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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP-2011007322 (JP’322).
Re: claims 1-3, 9, and 10. JP’322 shows in figures 2 and 4 a damping force-variable shock absorber comprising a damping force control valve 27 and a solenoid 28 that actuates the damping force control valve, wherein the solenoid includes:
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Support portion)][AltContent: textbox (Portion of stop protrusion corresponding to width of one end portion of the spring )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Portion of stop protrusion corresponding to width of one end portion of the spring )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Stop protrusion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Insertion portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Opening)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Side surface of core)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Tapered shape on a lower portion compared to upper portion near end of lead line of number 52)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Case )][AltContent: arrow]
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Fig. 4
a case, as labeled, that has an opening in one side thereof to communicate with the damping force control valve; a coil 36 that is disposed inside the case to supply a magnetic field; a rod 44 that moves along a longitudinal direction of the case and has one end portion inserted through the opening; a plunger 35 that holds the rod and moves the rod along the longitudinal direction under an influence of the magnetic field; and a core 39 through which the one end portion of the rod passes so that the rod is supported; and a guide 52 that is disposed on another end portion of the rod to be fixed to the case and has a side wall formed in a tapered shape, as labeled, on a lower portion thereof. With regard to claim 2, see labeled side surface. With regard to claim 3, see labeled insertion portion.
Re: claim 4. JP’322 shows in figure 4 wherein the solenoid further includes a spring 58 that applies a restoring force to the plunger 35, and the plunger is provided with a stop protrusion, as labeled, corresponding to a width of one end portion of the spring as shown, as broadly recited.
Re: claim 4. Alternate interpretation. JP’322 shows in figure 4 the plunger being element 63 wherein the solenoid further includes a spring 64 that applies a restoring force to the plunger 63, and the plunger is provided with a stop protrusion shown at the end of the lead line of 63 corresponding to a width of one end portion of the spring as shown.
Re: claim 5. Alternate interpretation. JP’322 shows in figure 4 wherein the guide is provided with a stop protrusion or portion protruding upwardly from the central portion of the guide 52 corresponding to a width of another end portion of the spring, as broadly recited.
Re: claim 6. JP’322 shows in figure 4 wherein the case, as labeled, is provided with a support portion, as labeled, that extends inward in a circumferential direction to surround outer surfaces of the plunger 35 and the core 39.
Re: claim 7. JP’322 shows in figure 4 wherein the solenoid further includes a first support member 37 that is interposed between the core 39 and the one end portion of the rod 44.
Re: claim 8. JP’322 shows in figure 4 wherein the solenoid further includes a second support member 55A that is interposed between the guide 52 and the another end portion of the rod 44.
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.
Claim(s) 11-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP’322 in view of KR-1020170047071 (KR’071).
Re: claims 11-15. JP’322 includes a damping force-variable shock absorber comprising a damping force control valve 27, and a solenoid 28 having a rod 44 that moves toward an inside of the damping force control valve when a current corresponding to a first section of a low current is applied, but is silent with regard to the recited details associated with the damping force control valve.
KR’071 teaches in figure 1 wherein the damping force control valve includes: a piston 20 in which a main path 21 and as labeled and a bypass path 501 are defined; a pair of main retainers, as labeled, that are disposed above and below the piston and each have a connection passage 110 to be connected to the main path; a pair of pilot [AltContent: textbox (Disk)]housings 200 and as labeled that are disposed on opposite
[AltContent: textbox (Disk)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Pilot valve)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Check valve)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Pilot chamber)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Pilot housing)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Main path)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Main retainers)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
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surfaces of the main retainers, respectively, to form pilot chambers 210 and as labeled in directions facing each other; a pair of pilot valves 400 and as labeled, that are disposed between the pilot chambers and the main retainers and are open during a stroke such that the connection passage and a compression chamber or a rebound chamber are connected to each other; a pair of check valves 300 and as labeled that are disposed on opposite surfaces of the pilot housings to open and close the pilot chambers; a spool 31 that moves in conjunction with movement of the rod and is inserted through centers of the main retainers, the pilot housings, and the pilot valves as shown; a spool guide 500 that guides the spool and branches the connection passage to the compression chamber or the rebound chamber; and a pair of disks, as labeled, that are supported between the main retainers and the pilot valves, respectively.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the damping force control valve of JP’322 to have been structured as recited, in view of the teachings of KR’071, in order to provide various pathways within the damping force control valve to achieve various stages of damping.
Re: claim 16. JP’322, as modified, teaches in figure 1 of KR’071 wherein at least one passage 510, 520, 530, 540 is formed through an outer peripheral surface of the spool guide in a radial direction.
Re: claim 17. JP’322, as modified, teaches in figure 1 of KR’071 wherein the passage formed through the outer peripheral surface of the spool guide includes a first passage 510 that is formed in a direction toward the compression chamber with respect to the piston, such that a spool receiving space for receiving the spool and the compression chamber below the piston are connected to each other.
Re: claim 18. JP’322, as modified, teaches in figure 1 of KR’071 wherein the passage formed through the outer peripheral surface of the spool guide includes a second passage 520 that is formed in the direction toward the compression chamber with respect to the first passage, such that the spool receiving space and the connection passage are connected to each other.
Re: claim 19. JP’322, as modified, teaches in figure 1 of KR’071 wherein the passage formed through the outer peripheral surface of the spool guide includes a third passage 530 that is formed in a direction toward the rebound chamber above the piston with respect to the piston, such that the spool receiving space for receiving the spool and the rebound chamber are connected to each other.
Re: claim 20. JP’322, as modified, teaches in figure 1 of KR’071 wherein the passage formed through the outer peripheral surface of the spool guide includes a fourth passage 540 that is formed in the direction toward the rebound chamber with respect to the third passage, such that the spool receiving space and the connection passage are connected to each other.
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.
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.
Claims 13 and 17-20 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.
Re: claim 13. The phrase “the disk” is indefinite. It is unclear which disk Applicant intends to refer to since more than one disk was previously recited.
Re: claim 17-20. The phrase “the passage” is indefinite. It is unclear whether Applicant intends to limit the at least one passage to a single passage or refer back to the at least one passage which may include a single passage or more than one passage.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. CN-103930689, CN-102102729, and KR-20110083391 teach the use of similar shock absorbers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELODY M BURCH whose telephone number is (571)272-7114. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 6:30AM-3PM, generally.
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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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mmb
July 25, 2026
/MELODY M BURCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
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