DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
2. The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "234a”, “235a”, “236a”, “237a”, “245a”, “246a”, “247a” and “248a” have all been used to designate the third air chamber. 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. 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.
3. The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "23a" and "24a" have both been used to designate the third air spring. 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. 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.
4. The drawings are objected to because the bracket (Figures 6 and 10; Claims 11-12) is not properly labeled. See 37 CFR 1.84 (p) and (q). 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 § 112
5. 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.
6. Claims 6, 8-9, 11-13, 15 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 6 recites “a groove part, wherein the groove part is disposed on a perpendicular bisector between two adjacent air chambers in the at least two air chambers”. It is unclear what the term “perpendicular bisector” refers to and how groove part (242a) is formed on it.
Claim 8 recites “wherein the first air chamber, the second air chamber, the third air chamber, and the fourth air chamber are all provided with a barometric pressure sensor”. Claim 11 recites “the fifth air chamber, the sixth air chamber, the seventh air chamber, and the eighth air chamber are all provided with a barometric pressure sensor”. Claim 15 recites “the fifth air chamber, the sixth air chamber, the seventh air chamber, and the eighth air chamber are all provided with a barometric pressure sensor”. It is unclear if a single pressure sensor is required for the respective air chamber collections or if each air chamber has its own pressure sensor.
Claim 13 recites “wherein both the second air spring and the fourth air spring are single convoluted air springs”. It is unclear what a “single convoluted air spring” is. The Examiner has interpreted this language as requiring air springs, each air spring having a single convolution, or substantive curve.
Claim 14 recites “the first air spring is sleeved on a side surface of the sensor”. Claim 15 recites “the third air spring is sleeved on a side surface of the sensor”. It is unclear if claim 15 is referring to a different side surface or the same side surface.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Claim(s) 1-2, 6-7, 10, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shimizu (US 3,889,936).
As per claim 1, Shimizu discloses an air spring (22, 63; Col. 4, lines 10-13), comprising:
an airway (78); and
at least two air chambers (22, Fig. 2);
wherein the at least two air chambers comprise a first air chamber (22) and a second air chamber (22);
wherein the first air chamber and the second air chamber are distributed at an interval along the airway (22, Fig. 2); and
wherein the first air chamber is connected to the airway by a first control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48), and the second air chamber is connected to the airway by a second control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48).
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As per claim 2, Shimizu discloses the air spring according to claim 1, wherein the at least two air chambers further comprise a third air chamber (22, 63) and a fourth air chamber (22, 63);
wherein the first air chamber, the second air chamber, the third air chamber, and the fourth air chamber are evenly distributed along the airway (The air mounts 22 are symmetrically arranged, Fig. 2); and
wherein the third air chamber is connected to the airway by a third control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48), and the fourth air chamber is connected to the airway by using a fourth control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48).
As per claim 6, Shimizu discloses the air spring according to claim 1, further comprising: a groove part (Fig. 1), wherein the groove part is disposed on a perpendicular bisector between two adjacent air chambers in the at least two air chambers.
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As per claim 7, Shimizu discloses a vibration isolation apparatus (Abstract), comprising:
a first air spring (22, 63; Col. 4, lines 10-13); and
a second air spring (20);
wherein the first air spring comprises a first airway (78), a first air chamber (22), and a second air chamber (22),
wherein the first air chamber and the second air chamber are distributed at an interval along the first airway (22, Fig. 2);
wherein the first air chamber is connected to the first airway by a first control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48), and the second air chamber is connected to the first airway by a second control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48); and
wherein the second air spring is configured to attenuate a vibration component perpendicular to a plane on which the first air spring is located (20).
As per claim 10, Shimizu discloses the vibration isolation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first air spring and the second air spring are of an integral structure (Fig. 1); or
wherein the first air spring is fixedly connected to the second air spring (Fig. 1).
As per claim 13, Shimizu discloses the vibration isolation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein both the second air spring and the fourth air spring are single convoluted air springs (43, 63, Fig. 1).
10. Claim(s) 1-3, 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Motz (US 2006/0049557).
As per claim 1, Motz discloses an air spring (18), comprising:
an airway (30); and
at least two air chambers (18);
wherein the at least two air chambers comprise a first air chamber (19) and a second air chamber (20);
wherein the first air chamber and the second air chamber are distributed at an interval along the airway (Fig. 3); and
wherein the first air chamber is connected to the airway by a first control valve (29), and the second air chamber is connected to the airway by a second control valve (29).
