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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 5, 6 (Fig. 2-3). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 11-13, 16-18, 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Knopf (DE 1020130675 A) in view of Montag et al. (US 6306951).
Re claim 11, Knopf teaches a viscous torsional vibration damper or absorber, comprising: a hub part which is fastenable to a crankshaft (M) of an engine; a vibration damper ring (2) which is mounted rotatably relative to the hub part; a shear gap (3), which is filled with a silicone oil, formed between the hub part and the vibration damper ring; one or more plain bearing components (4) arranged in the shear gap for slidingly guided mounting of the vibration damper ring. (Abstract, Fig. 1-3)
Knopf does not teach wherein the one or more plain bearing components are composed at least in some regions of a polyphthalamide-containing plastic, with a fraction of more than 50% by weight of PPA. Montag et al. teach bearing components composed of a polyphthalamide-containing plastic, with a fraction of more than 50% by weight of PPA. (Column 27, lines 46-58). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to compose the material with a fraction of more than 50% by weight of PPA in order to improve strength as taught by Montag et al. (Column 4, line 40-47)
Re claim 12, Knopf as modified teaches wherein the one more plain bearing components (4) are configured as flange bushings, an axial bearing ring, and/or a plain bearing plug. (Fig. 3)
Re claim 13, Knopf as modified teaches wherein the one or more plain bearing components (4) are configured as an injection-molded shaped body.
Re claim 16, Knopf as modified teaches wherein one plain bearing component (4) is of a single-piece and coating-free configuration, whereby the one plain bearing component is in contact at least in regions with the silicone oil. (Abstract)
Re claim 17, Knopf as modified teaches wherein the plain bearing component has a fiber reinforced configuration. (Montag et al. – Column 27, lines 46-66)
Re claim 18, Knopf as modified teaches wherein the plain bearing component has a glass fiber reinforced configuration. (Montag et al. – Column 27, lines 46-66)
Re claim 21, Knopf as modified does not teach the one or more plain bearing components (4) are arranged in the shear gap (3). Knopf does not teach wherein the gap width is less than 0.5 mm. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to try the finite number of known gap dimensions within his or her technical grasp.
Re claim 22, Knopf as modified teaches wherein the one or more plain bearing components (4) have an L-shaped cross section in order to mount the vibration damper ring from two sides.(Fig. 2)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14, 15, 19, 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yang et al. teach a similar component.
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
MTWFebruary 6, 2026