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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 25-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The claims refer to the limitation “a separate body”. Applicant previously recites “a centering device”. It is unclear whether the two recited limitations are the same or distinct elements. Additionally, the limitation “a separate body” is not clearly defined in the specification.
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 19-22, 24, 32 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scheckelhoff et al. (US 2008/0047787 A1) in view of Derouault et al. (US 20120312643 A1).
Re claim 19, Scheckelhoff et al. teach a disc brake for use with a brake disc for a commercial vehicle; comprising: a pneumatic brake cylinder (2) having an extendable and retractable piston rod (4); a brake caliper (1); a brake application device (6); and a fastening device (10) by which the brake caliper is detachably fastened to the brake cylinder, wherein the brake caliper engages over the brake disc in use and the brake application device, which is actuatable by the brake cylinder, is arranged in the brake caliper, by which brake pads (7) are pressable against the brake disc on both sides during braking, the extendable and retractable piston rod of the brake cylinder is in engagement with the brake application device, the fastening device comprises at least one screw with a screw head, a screw shank and an external thread formed on the screw shank, and at least one bore which is formed in or on the brake cylinder and has an internal thread and into which the screw shank is screwed with the external thread, the screw head being locked on a counter surface of the brake caliper. ([0005], Fig. 1, 3a)
Scheckelhoff et al. do not teach a centering device which is configured and provided in order to center the pneumatic brake cylinder and the brake caliper against one another independently of the screw connection of the at least one screw (not shown) to the at least one bore. Derouault teach a disc brake comprising a centering device (13) which is configured and provided in order to center the pneumatic brake cylinder and the brake caliper against one another independently of a screw connection of the at least one screw to the at least one bore. ([0021], Fig. 2) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the centering device of Deroualt et al. in the disc brake of Scheckelhoff et al. to serve as guides for the screws for securing the cylinder to the caliper as taught by Deroualt et al.
Re claim 20, Scheckelhoff et al. as modified teach wherein the pneumatic brake cylinder (2) is a combined service and spring brake cylinder or a separate service brake cylinder.(Scheckelhoff et al. - Fig. 2-3a)
Re claim 21, Scheckelhoff et al. as modified teach wherein the at least one bore is formed in or on a brake cylinder wall of the brake cylinder (1). (Scheckelhoff et al. - Fig. 2-3a)
Re claim 22, Scheckelhoff et al. as modified teach wherein the caliper (1) has at least one caliper through bore in a caliper wall of the caliper through which the screw shank projects and on which the counter surface is formed. (Scheckelhoff et al. - Fig. 1, 3a)
Re claim 24, Scheckelhoff et al. as modified teach wherein the fastening device comprises at least: a) two screws, a first screw and a second screw each having a screw head, a screw shank and an external thread formed on the screw shank, (Scheckelhoff et al. – Fig. 3a; Deroualt – [0021]) and b) two bores formed in or on the brake cylinder (1) (Scheckelhoff et al. – Fig. 3a) , a first bore and a second bore each having an internal thread, (bores disclosed by Deroualt for screws not shown) and c) two caliper through bores, a first caliper through bore having a first counter surface and a second caliper through bore having a second counter surface, wherein d) the first screw is screwed into the first bore and locked on the first counter surface and the second screw is screwed into the second bore and locked on the second counter surface. (Scheckelhoff et al. – Fig. 1, 3a; Deroualt – Fig. 1-2, [0021])
Re claim 32, Scheckelhoff et al. as modified teach a commercial vehicle comprising at least one disc brake according to claim 19. (Scheckelhoff et al. – Abstract)
Re claim 35, Scheckelhoff et al. as modified teach method for attaching a brake cylinder to a brake caliper of a disc brake the method comprising the steps of: a) inserting a sleeve (13) attached to the brake cylinder and projecting away from the brake cylinder into the brake caliper through bore; or b) inserting a sleeve fixed to the brake caliper and projecting away from the brake caliper into the brake cylinder through bore; and c) screwing the at least one screw into the at least one bore. ([0021], Fig. 1)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 23 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.
Claims 33 and 34 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record does not teach:
Removing the centering pin from the first bore and the first caliper through bore.
Guiding a centering pin into the first brake caliper through bore and into the first bore in such a way that the brake caliper and the brake cylinder are thereby centered against each other; and removing the second screw from the second bore and from the second caliper through bore; and removing the pneumatic brake cylinder from the brake caliper by moving the pneumatic brake cylinder in a direction which is parallel to an axis of the centering pin; and removing the centering pin from the first brake caliper through bore and from the first bore.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Scheckelhoff et al. teach a similar disc brake.
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/MELANIE TORRES WILLIAMS/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
MTWApril 3, 2026
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