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 .
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.
Claim 14 is 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. Claim 14 recites the limitation "the circuit board" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 14 depends from claim 10, which has not defined a circuit board.
Claim 16 and 17 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. Claim 16 recites the limitation "the sensor" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 16 depends from claim 15, which has not defined a circuit board.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miller et al (US 7,448,466). Miller discloses:
With regard to claim 1 - A hand wheel actuator assembly, the hand wheel actuator assembly comprising:
a motor 52;
a motor shaft 54 coaxially aligned with a motor axis, the motor shaft 54 rotatably coupled to the motor 52, and the motor 52 configured to cause rotation of the motor shaft 54 about the motor axis;
a hand wheel shaft 42 coaxially aligned with a hand wheel axis, the hand wheel shaft 42 spaced from and parallel to the motor shaft 54 (see Fig. 2), wherein the motor shaft is coupled to the hand wheel shaft by a belt 84; and
a circuit board 92 located between the belt 92 and the motor 52 (see Fig. 3).
With regard to claim 2 - wherein the belt is part of a belt drive assembly comprising:
a drive pulley 76 disposed proximate an end of the motor shaft 54 distal from the motor 52;
a driven pulley 50 operatively coupled to the hand wheel shaft 42; and
the belt 84 in contact with the drive pulley 76 and the driven pulley 50 to rotatably couple the motor shaft 54 and the hand wheel shaft 42.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 3-6, 10-13, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miller et al (US 7,448,466) in view of Oliver et al (US 6,689,001). Miller fails to disclose wherein the belt drive assembly further comprises a pair of idler pulleys which may be adjusted by an adjustment device to adjust the tension between the motor shaft and the hand wheel shaft. Oliver teaches a means for tensioning a belt in a power steering system comprising a pair of idler pulleys 25, 27 which may be adjusted by an adjustment device 14 to adjust the tension between a first shaft 18 and a second shaft 20. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the hand wheel actuator assembly of Miller with the teaching of Oliver so as to include a pair of pulleys and an adjustment device to maintain the belt under a tension required to assure non-slipping engagement.
With regard to claim 4, Oliver teaches wherein the adjustment device 14 is a pivotable cap 22 operatively coupled to the idler pulleys 25, 27 (see Figs. 4 and 5).
With regard to claim 5, Oliver teaches wherein the adjustment device 14 is a sliding cap 22 operatively coupled to the idler pulleys 25, 27 (see elongated slots in stops 28, 30).
With regard to claim 6, Oliver teaches wherein the adjustment device includes an idler assembly coupled 24, 26 to the sliding cap.
With regard to claim 10, Miller discloses a hand wheel actuator assembly, the hand wheel actuator assembly comprising:
a motor 52;
a motor shaft 54 coaxially aligned with a motor axis, the motor shaft 54 rotatably coupled to the motor 52, and the motor 52 configured to cause rotation of the motor shaft 54 about the motor axis;
a hand wheel shaft 42 coaxially aligned with a hand wheel axis, the hand wheel shaft 42 spaced from and parallel to the motor shaft 54 (see Fig. 2); and
a belt drive assembly comprising:
a drive pulley 76 disposed proximate an end of the motor shaft 54 distal from the motor 52;
a driven pulley 50 operatively coupled to the hand wheel shaft 42; and
the belt 84 in contact with the drive pulley 76 and the driven pulley 50 to rotatably couple the motor shaft 54 and the hand wheel shaft 42. Miller fails to explicitly disclose a pair of idler pulleys which may be adjusted by an adjustment device to adjust the tension between the motor shaft and the hand wheel shaft. As seen above, Oliver teaches a means for tensioning a belt in a power steering system comprising a pair of idler pulleys 25, 27 which may be adjusted by an adjustment device 14 to adjust the tension between a first shaft 18 and a second shaft 20. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the hand wheel actuator assembly of Miller with the teaching of Oliver so as to include a pair of pulleys and an adjustment device to maintain the belt under a tension required to assure non-slipping engagement.
With regard to claim 11, Oliver teaches wherein the adjustment device 14 is a pivotable cap 22 operatively coupled to the idler pulleys 25, 27 (see Figs. 4 and 5).
With regard to claim 12, Oliver teaches wherein the adjustment device 14 is a sliding cap 22 operatively coupled to the idler pulleys 25, 27 (see elongated slots in stops 28, 30).
With regard to claim 13, Oliver teaches wherein the adjustment device includes an idler assembly coupled 24, 26 to the sliding cap.
With regard to claim 15, Miller discloses a circuit board 92 located between the belt 92 and the motor 52 (see Fig. 3).
With regard to claim 16, Miller discloses a sensor 112, wherein the sensor comprises a rotatable toothed gear 72 coupled to the hand wheel shaft 42. This limitation is broad in that it does not give further structural detail as to how the gear acts as part of the sensor. Because the toothed gear 72 is part of the motor, the rotation of which is being detected by sensor 112, and because the gear is connected to the hand wheel shaft 42 by belt 84, it is interpreted to read on the limitation.
With regard to claim 17, Miller discloses wherein the sensor 112 further comprises a gear sensor coupled to the circuit board 92.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9 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. The prior art fails to teach a sensor on the opposite side of the circuit board relative to a magnet on the motor shaft and a magnet on the hand wheel shaft. In all the prior art, the sensor is on the corresponding side to the magnet.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wilson-Jones discloses a handwheel actuator comprising a tensioning idler pulley 464 and gear sensors 120, 122. Fraley, Jr. et al discloses a belt tensioner for an electric power steering unit including a pair of idler pulleys.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY WILHELM whose telephone number is (571)272-6980. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Paul Dickson can be reached at 571-272-7742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TIMOTHY WILHELM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617 May 29, 2026
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