DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claims 13 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 13 (line 1) “ball joint” should recite –method--.
In claim 14 (line 1) “any” should be deleted.
For the purpose of examining the application, it is assumed that appropriate correction has been made.
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, 7, 10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McNeil (US 8,876,390) in view of Borgwarner Automotive Components (CN 213899585).
As to claim 1, McNeil discloses a ball joint comprising:
an outer ring 14 having a spherical inner surface, and
an inner ring 12 having a spherical outer surface in contact with the spherical inner surface of the outer ring,
wherein the outer ring comprises a nickel-based material,
wherein the inner surface of the outer ring includes a nitrided layer, and
wherein the inner ring comprises a cobalt-based or nickel-based material (Figure 1; C3 L59-67; C5 L17-39).
McNeil discloses a ball joint wherein the inner surface of the outer ring includes a nitrided layer; instead of a carbonitrided layer.
Borgwarner Automotive components teaches a ball joint wherein an inner surface of an outer ring 2 includes either a nitrided layer or a carbonitrided layer; nitriding and carbonitriding being structural and functional equivalent means for case hardening (Figure 4; paragraphs [0030,0034]).
Inasmuch as the references disclose nitride layers and carbonitrided layers as art recognized structural and functional equivalents for case hardening, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the exercise art to substitute one for the other. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 301, 213 USPQ 532, 536 (CCPA 1982).
As to claim 2, McNeil as modified by Borgwarner Automotive Components discloses a ball joint wherein the outer ring 14 includes a carbonitrided outer surface radially opposite the inner surface (Figure 1; C3 L59-67; C5 L17-39).
As to claim 3, McNeil discloses a ball joint wherein the outer ring 14 comprises an alloy of formula NiCr19Fe18Nb (Inconel 718; C3 L59-67; C5 L17-39).
As to claim 4, McNeil discloses a ball joint wherein the inner ring 12 comprises an alloy of formula CoCr29W5 (Stellite 6; C3 L59-67; C5 L17-39).
As to claim 6, McNeil as modified by Borgwarner Automotive Components discloses a ball joint wherein the carbonitrided layer of the outer ring 14 has a thickness of 2 µm to 20 µm (C5 L10-13).
As to claim 7, McNeil as modified by Borgwarner Automotive Components discloses a ball joint wherein the carbonitrided layer of the outer ring has a thickness of 5 µm to 10 µm (C5 L10-13).
As to claim 10, McNeil discloses a method for manufacturing a ball joint comprising:
providing an outer ring 14 comprising a nickel-based material and a spherical inner surface,
providing an inner ring 12 comprising a cobalt-based or nickel-based material and having a spherical outer surface,
nitriding at least the spherical inner surface of the outer ring, and
assembling the outer ring with the inner ring (Figure 1; C3 L59-67; C5 L17-39).
McNeil discloses a ball joint wherein the inner surface of the outer ring includes a nitrided layer; instead of a carbonitrided layer.
Borgwarner Automotive components teaches a ball joint wherein an inner surface of an outer ring 2 includes either a nitrided layer or a carbonitrided layer; nitriding and carbonitriding being structural and functional equivalent means for case hardening (Figure 4; paragraphs [0030,0034]).
Inasmuch as the references disclose nitride layers and carbonitrided layers as art recognized structural and functional equivalents for case hardening, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the exercise art to substitute one for the other. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 301, 213 USPQ 532, 536 (CCPA 1982).
As to claim 14, McNeil discloses a ball joint wherein the inner ring 12 comprises an alloy of formula CoCr29W5 (Stellite 6; C3 L59-67; C5 L17-39).
Claims 5 and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McNeil in view of Borgwarner Automotive Components, as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Poupon (US 10,113,224).
As to claim 5, McNeil discloses a ball joint wherein the inner ring 12 comprises a cobalt-based material; instead of a nickel alloy of formula NiCr19Fe18Nb wherein at least part of the outer surface of the inner ring includes a cobalt-based coating.
Poupon teaches a ball joint wherein an inner part 1 comprises either a cobalt-based material or a nickel alloy of formula NiCr19Fe18Nb wherein at least part of the outer surface of the inner part includes a cobalt-based coating; the cobalt material and the nickel alloy material with a cobalt coating being structural and functional equivalent means for providing the desired surface material characteristics of cobalt (Figure 2; C4 L34-40; C5 L11-16).
Inasmuch as the references disclose cobalt material and the nickel alloy material with a cobalt coating as art recognized structural and functional equivalents for providing the desired surface material characteristics of cobalt, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the exercise art to substitute one for the other. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 301, 213 USPQ 532, 536 (CCPA 1982).
As to claims 11 and 12, McNeil discloses a method wherein the inner ring 12 comprises a cobalt-based material comprising an alloy of formula CoCr29W5; instead of treating the inner ring to produce a cobalt-based coating comprising an alloy of formula CoCr29W5 on the spherical outer surface of the inner ring.
Poupon teaches a ball joint wherein an inner part 1 comprises either a cobalt-based material or a nickel alloy wherein at least part of the outer surface of the inner part includes a cobalt-based coating; the cobalt material and the nickel alloy material with a cobalt coating being structural and functional equivalent means for providing the desired surface material characteristics of cobalt (Figure 2; C4 L34-40; C5 L11-16).
Inasmuch as the references disclose cobalt material and the nickel alloy material with a cobalt coating as art recognized structural and functional equivalents for providing the desired surface material characteristics of cobalt, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the exercise art to substitute one for the other. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 301, 213 USPQ 532, 536 (CCPA 1982).
As to claim 13, McNeil discloses a method wherein the outer ring 14 comprises an alloy of formula NiCr19Fe18Nb (Inconel 718; C3 L59-67; C5 L17-39).
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McNeil in view of Borgwarner Automotive Components, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Poupon et al. (US 2023/0002067).
As to claims 8 and 9, McNeil discloses a ball joint wherein the inner ring 12 has a bore radially opposite the spherical outer surface (Figure 1).
McNeil fails to disclose a ball joint comprising a sleeve mounted in the bore with an outer surface of the sleeve in radial contact with an inner surface of the bore; wherein the sleeve comprises an alloy of formula NiCr19Fe18Nb.
Poupon et al. teach a ball joint comprising a sleeve 120 mounted in a bore of an inner ring 110 with an outer surface of the sleeve in radial contact with an inner surface of the bore; wherein the sleeve comprises an alloy of formula NiCr19Fe18Nb (Inconel 718); the separately-formed sleeve providing for a desired friction coefficient between the inner ring and pin 170 received therein (Figure 3; paragraph [0039]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the ball joint disclosed by McNeil to comprise a sleeve, as taught by Poupon et al., in order to provide for a desired friction coefficient between the inner ring and a pin received therein.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL P FERGUSON whose telephone number is (571)272-7081. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (10:00 am-7:00 pm EST).
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05/30/26
/MICHAEL P FERGUSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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