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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 13 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being clearly anticipated by Boyle (US 20220204072).
Regarding claim 13, Boyle teaches a method of applying a steering shaft torque to a steering shaft 110 of a vehicle ([0030]), the method comprising:
generating an output shaft torque at an output shaft 122 of an electric motor 120 ([0034], Fig. 2);
rotating, with the output shaft torque, a plurality of planetary gears 130 of a planetary carrier 136 ([0034], Fig. 7), the planetary carrier 136 comprising a planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142, with a pulley belt 146 being disposed at least partially around the planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 ([0035], Fig. 5);
rotating the planetary carrier 136 within a ring gear 138 through rotating engagement between the plurality of planetary gears 130 and the ring gear 138 so as to rotate the planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 and generate a movement of the pulley belt 146 ([0033]-[0035], Figs. 5 and 7); and
rotating a steering shaft pulley 144 disposed on the steering shaft 110 through the movement of the pulley belt 146 so as to generate the steering shaft torque ([0035], Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 16, Boyle teaches wherein the plurality of planetary gears 130 comprises three planetary gears 134 ([0033], Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 17, Boyle teaches wherein a planetary carrier output shaft pulley diameter of the planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 is less than a steering shaft pulley diameter of the steering shaft pulley 144 ([0035], Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 18, Boyle teaches wherein the output shaft 122 is parallel with the steering shaft 110 (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 19, Boyle teaches wherein the planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 is disposed on a planetary carrier output shaft of the planetary carrier 136 ([0036]; “planet carrier 136 is connected to and rotatable with first gear 142. For instance, planet carrier 136 may be connected to first gear 142, e.g., directly or via a suitable shaft or other intermediate components.”).
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.
Claims 1, 3-12, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boyle in view of Schneider (US 8297401).
Regarding claim 1, Boyle teaches a system 100 for rotating a steering shaft 110 of a vehicle 10, the system 100 comprising:
a planetary gear set 130 ([0030], Fig. 2) comprising:
a sun gear 132 ([0033], Fig. 7),
a ring gear 138 disposed radially outward in a radial direction with respect to the sun gear 132 ([0033], Fig. 7), and
a planetary carrier 136 comprising a plurality of planetary gears 134 and a planetary carrier output shaft ([0036]; “planet carrier 136 is connected to and rotatable with first gear 142. For instance, planet carrier 136 may be connected to first gear 142, e.g., directly or via a suitable shaft or other intermediate components.”), each planetary gear 134 of the plurality of planetary gears being rotatable within the planetary carrier 136, in radially outward rotating engagement with the ring gear 138, and in radially inward rotating engagement with the sun gear 132 ([0033], Fig. 7); and
a belt drive system ([0035], Fig. 5) comprising:
a planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 concentrically disposed on the planetary carrier output shaft ([0035], Fig. 5),
a steering shaft pulley 144 disposed radially adjacent to the planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 ([0035], Fig. 5), and
a pulley belt 146 disposed at least partially around the planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 and at least partially around the steering shaft pulley 144 ([0035], Fig. 5),
wherein the steering shaft pulley 144 is concentrically disposable on the steering shaft 110 ([0035], Fig. 2).
Boyle does not teach the steering shaft extending in a longitudinal direction.
However, Schneider teaches a vehicle steering transmission system 1000 wherein a steering shaft S extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction (Col. 9, lines 58-65, Fig. 16 of Schneider)
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 system for rotating a steering shaft of Boyle to have the steering shaft extend in a vehicle longitudinal direction as Schneider teaches, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 3, Boyle teaches wherein the belt drive system has a system ratio ([0035]), but does not expressly teach wherein the belt drive system has a belt drive system ratio of approximately 3:1.
However, Schneider teaches a system for rotating a steering shaft of a vehicle comprising a belt drive system 1000 (Col. 8, lines 57-67), wherein the belt drive system 1000 has a belt 600 with a belt drive ratio of 3:1 (Claim 13, Figs. 2-3 and 15 of Schneider).
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 belt drive system of Boyle to have the ratio of Schneider in order to advantageously multiply torque in the system (Col. 6, lines 56-60 of Schneider).
Regarding claim 4, Boyle as modified teaches wherein the plurality of planetary gears 130 comprises three planetary gears 134 ([0033], Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 5, Boyle as modified teaches wherein the planetary gear set has a planetary gear set ratio of approximately 6:1 (See claim 2 rejection above) and the belt drive system has a belt drive system ratio of approximately 3:1 (See claim 3 rejection above) such that a system ratio of the system is approximately 18:1.
While Boyle on its own does not teach “the system ratio of the system is approximately 18:1”, 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 planetary gear set ratio of 6:1 of Boyle/Noerenberg and the modified belt drive system ratio of 3:1 of Boyle/Schneider causing the total system ratio of the system to be approximately 18:1.
Regarding claim 6, Boyle as modified teaches wherein a planetary carrier output shaft pulley diameter of the planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 is less than a steering shaft pulley diameter of the steering shaft pulley 144 ([0035], Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7, Boyle as modified teaches wherein a rotation of the sun gear 132 is configured to rotate the plurality of planetary gears 130 ([0033], Fig. 7),
wherein a rotation of the plurality of planetary gears 130 is configured to rotate the planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 ([0035]), and
wherein a rotation of the planetary carrier output shaft pulley 142 is configured to rotate the steering shaft pulley 144 ([0035]).
