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 § 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 25-27, 29-31 and 36 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.
Claims 25-27 and 29-30 recites the phrase "optionally" which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 31 recites the phrase "preferably" which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 36 recites the phrase "preferably" which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
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 18-25, 27, 32, 34-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sendler et al.(DE 102010025252 A1) hereinafter Sendler.
Regarding Claim 18 Sendler teaches (Fig 4-6) a braking feel simulator device for a braking system, the braking feel simulator device being adapted to be connected to a brake pedal (10), wherein the braking feel simulator device comprises: a thrust piston (7) , and an electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) , wherein the thrust piston (7) is configured to be biased in translation against the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2), in response to an actuation of the brake pedal (10) (par.0031), and wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (7) (Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 19 Sendler teaches wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) comprises an electric motor (1.1) and an opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) , wherein the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (7), wherein the electric motor (1.1) is configured to actuate the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) so that the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) opposes the translation of the thrust piston (7), and wherein the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) is a reversible mechanism (Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 20 Sendler teaches wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) comprises an electric motor (1.1) and an opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2), wherein the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (7), wherein the electric motor (1.1) is configured to actuate the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) so that the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) opposes the translation of the thrust piston (7), wherein the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) is a screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2), coaxial to an actuation axis (Fig 6), wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) comprises a screw (2.1) and a nut screw (2.2) connected to each other so that a relative translation of the nut screw (2.2) with respect to the screw (2.1) along the actuation axis corresponds to a relative rotation of the screw (2.2) with respect to the nut screw (2.2) about the actuation axis, wherein the electric motor (1.1) comprises a drive shaft extended along a motor axis (Fig 6), wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) is connected to the drive shaft, and the electric motor (1.1) is configured to apply a mechanical torque on at least either the screw (2.1) or the nut screw (2.2) (Fig 6), wherein the thrust piston (7) is configured to be biased against the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) in response to the actuation of the brake pedal (10), so as to translate at least either the screw (2.1) or the nut screw (2.2) along the actuation axis, and wherein the electric motor (1.1) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (7) and at least either the screw or the nut screw along the actuation axis by applying a mechanical opposing torque on the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) (Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 21 Sendler teaches wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) further comprises a housing (external housing that hold the brake assembly) extending along the actuation axis, wherein the housing defines a housing compartment (portion of the housing) therein, and the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) is housed in the housing compartment, wherein the screw of the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) is connected to the drive shaft (see Fig 5-6) of the electric motor (1.1) so that the screw (2.1) is configured to receive the mechanical torque from the electric motor (1.1), wherein the nut screw (2.2) of the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) is configured to translate along the actuation axis (see Fig 5), relative to the screw and the electric motor (1.1), but not to rotate relative to the housing, wherein the thrust piston (7) is configured to be biased against the nut screw (2.2) in response to the actuation of the brake pedal (10) so that the thrust piston (7) translates the nut screw along the actuation axis, and wherein the electric motor (1.1) is configured to oppose the translation of the nut screw along the actuation axis by applying a mechanical opposing torque on the screw (2.1) (Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 22 Sendler teaches wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) and the electric motor (1.1) are positioned so that the actuation axis coincides with the motor axis (Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 23 Sendler teaches wherein the electric motor (1.1) is positioned opposite the thrust piston (7) relative to the screw-nut screw assembly (2.2, 2.2) (Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 24 Sendler teaches wherein the nut screw (2.2) is positioned opposite the electric motor (1.1) relative to the screw (2.1), and the thrust piston (7) is configured to translate the nut screw (2.2) in direction of the electric motor (1.1) (Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 25 Sendler teaches wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) comprises a transmission (gearbox, see par.0034) interposed between the electric motor (1.1) and the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2), which is a reversible type transmission (par.0034).
Regarding Claim 27 Sendler teaches wherein the nut screw (2.2) is translatable between a stroke start position, located at the thrust piston (7), and a stroke stop position, opposite to the thrust piston (7) with respect to the nut screw (2.1), wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) comprises a first elastic element (6) configured to bias the nut screw (2.2) towards the stroke start position (Fig 6).
