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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on June 3, 2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the JP2023-091354 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-8 are objected to because of the following informalities. Appropriate correction is required.
In claim 1, line 4, what is the word “its” referring to? Please clarify.
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.
Claims 1 and 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2004-325210 (Souwa et al.).
With regards to claim 1, Souwa et al. disclose a mounting structure of sensor, as illustrated in Figures 1-9, a sensor mounting structure (e.g. entire system as illustrated in Figure 1) comprising a sensor 2 (e.g. sensor member; paragraph [0020]) including a bar-shaped sensor main body 3 (e.g. sensor main body; paragraph [0021]) and a collar section 4 (e.g. resin mounting portion; paragraphs [0020],[0022],[0024]) such that the collar section overhanging in a thickness direction of the sensor main body from an outer circumferential surface of the sensor main body at a middle location of the sensor main body in its longitudinal direction (e.g. observed in Figure 1); a sensor receiving section 51,52 (e.g. cylindrical member and wall form this sensor receiving section; paragraph [0020]) including a sensor insertion hole 521,524 (e.g. opening edge and small diameter portion; paragraph [0023]; Figure 2a) such that the sensor insertion hole being configured for inserting the sensor main body therein so as to allow the sensor main body to be rotated around a center axis (e.g. imaginary z-axis) of the sensor main body (e.g. paragraph [0002]); the sensor receiving section 51,52 is configured to support the sensor with the sensor main body being inserted in the sensor insertion hole to bring the collar section into contact with a seat surface 523 (e.g. step surface; paragraphs [0023],[0026]) around the sensor insertion hole (e.g. observed in Figure 2b); the sensor receiving section 51,52 includes a receiving lock portion 53 (e.g. engaging hole; paragraph [0023]) protruding from the seat surface such that the receiving lock portion being configured to be locked to a portion of the collar section (e.g. paragraph [0023]; observed in Figures 2b); the collar section 4 of the sensor includes a sensor lock portion 42,43 (e.g. mounting piece with engagement claw; paragraph [0022]) configured to be locked to the receiving lock portion (e.g. paragraph [0023]; observed in Figure 2b); an interference avoiding portion 6 (e.g. O-ring; paragraph [0020],[0024]) in an overlapping portion of the collar section (e.g. observed in Figure 1); when the sensor main body 3 is inserted in the sensor insertion hole 521,524 in an incorrect pose (e.g. claw 43 is not aligned with the engaging holes 53,54), the collar section is configured to overlap with the receiving lock portion in the overlapping portion such that the incorrect pose is offset from a normal pose by a predetermined angle (e.g. 90O) around the center axis; in the normal pose (e.g. claw 43 is aligned with the engaging holes 53,54), the sensor lock portion 43 is configured to be locked to the receiving lock portion 53 such that the interference avoiding portion has a shape for avoiding interference of the collar section with the receiving lock portion along a direction of insertion of the sensor main body into the sensor insertion hole (e.g. paragraphs [0022]-[0027]). (See, paragraphs [0001] to [0043] of translation).
With regards to claim 3, Souwa et al. further discloses once the sensor main body 3 is inserted in the sensor insertion hole 521,524 with the sensor lock portion 43 being spaced from the receiving lock portion 53 around the center axis, the sensor 2 is configured to be rotated in a rotational direction of locking to lock the sensor lock portion to the receiving lock portion and to thus reach the normal pose (e.g. observed in Figures 1,2b) wherein in the rotational direction of locking, the sensor lock portion is configured to be moved toward the receiving lock portion.
With regards to claim 4, Souwa et al. further discloses when the sensor main body 3 is inserted in the sensor insertion hole 521,524 in the incorrect pose, the interference avoiding portion 6 is configured to limit rotation of the sensor in the rotational direction of locking by interfering with the receiving lock portion around the center axis.
