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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Korea on 25 July 2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the KR 10-2022-0092079 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-8 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1 and 8 recite “oil storage parts (133) and (134)”. This should be --oil storage parts (133 and 134)-- or the reference numerals should be deleted.
Claim 2 recites “protrusion parts (131) and (132)”. This should be --protrusion part--.
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.
Claims 2 and 6 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 2 recites “has at least one of protrusion parts (131) and (132)”. The limitation is grammatically confusing and unclear. Furthermore, it is unclear how many protrusions are required. Perhaps Applicant intended --at least one protrusion part--.
Claim 6 recites “in a direction in which it is away from the cage main body”. This is grammatically confusing. Furthermore, Applicant should avoid using pronouns in claims for clarity.
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 and 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kimura JP H11-230174.
Re clm 1, Kimura discloses a cage (Fig. 1-6) for a ball bearing, comprising: a cage main body (12, Fig. 1A and 1B) having a ring shape (Fig. 9); a plurality of partitions (cage portions circumferentially between pockets 13) which extend in an axial direction of the cage main body and are formed spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the cage main body; and pocket formation parts (14) which are formed around the plurality of partitions, wherein pockets (13) are formed between the plurality of partitions adjacent to each other and the pocket formation parts are formed to surround the pockets, and oil storage parts (15s; or surfaces that form recesses of 15s) are formed on at least one of an outer surface and an inner surface of the pocket formation parts in a radial direction of the cage main body so that oil stored in the oil storage parts is supplied to the pockets.
Re clm 5, Kimura further discloses a thickness of the oil storage parts (15s) formed in the pocket formation part in a radial direction of the cage main body is formed smaller than a thickness of the plurality of partitions (15s provide a recessed region that is smaller in thickness than the surrounding regions).
Re clm 6, Kimura further discloses the pocket formation part comprises a ball support part (claws extending axially from rest of cage) formed to protrude further than the plurality of partitions in a direction in which it is away from the cage main body.
Re clm 7, Kimura further discloses first oil storage parts (surfaces that form recess of 15s) are formed on an outer surface in a radial direction of the pocket formation part and second oil storage parts (surfaces that form recesses of 15s) are formed on an inner surface in the radial direction of the pocket formation part (Fig. 1B shows these on both radial sides of cage).
Re clm 8, Kimura discloses a ball bearing (Fig. 1-6), comprising: an inner ring (92); an outer ring (91) which is disposed opposite the inner ring; a plurality of balls (93) which is disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval; and a cage (11) which is disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring and configured to maintain the plurality of balls at a predetermined interval, wherein the cage comprises: a cage main body (12) formed to have a ring shape; a plurality of partitions (portions of 11 circumferentially between pockets 13) which extend in an axial direction of the cage main body and are formed spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the cage main body; and pocket formation parts (14) which are formed around the plurality of partitions (120), pockets are formed between the plurality of partitions adjacent to each other and the pocket formation parts are formed to surround the pockets, and oil storage parts (15s; or surfaces of recess that form 15s) are formed on at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface of the pocket formation parts in a radial direction of the cage main body so that the oil stored in the oil storage parts is supplied to the pockets.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kawaguchi JP H11-166450.
Re clm 1¸ Kawaguchi discloses a cage (Fig. 2-3 and 9-11) for a ball bearing (Fig. 12), comprising: a cage main body (7) having a ring shape; a plurality of partitions (cage portions circumferentially between pockets 8) which extend in an axial direction of the cage main body and are formed spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the cage main body; and pocket formation parts (portion of cage adjacent to pockets) which are formed around the plurality of partitions, wherein pockets are formed between the plurality of partitions adjacent to each other and the pocket formation parts are formed to surround the pockets, and oil storage parts (22/23) are formed on at least one of an outer surface and an inner surface of the pocket formation parts in a radial direction of the cage main body so that oil stored in the oil storage parts is supplied to the pockets.
Re clm 2, Kawaguchi further discloses the pocket formation part has at least one of protrusion parts (portion of pocket rim between 22s/23s) formed to protrude (relative to 22s/23s) and the oil storage parts are partitioned into two or more compartments by the at least one of the protrusion parts.
Re clm 3, Kawaguchi further discloses in the pocket formation part, two of the protrusion parts (Fig. 11) are formed to protrude, and the oil storage parts (23a) are partitioned into a first storage part adjacent to the cage main body, a second storage part and a third storage part adjacent to the partition on both sides of the first storage part by the two protrusion parts (all the elements can be considered adjacent to each other).
Re clm 4, Kawaguchi further discloses a thickness of the at least one of the protrusion parts in a radial direction of the cage main body is formed to be the same as a thickness of the plurality of partitions (the protrusions are flush with the rest of the cage, including the partitions).
Re clm 5, Kawaguchi further discloses a thickness of the oil storage parts (shown in Fig. 2 and 3) formed in the pocket formation part in a radial direction of the cage main body is formed smaller than a thickness of the plurality of partitions.
Re clm 6, Kawaguchi further discloses the pocket formation part comprises a ball support part (claws 12) formed to protrude further than the plurality of partitions in a direction in which it is away from the cage main body.
Re clm 7, Kawaguchi further discloses first oil storage parts (22, Fig. 2) are formed on an outer surface in a radial direction of the pocket formation part and second oil storage parts (22) are formed on an inner surface in the radial direction of the pocket formation part.
Re clm 8, Kawaguchi further discloses a ball bearing (Fig. 12), comprising: an inner ring (2); an outer ring (4) which is disposed opposite the inner ring; a plurality of balls (5) which is disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring and spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval; and a cage (Fig. 2-3 and 9-11) which is disposed between the inner ring and the outer ring and configured to maintain the plurality of balls at a predetermined interval, wherein the cage comprises: a cage main body (7) formed to have a ring shape; a plurality of partitions (cage portions circumferentially between pockets 8) which extend in an axial direction of the cage main body and are formed spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the cage main body; and pocket formation parts (portion of cage formed around pocket) which are formed around the plurality of partitions (120), pockets (8) are formed between the plurality of partitions adjacent to each other and the pocket formation parts are formed to surround the pockets, and oil storage parts (22s/23s) are formed on at least one of the outer surface and the inner surface of the pocket formation parts in a radial direction of the cage main body so that the oil stored in the oil storage parts is supplied to the pockets.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. JP 2011-202671 discloses a similar cage with a partitioned oil recess (Fig. 1A and 1B).
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/ALAN B WAITS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617