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
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chinese Patent No. CN 113915279 to Sarapata et al (see PG Publication No. 2023/0111905 to Sarapata et al for the citations in the rejections below) in view of German Patent No. DE 102020210809 to Slatosch et al.
Regarding Claim 1, Sarapata et al disclose a damper assembly (see Figures 1-14) having most all the features of the instant invention including: a main tube 3 filled with a working liquid, a rod 5 disposed at least partially within the main tube 3, a piston assembly 4 connected to the rod 5 and slidably disposed within the main tube 3, the piston assembly 4 dividing an interior of the main tube 3 into a rebound chamber 11 and a compression chamber 12 (see paragraph 0041 of the PG Pub ‘905 translation), a hydraulic compression stop assembly 8 including a piston sleeve 83 disposed in the compression chamber 12 and attached to the piston assembly 4 (see Figures 3 and 4 and paragraph 0045 of the PG Pub ‘095 document), wherein the main tube 3 includes a shoulder (see Figure 3 and the portion of tube 3 just above element 812) and a necked-down portion 81 extending from the shoulder (via element 812, as shown in Figures 3 and 4) and having a reduced diameter smaller than a diameter of the main tube 3 opposite of the shoulder (see Figures 3 and 4, wherein the end of insert 81 proximal to sleeve 83 is tapered so that the inner diameter of insert 81 is smaller than the inner diameter of tube 3 opposite the shoulder), wherein the necked-down portion 81 is configured to receive the piston sleeve 83 (see paragraphs 0045-0047 of the PG Pub ‘905 document), an external flow channel 89 outside of the main tube 3, and wherein the necked-down portion 81 defines a plurality of axially-spaced holes 814, each providing fluid communication between the compression chamber 12 and the external flow channel 89 (see paragraph 0048 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
However, Sarapata et al do not disclose a tubular wall disposed around the necked-down portion and defining the external flow channel outside of the main tube.
Slatosch et al are relied upon merely for their teachings of a damper assembly 1 (see Figures 1-4) having a main tube 7 configured to receive a piston sleeve 14 (see Figure 2) and a tubular wall 11 disposed around the main tube 7 and defining an external flow channel 12 outside the main tube 7 (see paragraph 0040 of the applicant provided translation), wherein the main tube 7 defines a plurality of axially-spaced holes 8.1-8.10, each providing fluid communication between a compression chamber and the external flow channel 12.
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 damper assembly of Sarapata et al with a tubular wall disposed around the necked-down portion of the main tube as taught by Slatosch et al in order to ensure that hydraulic fluid cannot escape uncontrollably from the external flow channel into the compensation chamber thus limiting the impact force in the axial direction.
Regarding Claim 2, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose a base valve assembly 7 located at a closed end of the main tube 3 (see Figure 2 of the PG Pub ‘905 document) and configured to control a flow of the working liquid between the compression chamber 12 and a compensation chamber 13 (see Figures 1-8 and paragraph 0041 of PG Pub ‘905).
Regarding Claim 3, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose that the base valve assembly 7 includes a compression valve assembly 72 and a rebound valve assembly 71 each configured to control the flow of the working liquid between the compression chamber 12 and the compensation chamber 13 (see paragraphs 0041 and 0044 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 4, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose an outer tube 2 disposed annularly about the main tube 3 and defining the compensation chamber 13 therebetween (see Figures 1-8 of the PG Pub’ 905 document).
Regarding Claim 5, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose a rebound check valve 88 configured to allow fluid flow from the base valve assembly 7 and into the compression chamber 12 while blocking fluid flow in an opposite direction, thereby bypassing the external flow channel 89 during a rebound stroke (see paragraph 0051 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 6, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose a spring 84 disposed between and attached to each of the piston sleeve 83 and the piston assembly 4, thereby allowing the piston sleeve 83 to move in an axial direction and relative to the piston assembly 4 (see Figures 1-8 and paragraph 0052 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 7, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose that the piston sleeve 83 includes a tubular portion 833 defining a spring retainer configured to hold an end of the spring 84 opposite from the piston assembly 4 (see Figures 3 and 4 and paragraph 0046 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 8, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose that the spring 84 includes a coil spring (see paragraph 0052 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 9, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose that the spring 84 is at least partially disposed within the piston sleeve 83 (see Figures 3 and 4 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 10, Sarapata et al., as modified, do not disclose that the spring is integrally formed with the piston sleeve.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have constructed the spring of Sarapata et al., as modified, to be integrally formed with the piston sleeve as a matter of design preference dependent upon the desired connection between the spring and the piston sleeve. Constructing the spring to be integrally formed with the piston would also minimize the overall number of parts to the damper assembly.
Regarding Claim 11, Sarapata et al., as modified, do not disclose that the spring and the piston sleeve are formed of a plastic material.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have constructed the spring and piston sleeve of Sarapata et al., as modified, to both be formed of a plastic material as a matter of design preference dependent upon the desired strength and rigidity of the spring and piston sleeve, design costs, material availability, etc.
Regarding Claim 12, Slatosch et al. further disclose that the plurality of axially-spaced holes 8.1-8.10 includes a second plurality of holes circumferentially spaced apart from one another (see Figure 2 of Slatosch et al, wherein holes 8.1-8.10 are circumferentially spaced apart from one another).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have designed the axially spaced holes of Sarapata et al to include a second plurality of holes circumferentially spaced apart from one another as taught by Slatosch et al as an alternate hole configuration displacement. By constructing another set of the holes to be circumferentially spaced from one another, a more uniform liquid displacement throughout the damper is realized.
Regarding Claim 13, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose a compression safety valve 87 configured to open at a predefined threshold of pressure within the compression chamber 12 and to allow the working liquid to flow out of the compression chamber 12 and to bypass the plurality of axially- spaced holes 814 and the external flow channel 89 (see Figure 5 and paragraph 0051 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 14, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose an adapter 82 fixed to the base valve assembly 7 and configured to regulate fluid flow between the compression chamber 12 and the base valve assembly 7 (see paragraph 0047 of the PG Pub’ 905 document).
Regarding Claim 15, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose that the adapter 82 defines a plurality of flow passages 822 providing fluid communication between the external flow channel 89 and the base valve assembly 7 (see paragraph 0050 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 16, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose that the adapter 82 includes a bottom end of the main tube 3 adjacent to the base valve assembly 7 (see Figures 1-8 of the PG Pub ‘905 document), and wherein the adapter 82 includes a rebound check valve 88 configured to allow fluid flow from the base valve assembly 7 and into the compression chamber 12 while blocking fluid flow in an opposite direction, thereby bypassing the external flow channel 89 during a rebound stroke (see paragraph 0051 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 17, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose at least one valve assembly 41,42 configured to regulate a flow of the working liquid between the rebound chamber 11 and the compression chamber 12 and to thereby generate a damping force (see Figure 2 and paragraph 0044 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 18, see Claim 1 above.
Regarding Claim 19, Sarapata et al., as modified, further disclose an adapter 82 at least partially enclosing an end of the necked-down portion (of element 3) and configured to regulate fluid flow therethrough (see Figures 3 and 4 of the PG Pub ‘905 document).
Regarding Claim 20, see Claim 16 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent No. 11,181,161 to Baldoni et al and U.S. Patent No. 12,416,344 to Sarapata et al both disclose damper assemblies similar to applicant’s.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAMELA RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-7122. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7 AM - 5 PM.
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PAMELA RODRIGUEZ
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
/PAMELA RODRIGUEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616 08/17/26
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