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
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zawacki et al (DE 102016117818).
Zawacki et al discloses an axle for a heavy-duty vehicle, said axle comprising: a central tube (2); a pair of spindles (3, 3), each spindle (3) being disposed at a respective axial end of said central tube (2); and a bulkhead - disposed at least partially over an opening formed into the central tube (2) and attached to said axle (16); wherein said bulkhead (5) provides connection for conduits (8) passing from outside of the axle (16) into the central tube (2).
Re claim 2, said bulkhead further comprising a tubular body (5) having upper and lower portions and a central opening formed through said upper and lower portions of said body (see Fig 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-38 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VICKY A JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)272-7106. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John R Olszewski can be reached at 571-272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VICKY A JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