Regarding Claim 32 Sendler teaches a braking system, comprising a braking feel simulator device adapted to be connected to a brake pedal, wherein the braking feel simulator device comprises: a thrust piston (7), and an electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2), wherein the thrust piston (7) is configured to be biased in translation against the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2), in response to an actuation of the brake pedal (10), wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (7), wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) comprises an electric motor (1.1) and an opposition mechanism (2.1-2.2), wherein the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (7), wherein the electric motor (1.1) is configured to actuate the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) so that the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) opposes the translation of the thrust piston (7), wherein the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) is a screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2), coaxial to an actuation axis, wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) comprises a screw (2.1) and a nut screw (2.2) connected to each other so that a relative translation of the nut screw (2.2) with respect to the screw (2.1) along the actuation axis corresponds to a relative rotation of the screw with respect to the nut screw (2.2) about the actuation axis wherein the electric motor (1.1) comprises a drive shaft (see Fig 5-6) extended along a motor axis (Fig 5), wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) is connected to the drive shaft (Fig 5, 6), and the electric motor (1.1) is configured to apply a mechanical torque on at least either the screw (2.1) or the nut screw (2.2), wherein the thrust piston (7) is configured to be biased against the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) in response to the actuation of the brake pedal (10), so as to translate at least either the screw or the nut screw (2.1-2.2) along the actuation axis (Fig 6), and wherein the electric motor (1.1) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (7) and at least either the screw or the nut screw (2.1-2.2) along the actuation axis by applying a mechanical opposing torque on the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2), and a brake pedal (10) operatively connected to the braking feel simulator device (Fig 5-6).
Regarding Claim 34 Sendler teaches an electronic processing unit electrically connected to the electric motor (1.1) of the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2), and at least one sensor (11) configured to detect the actuation and/or a movement of the brake pedal (10) wherein the electronic processing unit (par.0031) is configured to actuate the electric motor (1.1) of the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) only upon a detection, by the at least one sensor (11), of the actuation and/or the movement of the brake pedal (10) (par.0034).
Regarding Claim 35 Sendler teaches wherein the electronic processing unit is configured to control the braking feel simulator device (Fig 6) to implement a stiffness curve selectable from a plurality of stiffness curves (characteristic curves), wherein each stiffness curve of the plurality of stiffness curves corresponds to a given value of the mechanical opposing torque applicable by the electric motor (1.1) on the screw-nut screw assembly (par.0030).
Regarding Claim 36 Sendler teaches an actuation method of a braking system comprising a braking feel simulator device adapted to be connected to a brake pedal (10), wherein the braking feel simulator device comprises: a thrust piston (7), and an electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2), wherein the thrust piston (7) is configured to be biased in translation against the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2), in response to an actuation of the brake pedal, wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston, wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) comprises an electric motor (1.1) and an opposition mechanism, wherein the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (7), wherein the electric motor (1.1) is configured to actuate the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) so that the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) opposes the translation of the thrust piston, wherein the opposition mechanism (2.1, 2.2) is a screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2), coaxial to an actuation axis, wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) comprises a screw (2.1) and a nut screw (2.2) connected to each other so that a relative translation of the nut screw (2.2) with respect to the screw along the actuation axis corresponds to a relative rotation of the screw with respect to the nut screw (2.2) about the actuation axis, wherein the electric motor (1.1) comprises a drive shaft (see Fig 5 and 6) extended along a motor axis (Fig 6), wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) is connected to the drive shaft (see Fig 5), and the electric motor (1.1) is configured to apply a mechanical torque on at least either the screw (2.1) or the nut screw (2.2), wherein the thrust piston (7) is configured to be biased against the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) in response to the actuation of the brake pedal (10), so as to translate at least either the screw or the nut screw along the actuation axis, and wherein the electric motor (1.1) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (7) and at least either the screw or the nut screw (2.2) along the actuation axis by applying a mechanical opposing torque on the screw-nut screw assembly, and a brake pedal operatively connected to the braking feel simulator device (Fig 6), the braking system further comprising an electronic processing unit (par.0030) electrically connected to the electric motor (1.1) of the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2), and at least one sensor (11-12) configured to detect the actuation and/or a movement of the brake pedal, wherein the electronic processing unit is configured to actuate the electric motor (1.1) of the electromechanical opposition device (1.1, 2.1, 2.2) only upon a detection, by the at least one sensor (11-12) (Par.0034), of the actuation and/or the movement of the brake pedal (10) (Fig 6, par.0034) the actuation method comprising: selecting, using a selection device (par.0030), a stiffness curve (Characteristic curve) from a plurality of predefined stiffness curves achievable by the braking feel simulator device; and upon selecting the stiffness curve (par.0030), the actuation method further comprising either: detecting, by the at least one sensor (11-12), the actuation of the brake pedal (10) (par.0031); and upon the detection of the actuation of the brake pedal (10), actuating, by the electronic processing unit, the electric motor, so that the electric motor (1.1) applies the mechanical opposing torque on the screw-nut screw assembly (2.1-2.2) (par.0031, Par.0034).
Claims 18, 20, 26, 29-30 and 32-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chu.(CN 203126814 U) hereinafter Chu.
Regarding Claim 18 Chu teaches a braking feel simulator device for a braking system, the braking feel simulator device (Fig 1) being adapted to be connected to a brake pedal (Fig 1) wherein the braking feel simulator device comprises: a thrust piston (14) , and an electromechanical opposition device (8,1 4) , wherein the thrust piston (14) is configured to be biased in translation against the electromechanical opposition device (8, 1, 4, 11) in response to an actuation of the brake pedal, and wherein the electromechanical opposition device (8, 1, 4, 11) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (14) (Fig 1).
