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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Claims 1-15 in the reply filed on 4/23/26 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-10 and 21-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph, as based on a disclosure which is not enabling. The disclosure does not enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention without evaporating the grease, which is/are critical or essential to the practice of the invention but not included in the claim(s). See In re Mayhew, 527 F.2d 1229, 188 USPQ 356 (CCPA 1976).
Regarding Claim 1
Claim 1 recites “pumping the grease out of the chamber”. According the specification, the pump is configured to create a vacuum in the chamber. The excess grease will evaporate under the low pressure environment (vacuum). Therefore, there is no grease pumped out of the chamber, instead, the grease is evaporated from the grease only.
In Reference to Claims 2-10
Claims 2-10 are rejected by their virtue dependency to Claim 1.
In Reference to Claim 21
Claim 21 missed the step of “heating the bearing” According the specification (Step S105 in Fig. 4) is required in the process. Claim 21 does not recite this step. The Office considers that heating is a key step to evaporate the grease. The Office considers that Claim 22 shall be included into to Claim 21.
In Reference to Claim 23-25
Claims 23-25 are rejected due to their virtue dependency to Claim 21.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-15 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent 5,337,497 and US Patent 5,620,060.
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DEMING . WAN
Examiner
Art Unit 3762
/DEMING WAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762 8/6/26
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