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.
Claims 1, 2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)1) as being anticipated by Edgar, U.S. 2,038,554.
Regarding claim 1, Edgar discloses a mounting structure for a drive shaft assembly, which is configured to (or functional capable of) mount a drive shaft (fig 1, shaft 11; p. 1, right column, lines 9-18) assembly including an outer wheel (outside member 12) to a differential unit (any driven device for the hub of the gear),
the mounting structure having a stem portion (portion at keys 15, 16 and top or outer faces a, bases b; p. 1, right column, lines 19-26) protruding from the outer wheel (outside member 12) and connected to the differential unit (any driven unit connectible to the hub and gear),
the stem portion having a cut line (fig 2, interdental spaces 16) formed along an axial direction at a free end portion (fig 2, reduced threaded extension of stud 13); and a wedge stay (fig 4, inward keys projections or splines 17; p. 2, left column, lines 29-37) configured to be wedge-attachable along the axial direction of the stem portion on the cut line (p. 2, right column, lines 37-59).
As to claim 2, the reference discloses a wedge handling unit (fig 1, nut 14; p. 2, right column, lines 37-42) mounted on the stem portion (distal end of shaft 11 at 15, 16, a, b) configured to engage the wedge stay (nut 14 pressure the projections 17 into the spaces 16; p. 2, right column, lines 60-66) on the cut line (spaces 16).
As to claim 4, the reference discloses the cut line (interdental spaces 16) extends from the free end portion (threaded extension portion 13) of the stem portion to a predetermined section (axial end of the threaded extension 13 at the space 16) along the axial direction.
Claims 1, 3, 4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tsuzaki et al., U.S. 7,900,358.
Regarding claim 1, Tsuzaki et al. discloses a mounting structure for a drive shaft assembly (fig 3, hub 1 and bearing 2; col. 4, lines 50-56) configured to mount a drive shaft (fig 3, collet chuck 3; col. 5, lines 40-58) assembly including an outer wheel (at hub 1) to a differential unit (col. 5, lines 14-24),
the mounting structure having a stem portion (extent of collet chuck 3 at spline grooves 3e; col. 6, lines 2-11) protruding from the outer wheel and connected to the differential unit,
the stem portion having a cut line (fig 2a; slits 30a; col. 5, lines 48-58) formed along an axial direction at a free end portion (fig 2a, end of collet chuck 3 opposite cone 4),
and a wedge stay (cone 4; col. 6, lines 16-20) configured to be wedge-attachable along the axial direction of the stem portion on the cut line (slits 30a).
As to claim 3, the reference discloses the stem portion is extended outward (col. 6, lines 20-35) by the wedge stay (cone 4) which is joined to the cut line; and a serration (fig 2b, spline grooves 3e; col. 5, line 59 – col. 6, line 10) formed on an exterior circumference surface of the stem portion which adheres to a side gear of the differential unit (col. 5, lines 14-24, spider gears are integrated in a differential).
As to claim 4, the reference discloses the cut line (slits 30a) extends from the free end portion (distal end opposite cone 4) of the stem portion to a predetermined section (fig 3, cylindrical portion 3a; col. 5, lines 48-58) along the axial direction.
As to claim 6, the reference discloses the stem portion (extent of collet chuck 3 having the spline grooves 3e) have a plurality of wedge deformable parts (fig 4B, separated parts 3c; col. 5, lines 50-58) cut along the axial direction by the cut line (slits 30a).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 7-17 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; specifically, the limitations of the guide rail and wedge connection groove including the limitations of the base claim and intervening claims appear to be novel at this time.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNETH L THOMPSON whose telephone number is (571)272-7037. The examiner can normally be reached Weekdays; 9:00-5:00, est.
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21 July 2026
/KENNETH L THOMPSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3676
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