With regards to claim 5, Souwa et al. further discloses the sensor lock portion 42,43 has a cantilever shape 41 (e.g. observed in Figure 1) which is formed by cutting into the collar section 4 along an outer circumference of the collar section from a forward side to a backward side in the rotational direction of locking such that the cantilever shape having a fixed end 41 (e.g. flange portion; paragraph [0023]; Figure 1) on the backward side and a free end (e.g. free end; paragraph [0022]; Figure 1) on the forward side; a locking hook 43 (e.g. sensor lock portion is a claw such that claw has hook-like features) is provided at the free end to be locked to the receiving lock portion 53; when rotating the sensor 2 in the rotational direction of locking, the sensor lock portion 42,43 is configured to be bent toward the center axis so that the locking hook crosses over the receiving lock portion 53 in order to be locked to the receiving lock portion (e.g. paragraphs [0022]-[0027]).
With regards to claim 6, Souwa et al. further discloses guide slope surfaces 431 (e.g. inclined surface; paragraph [0022]) are provided on a forward side of the locking hook on a backward side of the receiving lock portion in the rotational direction of locking respectively such that when rotating the sensor in the rotational direction of locking, the guide slope surfaces are configured to slide on each other in order to guide the locking hook crossing over the receiving lock portion (e.g. paragraphs [0022]-[0027]).
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 2004-325210 (Souwa et al.) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2018/0149539 (Osawa et al.).
With regards to claim 2, Souwa et al. does not disclose the interference avoiding portion of the collar section has a recess which is recessed from an outer circumference of the collar section toward the center axis of the sensor main body such that the recess is configured to receive the receiving lock portion inside the recess in the incorrect pose.
Osawa et al. discloses a sensor attachment structure comprising, as illustrated in Figures 1-9, a sensor mounting structure (e.g. entire system as illustrated in Figure 1) comprising a sensor 20 (e.g. hydraulic sensor; Figures 1,4; paragraph [0026]) including a bar-shaped sensor main body 40b,45 (e.g. lower case of sensor case having small-diameter portion; paragraphs [0021],[0026]) and a collar section 41 (e.g. supporting portion; paragraph [0027]) such that the collar section overhanging in a thickness direction of the sensor main body from an outer circumferential surface of the sensor main body at a middle location of the sensor main body in its longitudinal direction (e.g. observed in Figure 4); a sensor receiving section 11,50 (e.g. control valve with accommodating portion form this sensor receiving section; paragraph [0020]) including a sensor insertion hole (e.g. opening in the accommodating portion 50 as observed in Figure 1) such that the sensor insertion hole being configured for inserting the sensor main body therein so as to allow the sensor main body to be rotated around a center axis (e.g. imaginary z-axis) of the sensor main body (e.g. paragraph [0023); an interference avoiding portion 63,65,64 (e.g. rotation suppressing portion includes arm portion with connecting portion form this interference avoiding portion; paragraph [0035]) of the collar section has a recess (e.g. space therebetween as observed in Figure 1) which is recessed from an outer circumference of the collar section toward the center axis of the sensor main body such that the recess is configured to receive a receiving lock portion 71 (e.g. teeth; paragraph [0035}) inside the recess in the incorrect pose (e.g. paragraphs [0035]-[0037]). (See, paragraphs [0020] to [0070]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have readily recognize the advantages and desirability of employing the interference avoiding portion of the collar section has a recess which is recessed from an outer circumference of the collar section toward the center axis of the sensor main body such that the recess is configured to receive the receiving lock portion inside the recess in the incorrect pose as suggested by Osawa et al. to the system of Souwa et al. to have the ability for permitting rotation against the sensor receiving section in a positive direction while suppressing rotation against the sensor receiving section in a negative direction. (See, paragraph [0047] of Osawa et al.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 8 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.
The references cited, particularly Nowicki, Matsumura, Yoshida, Hirose and Muramoto, are related to sensor attachment structure mounted to a sensor receiving section having a main body and a collar section with a sensor locking portion.
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/HELEN C KWOK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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