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 Objections
Claims 12 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 12, line 1, “of claims 8” should be “of claim 8”;
In claim 14, line 3, “of right tie rod” should be “of the right tie rod”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 6, 7, 13 and 17 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 the limitation "the steering system" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Applicant should use consist terms throughout the disclosure when referring to a single feature, component or system. Claim 7 depends from claim 6, and therefore, is rejected for the same reasons.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the outer end" in lines 2 and 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the steering system" in lines 1 – 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The terminology should remain consistent throughout the claims to maintain clarity.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 – 5, 8, 10, 11 – 13, 15, 16, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by patent application publication number US 20040173397 A1 to Haruna.
Regarding claims 1 – 5, 8, 10, 11 – 13, 15, 16, 19 and 20, Haruna discloses a vehicle steering system (steering mechanism 84) comprising:
[Claim 1] a steering column (steering column 120);
a pitman arm (pitman arm 124) connected to a lower end of the steering column (“At the lower end of the steering column 120, there is affixed a pitman arm 124 (FIG. 5)”; Paragraph [0038]);
a left tie rod (left tie rod 94) having an inner end pivotally connected to the pitman arm about a first axis (central axis 134, where left tie rod 94 attaches to transfer lever 144, See Fig. 8) ; and
a right tie rod (right tie rod 90) having an inner end pivotally connected to the pitman arm about the first axis (central axis 134, where left tie rod 90 attaches to transfer lever 144, See Fig. 8);
[Claim 2] wherein:
the steering column (steering column 120) turns about a steering column axis (the axis extending through steering column 120, as shown in Fig. 6); and
the first axis (central axis 134) is parallel to the steering column axis (See Figs. 6 and 8,indicating the direction of both axes);
[Claim 3] wherein the pitman arm (pitman arm 124) is configured to turn about the steering column axis (the axis extending through steering column 120, as shown in Fig. 6) together with the steering column (steering column 120; Paragraph [0044]);
[Claim 4] wherein the steering column (steering column 120) is connected to the pitman arm (pitman arm 124) at a position between the steering column axis (the axis extending through steering column 120, as shown in Fig. 6) and the first axis (central axis 134; in that the pitman arm 124 extends between the steering column 120 and point where tie rods attach to the transfer levers 144, also the pitman arm extends to one side of the steering column where it is attached; See Figs. 5 and 6);
[Claim 5] further comprising:
a left arm (forward end 148) pivotally connected to the pitman arm (pitman arm 124) about the first axis (central axis 134); and
a right arm (rearward end 150) pivotally connected to the pitman arm about the first axis;
wherein:
the left tie rod (left tie rod 94) is pivotally connected to the pitman arm via the left arm (forward end 148); and
the right tie rod (right tie rod 90) is pivotally connected to the pitman arm via the right arm (rearward end 150);
[Claim 8 ] wherein:
the inner end of the left tie rod (left tie rod 94) is pivotally connected to the left arm (forward end 148) about a second axis (where left tie rod 94 attaches to forward end 148); and
the inner end of the right tie rod (right tie rod 90) is pivotally connected to the right arm (rearward end 150) about a third axis (where right tie rod 90 attaches to rearward end 150);
[Claim 10] wherein the first axis (central axis 134) extends more vertically than the second and third axes with the vehicle at rest on a horizontal surface (the components along central axis 134 are longer than those along the axes where the left and right tie rods attached to respective forward end 148 and rearward end 150; See Fig. 8);
[Claim 11] further comprising:
a left revolute joint (See Fig. 5, 6 and 8) pivotally connecting the inner end of the left tie rod (left tie rod 94)) to the left arm (forward end 148) about the second axis (where left tie rod 94 attaches to forward end 148 is a one degree of freedom joint), the left revolute joint defining the second axis; and
a right revolute joint (See Figs. 5, 6 and 8) pivotally connecting the inner end of the right tie rod (right tie rod 90) to the right arm (rearward end 150) about the third axis (where right tie rod 90 attaches to rearward end 150 is a one degree of freedom joint), the right revolute joint defining the third axis;
[Claim 12] a width of the left arm (the smallest width of forward end 148 as shown in Fig. 6) is less than a length of the pitman arm (the longest length of pitman arm 124 as shown in Fig. 6); and
a width of the right arm (the smallest width of rearward end 150 as shown in Fig. 6) is less than the length of the pitman arm (the longest length of pitman arm 124 as shown in Fig. 6);
[Claim 13] wherein:
a distance between the outer end and the inner end of the left tie rod (left tie rod 94, as shown in Fig. 6) is at least four times greater than the width of the left arm (the smallest width of forward end 148 as shown in Fig. 6); and
a distance between the outer end and the inner end of the right tie rod (right tie rod 90, as shown in Fig. 6) is at least four times greater than the width of the right arm (the smallest width of rearward end 150 as shown in Fig. 6);