As per claim 2, Motz discloses the air spring according to claim 1, wherein the at least two air chambers further comprise a third air chamber (21) and a fourth air chamber (22);
wherein the first air chamber, the second air chamber, the third air chamber, and the fourth air chamber are evenly distributed along the airway (Fig. 2); and
wherein the third air chamber is connected to the airway by a third control valve (29), and the fourth air chamber is connected to the airway by using a fourth control valve (29).
As per claim 3, Motz discloses the air spring according to claim 2, wherein the airway is annular (Fig. 2), and the first air chamber, the second air chamber, and the third air chamber are evenly distributed along a circumferential direction of the airway (Fig. 2).
As per claim 6, Motz discloses the air spring according to claim 1, further comprising: a groove part (17), wherein the groove part is disposed on a perpendicular bisector between two adjacent air chambers in the at least two air chambers.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
11. 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.
12. Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimizu (US 3,889,936) in view of Motz (US 2006/0049557).
As per claim 3, Shimizu discloses the air spring according to claim 2, but does not disclose wherein the airway is annular.
Motz discloses a pneumatic vibration isolator wherein the airway is annular (Fig. 2), and the first air chamber, the second air chamber, and the third air chamber are evenly distributed along a circumferential direction of the airway (Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the pneumatic mounting assembly of Shimizu by forming the mounting base as a circle and evenly distributing the supports as taught by Motz in order to improve load-balancing.
13. Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimizu (US 3,889,936) in view of Schubert (US 6,029,764).
As per claim 5, Shimizu discloses the air spring according to claim 1, but does not disclose wherein each air chamber of the at least two air chambers is provided with a barometric pressure sensor.
Schubert discloses an active suspension system wherein each air chamber of the at least two air chambers is provided with a barometric pressure sensor (56). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air springs of Shimizu by providing respective air pressure sensors as taught by Schubert in order to provide feedback signals for improved damping (Schubert: Col. 10, lines 42-44).
14. Claim(s) 4, 8, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimizu (US 3,889,936) in view of Motz (US 2006/0049557) and further in view of Schubert (US 6,029,764).
As per claim 4, Shimizu and Motz discloses the air spring according to claim 3. Although Shimizu discloses an air regulator (80) and Motz discloses a plurality of valves upstream of the bellows-control valves (32, 33), they do not disclose an intake valve and an exhaust valve.
Schubert discloses an active suspension system wherein the airway is further provided with an intake valve (214) and an exhaust valve (216), and the intake valve and the exhaust valve are disposed on a same side of a circumferential diameter of the airway (The valves (214, 216) are located outside of each vibration isolator (28, 30, 32), Fig. 8). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air regulators of Shimizu by providing them with control valve assemblies as taught by Schubert in order to provide improved dampening control.
As per claim 8, Shimizu discloses the vibration isolation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first air spring further comprises a third air chamber (22, 63) and a fourth air chamber (22, 63);
wherein the third air chamber is connected to the first airway by a third control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48), and the fourth air chamber is connected to the first airway by a fourth control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48).
Shimizu does not disclose wherein the first airway is annular, and the first air chamber, the second air chamber, the third air chamber, and the fourth air chamber are evenly distributed along a circumferential direction of the first airway; and wherein the first air chamber, the second air chamber, the third air chamber, and the fourth air chamber are all provided with a barometric pressure sensor.
Motz discloses a pneumatic vibration isolator wherein the first airway is annular (Fig. 2), and the first air chamber, the second air chamber, the third air chamber, and the fourth air chamber are evenly distributed along a circumferential direction of the first airway (Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the pneumatic mounting assembly of Shimizu by forming the mounting base as a circle and evenly distributing the supports as taught by Motz in order to improve load-balancing. Although Motz discloses barometric pressure sensors (84, Fig. 7), he does not disclose providing each bellows with a respective pressure sensor.
Schubert discloses an active suspension system wherein the first air chamber, the second air chamber, the third air chamber, and the fourth air chamber are all provided with a barometric pressure sensor (56). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air springs of Shimizu by providing respective air pressure sensors as taught by Schubert in order to provide feedback signals for improved damping (Schubert: Col. 10, lines 42-44).
As per claim 9, Shimizu, Motz and Schubert disclose the vibration isolation apparatus according to claim 8. Schubert further discloses wherein the first airway is further provided with a first intake valve (214) and a first exhaust valve (216), and the first intake valve and the first exhaust valve are disposed on a same side of a circumferential diameter of the first airway (The valves (214, 216) are located outside of each vibration isolator (28, 30, 32), Fig. 8). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air regulators of Shimizu by providing them with control valve assemblies as taught by Schubert in order to provide improved dampening control.
15. Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimizu (US 3,889,936) in view of Yasuda et al (US 5,121,898).
As per claim 14, Shimizu discloses an assembly (Col. 1, lines 3-6), comprising:
a vibration isolation apparatus (Abstract);
wherein the vibration isolation apparatus comprises a first air spring (22, 63; Col. 4, lines 10-13) and a second air spring (20), and the second air spring is configured to attenuate a vibration component perpendicular to a plane on which the first air spring is located (20);
wherein the first air spring comprises a first airway (78), a first air chamber (22), a second air chamber (22), a third air chamber (22), and a fourth air chamber (22),
wherein the first air chamber, the second air chamber, the third air chamber, and the fourth air chamber are evenly distributed along the airway (The air mounts 22 are symmetrically arranged, Fig. 2); and
wherein the first air chamber is connected to the first airway by a first control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48), the second air chamber is connected to the first airway by a second control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48), the third air chamber is connected to the airway by a third control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48), and the fourth air chamber is connected to the airway by a fourth control valve (Col. 4, lines 46-48). Shimizu does not disclose a sensor.
Yasuda et al discloses a sensor assembly (The sensor assembly is the combination of vibration control base 131 and the affixed electron microscope, Col. 6, lines 9-15), comprising:
a vibration isolation apparatus (Abstract); and
a sensor (Col. 6, lines 9-15);
wherein the vibration isolation apparatus comprises a first air spring (Fig. 11) and a second air spring (Fig. 11), the first air spring is sleeved on a side surface of the sensor (131, Fig. 11; Col. 6, lines 9-15), the second air spring is disposed on a first end of the sensor (131, Fig. 11; Col. 6, lines 9-15). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air mount assembly of Shimizu by using it to support an electron microscope as taught by Yasuda et al in order to reduce vibrations for improved data collection.
16. Claim(s) 11, 12 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimizu (US 3,889,936) in view of Yasuda et al (US 5,121,898), Motz (US 2006/0049557) and Schubert (US 6,029,764).
As per claim 11, Shimizu discloses the vibration isolation apparatus according to claim 7, but does not disclose additional iterations of the axial and radial damping assemblies.
Yasuda et al discloses an active vibration control apparatus comprising
a third air spring (Fig. 11);
a fourth air spring (Fig. 11); and
a bracket (131);
wherein the second air spring, the first air spring, the third air spring, and the fourth air spring are sequentially arranged (Fig. 11), the second air spring is fixedly connected to the bracket (Fig. 11), and the fourth air spring is fixedly connected to the bracket (Fig. 11);
wherein the fourth air spring is configured to attenuate a vibration component perpendicular to a plane on which the third air spring is located (Fig. 11), and the third air spring is fixedly connected to the fourth air spring (Fig. 11). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the single pneumatic mounting assembly of Shimizu by using multiple pneumatic mounting assemblies to cooperatively support a single platform as taught by Yasuda et al in order to effectively dampen large loads.
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Shimizu further discloses a third air spring (22, 63; Col. 4, lines 10-13);
a fourth air spring (20); and
wherein the third air spring comprises a second airway (78), a fifth air chamber (22), a sixth air chamber (22), a seventh air chamber (22), and an eighth air chamber (22),
wherein the fourth air spring is configured to attenuate a vibration component perpendicular to a plane on which the third air spring is located (20), and the third air spring is fixedly connected to the fourth air spring (Fig. 1). Shimizu and Yasuda et al do not disclose wherein the second airway is annular, barometric pressure sensors for each of the bellows or intake and exhaust valves.
Motz discloses a pneumatic vibration isolator wherein the second airway is annular (Fig. 2); and wherein the fifth air chamber, the sixth air chamber, the seventh air chamber, and the eighth air chamber are evenly distributed along a circumferential direction of the second airway (Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the pneumatic mounting assembly of Shimizu by forming the mounting base as a circle and evenly distributing the supports as taught by Motz in order to improve load-balancing. Shimizu, Yasuda et al and Motz do not disclose intake and exhaust valves and although Motz discloses barometric pressure sensors (84, Fig. 7), he does not disclose providing each bellows with a respective pressure sensor.
