removed from the rack housing.
Regarding claim 2, wherein the snap ring includes a beveled portion (65b) in contact with a beveled portion (42b) on an outer race of the bearing (see figure 3).
Regarding claim 3, wherein the ear portion is a first ear portion (62a), the snap ring further comprising a second ear portion (67b).
Regarding claim 4, wherein the snap ring is substantially circular (see figures 4 and 5a).
Regarding claim 5, wherein the snap ring extends from a first end (see figure 4 as one end can be seen as the left side end) to a second end (see figure 4 as the second end can be seen as the right side end) to define a length of the snap ring.
Regarding claim 6, wherein the snap ring extends from a radially inner edge (65a,65b) to a radially outer edge (the radial side opposite the inner edge, see figure 4) to define a radial width of the snap ring.
Regarding claim 7, wherein the snap ring extends from a first side (flat side) to a second side (where number 65b is pointed to) to define a thickness of the snap ring (see figure 5b).
Regarding claim 8, wherein the beveled portion of the snap ring is on the second side (see figure 5b) of the snap ring.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-16 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 9, the art of record did not include “a single snap ring that can be in a working condition and an open position” as the art of record such as NSK mentioned above involve more than a single snap ring, see figure 3 in NSK where it shows 2 snap rings 11 and 12.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Marlon A Arce whose telephone number is (571)272-1341. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM - 4:30PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Valentin Neacsu can be reached at 571-272-6265. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARLON A ARCE/Examiner, Art Unit 3611 /VALENTIN NEACSU, Ph.D./Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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