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 1-4,7,9-12,14 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Numazawa et al. (4474363) in view of Miyakawa (US 5040775).
Re claim 1, Numazawa et al. teach a damper mount, comprising: an isolator comprising: an inner core including a first plate (see below) coupled to a second plate (22), the first plate including a circumferentially extending outer wall, the second plate including a flange positioned in engagement with the outer wall, an outer shell (26) including a circumferentially extending wall, the inner core being circumscribed by the wall of the outer shell, and an elastomeric body (24) bonded to the outer shell as well as the first plate and the second plate of the inner core, wherein the circumferentially extending outer wall of the first plate and the circumferentially extending wall of the outer shell extend substantially parallel to one another with a portion of the elastomeric body positioned therebetween.
[AltContent: textbox (First Plate)][AltContent: arrow]
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Numazawa et al. do not teach a housing and the isolator coupled to the housing. Miyakawa teach a housing (12) and an isolator (42) coupled to the housing. (Fig. 1) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the housing and isolator coupled to the housing as taught by Miyakawa in order to provide additional support to the assembly.
Re claims 2 and 17, Numazawa et al. as modified teach wherein the first plate includes a central portion and the second plate (22) includes a central portion positioned adjacent to and in contact with the central portion of the first plate. See above.
Re claim 3, Numazawa et al. as modified teach wherein the first plate is coupled to the second plate (22). See above. Numezawa et al. do not teach wherein they first and second plates are coupled in a press fit. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to couple the two plates with a press fit since press fitting is a well known means for connecting two components.
Re claims 4 and 18, Numazawa et al. as modified teach wherein the outer shell (26) includes a curled end and the inner core includes a curved surface, wherein a portion of the elastomeric body (24) is trapped between the curled end and the curved surface to restrict relative axial movement between the inner core and the outer shell. See below.
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Re claim 7, Numazawa et al. as modified teach wherein the inner core includes a central aperture extending therethrough.
Re claim 9, Numazawa et al. as modified teach wherein the first plate and the second plate (22) include shaped flat sheets. Both components comprise flat sheet portions. Numazawa et al. is silent regarding the material of the components. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use steel for the first plate and second plate of Numazawa et al. since steel is known for its strength and durability.
Re claims 10 and 19, Numazawa et al. as modified teach wherein the housing includes a cup portion and a radially outwardly extending flange portion (28), the cup portion being in receipt of the outer shell. See Miyakawa – housing (12) and outer shell (40) of isolator (42).
Re claims 11 and 20, Numazawa et al. as modified do not teach wherein the outer shell is press fit to the housing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to press fit the outer shell and the housing since press fitting is a well known means for connecting two components.
Re claim 12, Numazawa et al. as modified teach wherein the flange portion (28) includes an aperture (34) in receipt of a fastener (36) extending therethrough. (Miyakawa, Fig. 1)
Re claim 14, Numazawa et al. teach a damper mount, comprising: an isolator coupled to the housing, the isolator comprising: an inner core including a first plate coupled to a second plate (22), the first plate including a circumferentially extending outer wall, the second plate (22) including a flange including an annular outer surface, the annular outer surface being positioned in engagement with an inner surface of the outer wall, an outer shell (26) including a circumferentially extending wall circumscribing the inner core, and an elastomeric body (24) bonded to the circumferentially extending wall of the outer shell and the first plate, the elastomeric body including a central portion positioned between the circumferentially extending outer wall and the outer shell wall being loaded in shear in response to a load attempting to move the inner core relative to [AltContent: textbox (Flange)]the outer shell in an axial direction.
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Outer annular surface)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Outer wall)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (First Plate)]
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Numazawa et al. do not teach a housing and the isolator coupled to the housing. Miyakawa teach a housing (12) and an isolator (42) coupled to the housing. (Fig. 1) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the housing and isolator coupled to the housing as taught by Miyakawa in order to provide additional support to the assembly.
19. The damper mount of claim 14, wherein the housing includes a cup portion and a radially outwardly extending flange portion, the cup portion being in receipt of the outer shell.
20. The damper mount of claim 19, wherein the outer shell is press fit to the housing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 8, 13, 15, and 16 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.
Schutz, Kawaura et al., Hein et al., Hurtubise et al., Handke, Cotter et al., Yano, Corlet et al., Palka et al., Terp et al., and Bernard teach similar damper mounts.
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
MTW
June 4, 2026
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