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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoon et al. (20230037330). Regarding claim 1, Yoon et al. discloses a brake assembly comprising a braking clamp 400 physically coupled to a spindle 110 via a plurality of fasteners (not numbered, Fig. 4, paragraph [0067]), wherein the braking clamp 400 comprises a plurality of openings 411 configured to receive a first plurality of actuators 430 and a second plurality of actuators 430; wherein the spindle 110 comprises a first plurality of openings (located on fastening parts 110, 120) shaped to receive the plurality of fasteners.
Regarding claim 2, Yoon et al. discloses that spindle comprises cutouts for only the plurality of fasteners and brake fluid lines (Fig. 4, opening for pipe 412, cutouts for fasteners, and cutout for brake fluid line 610).
Regarding claim 3, Yoon et al. discloses that the first plurality of actuators 430 are configured to direct hydraulic fluid (Fig. 8) to a brake disc 300 proximal to the braking clamp 400.
Regarding claim 4, Yoon et al. discloses that the second plurality of actuators 430 is configured to direct hydraulic fluid (Fig. 8) to a brake disc 300 proximal to the braking clamp 400.
Regarding claim 5, Yoon et al. discloses that the first plurality of actuators 430 is spaced away (Fig. 4) from the second plurality of actuators 430.
Regarding claim 6, Yoon et al. discloses that the braking clamp 400 comprises a pipe 412 fluidly coupled to a clamp passage 610.
Regarding claim 7, Yoon et al. discloses that the clamp passage 610 is fluidly coupled to each of the first plurality of actuators 430 and the second plurality of actuators 430.
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 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al, in view of Maeda (JP2009137361). Regarding claim 8, Yoon et al. discloses a system comprising a brake system comprising a braking clamp 400 comprising a plurality of actuators 430 inserted therein, the plurality of actuators 430 configured to direct hydraulic fluid to a brake disc 300. Yoon et al. does not disclose a motor coupled to a hydraulic circuit.
Maeda teaches for a brake system with a braking clamp 43 and that there is (claim 8) a motor 21 coupled to a hydraulic circuit for the purposes of driving wheels of a vehicle. See Maeda Figs. 1 and 2.
Since Yoon et al. and Maeda are both in the same field of endeavor the purpose disclosed by Maeda would have been recognized in the pertinent art of Yoon et al. It would have been obvious at a time before the invention was effectively filed to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of Yoon et al. to include a motor coupled to a hydraulic circuit for the purposes of driving wheels of a vehicle.
Regarding claim 9, Yoon et al. discloses that the plurality of actuators comprises a first plurality of actuators 430 and a second plurality of actuators 430, wherein actuators of the plurality of actuators are identical in size and shape.
Regarding claim 10, Yoon et al. discloses that the braking clamp 400 comprises a clamp passage 610 fluidly coupled to a plurality of openings arranged in the braking clamp 400, wherein the plurality of actuators 430 is inserted into the plurality of openings.
Regarding claim 11, Yoon et al. discloses that the plurality of actuators 430 is fluidly coupled to the clamp passage 610.
Regarding claim 12, Yoon et al. discloses that the clamp passage 610 is fluidly coupled to a pipe 412 that extends from the clamp passage 610 to an area outside of the braking clamp 400.
Regarding claim 13, Yoon et al. discloses that the brake system comprises only one braking clamp 400.
Regarding claim 14, Yoon et al. discloses that the braking clamp 400 is integrally a single piece.
Regarding claim 15, Yoon et al. discloses that the braking clamp 400 is coupled to a spindle 110 via a plurality of fasteners (not numbered, Fig. 4, paragraph [0067] and via openings located on fastening parts 110, 120).
Regarding claim 16, Yoon et al. discloses a system comprising a braking clamp 400 physically coupled to a spindle 110 via a plurality of fasteners (not numbered, Fig. 4, paragraph [0067]), wherein the braking clamp 400 comprises a plurality of openings configured to receive a first plurality of actuators 430, wherein the spindle 110 comprises a first plurality of openings (located on fastening parts 110, 120) shaped to receive the plurality of fasteners and a second plurality of openings shaped to receive a second plurality of actuators 430. Maeda teaches for a motor 21 coupled to a hydraulic circuit (Maeda Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 17, Yoon et al. discloses that the first plurality of actuators 430 is inserted into the braking clamp 400 and the second plurality of actuators 430 is inserted into the spindle 110.
Regarding claim 19, Yoon et al. discloses that the braking clamp 400 comprises a plurality of cutouts along an outer edge (see annotated Fig. 7 below).
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Regarding claim 20, Yoon et al. discloses that the braking clamp 400 comprises an arc shape.
Prior Art
Prior art made of record but not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure for showing other brake systems with braking clamps, brake discs, hydraulic motors, and actuators.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 18 is 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 improvement comprises that (claim 18) a brake disc comprises a plurality of slots configured to distribute pressure to a plurality of cylinders of a block of the motor.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communication from the examiner should be directed to Thomas Lazo whose telephone number is (571) 272-4818. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor Nathaniel Wiehe, can be reached on (571) 272-8648. The fax phone number for this Group is (571) 273-8300.
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/THOMAS E LAZO/Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 3745
July 24, 2026
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