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(s) Status
Claims 1-13 are currently pending.
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.
Claim(s) 1-13 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. In particular, claim 1 recites “a processing unit configured to determine a duration of a churning phase of the grease lubricated bearing and to estimate a service life of the grease lubricated bearing based on the determined duration of the churning phase” however it is unclear how the processing unit is configured to determine a duration of the churning phrase to enable the estimation of the service life of the grease lubricated bearing based on the determined duration of the churning phase. Further details are needed. Claims 1-9 and 13 have the same issue due to dependence.Furthermore, claim 10 has the same issue as claim 1, and therefore is indefinite. Subsequently claims 11-12 are indefinite due to dependency. In particular, claim 3 recites “a measuring unit configured to measure at least one parameter of the grease lubricated bearing” however it is unclear how the measuring unit is configured to measure at least one parameter. Further details are needed. Claims 4-9 and 13 have the same issue due to dependency. In particular, claim 4 recites “herein the processing unit is configured to determine an amount of thermo-mechanical energy during the churning phase” however it is unclear how the processing unit is configured to determine an amount of thermo-mechanical energy during the churning phase. Further details are needed. In particular, claim 5 recites “wherein the measuring unit is configured to measure a plurality of temperature values” however it is unclear how the measuring unit configured to measure the plurality of temperature values. Further details are needed.
Allowable Subject Matter
The prior art does not disclose or sufficiently suggest the claimed invention, particularly EP 2734755 B1 discloses evaluating a churning phrase to assist in determining the estimated seal life for grease used for bearings (corresponding to determining/estimating service life of grease lubricated bearings) however EP 2734755 B1 does not disclose the specific details of a processing unit determining a duration of a churning phrase and based on that duration determining the service life of the grease lubricated bearing, in the manner claimed. Furthermore, no other reference of record provides the details that EP 2734755 B1 fails to disclose, in the manner claimed.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20220163426 A1, system determining the service life of a lubricated bearing.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHICO A FOXX whose telephone number is (571)272-5530. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 - 6:00 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Quan-Zhen Wang can be reached at 571-272-3114. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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CHICO A. FOXX
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2685
/CHICO A FOXX/Examiner, Art Unit 2685
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