Regarding claim 8, Boyle as modified teaches wherein the sun gear 132 comprises an output shaft 122 of an electric motor 120 ([0034], “In certain example embodiments, sun gear 132 is connected to and rotatable with rotor 122. For instance, sun gear 132 may be integrally formed with rotor 122”).
Regarding claim 9, Boyle as modified teaches the system further comprising:
an electric motor 120 having an output shaft 122 ([0034]),
wherein the sun gear 132 comprises the output shaft 122 ([0034], “In certain example embodiments, sun gear 132 is connected to and rotatable with rotor 122. For instance, sun gear 132 may be integrally formed with rotor 122”).
Regarding claim 10, Boyle as modified teaches wherein the output shaft 122 is parallel with the steering shaft 110 (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 11, Boyle as modified teaches further comprising:
an enclosure 140 comprising a plurality of enclosure fastening guides ([0035]; See annotated Fig. 3 below); and
a plurality of fasteners (See annotated Fig. 3 below),
wherein the electric motor 120 comprises a plurality of electric motor fastener guides that align with the plurality of enclosure fastening guides (Fig. 5 shows the fasteners with enclosure 140 omitted, extending towards the housing of the motor; Fig. 7 shows the fasteners extending past the planetary gears 130 into the space occupied by the motor housing; the fastening guides of the electric motor are the slots where the fasteners extend into the motor housing), and
wherein one fastener of the plurality of fasteners is disposed in a respective enclosure fastening guide of the plurality of enclosure fastening guides and a respective electric motor fastener guide of the plurality of electric motor fastener guides (Figs. 3-7).
Regarding claim 12, Boyle as modified teaches wherein the sun gear 132 comprises a plurality of sun gear teeth ([0033], Fig. 2),
wherein each planetary gear 134 of the plurality of planetary gears 130 comprises a plurality of planetary gear teeth ([0033], Fig. 2 and 7), at least some planetary gear teeth of the plurality of planetary gear teeth of each planetary gear 134 being in rotating engagement with at least some sun gear teeth of the plurality of sun gear teeth ([0033]), and
wherein the ring gear 138 comprises a plurality of ring gear teeth (Fig. 7), at least some planetary gear teeth of the plurality of planetary gear teeth of each planetary gear 134 being in rotating engagement with at least some ring gear teeth of the plurality of ring gear teeth ([0033]).
Regarding claim 15, Boyle teaches wherein the belt drive system has a system ratio ([0035]), but does not expressly teach wherein the belt drive system has a belt drive system ratio of approximately 3:1.
However, Schneider teaches a system for rotating a steering shaft of a vehicle comprising a belt drive system 1000 (Col. 8, lines 57-67), wherein the belt drive system 1000 has a belt 600 with a belt drive ratio of 3:1 (Claim 13, Figs. 2-3 and 15 of Schneider).
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 belt drive system of Boyle to have the ratio of Schneider in order to advantageously multiply torque in the system (Col. 6, lines 56-60 of Schneider).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boyle in view of Schneider, and further in view of Noerenberg (US 20250033693).
Regarding claim 2, Boyle as modified is silent on the ratios of the system.
However, Noerenberg teaches a steering assist device 36 with a planetary gear set 120 which can have a ratio of 3:1 up to 10:1 ([0048], Fig. 6 of Noerenberg).
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 system for rotating a steering shaft of Boyle/Schneider to have the adjustable gear ratios of Noerenberg in order to advantageously provide a gearbox which can achieve a desired gear reduction ratio ([0055]).
Boyle as modified discloses the claimed invention except for “wherein the planetary gear set has a planetary gear set ratio of approximately 6:1”. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make the gear ratio 6:1, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boyle in view of Noerenberg.
Regarding claim 14, Boyle is silent on the ratios of the system.
However, Noerenberg teaches a steering assist device 36 with a planetary gear set 120 which can have a ratio of 3:1 up to 10:1 ([0048], Fig. 6 of Noerenberg).
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 system for rotating a steering shaft of Boyle to have the adjustable gear ratios of Noerenberg in order to advantageously provide a gearbox which can achieve a desired gear reduction ratio ([0055]).
Boyle as modified discloses the claimed invention except for “wherein a planetary gear set ratio of the output shaft, the plurality of planetary gears, and the ring gear is approximately 6:1”. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make the gear ratio 6:1, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boyle in view of Stahl (US 20200086911).
Regarding claim 20, Boyle teaches that a torque is applied to a steering shaft ([0028]), but is silent on the torque ranges.
However, Stahl teaches a steering torque assist device 58 wherein the steering shaft 34 torque ranges from 10 N·m to 15 N·m ([0024]-[0025], Fig. 2; the motor 58 applies an assist torque between 1 and 15 N·m).
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 method of Boyle to apply a steering torque within the range of Stahl in order to advantageously supply a steering assist force to the driver ([0004] of Stahl).
Boyle as modified discloses the claimed invention except for “wherein the steering shaft torque ranges from 10 N·m to 20 N·m”. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to configure the modified electric motor of Boyle/Stahl to provide a steering shaft torque within the range of 10 N·m to 20 N·m, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20110147111 teaches a auxiliary module for a steering column with a motor with a planetary gear set.
US 20170210411 teaches a force-adjusting apparatus for a steering column a belt for torque transmission.
CN 115498821 teaches a torque transmission system for a steering component.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL WILLIAM WATKINS whose telephone number is (703)756-4744. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 8:30 am -6:00 pm EST; Friday 8:30 am - 2:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John Olszewski can be reached at 5712722706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/N.W.W./Examiner, Art Unit 3617
/DREW J BROWN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
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