DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on 01/13/2025, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The following is a Non-Final Office Action on the merits in response to applicant’s filing from 01/13/2025.
Claims 1 and 3 are pending and have been considered below.
Priority
The application claims priority as a 371 of PCT/JP2022/028332, filed on 07/21/2022. The priority is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/13/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inayoshi (JP 2009/298229).
Regarding claim 1, Inayoshi discloses a steering device {Fig. 8}, comprising:
a first shaft {2} with an axis {X} that extends from a proximal end {bottom/inner end of X} toward a distal end {top/outer end of X}, the first shaft {2} holding an operating member {1 (Fig. 7)} rotatably about the axis {X};
a second shaft {3} disposed on a proximal end side {bottom/inner end of X side} with respect to the first shaft {2} and inserted in the first shaft {2} so as to be rotatable about the axis {X} and movable in an axial direction {along the X axis: “The lower shaft 3 that transmits the rotational operation force is disposed on the coaxial core X and the coaxial core, and each is coupled by a fitting coupling structure so as to be able to transmit torque and move in the axial core X direction” [0023]};
a first tube {A (7+8): “The movable tube A is composed of an inner tube 7 that supports the second ball bearing 6 and an outer tube 8 that is externally fitted to the inner tube 7” [0029]} that rotatably supports the first shaft {2} inside and that moves with the first shaft {2} in the axial direction {X direction: “the upper shaft 2 moves integrally with the movable tube A in the direction of the axis X” [0028]};
a second tube {4} that guides the first tube {A (7+8)} in the axial direction {X direction} and that rotatably supports the second shaft {3} inside {“fixed tube 4 that rotatably inserts and supports the lower shaft 3 therein” [0025]};
a moving mechanism {T (11+12+14+15)} that moves the first tube {A (7+8)} in the axial direction {X direction} to a first region {Fig. 8a} in which the first shaft {2} is allowed to rotate {because 31 is not locked within 8H in the first region} and a second region {Fig. 8b} that is located on the proximal end side {bottom/inner end of X side} with respect to the first region {Fig. 8a} and in which the first shaft {2} is not allowed to rotate {because 31 is locked within 8H in the second region};
a lock piece {31} that is movable in a radial direction {Figs. 8a-9c} with respect to the second tube {4} so as to be located on the proximal end side {bottom/inner end of X side} with respect to the first tube {A (7+8)} positioned in the first region {Fig. 8a}; and
a biasing member {32} that biases the lock piece {31} radially inward with respect to the second tube {4}, wherein
when the first tube {A (7+8)} is positioned in the second region {Fig. 8b}, the lock piece {31} engages with an engaged portion {33} provided on the first shaft {2} so as not to allow the first shaft {2} to rotate {Fig. 9c}, and
the first tube {A (7+8)} has a cut {8H} that is open on the proximal end side {bottom/inner end of X side} and through which the lock piece {31} passes when the first tube {A (7+8)} is positioned in the second region {Fig. 8b}.
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Inayoshi: Annotated Figure 8a
Regarding claim 3, Inayoshi discloses both of a distal end side {top/outer end of X side} of the lock piece {31} and the proximal end side {bottom/inner end of X side} of the engaged portion {33} include a contact surface {4 circled portions in Annotated Fig. 8a} tilted from the proximal end side {bottom/inner end of X side} toward the distal end side {top/outer end of X side}.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Daniel M Keck whose telephone number is (571)272-5947. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:00-4:00.
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/Daniel M. Keck/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614
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