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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 08/20/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claims 9-12 and 14-16 remain(s) pending in the application. Applicant's amendments to the Claims are responsive to the rejections previously set forth in the Final Office Action dated 03/25/2026, hereinafter FOA_2.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 9 and 14 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tsubouchi, Kaoru et al. US 20050044852 A1, hereinafter Tsubouchi, have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Claims 9 and 14 were amended to comprise additional elements such as “the guide element includes a slot that runs diagonally with respect to a longitudinal axis of the hydraulic module”. These elements continue to be taught by Tsubouchi. See rejection below for further details.
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 16 under Tsubouchi, in view of Bacon; Bradley US 6722011 B1, hereinafter Bacon, have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Claims 9 and 14 were amended to comprise additional elements such as “the guide element includes a slot that runs diagonally with respect to a longitudinal axis of the hydraulic module”. These elements continue to be taught by Tsubouchi. See rejection below for further details.
Claim Interpretation
Claim 9 Ln 11-13 states “a circumferential guide gap, which is sealed toward the working chamber by a seal assembly is arranged between a circumference of the piston and a wall of the cylinder bore”. The bold term has been interpreted as a positively recited component of the module.
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 of this title, 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 9-12 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsubouchi.
Regarding claim 9, Tsubouchi discloses (Fig. 1, 3) a hydraulic module for generating and/or controlling a brake pressure in a slip- controllable vehicle brake system, the hydraulic module comprising:
a housing block (1) in which a cylinder bore (2) is formed;
a piston (5) of a piston pressure generator accommodated in the cylinder bore and delimiting a working chamber (11); and
a transmission (“booster of a vacuum booster device”, [0016]) by which the piston can be driven to perform an axial movement in a pressure increase direction (as depicted to the left) and in a pressure decrease direction (as depicted to the right) opposite to the pressure increase direction, wherein a volume of the working chamber decreases when the piston moves in the pressure increase direction, and increases when the piston is driven in the pressure lowering direction (as depicted, when the piston is driven leftwards, the volume of the working chamber decreases, and when the piston is driven rightwards, the volume of the working chamber increases);
wherein a circumferential guide gap (the depicted gap between (5) and (2)), which is sealed toward the working chamber by a seal assembly (13, 17) is arranged between a circumference of the piston and a wall of the cylinder bore [0016]; and
a guide element (23) is provided on a side of the seal assembly that faces away from the working chamber (as depicted, to the right of (13), wherein, with the guide element, the piston can be circumferentially radially supported in the cylinder bore [0018, 0024], wherein the guide element is accommodated in a receiving groove (22) on the wall of the cylinder bore in such a way that the guide element projects radially in part into the guide gap (depicted as projecting into the gap to contact the piston),
wherein the receiving groove (22) is stepped at a right angle in its cross section from an outside to an inside and forms circumferential abutment shoulders (101, as depicted the circumferential parts are perpendicular to the axial portions of the shoulders),
wherein the guide element (23) is supported at an axial edge (103) on the abutment shoulders,
wherein a narrower groove portion (81) located radially outward of the abutment shoulders is separated from the guide gap and is configured to supply pressure medium to a rear side of the guide element facing away from the piston [0020], and
wherein the guide element includes a slot (24) that runs perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal axis of the hydraulic module [0018].
(Below are Fig. 1 and an enlarged view (X2) of Fig. 1 similar to that of the applicant’s Fig. 1 and view X/Fig. 2 for comparison. As can be seen, abutment shoulders (101) and axial edges (103) of Tsubouchi is near identical to applicant’s (48). Furthermore, the axial edges of Tsubouchi are depicted as supporting guide element (23) at the serpentine shapes axial most portions.)
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Tsubouchi fails to explicitly state that the slot runs diagonally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hydraulic module.
Since applicant has not disclosed that having the slot running diagonally solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose, and
it appears that the slot running perpendicularly of Tsubouchi would perform equally well with the slot running diagonally as claimed by applicant,
it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to modify the slot running perpendicularly of Tsubouchi by utilizing the slot running diagonally as claimed for the purpose of enabling the insertion of the guide element into the receiving groove/cylinder bore.
Regarding claim 10, Tsubouchi discloses (Fig. 1, 3) the guide element is a form- elastic, singly slotted annular element with two free and opposite ends ((24), [0018]).
Regarding claim 11, Tsubouchi discloses (Fig. 1, 3) the guide element includes PTFE or a brake-fluid-resistant plastic (“aromatic polyamide nylon or the like” [0018]).
Regarding claim 12, Tsubouchi discloses (Fig. 1, 3) the receiving groove (22) is arranged between a first seal assembly (13) of the seal assembly directly facing the working chamber, and a second seal assembly (17) of the seal assembly far from the working chamber.
Regarding claim 15, Tsubouchi discloses (Fig. 1, 3) the guide element (23) is accommodated with axial play in the receiving groove ((23) is depicted as having space within (22) by which axial movement is allowed).
