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 .
Drawings
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, a first steering wheel having a first integral ring assembly configured for installation in a first vehicle; a second steering wheel having a second integral ring assembly configured for installation in a second vehicle; and a drive unit configured for releasable attachment to the first integral ring assembly and the second integral ring assembly. must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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.
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(s) 1, 3-4, 6, 7, and 9, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Markfort (US 8,230,964).
Markfort discloses an assisted steering assembly comprising:(a) a steering wheel (60); (b) a ring assembly (20, 30) permanently integrated with the steering wheel (60), the ring assembly comprising:(i) an inner ring (20);(ii) a ring gear (11) disposed on one side of the inner ring (20); and(iii) a gear cover (30) disposed at least partially about the ring gear (30); and(c) an insert (24) installed in a central hub (63) of the steering wheel (60), the insert (24) configured to interface with a steering column (40) of a vehicle (see Fig 1B).
Re claim 3, a drive unit (10) configured for releasable attachment to the ring assembly (20, 30).
Re claim 4, the steering wheel (60) further comprises an outer ring configured for operator grip (61).
Re claim 6, the insert (24) comprises one or more of a notch, a plurality of splines, and one or more shaped protrusions (threads, see Fig 2A).
Re claim 7, the inner ring (20) and ring gear (30) are integral (see Fig 2A).
Re claim 9, the ring assembly (20, 30) is formed with the steering wheel (60).
Claim(s) 1 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Larouche et al (US 7,648,004).
Larouche et al disclose an assisted steering assembly comprising:(a) a steering wheel (52); (b) a ring assembly (42) permanently integrated with the steering wheel (52), the ring assembly comprising:(i) an inner ring (74);(ii) a ring gear (56) disposed on one side of the inner ring (74); and(iii) a gear cover (54) disposed at least partially about the ring gear (56); and(c) an insert (24) installed in a central hub (63) of the steering wheel (60), the insert (24) configured to interface with a steering column (40) of a vehicle (see Fig 1B).
Re claim 2, the ring gear(11) is affixed to the inner ring via one or more fasteners.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19-20 are allowed.
Claims 8, 10-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VICKY A JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)272-7106. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John R Olszewski can be reached at 571-272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VICKY A JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617