DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Claims 1-3, 9, 11-13, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stubler et al. (US 2011/0277252 A1).
Re claim 1, Stubler et al. disclose a piston valve assembly generating a damping force during a compression stroke and a tension stroke of a shock absorber, the piston valve assembly comprising: a piston valve main body (14) mounted on a piston rod (13) of the shock absorber, dividing a cylinder into a compression chamber (11) and a rebound chamber (10), having a compression channel (19) and a tension channel (18) formed to penetrate in a direction connecting the compression chamber and the rebound chamber, and configured to adjust a movement of a working fluid between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber; a first disc valve (16) configured to open or close the compression channel of the piston valve main body in a direction in which the piston valve main body faces the rebound chamber; and a second disc valve (15) configured to open or close the tension channel of the piston valve main body in a direction in which the piston valve main body faces the compression chamber and having a relatively smaller diameter than that of the first disc valve. (Fig. 3)
Re claims 2 and 12, Stubler et al. disclose wherein the compression channel (19) of the piston valve main body (14) is formed at a position relatively farther from an axial center of the piston rod than the tension channel (18).
Re claims 3 and 13, Stubler et al. disclose wherein the first disc valve (19) has a radius greater than a distance from an axial center of the piston rod (13) to the compression channel (16), and the second disc valve (15) has a radius greater than a distance from the axial center of the piston rod to the tension channel and smaller than a distance from the axial center of the piston rod to the compression channel.
Re claims 9 and 19, Stubler et al. disclose wherein the first disc valve (16) has a relatively lower stiffness than the second disc valve (15) and is configured to generate a relatively lower damping force during the compression stroke than during the tension stroke. ([0060] – [0061])
Re claim 11, Stubler et al. disclose a shock absorber comprising: a cylinder (17) filled with a working fluid; a piston rod (13) reciprocating within the cylinder; and a piston valve main body (14) mounted on the piston rod, dividing the cylinder into a compression chamber and a rebound chamber, and controlling movement of the working fluid between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber, wherein the piston valve main body includes a piston valve main body having a compression channel (19) and a tension channel (18) formed to penetrate in a direction connecting the compression chamber and the rebound chamber, a first disc valve (16) configured to open or close the compression channel of the piston valve main body in a direction in which the piston valve main body faces the rebound chamber, and a second disc valve (15) configured to open or close the tension channel of the piston valve main body in a direction in which the piston valve main body faces the compression chamber and having a relatively smaller diameter than that of the first disc valve. (Fig. 3)
Claims 1-3, 9-13, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yabe et al. (DE 102012204530 A1).
Re claim 1, Yabe et al. disclose a piston valve assembly generating a damping force during a compression stroke and a tension stroke of a shock absorber, the piston valve assembly comprising: a piston valve main body (5) mounted on a piston rod (6) of the shock absorber, dividing a cylinder into a compression chamber (2B) and a rebound chamber (2A), having a compression channel (12) and a tension channel (11) formed to penetrate in a direction connecting the compression chamber and the rebound chamber, and configured to adjust a movement of a working fluid between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber; a first disc valve (67-69) configured to open or close the compression channel of the piston valve main body in a direction in which the piston valve main body faces the rebound chamber; and a second disc valve (14) configured to open or close the tension channel of the piston valve main body in a direction in which the piston valve main body faces the compression chamber and having a relatively smaller diameter than that of the first disc valve. (Fig. 1, 6)
Re claims 2 and 12, Yabe et al. disclose wherein the compression channel (12) of the piston valve main body (5) is formed at a position relatively farther from an axial center of the piston rod than the tension channel (11).
Re claims 3 and 13, St Yabe et al. disclose wherein the first disc valve (67-69) has a radius greater than a distance from an axial center of the piston rod (6) to the compression channel (12), and the second disc valve (14) has a radius greater than a distance from the axial center of the piston rod to the tension channel (11) and smaller than a distance from the axial center of the piston rod to the compression channel.
Re claims 9 and 19, Yabe et al. disclose wherein the first disc valve (67-69) has a relatively lower stiffness than the second disc valve (14) and is configured to generate a relatively lower damping force during the compression stroke than during the tension stroke. (Fig.6)
Re claims 10 and 20, Yabe et al. disclose wherein a first washer (64) installed in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first disc valve (67-69) faces the piston valve main body (5); a piston nut (7) fastened to an end of the piston rod (6) passing through the piston valve main body, the first disc valve, and the second disc valve (14) in sequence; and a second washer (62) provided between the piston nut and the second disc valve.
Re claim 11, Yabe et al. disclose a shock absorber comprising: a cylinder (3) filled with a working fluid; a piston rod (6) reciprocating within the cylinder; and a piston valve main body (5) mounted on the piston rod, dividing the cylinder into a compression chamber (2B) and a rebound chamber (2A), and controlling movement of the working fluid between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber, wherein the piston valve main body includes a piston valve main body having a compression channel (12)and a tension channel (11) formed to penetrate in a direction connecting the compression chamber and the rebound chamber, a first disc valve (67-69) configured to open or close the compression channel of the piston valve main body in a direction in which the piston valve main body faces the rebound chamber, and a second disc valve (14) configured to open or close the tension channel of the piston valve main body in a direction in which the piston valve main body faces the compression chamber and having a relatively smaller diameter than that of the first disc valve. (Fig. 1, 6)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 4-8 and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yabe et al. (DE 102012204530 A1) in view of Park (US 8967344 B2).
Re claims 4 and 14, Yabe et al. do not teach a retainer interposed between the piston valve main body and the first disc valve. Park teaches teach a retainer interposed between the piston valve main body and the first disc valve. (Fig. 7, See below.) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the retainer as taught by Park as an alternative damping configuration. (See Park – Col. 9, 23-28)
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Retainer)][AltContent: textbox (Compression channel)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Compression connection channel)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Tension channel)][AltContent: textbox (Piston valve main body)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Second Disc Valve)][AltContent: textbox (First disc valve)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
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Re claims 5 and 15 Yabe et al. as modified teach wherein the retainer is in contact with one region of the piston valve main body where the compression channel is formed and has a compression connection channel connected to the compression channel of the piston valve main body. See above.
Re claims 6 and 16 Yabe et al. as modified teach wherein the first disc valve is in contact with the retainer and opens or closes the compression connection channel of the retainer connected to the compression channel of the piston valve main body. See above.
Re claims 7 and 17 Yabe et al. as modified teach wherein the retainer is spaced apart from other regions of the piston valve main body where the tension channel is formed, and during the tension stroke, the working fluid in the rebound chamber flows into the tension channel of the piston valve main body through a space separated between the retainer and the piston valve main body. See above.
Re claims 8 and 18 Yabe et al. as modified teach wherein the second disc valve is in contact with the piston valve main body to open or close the tension channel of the piston valve main body.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Deferme, McGahey, Six et al., Yu, Kim ‘823 and Kim ‘799 teach similar piston valve assemblies.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELANIE TORRES WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-7127. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday - Friday 7:00AM-3:00PM.
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/MELANIE TORRES WILLIAMS/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
MTWApril 22, 2026
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