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 § 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 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al. US 20200047789 A1 in view of Miyawaki US 20090270185 A1.
Regarding independent claim 1, Yoshida et al. discloses [steering coupling 10 for connecting a steering gear 7 and a steering aid device 4] (Fig. 1; Paragraph 0077 & 0079) comprising:
[a first, outer, shaft 12 having a plurality of inward projecting teeth,] (Fig. 2-4; Paragraph 0082)
[a second, inner, shaft 11 having a plurality of outward projecting teeth in direct cooperation with the first outer shaft to form a steering coupling,] (Fig. 2-4; Paragraph 0082)
[the first shaft and the second shaft being configured to rotate together in both rotational directions around a common axis,] (Fig. 2-4; Paragraph 0082) and
[at least one elastic pad 140a-k,] (Fig. 2-4; Paragraph 0082)
[wherein the at least one elastic pad is provided in a pocket of one of the shafts and where the at least one elastic pad abuts pocket side walls in both said rotational directions of the shaft in which the pocket is located,] (Fig. 3; Paragraph 0082); and [wherein the at least one elastic pad has a projection extending out from the pocket and wherein said projection abuts sides in both said rotational directions of a tooth or teeth of the shaft cooperating with the shaft provided with the pocket.] (Fig. 3; Paragraph 0082; As shown in Fig. 3, Yoshida et al. illustrates wherein the projections of the elastic pad 140a-k are inserted into the pocket of the outer shaft 12 and matched with the teeth of the cooperating shaft.)
Yoshida et al. does not disclose the second inner shaft being in direct contact with the first outer shaft.
Miyawaki teaches [the second inner shaft being in direct contact with the first outer shaft.] (Fig. 2; Paragraph 0042-0044; Miyawaki discloses the second inner shaft 11 comprising of outer teeth 29a and the first outer shaft 10 comprising of inner teeth 27a. The outer teeth and inner teeth are meshed together in a state of being serration-connected to each other, thus having the inner and outer shafts in direct contact with one another.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to alternatively use the direct contact of the inner and outer shafts of Miyawaki with the steering coupling system of Yoshida et al. with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for direct transmission of torque between the shafts, thus improving coupling rigidity and enhancing steering responsiveness.
Regarding claim 2, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein a plurality of elastic pads is provided in a corresponding number of pockets.] (Fig. 3 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0100 of Yoshida; Yoshida et al. discloses a plurality of elastic pads 140a-k that are configured to serve as the elastic member disposed between the outer teeth member 11 (inner shaft) and the inner teeth member 12 (outer shaft).)
Regarding claim 3, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the teeth of the shafts are formed as splines to form a spline coupling.] (Fig. 3 and 5 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0083-0084 of Yoshida; As shown in Fig. 5, Yoshida et al. illustrates wherein the teeth of the inner 11 and outer shafts 12 are formed as splines that a coupled to each other.)
Regarding claim 4, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the at least one elastic pad is made of an elastomer material or a rubber material.] (Fig. 3 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0090 of Yoshida)
Regarding claim 5, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the at least one elastic pad is press fit into the pocket] (Fig. 3 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0082 of Yoshida) and [wherein the at least one elastic pad is press fit against the teeth of the shaft cooperating with the shaft provided with the pocket.] (Fig. 3 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0082 of Yoshida; As shown in Fig. 3, Yoshida et al. illustrates wherein the projections of the elastic pad 140a-k are inserted into the pocket of the outer shaft 12 and matched with the teeth of the cooperating shaft.)
Regarding claim 6, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the elastic pads 140a-k only extend over a part of the axial length of the teeth of the shafts 12 in the steering coupling.] (Fig. 5 of Yoshida; As shown in Fig. 5, Yoshida et al. illustrates wherein the elastic pads 140a-k extend over a part of the axial length of teeth of the first outer shaft 12.)
Regarding claim 7, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the pocket(s) holding said at least one elastic pad is located at an end section of the shaft in which the pocket(s) are located.] (Fig. 3 of Yoshida; As shown in Fig. 3, Yoshida et al. illustrates wherein the pockets that hold the elastic members 140a-k are at an end section of the first outer shaft 12.)
Regarding claim 8, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the at least one elastic pad is formed by a solid material.] (Fig. 3 and 5 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0090; Yoshida et al. discloses that the elastic member 140a-k is made from resin material which is a solid material.)
Regarding claim 9, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the at least one elastic pad has a projection with projecting parts that match the shape of a tooth or teeth of the shaft cooperating with the shaft provided with the pocket.] (Fig. 3 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0082 of Yoshida; As shown in Fig. 3, Yoshida et al. illustrates wherein the projections of the elastic pad 140a-k are inserted into the pocket of the outer shaft 12 and matched with the teeth of the cooperating shaft.)
Regarding claim 10, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [when a plurality of elastic pads is provided, wherein the plurality of elastic pads is connected together by a connection part 141.] (Fig. 7B-C of Yoshida; Paragraph 0090 of Yoshida; As shown in Fig. 4, Yoshida et al. illustrates wherein the elastic pads are connected together through a connection pads 141.)
Regarding claim 11, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the connection part 141 and the elastic pads 140a-k are formed as one integral element.] (Fig. 7B-C of Yoshida; Paragraph 0090 of Yoshida; As shown in Fig. 7B-C, Yoshida et al. illustrates the connection part 141 and the elastic pads 140a-k being formed as one integral element.)