Schubert discloses an active suspension system wherein the second airway is further provided with a second intake valve (214) and a second exhaust valve (216), and the second intake valve and the second exhaust valve are disposed on a same side of a circumferential diameter of the second airway (The valves (214, 216) are located outside of each vibration isolator (28, 30, 32), Fig. 8); and the fifth air chamber, the sixth air chamber, the seventh air chamber, and the eighth air chamber are all provided with a barometric pressure sensor (56). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air springs of Shimizu by providing respective air pressure sensors as taught by Schubert in order to provide feedback signals for improved damping (Schubert: Col. 10, lines 42-44). In addition, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air regulators of Shimizu by providing them with control valve assemblies as taught by Schubert in order to provide improved dampening control.
As per claim 12, Shimizu, Yasuda et al, Motz and Schubert disclose the vibration isolation apparatus according to claim 11. Schubert further discloses wherein the bracket is configured to fixedly connect the vibration isolation apparatus to a vehicle (Fig. 15; Col. 17, lines 18-41). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the pneumatic mounting assembly of Shimizu and Yasuda et al by using it to support a vehicle cab as taught by Schubert in order to provide vibration damping for the driver.
As per claim 15, Shimizu and Yasuda et al disclose the sensor assembly according to claim 14. Yasuda et al discloses further comprising:
a third air spring (Fig. 11); and
a fourth air spring (Fig. 11);
wherein the second air spring, the first air spring, the third air spring, and the fourth air spring are sequentially arranged (Fig. 11), the third air spring is sleeved on a side surface of the sensor (131, Fig. 11; Col. 6, lines 9-15), and the fourth air spring is disposed on a second end of the sensor (131, Fig. 11; Col. 6, lines 9-15);
wherein the third air spring comprises a second airway (Fig. 11), a fifth air chamber (3a), a sixth air chamber (3b), a seventh air chamber (3c), and an eighth air chamber (3d),
wherein the fourth air spring is configured to attenuate a vibration component perpendicular to a plane on which the third air spring is located (Fig. 11), and the third air spring is fixedly connected to the fourth air spring (Fig. 11). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the single pneumatic mounting assembly of Shimizu by using multiple pneumatic mounting assemblies to cooperatively support a single platform as taught by Yasuda et al in order to effectively dampen large loads.
Shimizu discloses a third air spring (22); and a fourth air spring (20); wherein the third air spring comprises a second airway (78), a fifth air chamber (22), a sixth air chamber (22), a seventh air chamber (22), and an eighth air chamber (22). Shimizu and Yasuda et al do not disclose wherein the second airway is annular, barometric pressure sensors for each of the bellows or intake and exhaust valves.
Motz discloses a pneumatic vibration isolator wherein the second airway is annular (Fig. 2), wherein the fifth air chamber, the sixth air chamber, the seventh air chamber, and the eighth air chamber are evenly distributed along a circumferential direction of the second airway (Fig. 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the pneumatic mounting assembly of Shimizu by forming the mounting base as a circle and evenly distributing the supports as taught by Motz in order to improve load-balancing. Shimizu, Yasuda et al and Motz do not disclose intake and exhaust valves and although Motz discloses barometric pressure sensors (84, Fig. 7), he does not disclose providing each bellows with a respective pressure sensor.
Schubert discloses an active suspension system wherein the second airway is further provided with a second intake valve (214) and a second exhaust valve (216), and the second intake valve and the second exhaust valve are disposed on a same side of a circumferential diameter of the second airway (The valves (214, 216) are located outside of each vibration isolator (28, 30, 32), Fig. 8);
and the fifth air chamber, the sixth air chamber, the seventh air chamber, and the eighth air chamber are all provided with a barometric pressure sensor (56). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air springs of Shimizu by providing respective air pressure sensors as taught by Schubert in order to provide feedback signals for improved damping (Schubert: Col. 10, lines 42-44). In addition, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air regulators of Shimizu by providing them with control valve assemblies as taught by Schubert in order to provide improved dampening control.
Conclusion
17. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Pneumatic shock absorbers
Wen et al (CN 113352845).
Kaal et al (DE 102017220578).
Shim (EP 3805598).
Kunz (FR 1300223).
Andreichik et al (SU 1044861).
Hayashi (US 2007/0246871).
McNally (US 2,883,131).
Hartnell-Beavis (US 3,371,894).
Mansell et al (US 5,282,601).
Lloyd (US 2010/0270760).
18. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHEN M BOWES whose telephone number is (571) 270-0460. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
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STEPHEN M. BOWES IV
Examiner
Art Unit 3616
/STEPHEN M BOWES/Examiner, Art Unit 3616
/BRADLEY T KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
Prosecution Insights