DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted as of 5/15/2026 have been considered.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to for the following informalities:
It exceeds 150 words.
It contains implied phrases, e.g. “A hydraulic block… of the present invention is disclosed” and “According to one aspect of the present invention”.
. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter, which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter, which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites, “the remaining wheel cylinder connection ports are arranged in a left-right direction on or under the pump accommodation bore” (emphasis added). Claim 1 previously recited that both the wheel cylinder connection ports and the pump accommodation bore are “provided in” the front surface of the hydraulic block. Accordingly, it is unclear how a wheel cylinder connection port can be “arranged… on” a pump accommodation bore, as the must both occupy separate spaces, otherwise they would be the same bore/port. As best understood, and for examination purposes, the wheel cylinder connection ports will be interpreted to be arranged in a left-right direction and “over or under” the pump accommodation bore to describe a spatial relationship therebetween.
Dependent claims not specifically mentioned are rejected due to dependency on a rejected base claim for failing to cure the deficiencies of the base claim.
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 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.
Claims 1, 3-5, 8, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Feigel et al. (U.S. 2014/0216866).
Regarding claim 1, Feigel discloses (figs. 1-4) A hydraulic block (10) for an electronic brake system (1), which includes a plurality of valves (41-43) and flow paths (within 10) for adjusting braking hydraulic pressure supplied to a plurality of wheel cylinders (via 14), the hydraulic block comprising:
a pump accommodation bore (accommodating 6/12, see fig. 1) which is provided in a front surface (20) of the hydraulic block and accommodates a pump (6/12) which supplies hydraulic pressure (see pgh. 0031);
a master cylinder accommodation bore (accommodating 3, see fig. 2) which is provided in a first side surface (23) of the hydraulic block and accommodates a master cylinder therein (3, see pgh. 0054 at least);
a plurality of wheel cylinder connection ports (14) which are provided in the front surface of the hydraulic block (as shown) and communicate with the plurality of wheel cylinders (see pgh. 0046 at least); and
a reservoir connection port (ports connected to 8 and 24) which is provided in a second side surface (24) of the hydraulic block and communicates with a reservoir (8) which stores a pressurized medium (see pgh. 0036 at least),
wherein, among the plurality of wheel cylinder connection ports, one or more of the wheel cylinder connection ports are arranged in an up-down direction at a left or right side of the pump accommodation bore (see annotated figure for mapping of the “one or more… ports”), and the remaining wheel cylinder connection ports are arranged in a left-right direction on or under the pump accommodation bore (see annotated figure for mapping of the “remaining… ports”).
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Annotated fig. 2 of Feigel, first interpretation.
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Annotated fig. 2 of Feigel, second interpretation.
Regarding claim 3, Feigel discloses (figs. 1-4) the reservoir connection port is disposed at an upper side of the second side surface of the hydraulic block (as shown, second interpretation)
Regarding claim 4, Feigel discloses (figs. 1-4) the pump accommodation bore is provided at a lower side of the front surface of the hydraulic block (“lower” relative to the master cylinder accommodation bore, at least); and the master cylinder accommodation bore is provided at an upper side of the first side surface of the hydraulic block (“upper” relative to the pump accommodation bore at least, second interpretation).
Regarding claim 5, Feigel discloses (figs. 1-4) among the plurality of wheel cylinder connection ports: one or more wheel cylinder connection ports are disposed in the left-right direction above the master cylinder accommodation bore (more in the “up direction” per the up-down arrows than the master cylinder accommodation bore, which is at the bottom of the fig as defined, first interpretation); and the remaining wheel cylinder connection ports are arranged in an up-down direction at the left or right side of the pump accommodation bore (on the right side, as shown, first interpretation).
Regarding claim 8, Feigel discloses (figs. 1-4)among the plurality of wheel cylinder connection ports: one or more wheel cylinder connection ports are arranged in the left-right direction under the master cylinder accommodation bore (as shown, second interpretation); and the remaining wheel cylinder connection ports are arranged in an up-down direction at the left or right side of the pump accommodation bore (as shown, second interpretation).
Regarding claim 13, Feigel discloses (e.g. figs. 3-4) A hydraulic assembly for an electronic brake system, comprising:
a hydraulic block (10) in which a plurality of valves (4), a flow path (within 10 at least), and a pump (6/12) are installed to control braking hydraulic pressure to be supplied to a plurality of wheel cylinders (via 14);
a motor (7) which is mounted on a front surface (20) of the hydraulic block and provides power to the pump;
a master cylinder (3) which is mounted on a first side surface (23) of the hydraulic block and generates hydraulic pressure;
a reservoir (8) which is mounted on a second side surface (24) and an upper surface of the hydraulic block and stores a pressurized medium (see pgh. 0036 at least); and
an electronic control unit (5) which is mounted on a rear surface (21) of the hydraulic block and controls the plurality of valves and the motor and in which a connector (18’) is formed.
Regarding claim 14, Feigel discloses (e.g. figs. 3-4) the master cylinder is disposed at an upper side of the first side surface of the hydraulic block (towards the top as shown); and the motor is disposed at a lower side of the front surface of the hydraulic block (lower relative to the master cylinder at least).
Regarding claim 15, Feigel discloses (e.g. figs. 3-4) the electronic control unit is mounted so that the connector faces upward or downward (faces upward as shown).
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.
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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feigel et al. (U.S. 2014/0216866) in view of Weh et al. (U.S. 2021/0309197).
Regarding claim 7, Feigel does not appear to disclose the pump accommodation bore “provided at an upper side” and the master cylinder accommodation bore “provided at a lower side” as claimed. In the same field of endeavor of hydraulic blocks, Weh teaches (compare figs. 2 and 6) a hydraulic block (3) where the pump accommodation bore (12’) is provided at an upper side of the front surface of the hydraulic block (see fig. 6); and the master cylinder accommodation bore (6’) is provided at a lower side of the first side surface of the hydraulic block. In order to arrive at the claimed invention, the hydraulic block of feigel would be flipped 180 degrees about an axis parallel to the master cylinder accommodation bore, and the connections to the reservoir would be drilled on the opposite side (see pgh. 0061 of Weh).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have placed the pump accommodation bore above the master cylinder accommodation bore according to the claim language to adopt the hydraulic block specifically for lefthand and righthand drive vehicles, thereby making the block available for use in more vehicle markets (see pgh. 0062 of Weh).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 6 would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, and if rewritten to overcome any 112(b) rejections, as appropriate.
Reasons for allowance, if applicable, will be the subject of a separate communication to the Applicant or patent owner, pursuant to 37 CFR § 1.104 and MPEP § 1302.14.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure. The documents listed on the PTO-892 disclose various hydraulic blocks.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID MORRIS whose telephone number is (571)270-3595. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday; 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi can be reached at (571) 272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID MORRIS/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
/DAVID R MORRIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
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