Regarding claim 12, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the connection part has an annular shape.] (Fig. 7B-C of Yoshida; Paragraph 0090 of Yoshida)
Regarding claim 13, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein one shaft is provided with a recess at the end section and wherein the connection part is located in said recess.] (Annotated Fig. 4 of Yoshida; As shown in the annotation of Fig. 4, Yoshida et al. illustrates the first outer shaft 12 having a recessed portion at the end section and wherein the connection part is located in the recess.)
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Annotated Fig. 4 of Yoshida et al. [Note: consider reviewing the MS Word version of the Office Action, because – unlike the PDF version - it includes colors]
Regarding claim 14, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the recess has an undercut section shaped to prevent the connection part from moving in an axial direction of the shaft with the recess.] (Annotated Fig. 4 of Yoshida; As shown in the annotation of Fig. 4 above, Yoshida et al. illustrates the recess having an undercut that is shaped to prevent the connection part 141 from moving in an axial direction of the shaft with the recess.)
Regarding claim 15, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [an active steering arrangement comprising the steering coupling 10] (Fig. 2-5 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0082 of Yoshida) and [further comprising an electric motor 4 connected to one of the shafts to provide assisting steering force to the steering of a vehicle.] (Fig. 1 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0077 & 0079 of Yoshida)
Regarding claim 16, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [a control module 3 connected to the electrical motor for control of the assisting steering force applied by the electrical motor.] (Fig. 1 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0077 of Yoshida)
Regarding claim 17, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [an autonomous vehicle comprising the steering coupling.] (Fig. 1 of Yoshida; Paragraph 0075-0076 of Yoshida)
Regarding claim 18, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein the recess is provided in the first, outer, shaft.] (Annotated Fig. 4 of Yoshida; As shown in the annotation of Fig. 4, Yoshida et al. illustrates the first outer shaft 12 having a recessed portion at the end section and wherein the connection part is located in the recess.)
Regarding claim 19, Yoshida et al., as modified, discloses [wherein an undercut is made in the pocket.] (Fig. 4 of Yoshida; As shown in Fig. 4, Yoshida illustrates wherein an undercut is made in the pocket of the first outer shaft 12.)
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Pages 6-7 on Remarks, filed 05/12/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 1 under 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Miyawaki US 20090270185 A1.
Applicant argues (Pages 5-7 on Remarks) that Yoshida discloses a soft elastic coupling in which torque is transmitted through elastic members 13 and 14 rather than direct contact between the teeth of outer teeth member 11 and inner teeth member 12. Applicant further argues that claim 1 requires direct contact between the inner and outer teeth and that Yoshida therefore fails to disclose the claimed steering coupling. The argument is persuasive with respect to Yoshida alone but is not persuasive as applied to the new rejection of claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. 103. The rejection no longer relies on Yoshida alone for the direct connection of the second inner shaft and the first outer shaft. As set forth in the rejection, Miyawaki discloses an inner shaft having outer teeth 29a and an outer shaft having inner teeth 27a, wherein the teeth are meshed together in a serration-connected state (Fig. 2; Paragraphs [0042-0044]). This meshed engagement places the teeth of the shafts in direct contact and cooperation with one another.)
Applicant argues (Page 7 on Remarks) that Yoshida lacks the claimed pocket because the spaces identified in the Office Action are merely spaces between teeth and are not cavities formed in a shaft. Applicant further argues that the claimed pocket is distinct from a recess between adjacent teeth. The argument is not persuasive. Claim 1 broadly recites that the at least one elastic pad is provided in a pocket of one of the shafts but does not require any particular pocket geometry, depth, enclosure, or manufacturing configuration. The claim also does not require that the pocket be completely isolated from the teeth of the shaft. As shown in Yoshida, the elastic members are received within the recessed regions defined by the tooth structure of the shaft (Fig. 3; Paragraphs 0032 and 0082). These recessed regions receive and retain portions of the elastic members and therefore reasonably correspond to the claimed pockets under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claimed language.
Applicant further argues (Page 7 on Remarks) that Yoshida fails to disclose wherein the elastic pad abuts pocket side walls in both rotational directions of the shaft in which the pocket is located. The argument is not persuasive. As disclosed by Yoshida, the elastic members are confined within the recessed regions of the shaft and engage opposing side surfaces during transmission of torque in either rotational direction. Therefore, the elastic members necessarily abut side surfaces of the recesses when rotational forces are applied in opposite directions. Claim 1 does not require any explicit wall shape or configuration beyond side walls capable of being contacted by the elastic pads in both rotational directions. Therefore, Yoshida teaches or at least reasonably suggest the claimed relationship between the elastic pad and the pocket side walls.
Applicant further agues (Page 6-7 on Remarks) that Yoshida teaches decreasing the rigidity of the elastic portion in the rotational direction, which Applicant alleges is opposite to the claimed invention. The argument is not persuasive. Claim 1 does not recite any particular rotational rigidity or performance parameter. The claim is directed to a steering coupling which includes cooperating shafts and at least one elastic pad arranged in a pocket as recited. The rejection relies upon the structural teachings of Yoshida and Miyawaki. The fact that Yoshida may describe advantages associated with a particular degree of elasticity does not negate its disclosure of the claimed structural features, nor does it teach away from incorporating Miyawaki’s direct tooth engagement. Miyawaki’s serration-connected shafts and Yoshida’s elastic pad arrangement are compatible features that would have been combined by one of ordinary skill in the art for reasons set forth in the rejection.
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 Mohamed Medani whose telephone number is (703)756-1917. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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/Mohamed M Medani/Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/VALENTIN NEACSU, Ph.D./Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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