[Claim 15] further comprising a handlebar (handlebar assembly 40) connected to an upper end of the steering column (steering column 120; Paragraph [0044]; Figs. 1 and 2);
[Claim 16] comprising: a frame (frame 16);
the vehicle steering system (steering mechanism 84) of claim 1 supported by the frame;
a front left ground engaging member (left ski 76) operatively connected to an outer end of the left tie rod (left tie rod 94; Fig. 3);
a front right ground engaging member (right ski 78) operatively connected to an outer end of the right tie rod (right tie rod 90; Fig. 5);
at least one rear ground engaging member (carriage assembly 48) connected to the frame; and
a motor (engine, Paragraph [0019]) supported by the frame and operatively connected to at least one of:
the front right ground engaging member (right ski 78) and the front left ground engaging member (left ski 76); and
the at least one rear ground engaging member (carriage assembly 48);
[Claim 19] wherein the pitman arm (pitman arm 124) is disposed at a lateral center of the vehicle (Figs. 5 and 6 show the pitman arm 124 on the steering column 120 in line with the central pivot axis 134); and
[Claim 20] wherein:
the vehicle is a snowmobile (snowmobile 10);
the frame has a tunnel (indicated as 16 in Fig. 1);
the vehicle further comprises a seat (seat 36) disposed at least in part over the tunnel (See Fig. 1);
the front left ground engaging member (left ski 76) is a left ski;
the front right ground engaging member (right ski 78) is a right ski;
the at least one rear ground engaging member (carriage assembly 48) is an endless drive track disposed at least in part under the tunnel; and
the endless drive track is driven by the motor (engine, Paragraph [0019]).
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 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Haruna.
Regarding claims 17 and 18, Haruna discloses the vehicle of claim 16, including a front left suspension assembly (left hydraulic shock absorber 96, Fig. 2) and a front right suspension assembly (right hydraulic shock absorber 96, Fig. 2) capable of supporting at least in part the steering column (steering column 120). Haruna does not disclose:
[Claim 17] wherein a maximum Ackerman value of the steering system is less than 3 degrees, and is particularly silent about an Ackerman value, although it is inherent; and
[Claim 18] further comprising;
wherein: each of the front left suspension assembly and the front right suspension assembly has a fully compressed position and a fully extended position; and
an angle between the front left ground engaging member and the front right ground engaging member varies by less than 0.6º between the fully compressed positions of the front left suspension assembly and the front right suspension and the fully extended positions of the front left suspension assembly and the front right suspension.
In order for Haruna’s vehicle to function, as intended, that is, to turn corners, it must have an Ackerman value. The Ackerman value represents the difference in turning radii of the left and right skis/ wheels to compensate for the fact that both skis, or wheels as the case may be, are not turning on curves of equal dimensions. However, Haruna is silent as to that value. Yet, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Haruna’s vehicle to be dimensioned as in claims 17 and 18, as a design optimization to improve the vehicle’s ability to steer. MPEP 2144.04 (IV)(A)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 14 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.
Claims 6 and 7 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 6, Haruna discloses the vehicle steering system of claim 5, but does not disclose wherein: the pitman arm has: an upper part; and a lower part spaced from the upper part; the steering system further comprises a pitman arm pin connected to and extending between the upper part and the lower part; the pitman arm pin defines the first axis; and the pitman arm pin extends through the left arm and the right arm. In particular, the prior art does not disclose the pitman arm pin defines the first axis and the pitman arm pin extends through the left arm and the right arm, singly or in combination. Claim 7 depends from claim 6, and therefore, also contains allowable subject matter.
Regarding claim 9, Haruna discloses the vehicle steering system of claim 8, but does not teach wherein the second and third axes are generally perpendicular to the first axis. In addition, it would not be obvious to modify Haruna to have the second and third axes perpendicular to the first axis because doing so would interfere with the operation of Haruna’s snowmobile.
Regarding claim 14, Haruna discloses the vehicle steering system of claim 1, but does not disclose the vehicle further comprising:
a left ball joint connected to an outer end of the left tie rod; and
a right ball joint connected to an outer end of right tie rod. Figures 3 – 6 of Haruna indicate the joints are revolute joints having a single degree of freedom. However, adding ball joints to Haruna would interfere with the operation of the adjustable suspension arms (88) which move linearly.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Felicia L Brittman-Alabi whose telephone number is (313)446-6512. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Valentin Neacsu can be reached at (571)272-6265. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Felicia L. Brittman-Alabi/ Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/VALENTIN NEACSU, Ph.D./ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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