DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement has been received and considered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the ‘mounting hole 15’ as claimed in claim 5 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 5,6,8 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 5 it is unclear where the mounting hole 15 is in the drawings. Further, how can the pump housing 500 be coupled to a mounting hole?
Claim 8 the limitation of “… the support portion 506 is proved to be inserted into the piston hole 406..” appears to be incorrect. It appears the stopper 440 should be claimed instead. See para 0069 of the corresponding U.S. Pub 2025/0187573.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
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) 1- is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as anticipated by KR 20220005911 A1 (YOON) or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over KR 20220005911 A1 (YOON) in view of KR 20200127505 A1 (HONG)..
Regarding claim 1 KR ‘911 shows in figures 1 and 4-6:
A hydraulic pressure supply device comprising: a motor 100 coupled to one side of a modulator block 10, which is provided with a flow path and a valve for adjusting a braking hydraulic pressure therein, and having a first hollow portion (not labeled but as per applicant’s) formed therein in which a rotary shaft 210 is accommodated; a pump housing 400 coupled to the other side of the modulator block 10 and having a second hollow portion 411,412 formed therein, the second hollow portion 411,412 being ‘in communication’, as broadly claimed, with the first hollow portion; a ball nut 220 connected to the rotary shaft 210 and converting a rotating movement of the rotary shaft 210 into a linear movement; and a piston 230 formed in a cylindrical shape through which a piston hole 232 is formed in a lengthwise direction and of which one end is coupled to the ball nut 220 so as to move along with the ball nut, and the other end is provided with a head portion (located as per applicant’s) having a diameter greater than a diameter of a body portion connected to the ball nut, wherein the piston 230 is provided in the second hollow portion 411,412 and is moved from a distant direction into a close direction of the motor and is capable of forming a hydraulic pressure only in a single direction.
Lacking in KR ‘911 however is a specific description of this last limitation, however as best seen by a comparison of the position of the piston 230 in figures 1 and 6 this limitation appears to be met.
Nevertheless KR ‘505 shows a similar pressure supply device to that of KR ‘911 but specifically states in the machine translation:
A hydraulic chamber 1122 is provided in front of the piston 1500 to create hydraulic pressure in the working fluid accommodated in the hydraulic chamber 1122 when the piston 1500 advances. The working fluid accommodated in the hydraulic chamber 1122 flows into and out of the modulator block 1100 through a flow path.
One having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would realize that the device of KR ‘911 must function as claimed , -- that is producing a hydraulic pressure only in a single direction, for the device to function as intended and as further taught by KR ‘505.
Regarding claim 2 KR ‘911 shows a first sealing member 425 provided between the pump housing and the head portion; a second sealing member 425 provided between the pump housing and the modulator block; and a third sealing member (not labeled but shown as per applicant’s) provided between the piston and the modulator block.
Regarding claim 3, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion 411,412 are in communication with each other in a straight line.
Regarding claim 5, as broadly claimed, subject to the 112 and drawing objections above (and as best understood) KR ‘ 911 shows that the pump housing is coupled to a mounting hole formed to penetrate the modulator block, but fixed to the modulator block by a fastening member (as per applicant’s).
Regarding claim 6, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows the pump housing 400 includes a flange which protrudes along an outer peripheral surface, and the fastening member presses the flanges, and is coupled to the modulator block.
Regarding claim 7, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows the pump housing 400 further includes a support portion 410 of which one side is opened to be in communication with the piston hole 232.
Regarding claim 8, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows the support portion 410 is provided to be inserted into the piston hole 232.
Regarding claim 10, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows a sensor assembly 500 coupled on the same axis as the rotary shaft, and measuring a rotation amount of the rotary shaft 210.
Regarding claim 11, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows the sensor assembly 500 includes a shaft 510 connected in a straight line on the same axis as the rotary shaft 210, and rotating along with the rotary shaft, a holder 520 in which one end is fixed to a shaft, and an accommodation space (as per applicant’s) is provided at the other end, and a magnet 530 mounted on the accommodation space of the holder. See figure 3.
Regarding claim 12, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows the sensor assembly further includes a tolerance ring 540,542 mounted on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft 510, and the shaft is inserted and coupled into a mounting groove 211 formed on the rotary shaft by the tolerance ring. See figure 5.
Regarding claim 13, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows the sensor assembly further includes a bearing 550 rotatably supporting the shaft 510, and the bearing is supported on the pump housing 400.
Regarding claim 14, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows: a rotating preventing means 310,311 (see fig 2) converting a rotating movement of the rotary shaft into a linear movement wherein the rotating preventing means includes a sleeve 310 provided between a rotor 120 and the ball nut 220, and having a plurality of rotating preventing grooves 311 provided in a progress direction of the piston 230, and at least one rotating preventing protrusion 321 protruding in a radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the ball nut, and inserted into the rotating preventing groove, and the rotating preventing protrusion 321 limits rotation of the ball nut 220 while moving along the rotating preventing groove during operation of the piston.
Regarding claim 15, as broadly claimed, KR ‘911 shows the sleeve is fixed to a motor housing surrounding the motor, or the modulator block.
Regarding claim 18 note the stator 110 and the rotor at 120.
Regarding claim 19 these limitations are met as readily apparent from the figures.
Regarding claim 20 note the front and rear bearings at 131,132.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4,9,16,17 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER P SCHWARTZ whose telephone number is (571)272-7123. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 A.M.-7:00P.M..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rob 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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/CHRISTOPHER P SCHWARTZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
7/8/26
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