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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following features must be shown or canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
the washer outer nut protrusion and the washer inner nut protrusion are opposite each other and twist into the outer locknut slot and the inner locknut slot (claim 4)
a body inner flange that is located on the body (D) side of the body cylindrical part (claim 8) (As shown in Fig. 5, the outer flange 250 is located in the body (D), whereas inner side flange 240 is located on the gap (H) side)
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it contains language (i.e., “The present invention relates to”) which can be implied. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claims 1 – 3 and 6 – 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 2 – 13, line 1, “A removable bearing holder” should read - - The removable bearing holder - -.
Claim 1, lines 1 – 2, “opening on the body” should read - - opening the body - -.
Claim 1, line 2, “a body almost completely cylindrical in form” should read - - a body that is almost completely cylindrical in form - -.
Claim 1, line 4, “the body almost completely cylindrical in form” should read - -
Claim 1, line 6, “it” should read - - the bearing - -.
Claim 1, lines 6 – 7, “and provides the bearing” should be deleted.
Claim 1, line 8, “the body” should read - - the body cylindrical part - -.
Claim 1, lines 8 – 9, “an outer locknut which is mounted on the body outer thread in a removable manner by rotating the helical recesses located on it” should read - - an outer locknut having helical recesses mounted on the body outer thread in a removable manner by rotating the outer locknut - -.
Claim 1, lines 9 – 13, “characterised by at least one body inner thread having helical recesses located on the inner wall of the body facing each other with the body wall, an inner locknut the helical recesses on which are attached to the body inner thread by rotating them around themselves in a removable manner, thus fixing the bearing in the direction where the gap (H) extends along” should read - - at least one body inner thread having helical recesses located on an inner wall of the body cylindrical part, an inner locknut having helical recesses facing and attached to the helical recesses of the body inner thread in a removable manner by rotating the inner locknut, thus fixing the bearing in the direction in which the gap (H) extends - -.
Claim 2, lines 1 – 2, “wherein an outer locknut main body that is located on the outer locknut in the form of a ring” should read - - wherein the outer locknut comprises an outer locknut main body in the form of a ring - -.
Claim 2, lines 4 – 5, “an inner locknut cylindrical part which is almost completely hollow cylindrical in shape and is located on the inner locknut” should read - - the inner locknut comprises an inner locknut cylindrical part which is almost completely cylindrical - -.
Claim 2, lines 8 – 9, “a washer main body that is located on the washer and is almost completely in the form of a ring” should read - - the washer comprises a washer main body that is almost completely in the form of a ring - -.
Claim 2, lines 9 – 10, “more than one washer outer nut protrusion that are located at almost equal intervals around the washer” should read - - more than one washer outer nut protrusion located at almost equal intervals around the washer - -.
Claim 2, line 11, “the outer locknut slot” should read - - the outer locknut slots - -.
Claim 2, lines 12 – 14, “a washer inner nut protrusion that is located at almost equal intervals around the washer, extends outwards from the washer main body and forms a protrusion form, has a distance between it and the washer outer nut protrusion” should read - - more than one washer inner nut protrusion located at almost equal intervals around the washer, extend outwards from the washer main body and form a protrusion form, have a distance from the more than one washer outer nut protrusion - -.
Claim 3, “wherein an outer locknut thread that has helical recesses on the wall facing the gap (H) of the outer locknut main body, is removably attached to the body outer thread by rotating it around itself in, and has helical recesses in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and an inner locknut thread that consists of helical recesses on the wall of the inner locknut cylindrical part facing the body, and has helical recesses in the opposite direction to the thread direction of the outer locknut thread” should read - - wherein an outer locknut thread consists of the helical recesses on a wall of the outer locknut facing the gap (H), the helical recesses of the outer locknut thread have a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and the helical recesses of the inner locknut thread are formed on a wall of an inner locknut cylindrical part facing the body cylindrical part, wherein the helical recesses of the inner locket nut thread are in the opposite direction to the direction of the helical recesses of the outer locknut thread - -.
Claim 6, lines 1 – 2, “an outer body thread consisting of” should read - - the body outer thread consists of the recesses - -.
