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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 9, 10, 13-16 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0204406 A1 to Yoon et al. in view of US 7,510,163 to Schlitzkus et al.
Re-claim 1, Yoon et al. teach a roll rod comprising: a rod bracket 11; a front insulator 13 is coupled to a front portion of the rod bracket; an end plate 20 comprises a fastening bar 12 fixed into a rear portion of the rod bracket; a rear insulator 30a/30b is coupled to the fastening bar and disposed between the end plate 20 and the rod bracket 11; a casing bracket 40 is coupled to an outer portion of the rear insulator. However, Yoon et al. fails to teach the fastening bar press-fitted to the rod bracket, but rather bolt and thread fitted.
Schlitzkus et al. teach a bar 16 fixed to a structure using either a threaded a blind bore 29, or press-fitted to the blind bore 29 (see column 2 lines 42-47). Either connection means is common in the art, the choice of which to use is dependent upon the desires of the artisan. It is noted that press-fitted reduces the number of parts in Yoon et al., such as elimination of a bolt, and simplifies assembly. Thus, as per the teachings of Schlitzkus et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have replaced the thread and bolt connection for the fastening bar in Yoon et al. with a press-fitted connection as suggested by Schlitzkus et al., as this would have yielded the same expectant result of producing a positive connection between the fastening bar and the rod bracket.
Re-claim 2, Yoon et al. teach a fastening hole disposed in the rear portion of the rod bracket 11. This hole would have provided the space for the press-fitted connection as taught by Schlitzkus et al.
Re-claims 3 10 and 14, Schlitzkus et al. teach a fastening hole having a diameter equal to or slightly smaller than the bar, as is common with press-fitted arrangements. For a press-fit arrangement to work, the receiving hole must be the substantially the same diameter as the bar, or slightly smaller. This allows for a thorough fit.
Re-claims 4, 5, 15 and 16, Schlitzkus et al. further teaches a plurality of anti-rotation protrusions (such as fluted portions 28) disposed on the front portion of the fastening bar 16; a plurality of protrusion insertion grooves are disposed in an inner surface of the fastening hole portion, the plurality of anti-rotation protrusions are coupled to the plurality of protrusion insertion grooves, the plurality of anti-rotation protrusions extends in a length direction of the fastening bar and is arranged in a circumferential direction of the fastening bar (see figure 5). This arrangement prevents unwanted rotation of the bar relative to the fastening hole. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the fastening bar and fastening hole of Yoon et al. with longitudinally extending anti-rotation protrusions and grooves as taught by Schlitzkus et al., thus preventing unwanted rotation of the bar relative to the fastening hole.
Re-claim 9, Yoon et al. teach a roll rod comprising: a rod bracket 11; a front insulator 13 is coupled to a front portion of the rod bracket; an end plate 20 comprises a fastening bar 12 fixed into a rear portion of the rod bracket; the fastening bar 12 protrudes from a surface of the end plate 20 (see figure 1c); a rear insulator 30a/30b is coupled to the fastening bar and disposed between the end plate 20 and the rod bracket 11; a casing bracket 40 is coupled to an outer portion of the rear insulator. However, Yoon et al. fails to teach the fastening bar press-fitted to the rod bracket, but rather bolt and thread fitted.
Schlitzkus et al. teach a bar 16 fixed to a structure using either a threaded a blind bore 29, or press-fitted to the blind bore 29 (see column 2 lines 42-47). Either connection means is common in the art, the choice of which to use is dependent upon the desires of the artisan. It is noted that press-fitted reduces the number of parts in Yoon et al., such as elimination of a bolt, and simplifies assembly. Thus, as per the teachings of Schlitzkus et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have replaced the thread and bolt connection for the fastening bar in Yoon et al. with a press-fitted connection as suggested by Schlitzkus et al., as this would have yielded the same expectant result of producing a positive connection between the fastening bar and the rod bracket.
Re-claim 13, Yoon et al. teach a vehicle comprising: a vehicle body (see paragraph 3); a powertrain 8, a roll rod 1 is coupled between the vehicle body and the powertrain, the roll rod comprises: a rod bracket 11; a front insulator 13 is coupled to a front portion of the rod bracket; an end plate 20 comprises a fastening bar 12 fixed into a rear portion of the rod bracket; the fastening bar 12 protrudes from a surface of the end plate 20 (see figure 1c); a rear insulator 30a/30b is coupled to the fastening bar and disposed between the end plate 20 and the rod bracket 11; a casing bracket 40 is coupled to an outer portion of the rear insulator. However, Yoon et al. fails to teach the fastening bar press-fitted to the rod bracket, but rather bolt and thread fitted.
