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 .
The Amendment filed June 29, 2026 has been entered.
Claims 1 – 12 remain pending in the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2022/0306185).
Regarding Claim 12:
Kim teaches a steering gear for a steering system of a utility vehicle (paragraph 0003), comprising: a ball nut drive (470) connected to an output shaft (460), a sector shaft (240); a first drive unit (222) operatively connected to the output shaft by a first helical gear transmission (334) and configured to apply a first steering assist torque to the output shaft; and a second drive unit (224) operatively connected to the output shaft by a second helical gear transmission (434) configured to apply a second steering assist torque to the output shaft, wherein the first drive unit defines a first longitudinal axis and has a first rotational position about the first longitudinal axis (Fig 4), and wherein the second drive unit defines a second longitudinal axis and has a second rotational position which differs from the first rotational position about the second longitudinal axis (Figs 4 – 6).
Regarding Claim 13:
Kim teaches the first drive unit has a first inclination angle relative to a transverse axis of the output shaft that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the output shaft, and the second drive unit has a second inclination angle, relative to the transverse axis of the output shaft, which differs from the first inclination angle (Figs 4 – 6).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1 – 8, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2022/0306185) and in view of Carreirao (US 2021/0339797).
Regarding Claim 1:
Kim teaches a steering gear for a steering system of a utility vehicle (paragraph 0003), comprising: a ball nut drive (470) connected to an output shaft (460), a sector shaft (240); a first drive unit (222) operatively connected to the output shaft by a first helical gear transmission (334) and configured to apply a first steering assist torque to the output shaft; and a second drive unit (224) operatively connected to the output shaft by a second helical gear transmission (434) configured to apply a second steering assist torque to the output shaft, wherein the first drive unit defines a first longitudinal axis and has a first rotational position about the first longitudinal axis (Fig 4), and wherein the second drive unit defines a second longitudinal axis and has a second rotational position which differs from the first rotational position about the second longitudinal axis (Figs 4 – 6).
Kim is silent to the ball nut drive comprising a piston configured to act on a sector shaft.
However, Carreirao teaches the ball nut drive comprising a piston (30) configured to act on a sector shaft (50).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to provide the ball nut piston of Carreirao in the ball nut drive of Kim in order to permit hydraulic fluid communication and permit rotary transmission for the ball nut to the sector shaft.
Regarding Claim 2:
Kim teaches the first drive unit and the second drive unit are arranged parallel to each other and have an inclination angle of greater than or less than 90° to a third longitudinal axis of the output shaft (Figs 4 – 6).
Regarding Claim 3:
Kim teaches the first drive unit and the second drive unit are arranged parallel to each other, the first drive unit has a first inclination angle to a transverse axis of the output shaft, and the second drive unit has a second inclination angle to the transverse axis of the output shaft, which differs from the first inclination angle (Figs 4 – 6).
Regarding Claim 4:
Kim teaches the first inclination angle to the transverse axis of the output shaft has an angular difference to the second inclination angle to the transverse axis of the output shaft (Figs 4 – 6).
Regarding Claim 5:
Kim teaches the first drive unit has a first inclination angle to a third longitudinal axis of the output shaft, and the second drive unit has a second inclination angle to the longitudinal axis of the output shaft, which differs from the first inclination angle (Figs 4 – 6).
Regarding Claim 6:
Kim teaches the first drive unit has a first inclination angle to a the transverse axis of the output shaft, and the second drive unit has a second inclination angle to the transverse axis of the output shaft, which differs from the first inclination angle (Figs 4 – 6).
Regarding Claim 7:
Kim teaches the first drive unit and the second drive unit are arranged askew to one another (Figs 4 – 6).
Regarding Claim 8:
Kim teaches the first helical gear transmission and the second helical gear transmission are arranged on a same shaft (Fig 4).
Regarding Claim 10:
Kim teaches the first rotational position of the first drive unit about the first longitudinal axis has an angular difference to the second rotational position of the second drive unit about the second longitudinal axis (Figs 4 – 6).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2022/0306185) and Carreirao (US 2021/0339797), and further in view of Kim (US 2020/0070879).
Regarding Claim 9:
Modified Kim is silent to the first drive unit or the second drive unit comprise a shielding including a first Hall sensor arranged in a first steering control unit or a second Hall sensor arranged in a second steering control unit.
However, Kim (2020/0070879) teaches the first drive unit or the second drive unit comprise a shielding including a first Hall sensor arranged in a first steering control unit or a second Hall sensor arranged in a second steering control unit (paragraphs 0073, 0108).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to provide the hall sensor of Kim (US 2020/0070879) in the modified drive unit of Kim and Carreirao in order to detect the angle of rotation of the shaft baded on changes in the detected intensity of the magnetic field.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 29, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On Page 5 of the Remarks, the Applicant argues that Kim does not teach the first and second rotational positions as recited in Claim 1. The Examiner disagrees and maintains the rejection. Figs 4 – 6 of Kim show the motor 222 having a screw shaft 332, that causes the motor to rotate, which equates to the first rotational position. Motor 244 has screw shaft 432 and positioned at a different angle and position compared to motor 22, and as it rotations about shaft 250, this equates to the second rotational position. Based on the broad but reasonable interpretation of the claim language, Kim teaches this limitation.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LONG T TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1899. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00 - 5:00.
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/LONG T TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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