Claim 6, line 3, “an inner thread consisting of helical recesses” should read - - the body inner thread consists of the helical recesses - -.
Claim 7, lines 1 – 3, “a washer outer nut protrusion that is located at intervals between the inner locknut slots located one after the other all around” should read - - the more than one washer outer nut protrusion, which are located in the inner locknut slots - -.
Claim 8, line 3, “is at least partially in contact” should read - - and is at least partially in contact - -.
Claim 9, line 2, “the body” should read - - the body cylindrical part - -.
Claim 9, line 2, “extends outward from the body” should read - - and extends outward from the body cylindrical part - -.
Claim 10, “wherein a body (D) that allows” should read - - wherein the body (D) allows - -.
Claim 11, “prevents the body from rotating around itself” should read - - prevents the body cylindrical part from rotating with respect to the body (D) - -.
Claim 12, lines 1 – 2, “in a chamfered form” should read - - is in a chamfered form - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 – 13 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.
Claim 1, the limitation “thereby ensures the effective operation of the outer locknut and the inner locknut” recites a subjective result without providing objective boundaries for determining claim scope” and is, therefore, indefinite.
The term “almost” in claims 1, 2, 4 and 7 is a relative term which renders the claims indefinite. The term “almost” is not defined by the claims, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Use of the term, renders: the limitation “almost completely cylindrical in form” in claim 1 indefinite; the limitation “extend almost completely parallel” in claim 4 indefinite; the limitations “almost completely hollow cylindrical in shape,” “almost completely in the form of a ring, ” and “located at almost equal intervals” in claim 2 indefinite; and limitation “almost completely in contact” in claim 7 indefinite.
Claim 4, the limitation “wherein a first position (I) where the washer outer nut protrusion and the washer inner nut protrusion extend almost completely parallel to the washer main body and there is a distance between them and the outer locknut slot and the inner locknut slot; a second position (II) where the washer outer nut protrusion and the washer inner nut protrusion are opposite each other and twist into the outer locknut slot and the inner locknut slot; and the bearing which is in the second position (II) during the operation of the aircraft” is indefinite because the claim contains unclear and grammatically incomplete language including “almost completely parallel,” “twist into,” and “the bearing which is in the second position (II),” such that one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the metes and bounds of the claimed invention. Additionally, the claim fails to clearly identify which components occupy the recited first and second positions and the structural relationship between the recited protrusions, slots, and bearing during aircraft operation.
Further, the limitation "the operation of the aircraft" in line 7 is indefinite, as there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5, the limitation “more than one washer Intermediate protrusion that are located on the washer, and are bent in a curved manner towards the outer locknut main body in the second position (II), thus creating an extra friction force between the outer locknut and the inner locknut and thereby creating a precaution against loosening” is indefinite because the claim is grammatically awkward and recites subjective and relative terminology including “intermediate protrusion,” “curved manner,” “extra friction force,” and “precaution against loosening,” without providing objective boundaries for determining claim scope. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 – 13 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record, including Little et al. USP 6029538, taken as a whole neither teaches nor makes obvious the claimed combination of a contact-free wheel bearing pre-seal as set forth in claim(s) 1. Little teaches a removable bearing holder comprising a body or housing endplate 142 (Fig. 1b), a cylindrical body or bearing cartridge 160 mounted in gap or port 141, with mating threads (Fig. 1c) on the outer surface 162 and the inner surface port 141 for fixedly mounting the bearing cartridge 160 to the housing endplate 142. Little does not disclose or suggest the presence of an outer locknut mounted on the bearing cartridge outer thread in a removable manner; an inner locknut the fixing the bearing along the direction of port 141, and a washer located between the inner and outer locknuts, as claimed. Further, Little contains no teaching, motivation or suggestion that would lead a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the removable bearing holder to incorporate an outer locknut mounted on the bearing cartridge outer thread in a removable manner; an inner locknut the fixing the bearing along the direction of port 141, and a washer located between the inner and outer locknuts. Therefore, the claimed combination represents a non-obvious advance over the prior art.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILLIP A JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5216. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John 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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/PHILLIP A JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
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