Schlitzkus et al. teach a bar 16 fixed to a structure using either a threaded a blind bore 29, or press-fitted to the blind bore 29 (see column 2 lines 42-47). Either connection means is common in the art, the choice of which to use is dependent upon the desires of the artisan. It is noted that press-fitted reduces the number of parts in Yoon et al., such as elimination of a bolt, and simplifies assembly. Thus, as per the teachings of Schlitzkus et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have replaced the thread and bolt connection for the fastening bar in Yoon et al. with a press-fitted connection as suggested by Schlitzkus et al., as this would have yielded the same expectant result of producing a positive connection between the fastening bar and the rod bracket.
Re-claim 20, the fastening bar 12 protrudes from a surface of the end plate 20 (see figure 1c).
Claim(s) 6-8, 11, 12 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. in view of Schlitzkus et al. as applied to claims 4, 10 and 15 above, and further in view of US 5,913,633 to Shmizu et al.
Re-claims 6-8 and 17-19, the fastening bar of Yoon et al. as modified by Schlitzkus et al. fail to teach a rivet portion disposed on the front portion and disposed forward of the anti-rotation protrusions, with the rivet portion adhered to a front end of the fastening hole portion in a state of being pressed by a riveting jig positioned forward of the fastening hole portion in a state in which the anti-rotation protrusions are inserted into the protrusion insertion grooves; or the rivet portion having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the fastening hole portion in a state in which the rivet portion is adhered to the front end of the fastening hole portion.
Shimizu et al. teach a bar 5 press-fitted to a bracket 1, a rivet portion 14 secures the bar to the shaft, the rivet portion is attached to a fastening hole 4 by a riveting jig 9. This prevents easy removal of the bar from the shaft, thus ensuring a positive axial connection. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention when having press-fitted the fastening bar of Yoon et al. to the rod bracket as suggested by Schlitzkus et al. to have further provided a rivet portion on the front portion of the fastening bar as taught by Shmizu et al., thus ensuring the fastening bar is not easily removed from the fastening hole.
Re-claims 11 and 12, Yoon et al. fail to teach a plurality of anti-rotation protrusions disposed on the front portion of the fastening bar, extending in a length direction of the fastening bar, and arranged in a circumferential direction of the fastening bar; a plurality of protrusion insertion grooves disposed in an inner surface of the fastening hole portion, wherein the plurality of anti-rotation protrusions is configured to be coupled to the plurality of protrusion insertion grooves; or a rivet portion disposed on the front portion of the fastening bar and disposed forward of the anti-rotation protrusions and the rivet portion adhered to a front end of the fastening hole portion in a state of being pressed by a riveting jig positioned forward of the fastening hole portion in a state in which the anti-rotation protrusions are inserted into the protrusion insertion grooves, the rivet portion having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the fastening hole portion in a state in which the rivet portion is adhered to the front end of the fastening hole portion.
Schlitzkus et al. teaches a plurality of anti-rotation protrusions (such as fluted portions 28) disposed on the front portion of the fastening bar 16; a plurality of protrusion insertion grooves are disposed in an inner surface of the fastening hole portion, the plurality of anti-rotation protrusions are coupled to the plurality of protrusion insertion grooves, the plurality of anti-rotation protrusions extends in a length direction of the fastening bar and is arranged in a circumferential direction of the fastening bar (see figure 5). This arrangement prevents unwanted rotation of the bar relative to the fastening hole. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the fastening bar and fastening hole of Yoon et al. with longitudinally extending anti-rotation protrusions and grooves as taught by Schlitzkus et al., thus preventing unwanted rotation of the bar relative to the fastening hole.
Shimizu et al. teach a bar 5 press-fitted to a bracket 1, a rivet portion 14 secures the bar to the shaft, the rivet portion is attached to a fastening hole 4 by a riveting jig 9. This prevents easy removal of the bar from the shaft, thus ensuring a positive axial connection. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention when having press-fitted the fastening bar of Yoon et al. to the rod bracket as suggested by Schlitzkus et al. to have further provided a rivet portion on the front portion of the fastening bar as taught by Shmizu et al., thus ensuring the fastening bar is not easily removed from the fastening hole.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim, Yun, Weston, Kropp and Cho each teach a roll rod. Weston, Kropp and Kim (DE ‘588) appear to show a fastening rod that is fitted to a bore. Roeda teaches a support rod press-fitted to a blind bore.
Any inquiries concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
examiner should be directed to Thomas Williams whose telephone number is 571-272-7128.
The examiner can normally be reached on Tuesday-Friday from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
supervisor, Robert Siconolfi, can be reached at 571-272-7124. The fax phone number for the
organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding
should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is 571-272-6584.
TJW /THOMAS J WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616 August 4, 2026
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