DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to Applicants’ amendment received on October 16, 2025.
Claim 1-20 are pending in the application. Claims 15-20 have been added.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 10-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park (KR 20220121120 A), hereinafter “Park”.
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses a sensor device in a steering system of a motor vehicle (Abstract), comprising: a rotational angle sensor (Fig. 3 (300)), the rotational angle sensor being connected to a toothed wheel (Fig. 5 (400)) and detecting a rotation of the toothed wheel (Description-of-Embodiments section: paragraph 10), the toothed wheel (400) being fitted on a steering tie rod (Fig. 5 (50)) such that it meshes with a spindle thread (Fig. 5 (in the vicinity of element 50)) on the steering tie rod (Fig. 5 (50)) which is part of a ball screw drive (Fig. 4 (40)) of a servo drive (Fig. 3 (10)).
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses the sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the toothed wheel (Fig. 5 (400)) meshes with the spindle thread (Fig. 5 (in the vicinity of element 50)) at a 90-deg. angle in relation to the steering tie rod (Fig. 5 (50)).
Regarding claim 3, Park discloses the sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotational angle sensor (Fig. 3 (300)) directly connects to a shaft (Fig. 6 (100)) that also bears the toothed wheel (Fig. 3 (400)).
Regarding claim 4, Park discloses the sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the toothed wheel (Fig. 5 (400)) is constructed of a plastic (Description-of-Embodiments section: paragraph 12).
Regarding claim 10, Park discloses a steering system for a motor vehicle (Abstract), comprising a sensor device as claimed in claim 1 (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, Park discloses the steering system as claimed in claim 10, a housing (Fig. 5 (20)) of the sensor device being arranged next to and formed in one piece with a housing of the ball screw drive (Fig. 4 (40)) of the servo drive.
Regarding claim 12, Park discloses the sensor device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rotational angle sensor (Fig. 3 (300)) directly connects to a shaft (Fig. 6 (100)) that also bears the toothed wheel (Fig. 6 (400)).
Regarding claim 13, Park discloses the sensor device as claimed in claim 12, wherein a radially elastically flexible element (Fig. 7 (410)) which acts on a connection between the toothed wheel and the spindle thread being present (Figs. 5 & 7).
Regarding claim 15, Park discloses the sensor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spindle thread (Fig. 5 (in the vicinity of element 50)) threadably engages a nut of the ball screw drive (Fig. 4 (40)).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-9, 14 and 16-20 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ remarks filed on October 16, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not deemed persuasive.
Applicants contend that the reference of Park (KR 20220121120 A), hereinafter “Park” fails to disclose a toothed wheel that meshes with a spindle thread on a steering tie rod which is part of a ball screw drive of a servo drive. Applicants further contend that the rack bar (50) of Park is not threaded. Examiner submits that as can be seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of Park; the “rack bar” (50) is threaded and the toothed wheel (Fig. 5 (400)) meshes with a spindle thread (Fig. 5 (in the vicinity of element 50)) on the steering tie rod (Fig. 5 (50)). Therefore, it is understood that the reference of Park teaches all the limitations required by the independent claim 1.
Accordingly, the grounds of rejection are deemed proper.
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 extension fee 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.
Conclusion
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/O.M/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LINDSAY M LOW/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747