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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 31 July 2026 has been entered.
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 9-14 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted elements are the tube sleeve and single yoke shaft threaded assembly. The disclosure, in paragraphs 0041-0042, sets forth the tube sleeve (12) being a part forming the sliding assembly of slip yoke 16 and provides freedom of motion in axial direction of the cardan shaft; wherein a threaded connection is not disclosed in use with the sliding connection which appears to be a splined connection. The dependent claims are likewise rejected.
Claim 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted elements are a slip yoke assembled to the single yoke shaft by threads. The disclosure, in paragraph 0041, sets forth the slip yoke (16) and single yoke shaft (11) form the sliding assembly and provides freedom of motion in axial direction of the cardan shaft; wherein a threaded connection is not disclosed in use with the sliding connection which appears to be a splined connection. The dependent claims are likewise rejected.
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.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Krischak et al., U.S. U.S. 10,451,118.
Regarding claim 8, Krischak et al. discloses a cardan shaft sliding assembly (col. 4, lines 57-60) having a single yoke shaft (shaft 8 of first inner yoke 17; col. 4, lines 60-67) having a plurality of mounting diameters (fig 3, seat faces 30, 31; col. 7, lines 24-26) of different dimensions,
the plurality of mounting diameters (seat faces 31, 30) being configured such that the single yoke shaft (shaft of first inner yoke 17) is usable in common in a rear cardan shaft sliding assembly (shaft connections at yoke 23 and flange 25; col. 5, lines 5-9) and in a short cardan shaft sliding assembly (shaft connections at yoke 18 and flange 20; col. 4, lines 65-68),
a protective cover (fig 2, sealing sleeve 11; col. 5, lines 21-34) assembled to the single yoke shaft (shaft 8 and inner yoke 17) by mounting diameters (fig 3, 30, 31),
the mounting diameters being arranged on the single yoke shaft (8, 17) to ensure assembly of the protective cover (sleave 11) configured to protect said single yoke shaft from external environmental effects (col. 5, lines 35-47), and
the single yoke shaft (3, 17) being configured to provide freedom of motion in an axial direction (col. 2, lines 25-30) in the cardan shaft sliding assembly.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNETH L THOMPSON whose telephone number is (571)272-7037. The examiner can normally be reached Weekdays; 9:00-5:00, est.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tara Schimpf can be reached at 571-270-7741. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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6 August 2026
/KENNETH L THOMPSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3676
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