DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1 – 9 remain pending in the application and have been fully considered.
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.
Claim(s) 1 – 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ishii (US 2020/0255057).
Regarding Claim 1:
Ishii teaches a steering device comprising: a cylindrical support tube (48) that includes a flange (53) and that supports a steering shaft (13) such that the steering shaft is rotatable; a speed reducer (12a, 20a) configured to apply torque to the steering shaft; a housing (15, 16) that includes a cylindrical portion (39) that houses the speed reducer, the cylindrical portion being disposed coaxially with the flange (Figs 1 – 2); and a bolt (57) that couples the flange and the cylindrical portion to each other, wherein the flange and the cylindrical portion include an engagement portion (47), at which the flange and the cylindrical portion are engaged with each other in a radial direction of the flange, at a different location from a location at which the bolt is provided (Figs 2 – 5).
Regarding Claim 2:
Ishii teaches the engagement portion is positioned at a location away from the location at which the bolt is provided in a circumferential direction of the support tube (Figs 2 – 5).
Regarding Claim 3:
Ishii teaches the bolt includes a plurality of bolts (paragraph 0059); the bolts are spaced from each other along a circle centered on an axis of the support tube (Figs 2 – 5); the bolts each include a head portion and a shaft portion; and the engagement portion is positioned inward of a virtual circle that circumscribes head portions of the bolts when seen in an axial direction of the support tube (Figs 2 – 5).
Regarding Claim 4:
Ishii teaches the engagement portion is positioned inward of a profile of the housing when seen in an axial direction of the support tube (Figs 2 – 5).
Regarding Claim 5:
Ishii teaches the engagement portion includes a plurality of regulation portions (53) provided on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion; the regulation portions are spaced from each other in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion; and the regulation portions each include an inside surface that faces and is engaged with an outer peripheral surface of the flange in the radial direction of the flange (Figs 3 – 5).
Regarding Claim 6:
Ishii teaches the engagement portion includes a plurality of regulation portions (53) provided on an outer peripheral surface of the flange; the regulation portions are spaced from each other in a circumferential direction of the flange; and the regulation portions each include an inside surface that faces and is engaged with an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion in the radial direction of the flange (Figs 3 – 5).
Regarding Claim 7:
Ishii teaches at least a part of the regulation portions is positioned inward of a profile of the housing when seen in an axial direction of the support tube (Figs 2 – 5).
Regarding Claim 8:
Ishii teaches the speed reducer includes a worm wheel (20a) that rotates together with the steering shaft and a worm (12a) to be meshed with the worm wheel; the housing includes a worm wheel housing member (17a) that houses the worm wheel and a worm housing member (18a) that houses the worm; and the cylindrical portion is the worm wheel housing member.
Regarding Claim 9:
Ishii teaches at least a part of the regulation portions is positioned inward of a profile of the housing when seen in an axial direction of the support tube (Figs 2 – 5).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LONG T TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1899. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00 - 5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Logan Kraft can be reached at 571-270-5065. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LONG T TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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