DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is in response to the claims filed on 06/05/2024 and restriction election response filed on 8/11/2026.
Claims 1-14 are currently pending and have been examined below. Claims 15-18 were not examined as they are directed to non-elected claims.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (Claims 1-14), in the reply filed on 08/11/2026 is acknowledged.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because:
At least par. 52 discloses “Fig. 1, illustrates the driving element 112 being in the second position B and the driving element 112 being in the first position A”. This is brought to applicant’s attention as figure 1 shows both position A and position B along with a second driving element 112. This was objected because figure 1 is unclear whether the figure intended to show both positions A and B but the driving element can only be at one position (either A or B) or applicant’s invention actually has two driving elements (one located at A and the other located at B).
Examiner also notes that par. 77 discusses “the rotating mechanism 110 may be controlled to rotate in a counterclockwise direction to move the driving element 112 from the first position A to the second position B” which seems to imply that there is only one driving element and it is movable between A and B. Note that figures 2-8 also has this issue.
Figures 1-8 are objected for inconsistency because, in figures 1-2 and 8, the driving element is opaque and does not have dashed lines while figures 3-7 shows the driving element as transparent with dashed lines.
Figures 1-6 are objected because they show the sliding door to be significantly shorter than the sliding door in figures 7-8. It seems that the sliding door of figures 1-6 should be amended to have a broken dashed line at the left end.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following feature(s) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Claim 4 – “a locking mechanism configured to be selectively coupled to the motor-driven rotating mechanism”.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In lines 12-13 of par. 60, drawing character “140” was disclosed as the transmission element, however at least par. 62 discloses “140” as the locking mechanism.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 10, 12, and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In lines 5-6 of claim 10, “and release the counter coupling element for decoupling” should read –and to release the counter coupling element for decoupling--.
In lines 10-11 of claim 12, “a counter coupling element” should read –the counter coupling element--. This issue is also present in claim 14.
Appropriate correction is required. Above provides non-limiting examples, the applicant(s) must find and correct all issues similar to those discussed above.
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 3 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 3
Recitations such as “thereof” on line 3 renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear which element of the invention is the recitation referring to. Note that this issue is also present in claims 4, 8 and 11.
Above provides non-limiting examples, the applicant(s) must find and correct all issues similar to those discussed above.
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.
Claims 1-5 and 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Boyko (US 4775178).
Claim 1
(Boyko discloses) An actuating apparatus (figures 1-11) for a sliding door (12), the actuating apparatus comprising:
a motor-driven rotating mechanism (50; figure 7) comprising a driving element (46) arranged to be selectively moved between a first position (extended position of 46 shown in solid lines in figure 6) and a second position (retracted position of 46a shown in broken lines in figure 6) upon rotation of the motor-driven rotating mechanism (figure 6),
wherein the driving element is configured to be selectively coupled with or decoupled from a counter coupling element (44) of the sliding door when in the first position (figure 6), and
wherein the driving element is configured to drive the counter coupling element coupled therewith upon rotation of the motor-driven rotating mechanism from the first position to the second position (figures 6-10), and
wherein the second position corresponds to a closing position or locking position of the sliding door (see closed/locked position of the door 12 shown in the broken lines in figure 6).
Claim 2
(Boyko discloses) The actuating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor-driven rotating mechanism is self-locking at least in the second position (applicant’s disclosure described ‘self-locking’ by including a motor [0009], this was interpreted in a similar manner and Boyko’s mechanism also has a motor 80).
Claim 3
(Boyko discloses) The actuating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a self-locking gearbox (74 and 76) coupled to the motor-driven rotating mechanism and configured to restrict rotation thereof at least in a direction of the first position (intended use; the worm-worm wheel controls the rotation of the mechanism in either first or second position).
Claim 4
(Boyko discloses) The actuating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism (74 and 76) configured to be selectively coupled to the motor-driven rotating mechanism in at least the second position (figure 6) to restrict rotation thereof at least in a direction of the first position (intended use; the worm-worm wheel controls the rotation of the mechanism in either first or second position).
Claim 5
(Boyko discloses) The actuating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controlling circuitry (circuitry shown in figure 11) configured to control the rotation of the motor-driven rotating mechanism (lines 22-24 of col. 5).
Claim 8
(Boyko discloses) The actuating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controlling circuitry is further configured to generate a third control signal (signal generated by switch 3LS) configured to control a locking mechanism (74 and 76) to lock the motor-driven rotating mechanism such as to restrict rotational movement thereof (when the internal locking 42 is locked).
Claim 9
(Boyko discloses) The actuating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one detection device (switch 2LS) configured to detect at least one of at least a presence of the counter coupling element at the driving element and the driving element at the second position (lines 31-39 of col. 4).
