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 § 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, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 15, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shin (KR 20190073754 A; see provided machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Shin discloses a steering assembly of a vehicle (see line 1 of the Abstract in the machine translation), comprising:
a housing (107) configured for operable connection to a steering column (101) of the vehicle; and
one or more steering handles (119, 123) disposed at the housing, the one or more steering handles rotatably mounted to the housing to rotate about respective steering handle axes (the axial centerline of 301 and 303) relative to the housing between an extended position (see Figure 1) and a folded position (see Figure 3);
wherein the one or more steering handles is two steering handles (119, 123) disposed at opposing lateral sides (the left and right side of 107) of the housing, the steering assembly further comprising two spur gears (115, 121), each steering handle of the two steering handles is operably connected to a respective spur gear of the two spur gears (115 is connected to 119 and 121 is connected to 123), the two spur gears meshed directly with each other inside the housing (see Figure 5);
wherein rotation of the two spur gears rotates the two steering handles about their respective steering handle axes (see Figures 5-8).
Regarding claim 3, Shin discloses a motor (127; see Page 4 / Fourth Paragraph of the machine translation) operably connected to at least one spur gear of the two spur gears to drive rotation of the two spur gears.
Regarding claim 4, Shin discloses a housing opening (Page 2 / Second to last paragraph states “The steering shaft 101 of the automobile is housed in the housing portion 107” thus the housing is viewed as having an opening into which 101 fits) in the housing to receive the steering column of the vehicle, the steering assembly configured to rotate about a steering column axis (the axial centerline of 101) together with the steering column.
Regarding claim 8, Shin discloses a steering system of a vehicle (see line 1 of the Abstract in the machine translation) comprising:
a steering column (101); and
a steering assembly (107, 119, 123) operably connected to and rotatable about a steering column axis with the steering column, the steering assembly including:
a housing (107) configured for operable connection to the steering column; and
two steering handles (119, 123) disposed at opposing lateral sides (the left and right side of 107) of the housing, the two steering handles rotatably mounted to the housing to rotate about respective steering handle axes (the axial centerline of 301 and 303) relative to the housing between an extended position (see Figure 1) and a folded position (see Figure 3); and
two spur gears (115, 121), each steering handle of the two steering handles operably connected to a respective spur gear of the two spur gears (115 is connected to 119 and 121 is connected to 123), the two spur gears meshed directly with each other inside the housing (see Figure 6);
wherein rotation of the two spur gears rotates the two steering handles about their respective steering handle axes (see Figures 5-8).
Regarding claim 10, Shin discloses a motor (127; see Page 4 / Fourth Paragraph of the machine translation) operably connected to at least one spur gear of the two spur gears to drive rotation of the two spur gears.
Regarding claim 11, Shin discloses a housing opening (Page 2 / Second to last paragraph states “The steering shaft 101 of the automobile is housed in the housing portion 107” thus the housing is viewed as having an opening into which 101 fits) in the housing to receive the steering column.
Regarding claim 15, Shin discloses a vehicle (see line 1 of the Abstract in the machine translation) comprising:
a vehicle body (all vehicles have bodies; furthermore, Shin discloses the vehicle to be an automobile which are well known to have bodies) defining a passenger compartment (where the passenger sits in the seat; the first paragraph of Page 5 of the machine translation discloses a driver’s seat)
a steering system (101, 107, 119, 123) of the vehicle disposed in the passenger compartment, the steering system including:
a steering column (101); and
a steering assembly (107, 119, 123) operably connected to a rotatable about a steering column axis with the steering column, the steering assembly including:
a housing (107) configured for operable connection to the steering column;
two steering handles (119, 123) disposed at opposing lateral sides (the left and right side of 107) of the housing, the two steering handles rotatably mounted to the housing to rotate about respective steering handle axes (the axial centerline of 301 and 303) relative to the housing between an extended position (see Figure 1) and a folded position (see Figure 3); and
two spur gears (115, 121), each steering handle of the two steering handles operably connected to a respective spur gear of the two spur gears (115 is connected to 119 and 121 is connected to 123), the two spur gears meshed directly with each other inside the housing (see Figure 6); and
wherein rotation of the two spur gears rotates the two steering handles about their respective steering handle axes (see Figures 5-8).
Regarding claim 17, Shin discloses a housing opening (Page 2 / Second to last paragraph states “The steering shaft 101 of the automobile is housed in the housing portion 107” thus the housing is viewed as having an opening into which 101 fits) in the housing to receive the steering column.
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.
Claims 5, 12, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin (KR 20190073754 A; see provided machine translation) in view of Riedel (US 10,906,575 B2).
