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 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 1 and 8 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.
Claims 1 and 7 recite the limitations “the output shaft” in page 1, line 4 and page 2, lines 5-6, and “the input shaft” in page 1, line 8 and page 2, line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claims.
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 1-4, 6, 8-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Volmering (US 20160129930) in view of Suzuki (US 4681182) and Schulz (US 20180072341).
Regarding claim 1, Volmering teaches an steering system for a commercial vehicle, the system comprising:
an input section having a vertical input end 42 configured to mechanically couple with a first end 75 of the input shaft 22 ([0036], Figs. 1 and 3-4), wherein a second end 24 of the input shaft 22 is configured to connect with a steering wheel assembly 28 of the vehicle ([0039], Figs. 1 and 3-4),
wherein the input section further comprises:
a bevel box 14 mechanically coupled to the vertical input end 42 of the input section using an adapter plate 34 ([0035]-[0036], Figs. 3-4), the bevel box 14 configured to receive the first end 75 of the input shaft 22 at an angle with respect to the vertical input end 42 of the input section ([0038], Figs. 1-4).
Volmering is silent on the steering system being an electric power steering (EPS) system.
However, Suzuki teaches that it is advantageous to use an electric power steering system to lessen fatigue on the driver (Col. 1, lines 11-21 of Suzuki).
Therefore, 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 steering system of Volmering to be an electric power steering system as Suzuki teaches in order to advantageously reduce driver fatigue (Col. 1, lines 11-21 of Suzuki).
While Volmering does not teach “a wheel assembly of the electric vehicle” or “a steering wheel assembly of the electric vehicle”, the question is what would result from the combined teachings of the references. See in re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 425 (CCPA 1981). Here, that result would be the modified electric power steering system of Volmering/Suzuki providing the claimed assemblies within an electric vehicle.
Volmering teaches an output section configured to mechanically couple with a steering gear 60, wherein the second end of the steering gear 60 is configured to connect with a wheel assembly 62 of the vehicle ([0039], Fig. 1). Volmering does not expressly teach an output shaft.
However, Schulz teaches a steering assembly wherein an output section 22 of the steering column is configured to mechanically couple with a first end of the output shaft 24, wherein a second end of the output shaft 24 is configured to connect with a wheel assembly 26 of the vehicle ([0010], see annotated Fig. 1 of Schulz below).
Therefore, 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 modified steering system of Volmering/Suzuki to have the output shaft of Schulz as part of the steering gear in order to advantageously mechanically steer the wheels as a backup when electrical communication of the EPS system is unavailable (Claim 1 of Schulz).
Regarding claim 8, Volmering teaches a method for providing an steering system for a commercial vehicle (Abstract), the method comprising:
providing an input section having a vertical input end 42 configured to mechanically couple with a first end 75 of the input shaft 22 ([0036], Figs. 1 and 3-4), wherein a second end 42 of the input shaft 22 is configured to connect with a steering wheel assembly 28 of the vehicle ([0039], Figs. 1 and 3-4), ,
mechanically coupling a bevel box 14 to the vertical input end 42 of the input section using an adapter plate 34 ([0035]-[0036], Figs. 3-4), the bevel box 14 configured to receive the first end 75 of the input shaft 22 at an angle with respect to the vertical input end 42 of the input section ([0038], Figs. 1-4).
Volmering is silent on the steering system being an electric power steering (EPS) system.
However, Suzuki teaches that it is advantageous to use an electric power steering system to lessen fatigue on the driver (Col. 1, lines 11-21 of Suzuki).
Therefore, 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 steering system of Volmering to be an electric power steering system as Suzuki teaches in order to advantageously reduce driver fatigue (Col. 1, lines 11-21 of Suzuki).
While Volmering does not teach “a wheel assembly of the electric vehicle” or “a steering wheel assembly of the electric vehicle”, the question is what would result from the combined teachings of the references. See in re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 425 (CCPA 1981). Here, that result would be the modified electric power steering system of Volmering/Suzuki providing the claimed assemblies within an electric vehicle.
Volmering teaches providing an output section configured to mechanically couple with a steering gear 60, wherein a second end of the steering gear 60 is configured to connect with a wheel assembly 62 of the vehicle ([0039], Fig. 1). Volmering does not expressly teach an output shaft.
However, Schulz teaches a method for providing a steering system for a commercial vehicle comprising: providing an output section 22 configured to mechanically couple with a first end of the output shaft 24, wherein a second end of the output shaft 22 is configured to connect with a wheel assembly 26 of the vehicle ([0010], see annotated Fig. 1 of Schulz below).
Therefore, 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 modified steering system of Volmering/Suzuki to have the output shaft of Schulz as part of the steering gear in order to advantageously mechanically steer the wheels as a backup when electrical communication of the EPS system is unavailable (Claim 1 of Schulz).
Regarding claims 2 and 9 (same limitations, different dependencies), Volmering as modified teaches wherein the bevel box 14 comprises an input 40 to receive the first end 75 of the input shaft 22 ([0037], Fig. 3).
Regarding claims 3 and 10 (same limitations, different dependencies), Volmering as modified teaches wherein the angle at which the input 40 of the bevel box 14 is configured to receive the first end 75 of the input shaft 22 is ninety degrees with respect to the vertical input end 42 of the input section ([0038], Figs. 1-4; the axis 43 of the vertical input end 42 is at an angle to the axis 41 of the input shaft 12; this angle is any value that is greater than 0° and less than 180°).
Regarding claims 4 and 11 (same limitations, different dependencies), Volmering as modified teaches wherein the angle at which the input 40 of the bevel box 14 is configured to receive the first end 75 of the input shaft 22 is forty-five degrees with respect to the vertical input end 42 of the input section ([0038], Figs. 1-4; the axis 43 of the vertical input end 42 is at an angle to the axis 41 of the input shaft 12; this angle is any value that is greater than 0° and less than 180°).
Regarding claims 6 and 13 (same limitations, different dependencies), Volmering as modified teaches wherein an intermediate shaft 18 connects the first end 75 of the input shaft 22 to the input 40 of the bevel box 14 ([0037], Figs. 3-4).
Claims 7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Volmering in view of Suzuki and Schulz, and further in view of Ogata (JP H058741)
Regarding claims 7 and 14 (same limitations, different dependencies), Volmering as modified teaches wherein a cardan shaft 56 connects first end of the input shaft to the intermediate shaft ([0013], Fig. 3) and that rotary movement is transferred from the intermediate shaft to the input of the bevel box through a splined connection ([0010], Figs. 4-4A). Volmering as modified does not teach a cardan shaft connecting the intermediate shaft to the input of the bevel box.
However, Ogata teaches an electric power steering system in which a cardan shaft 11a connects an intermediate shaft 11 to an input of a bevel box 10 (Paragraph 26, Figs. 2 and 5 of Ogata).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the universal joint of Ogata with the modified steering column of Volmering/et.al. and in combination, each element would have merely performed the same function as it did separately: transferring rotary power from the input shaft to the bevel box. This would advantageously allow for a range of connection angles between the bevel box and the intermediate shaft, making the steering system more adaptive.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 and 12 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20230085431 teaches an electric power steering apparatus with a bevel box connecting the steering input to the output shaft.
US 20080211217 teaches a steering column with an input shaft comprised of multiple shafts interconnected by universal joints.
US 20120043746 teaches an angularly adjustable steering column.
US 20230242176 teaches a modular power steering system where a bevel is rotatable relative to an input shaft during assembly.
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/N.W.W./Examiner, Art Unit 3617
/JOHN OLSZEWSKI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3617
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