Claim 10
(Boyko discloses) The actuating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving element is configured to open towards a peripheral side (for this claim, the driving element was interpreted to include aperture 54 which opens towards a peripheral side of the vehicle body) or outer side of the motor-driven rotating mechanism when in the first position (this was interpreted as an ‘or’ clause therefore only one of the options is required to be taught by the prior art) to selectively receive the counter coupling element for coupling and release the counter coupling element for decoupling (figures 8-10).
Claim 11
(Boyko discloses) The actuating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor-driven rotating mechanism comprises: a rotatable gear element (74 and 76) drivable by a motor (80) and the driving element at a peripheral section thereof (figure 6).
Claim 12
(Boyko discloses) A sliding door arrangement (figures 1-11), comprising:
a sliding door (12) comprising a counter coupling element (44); and
an actuating apparatus (figures 6-10) comprising:
a motor-driven rotating mechanism (50; figure 7) comprising a driving element (46) arranged to be selectively moved between a first position (extended position of 46 shown in solid lines in figure 6) and a second position (retracted position of 46a shown in broken lines in figure 6) upon rotation of the motor-driven rotating mechanism (figure 6),
wherein the driving element is configured to be selectively coupled with or decoupled from a counter coupling element (44) of the sliding door when in the first position (figure 6), and
wherein the driving element is configured to drive the counter coupling element coupled therewith upon rotation of the motor-driven rotating mechanism from the first position to the second position (figures 6-10), and
wherein the second position corresponds to a closing position or locking position of the sliding door (see closed/locked position of the door 12 shown in the broken lines in figure 6).
Claim 13
(Boyko discloses) The sliding door arrangement of claim 12, further comprising a guiding rail (24) configured to guide the sliding door and the counter coupling element and configured to open towards the driving element positioned in the first position (figure 1).
Claim 14
(Boyko discloses) A vehicle (10) comprising:
a sliding door (12) comprising a counter coupling element (44); and
an actuating apparatus (figures 6-10) comprising:
a motor-driven rotating mechanism (50; figure 7) comprising a driving element (46) arranged to be selectively moved between a first position (extended position of 46 shown in solid lines in figure 6) and a second position (retracted position of 46a shown in broken lines in figure 6) upon rotation of the motor-driven rotating mechanism (figure 6),
wherein the driving element is configured to be selectively coupled with or decoupled from a counter coupling element (44) of the sliding door when in the first position (figure 6), and
wherein the driving element is configured to drive the counter coupling element coupled therewith upon rotation of the motor-driven rotating mechanism from the first position to the second position (figures 6-10), and
wherein the second position corresponds to a closing position or locking position of the sliding door (see closed/locked position of the door 12 shown in the broken lines in figure 6).
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.
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boyko, as applied to claims 1-5 and 8-14 above, in view of Tomaszewski (US 11674338).
Claims 6 and 7
(Boyko discloses) The actuating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controlling circuitry is further configured to receive a first detection signal (signal generated by the switches 1LS and 2LS; figure 6) indicating at least a presence of the counter coupling element at the driving element (lines 25-39 of col. 4) (claim 6),
wherein the controlling circuitry is further configured to receive a second detection signal ( signal generated by the switches 1LS and 2LS; figure 6) indicating that the driving element has reached the second position (when 46 has been retracted as shown in 46a).
Boyko is silent regarding:
(i) generating, based on the first detection signal, a first control signal configured to control the motor-driven rotating mechanism to rotate. (claim 6).
(ii) generating generate a second control signal configured to control the motor-driven rotating mechanism to stop rotating. (claim 7).
(However, Tomaszewski teaches) a controlling circuitry (Tomaszewski figure 3) is further configured to receive a first detection signal (signal via the sensors 38 in Excerpt 1 from col. 13 below) indicating at least a presence of a counter coupling element (104) at a driving element (end of 78; Tomaszewski figure 13) and generate, based on the first detection signal, a first control signal configured to control the motor-driven rotating mechanism to rotate (Excerpt 1 from col. 13 below) (claim 6);
and generate a second control signal (signal when the pulley 100 reaches the hard stop point; Excerpt 1 from col. 13 below) configured to control the motor-driven rotating mechanism to stop rotating. (claim 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide the controlling circuitry of Boyko with the position-detecting features of the circuitry of Tomaszewski for automating the opening/closing of the sliding door thus providing opening/closing assistance of the sliding door for the users.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Klein (DE 102022113485) discloses a similar circular/rotating device for assisting with the opening/closing of a sliding door. Klein was cited as it is similar to applicant’s invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK B PONCIANO whose telephone number is (571)272-9910. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Cahn can be reached at (571) 270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK B. PONCIANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/DANIEL P CAHN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3634
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