Drawings
Figures 10-11 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because reference characters 32b, T and ag1 fail to appear in “REFERENCE SIGNS LIST” at the end of the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goto, US 6,764,409. Goto discloses a tripod constant velocity joint comprising:
an outer joint member (10) with three track grooves (12);
a tripod member (20) with three leg shafts (22);
a roller (34)
an inner ring (32) with convex inner peripheral surface (see Fig. 1C);
the inner peripheral surface is in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the leg shaft in a direction orthogonal to the joint axial line (see Fig. 1A) and forming a gap against the outer peripheral surface of the leg shaft in a direction of the joint line (see Fig.1B); and
a projection (24) is provided in regions including both ends in a direction orthogonal to the joint axial line on a shaft end side with respect to the inner ring on the outer peripheral surface of the leg shaft (see Fig.8).
Goto does not expressly disclose the ratio of a dimension of the projection (24) in the direction of the joint axial line to a dimension of the leg shaft (ag1, see Fig. 8) is 0.3 or more. However, it has generally been recognized that the optimization of proportions in a prior art device is a design consideration requiring only routine skill in the art. In re Reese, 290 F.2d 839, 129 USPQ 402 (CCPA 1961). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to optimize the proportion of the dimension of the projection (24) in the direction of the joint axial line with respect to the dimension (ag1) of the leg shaft so as to be 0.3 or more, as such practice is a design consideration within the skill of the art.
As to claim 2, at col. 6, lines 45-49, Goto discloses a ground surface (the polished portion inherent in the disclosure of the “unpolished portion” at line 46) in a region (that of projections 24) including both ends in a direction orthogonal to the joint axial line, the projection (24) is provided in the entire area of the ground surface.
As to claim 3, at col. 6, lines 41-43, Goto discloses the projecting amount of the projection (24) in the entire area of the projection in the direction of the joint axial line is 0.05-0.1 mm (which falls within the range 0.015-0.15 mm).
As to claim 4, at col. 6, lines 43-44, Goto discloses the width (h) of the projection (24) is 0.1-0.5 mm.
Conclusion
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/Greg Binda/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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