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 .
This Office Action is in response to papers filed on 7/6/2026. Amendments made to the claims and the Applicant's remarks have been entered and considered.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 6 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
The Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new grounds of rejection do not rely the same reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Claim 1 is now rejected in view of Kim (US 2020/0164713 A1) and Moore et al. (US 2010/0148605 A1) and in view of Kim and Theisen et al. (US 2023/0125161 A1).
The Applicant's arguments filed 7/6/2026 regarding claim 6 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argued that Kim's double-acting cylinders merely supply compressed air to the air springs rather than having their spaces directly connected to chambers in the air springs. Kim discloses that "[t]he first double-acting cylinder 61 may supply the first solenoid valve 51, installed to the left front wheel, with the compressed air discharged in the left direction by left movement of a first piston rod 63 through a first left line 81 and supply the second solenoid valve 52, installed to the right front wheel, with the compressed air discharged in the right direction by right movement of the first piston rod 63 through a first right line 82." Kim's air springs are two-chamber air springs with separate input ports that receive air from different sources. As Kim explains, "[t]he first to fourth air springs 71 to 74 may be connected, at first input ports 71a to 74a thereof, to the second branch pipes 122a, 122b, 122c, and 122d of the main hydraulic unit 100 for adjusting the flow of compressed air according to the roll situation of the vehicle."
This argument is not persuasive because according to Kim, when the respective solenoid valve is open, the respective space A,B is directly connected to the respective air spring see Kim ¶ 103.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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) 1-3, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2020/0164713 A1) in view of Moore et al. (US 2010/0148605 A1, hereinafter Moore) .
As to claim 1, Kim shows (FIG. 2) :
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An actuator comprising:
a motor 42;
at least one cylinder 62 being disposed adjacent to the motor 42; and
a piston P being attached to a drive shaft 64 and provided in the cylinder 62, wherein
the piston P is disposed in the cylinder 62 in such a way as to partition an inside of the cylinder 62 into a first chamber A of pressurized air and a second chamber B of pressurized air, and
the drive shaft 64 is configured to reciprocate along the shaft center,
wherein the movement of the piston P due to reciprocal movement of the drive shaft 64 increases air pressure in a corresponding one of the first chamber A and second chamber B on one side of the piston P while reducing air pressure on the other of the first chamber A and the second chamber B on the other side of the piston P (¶ 75-77, 79).
Kim does not show:
the motor including a stator and a rotor;
the rotor has a hollow structure and the drive shaft is housed in the rotor in such a way that a part of the drive shaft is threadedly engaged with a part of the rotor while shaft centers are coincident with each other; and
the drive shaft is configured to reciprocate along the shaft center in conjunction with rotation of the rotor.
Moore shows (FIG. 1, 3):
a motor 10 including a stator 34 and a rotor 32;
the rotor 32 has a hollow structure and the drive shaft 40 is housed in the rotor 32 in such a way that a part of the drive shaft 40 is threadedly engaged with a part of the rotor 32 while shaft centers are coincident with each other, and
the drive shaft 40 is configured to reciprocate along the shaft center in conjunction with rotation of the rotor 32 (movement ¶ 35-37)
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 actuator of Kim to have:
the motor 42 including a stator 34 and a rotor 32;
the rotor 32 has a hollow structure and the drive shaft 40 is housed in the rotor 32 in such a way that a part of the drive shaft 40 is threadedly engaged with a part of the rotor 32 while shaft centers are coincident with each other, and
the drive shaft 64 is configured to reciprocate along the shaft center in conjunction with rotation of the rotor 32
as taught by Moore, for the advantageous benefit of causing the drive shaft 64 to shift linearly in an axial direction as taught by Moore (¶ 36).
As to claim 2/1, Kim in view of Moore was discussed above with respect to claim 1, and Kim further shows (FIG. 2 above) wherein the actuator includes two spaces A,B formed by the cylinder 62 and the piston P.
As to claim 3/1, Kim in view of Moore was discussed above with respect to claim 1, and Kim further shows (FIG. 2 above) wherein the piston P is disposed in the cylinder 62 in such a way as to partition an inside of the cylinder 62 into a first chamber A and a second chamber B.
Kim does not show:
an external thread formed on a part of the drive shaft is threadedly engaged with an internal thread formed on a part of an inner surface of the rotor, and
the internal thread is provided at an end of two ends of the rotor along the shaft center, the end being farther from the cylinder.
Moore shows (FIG. 1, 3):
an external thread 100 formed on a part of the drive shaft 40 is threadedly engaged with an internal thread 52 formed on a part of an inner surface of the rotor 32, and
the internal thread 52 is provided at an end of two ends of the rotor 32 along the shaft center, the end being farther from the cylinder 30 (¶ 35-37).
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 actuator of Kim in view of Moore to have:
an external thread 100 formed on a part of the drive shaft 64 is threadedly engaged with an internal thread 52 formed on a part of an inner surface of the rotor 32, and
the internal thread 52 is provided at an end of two ends of the rotor 32 along the shaft center, the end being farther from the cylinder 62
as taught by Moore, for the advantageous benefit of causing the drive shaft 64 to shift linearly in an axial direction as taught by Moore (¶ 36).