Regarding Claim 20 Chu teaches wherein the electromechanical opposition device (8, 1, 4, 11) comprises an electric motor (8) and an opposition mechanism (1, 4, 11), wherein the opposition mechanism (1, 4, 11) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (14), wherein the electric motor (8) is configured to actuate the opposition mechanism (1, 4, 11) so that the opposition mechanism (1, 4, 11) opposes the translation of the thrust piston (14), wherein the opposition mechanism (1, 4, 11) is a screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11), coaxial to an actuation axis (Fig 1), wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4) comprises a screw (4) and a nut screw (1, 11) connected to each other so that a relative translation of the nut screw (1, 11) with respect to the screw (4) along the actuation axis corresponds to a relative rotation of the screw (4) with respect to the nut screw (1, 11) about the actuation axis, wherein the electric motor (8) comprises a drive shaft (Fig 1) extended along a motor axis (Fig 1), wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11) is connected to the drive shaft, and the electric motor (8) is configured to apply a mechanical torque on at least either the screw (4) or the nut screw (1, 11) (Fig 1), wherein the thrust piston (14) is configured to be biased against the screw-nut screw assembly (1,4, 11) in response to the actuation of the brake pedal (during pressurization of the simulator), so as to translate at least either the screw (4) or the nut screw (1,11) along the actuation axis, and wherein the electric motor (8) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (14) and at least either the screw (4) or the nut screw (1,11) along the actuation axis by applying a mechanical opposing torque on the screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11) (Fig 1).
Regarding Claim 26 Chu teaches wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1, 4, 11) comprises a bearing (2) interposed between the electric motor (8) and the screw-nut screw assembly (1,4, 11) (Fig 1).
Regarding Claim 29 Chu teaches wherein the electromechanical opposition device (1, 4, 11) comprises a second elastic element (13) interposed between the screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11) and the thrust piston (14), wherein the second elastic element (13) is configured to bias the screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11) away from the thrust piston (14) (Fig 1).
Regarding Claim 30 Chu teaches wherein the thrust piston (14) forms a blind piston cavity supplied by path (16) (Fig 1), and the blind piston cavity is open in direction of the nut screw (1, 11), and wherein the second elastic element (13) is at least partially housed inside the blind piston cavity (cavity supplied by path 16) (Fig 1).
. Regarding Claim 32 Chu teaches a braking system, comprising a braking feel simulator device adapted to be connected to a brake pedal, wherein the braking feel simulator device comprises: a thrust piston (14), and an electromechanical opposition device (8,1,4, 11), wherein the thrust piston (14) is configured to be biased in translation against the electromechanical opposition device (8, 1, 4, 11), in response to an actuation of the brake pedal (Fig 1), wherein the electromechanical opposition device (8,1, 4, 11) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (14), wherein the electromechanical opposition device (8,1, 4, 11) comprises an electric motor (8) and an opposition mechanism (1,4, 11), wherein the opposition mechanism (1, 4, 11) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (14), wherein the electric motor (8) is configured to actuate the opposition mechanism (1,4, 11) so that the opposition mechanism (1, 4, 11) opposes the translation of the thrust piston (14), wherein the opposition mechanism (1, 4, 11) is a screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11) coaxial to an actuation axis, wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11) comprises a screw (4) and a nut screw (1, 11) connected to each other so that a relative translation of the nut screw (1,11) with respect to the screw (4) along the actuation axis corresponds to a relative rotation of the screw (4) with respect to the nut screw (1, 11) about the actuation axis wherein the electric motor 8) comprises a drive shaft (see Fig 1) extended along a motor axis (Fig 1), wherein the screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11) is connected to the drive shaft (Fig 1), and the electric motor (8) is configured to apply a mechanical torque on at least either the screw (4) or the nut screw (1, 11), wherein the thrust piston (14) is configured to be biased against the screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11) in response to the actuation of the brake pedal, so as to translate at least either the screw (4) or the nut screw (1, 11) along the actuation axis (Fig 1), and wherein the electric motor (8) is configured to oppose the translation of the thrust piston (14) and at least either the screw (4) or the nut screw (1, 11) along the actuation axis by applying a mechanical opposing torque on the screw-nut screw assembly (1, 4, 11), and a brake pedal operatively connected to the braking feel simulator device (Fig 1).
Regarding Claim 33 Chu teaches an absorber (16) configured to apply a reaction force via hydraulic fluid on the brake pedal in opposition to the actuation of the brake pedal, wherein the absorber (16) is fluidically connected to the braking feel simulator device (Fig 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 28 and 31 are objected and rejected respectively but would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the above stated 112 rejection and including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record not relied up on are pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Yu et al. (US 2020/0070793 A1) teaches a brake cylinder having a pedal mov’t simulator having a screw and nut actuating mechanism.
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/ABIY TEKA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745