Regarding claim 14, Tsubouchi discloses (Fig. 1, 3) a hydraulic module for generating and/or controlling a brake pressure in a slip- controllable vehicle brake system, the hydraulic module comprising:
a housing block (1) in which a cylinder bore (2) is formed;
a piston (5) of a piston pressure generator accommodated in the cylinder bore and delimiting a working chamber (11); and
a transmission (“booster of a vacuum booster device”, [0016]) by which the piston can be driven to perform an axial movement in a pressure increase direction (as depicted to the left) and in a pressure decrease direction (as depicted to the right) opposite to the pressure increase direction, wherein a volume of the working chamber decreases when the piston moves in the pressure increase direction, and increases when the piston is driven in the pressure lowering direction (as depicted, when the piston is driven leftwards, the volume of the working chamber decreases, and when the piston is driven rightwards, the volume of the working chamber increases);
wherein a circumferential guide gap (the depicted gap between (5) and (2)), which is sealed toward the working chamber by a seal assembly (13, 17) is arranged between a circumference of the piston and a wall of the cylinder bore [0016]; and
a guide element (23) is provided on a side of the seal assembly that faces away from the working chamber (as depicted, to the right of (13)), wherein, with the guide element, the piston can be circumferentially radially supported in the cylinder bore [0018, 0024], wherein the guide element is accommodated in a receiving groove (22) on the wall of the cylinder bore in such a way that the guide element projects radially in part into the guide gap (depicted as projecting into the gap to contact the piston),
wherein the receiving groove (22) is stepped in its cross section from an outside to an inside and forms inner abutment shoulders, on which the guide element can be radially supported (as depicted, the groove (22) has a stepped annular groove portion (81) thereby forming the depicted shoulders upon which (23) rests)),
wherein the receiving groove (22) is stepped in its cross section from an outside to an inside and forms inner abutment shoulders, on which the guide element can be radially supported (as depicted, the groove (22) has a stepped annular groove portion (81) thereby forming the depicted shoulders upon which (23) rests)),
wherein a groove portion (81) of the receiving groove (22) that is formed between the abutment shoulder and a groove bottom (depicted radial outward surface of (81) is connected to a pressure-medium-conducting region (36) at the atmospheric pressure in the housing block such that pressure medium flows to a rear side of the guide element that faces away from the piston [0020], and
wherein the guide element includes a slot (24) that runs perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal axis of the hydraulic module [0018].
Tsubouchi fails to explicitly state that the slot runs diagonally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hydraulic module.
Since applicant has not disclosed that having the slot running diagonally solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose, and
it appears that the slot running perpendicularly of Tsubouchi would perform equally well with the slot running diagonally as claimed by applicant,
it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to modify the slot running perpendicularly of Tsubouchi by utilizing the slot running diagonally as claimed for the purpose of enabling the insertion of the guide element into the receiving groove/cylinder bore.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsubouchi, in view of Bacon. The references is/are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because the references is/are from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (braking master cylinders (Tsubouchi)); or the references is/are reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (guide sleeve installation (both)). MPEP2141.01(a) I.
Regarding claim 16, Tsubouchi discloses (Fig. 1, 3) a mounting method for a hydraulic module (interpreted as intended use), comprising the following steps:
providing a housing block (1) having a cylinder bore (2) formed therein, and a receiving groove (22) for a guide element (23) in an interior of this cylinder bore;
inserting the guide element into the mounting sleeve [0018];
wherein the receiving groove (22) is stepped at a right angle in its cross section from an outside to an inside and forms circumferential abutment shoulders (101),
wherein the guide element is radially supported at an axial edge (103) on the abutment shoulders after snapping into the receiving groove, and
wherein the guide element includes a slot (24) that runs perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal axis of the hydraulic module [0018].
(above are Fig. 1 and an enlarged view (X2) of Fig. 1 similar to that of the applicant’s Fig. 1 and view X/Fig. 2 for comparison. As can be seen, abutment shoulders (101) and axial edges (103) of Tsubouchi is near identical to applicant’s (48). Furthermore, the axial edges of Tsubouchi are depicted as supporting guide element (23) at the serpentine shapes axial most portions in its installed/snapped in configuration.)
Tsubouchi fails to explicitly state that the slot runs diagonally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hydraulic module.
Since applicant has not disclosed that having the slot running diagonally solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose, and
it appears that the slot running perpendicularly of Tsubouchi would perform equally well with the slot running diagonally as claimed by applicant,
it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to modify the slot running perpendicularly of Tsubouchi by utilizing the slot running diagonally as claimed for the purpose of enabling the insertion of the guide element into the receiving groove/cylinder bore.
Tsubouchi further fails to explicitly state that the method further comprises
inserting a mounting sleeve into the cylinder bore;
applying a directed propelling force in a direction of a longitudinal direction of the cylinder bore to the guide element until the guide element exits the mounting sleeve at an opposite end and snaps into the receiving groove.
Bacon discloses (Fig. 1-4) a mounting method for a hydraulic module (interpreted as intended use), comprising the following steps:
providing a housing block (110) having a cylinder bore (150)formed therein, and a receiving groove (170) for a guide element (200) in an interior of this cylinder bore;
inserting a mounting sleeve (426) into the cylinder bore (depicted as inserted in Fig. 1, Col 7 Ln 31-43);
inserting the guide element into the mounting sleeve (Fig. 4A, Col 7 Ln 23-30); and
applying a directed propelling force in a direction of a longitudinal direction of the cylinder bore to the guide element until the guide element exits the mounting sleeve at an opposite end and snaps into the receiving groove (Fig. 4B-C, Col 7 Ln 23-30, Col 8 Ln 59-Col 9 Ln 4).
Bacon further discloses it is extremely difficult to insert a guide element into a receiving groove of a cylinder bore and by providing the mounting sleeve and mounting method overcome that difficulty (Col 1 Ln 39-36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Tsubouchi, by providing the mounting sleeve and mounting method, as taught by Bacon, for the purpose of inserting a guide element into a receiving groove of a cylinder bore.
Conclusion
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/MATTHEW WIBLIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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