As to claim 6/2/1, Kim in view of Moore was discussed above with respect to claim 2 and Kim further shows (FIG. 2 above) for each of the two spaces A, B is directly connected to a chamber in each of two air suspension devices 73, 74 each of which is disposed in a wheel of a vehicle (when the solenoid valve is open, the respective space A,B is directly connected to the respective air spring ¶ 103, 75, 77).
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2020/0164713 A1) in view of Theisen et al. (US 2023/0125161 A1, hereinafter Theisen).
As to claim 1, Kim shows (FIG. 2 above) An actuator comprising:
a motor 42;
at least one cylinder 62 being disposed adjacent to the motor 42; and
a piston P being attached to a drive shaft 64 and provided in the cylinder 62, wherein
the piston P is disposed in the cylinder 62 in such a way as to partition an inside of the cylinder 62 into a first chamber A of pressurized air and a second chamber B of pressurized air, and
the drive shaft 64 is configured to reciprocate along the shaft center,
wherein the movement of the piston P due to reciprocal movement of the drive shaft 64 increases air pressure in a corresponding one of the first chamber A and second chamber B on one side of the piston P while reducing air pressure on the other of the first chamber A and the second chamber B on the other side of the piston P (¶ 75-77, 79).
Kim does not show:
the motor including a stator and a rotor;
the rotor has a hollow structure and the drive shaft is housed in the rotor in such a way that a part of the drive shaft is threadedly engaged with a part of the rotor while shaft centers are coincident with each other; and
the drive shaft is configured to reciprocate along the shaft center in conjunction with rotation of the rotor.
Theisen shows (FIG. 3A):
a motor 14 including a stator 88 and a rotor 90;
the rotor 90 has a hollow structure and the drive shaft 76 is housed in the rotor 90 in such a way that a part of the drive shaft 76 is threadedly engaged with a part of the rotor 90 while shaft centers are coincident with each other, and
the drive shaft 76 is configured to reciprocate along the shaft center in conjunction with rotation of the rotor 90 (movement ¶ 55, 61, 65)
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 actuator of Kim to have:
the motor 42 including a stator 88 and a rotor 90;
the rotor 90 has a hollow structure and the drive shaft 64 is housed in the rotor 90 in such a way that a part of the drive shaft 64 is threadedly engaged with a part of the rotor 90 while shaft centers are coincident with each other, and
the drive shaft 64 is configured to reciprocate along the shaft center in conjunction with rotation of the rotor 90
as taught by Theisen, for the advantageous benefit of precise control of pressure of fluid output by the actuator as taught by Theisen (¶ 54).
As to claim 4/1, Kim in view of Theisen was discussed above with respect to claim 1 except for:
the least one cylinder comprises a first cylinder and a second cylinder;
the motor being disposed in-between the first cylinder and the second cylinder, and both the first cylinder and the second cylinder are cup-shaped and open toward the motor, and
the drive shaft penetrates through the rotor, and one end of the drive shaft is connected to a first piston provided in the first cylinder and another end of the drive shaft is connected to a second piston provided in the second cylinder.
Theisen shows:
the least one cylinder comprises a first cylinder 102a and a second cylinder 102b;
the motor 14 being disposed in-between the first cylinder 102a and the second cylinder 102b, and both the first cylinder 102a and the second cylinder 102b are cup-shaped and open toward the motor 14, and
the drive shaft 76 penetrates through the rotor 90, and one end of the drive shaft 76 is connected to a first piston 70a provided in the first cylinder 102a and another end of the drive shaft 76 is connected to a second piston 70b provided in the second cylinder 102b (para [0064]).
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 actuator of Kim in view of Theisen to have:
the least one cylinder comprises a first cylinder 102a and a second cylinder 102b;
the motor 14 being disposed in-between the first cylinder 102a and the second cylinder 102b, and both the first cylinder 102a and the second cylinder 102b are cup-shaped and open toward the motor 14, and
the drive shaft 76 penetrates through the rotor 90, and one end of the drive shaft 76 is connected to a first piston 70a provided in the first cylinder 102a and another end of the drive shaft 76 is connected to a second piston 70b provided in the second cylinder 102b
as taught by Theisen, for the advantageous benefit of precise control of pressure of fluid output by the actuator as taught by Theisen (¶ 54).
As to claim 5/1, Kim in view of Theisen was discussed above with respect to claim 1 except for a ball screw is used for the threaded engagement and rotation of the drive shaft 76 about the shaft center is restricted.
Theisen shows (FIG. 3A) a ball screw is used for the threaded engagement and rotation of the drive shaft 76 about the shaft center is restricted (rolling elements 108 are balls para [0064],[0067]).
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 actuator of Kim in view of Theisen to have a ball screw is used for the threaded engagement and rotation of the drive shaft 76 about the shaft center is restricted as taught by Theisen, for the advantageous benefit of precise control of pressure of fluid output by the actuator as taught by Theisen (¶ 54).
Conclusion
The Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT E MATES whose telephone number is (571)270-5293. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 12:00pm to 8pm.
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/ROBERT E MATES/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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