Regarding claims 5, 12, and 18, Shin discloses all of the claim limitations, see above, but does not disclose that the steering assembly is configured to selectably translate along the steering column axis relative to the steering column.
Riedel teaches a steering assembly that is configured to selectably translate along a steering column axis (the axial centerline of 10) relative to a steering column (10) for the purpose of reducing space required and/or increasing the comfort for a user (Column 1 / Lines 60-61).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the steering assembly of Shin to be configured to selectably translate along the steering column axis relative to the steering column for the purpose of reducing space required and/or increasing the comfort for a user, as taught by Riedel.
Claims 6, 13, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin (KR 20190073754 A; see provided machine translation) in view of J. G. McJury (US 1,709,085 A).
Regarding claims 6, 13, and 19, Shin discloses all of the claim limitations, see above, but does not disclose one or more alignment grooves in the housing opening to rotationally align the steering assembly with the steering column.
J. G. McJury teaches one or more alignment grooves (see the keyway in 14 in Figures 1, 2, and 4) in a housing opening (the central opening in 14; see Figure 1) to rotationally align a steering assembly (the structure shown in Figure 1) with a steering column (Page 1 / Lines 61-62).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the housing opening of Shin to have one or more alignment grooves in the housing opening to rotationally align the steering assembly with the steering column, as taught by J. G. McJury, for the purpose of aiding in maintaining the proper positioning of the housing and the steering column.
Claims 6, 13, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin (KR 20190073754 A; see provided machine translation) in view of Schafer et al. (DE 102018200970 A1; see provided machine translation).
Regarding claims 6, 13, and 19, Shin discloses all of the claim limitations, see above, but does not disclose one or more alignment grooves in the housing opening to rotationally align the steering assembly with the steering column.
Schafer et al. teaches one or more alignment grooves (14a, 14b) in a housing opening (see Figure 5) to rotationally align a first steering structure (12) with a second steering structure (10).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the housing opening of Shin to have one or more alignment grooves, as taught by Schafer et al., for the purpose of aiding in maintaining the proper positioning of the housing and the steering column.
Claims 7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin (KR 20190073754 A; see provided machine translation) in view of Helmstetter et al. (US 11,148,700 B1).
Regarding claims 7 and 14, Shin discloses all of the claim limitations, see above, but does disclose an air bag module disposed in the housing.
Helmstetter et al. teaches an air bag module (18) disposed in a housing (20, 42).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the steering handle assembly of Shin to have an airbag module disposed in the housing, as taught by Helmstetter et al., for the purpose of providing a structure that aids cushioning the user during an accident.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin (KR 20190073754 A; see provided machine translation) in view of Riedel (US 10,906,575 B2) as applied to claim 18 above, and further in view of Haban (US 11,597,342 B2).
Regarding claim 20, Shin discloses an instrument panel (501; the steering wheel is viewed as an instrument, and the steering wheel extends from 501 thus 501 can be viewed as being an instrument panel) disposed in the passenger compartment, the steering column extending from a steering opening in the instrument panel (see Figure 9).
Shin in view of Riedel does not disclose that the steering assembly is selectably translatable at least partially into the steering opening.
Haban teaches a vehicle (102) that has a vehicle body (210), a passenger compartment (205), and an instrument panel (245); and
a steering assembly (the steering wheel in Figure 3A) that is selectably translatable at least partially into a steering opening (an opening in the dashboard; see Figures 4B and 4C).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the steering assembly of Shin in view of Riedel to be selectably translatable at least partially into the steering opening, as taught by Haban, for the purpose of increasing the space for the driver in the passenger compartment by retracting the steering handle into the dashboard.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed January 22, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argued on Page 8 of the Remarks that “In the Shin reference, the alleged spur gears are not meshed directly with each other. Two intervening gears 121 and 115 are between the alleged spur gears.”
As shown in Figure 5, each steering handle (119, 123) that a spur gear (117, 305) attached directly to them via shafts. Each one of those two spur gears has a corresponding meshing spur gear (115, 121). Spur gears 115 and 121 directly mesh with each other. The claim limitation “the steering assembly further comprising two spur gears, each steering handle of the two steering handles is operably connected to a respective spur gear of the two spur gears, the two spur gears meshed directly with each other inside the housing” does not require the assembly to have only two meshing spur gears. The phrase “operatively connected” is broad enough to encompass what is shown in Figure 5. For example, spur gear 121 is operatively connected to spur gear 305, and spur gear 305 is operatively connected to steering handle 123. Thus, spur gear 121 is operatively connected to steering handle 123.
Applicant’s arguments, see the Remarks, filed January 22, 206, with respect to the rejections using the Helmstetter reference have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections using the Helmstetter reference have been withdrawn.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/ADAM D ROGERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617