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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/09/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the Non-Final Office Action mailed 12/10/2025, hereinafter NFOA_2. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's submission filed on 03/09/2026 has been entered. 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 NFOA_2.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 9 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. Claim 9 was amended to comprise additional elements such as “an axial edge on the abutment shoulders” and “a narrower groove portion”. 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) 14 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tsubouchi, have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Claim 14 was amended to further define the groove bottom is connected to a pressure-medium-conducting region at atmospheric pressure. [0020] of Tsubouchi discloses groove portion/groove bottom (81) is connected to (36) which is connected to (34) and subsequently to (32) which is a reservoir full of pressure medium at atmospheric pressure (as indicated by replenishment when the piston is at the inoperative position). Therefore, Tsubouchi continues to read upon the claim.
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 16 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bacon; Bradley US 6722011 B1, hereinafter Bacon, have been fully considered and are persuasive. Claim 16 was amended to comprise additional elements such as “an axial edge on the abutment shoulders” and “a narrower groove portion”. 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 § 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.
-(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 9-12, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tsubouchi, Kaoru et al. US 20050044852 A1, hereinafter 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, and
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].
(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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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].
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.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsubouchi, in view of Bacon; Bradley US 6722011 B1, hereinafter 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.
(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 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.
Contact Information
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 MATTHEW WIBLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9836. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NATHANIEL WIEHE can be reached on 571-272-86488648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW WIBLIN/ Examiner, Art Unit 3745