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 4-7 and 11-14 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.
In claim 4, line 2, and claim 11, line 1, it appears that “the inner shaft” should be -the inner race- because no inner shaft was recited earlier in the claim.
In claim, 6, line 1, “the pin” lacks clear antecedent basis and suggests that applicant intended to claim the pin in claim 1, but it is unclear.
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.
Claim(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR10-2023-0142150 to Oh.
Regarding claim 1, Oh teaches a worm gear assembly (worm shaft 330 and worm wheel 200), comprising: a housing unit 10 having a cavity (interior space in housing, seen in Figure 2, for example); a worm wheel 200 rotatably disposed in the cavity of the housing, having a plurality of teeth disposed along a circumference of the worm wheel (see Figures 1 and 3); a worm shaft 300 disposed in the cavity of the housing, extending in a direction parallel to a plane of the worm wheel and having a thread configured to engage with the plurality of teeth (Figure 3), wherein a first end of the worm shaft is rotatably mounted in a bearing 400 and a second end of the worm shaft is mechanically couplable to a motor shaft (the right end of shaft 30, as seen in Figure 1, is connected to motor 20), wherein the housing defines a passage (vertical hole holding pressing portion 600) extending perpendicular to the direction of the worm shaft and connecting the cavity with an exterior of the housing.
Regarding claim 2, the worm gear assembly is a part of a steering assist system (steering apparatus, recited in Abstract, line 1) coupled to an electric powered steering of a commercial vehicle (the commercial vehicle is not clearly defined or positively recited. The steering apparatus taught by Ho is capable of use in a commercial vehicle).
Regarding claim 3, the bearing 400 includes an inner race and an outer race (see Figure 2), and wherein the inner race of the bearing is in contact with the worm shaft 300 and the outer race of the bearing is in contact with the first end of the pin 610 (Figure 2).
Regarding claim 4, Ho teaches the worm shaft 300 rotates along with the inner race of the bearing 400.
Regarding claim 5, Ho teaches an oval ring 500 is disposed in the cavity (see Figure 1) and adjacent to the outer race of the bearing (in Figure 6, dimension L1 of ring 510 is different from dimension L2 of the ring indicating the ring is an oval shape).
Regarding claim 6, Ho teaches the first end of the pin 610 is inserted through an opening 520 (seen in Figure 5) in the oval ring 510 such that the first end of the pin is in contact with the bearing (Figure 2).
Regarding claim 7, a plurality of O-rings 420 are disposed adjacent to the oval ring (Figure 2; O-rings 420 are in contact with ring 510).
Regarding claim 8, Ho teaches a method of reducing rattle in a worm gear assembly (see page 1 of translations, first paragraph of “Description” section, the device “can suppress noise and vibration”, comprising: providing a housing unit 10 having a cavity; providing a worm wheel 200 rotatably disposed in the cavity of the housing (Figure 1), having a plurality of teeth disposed along a circumference of the worm wheel (Figure 1); providing a worm shaft 300 disposed in the cavity of the housing (Figure 1), extending in a direction parallel to a plane of the worm wheel and having a thread configured to engage with the plurality of teeth (Figure 3), wherein a first end of the worm shaft 300 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 400 and a second end of the worm shaft is mechanically couplable to a motor shaft 20, wherein the housing defines a passage 520 (vertical hole that accommodates pressing portion 600) extending perpendicular to the direction of the worm shaft and connecting the cavity with an exterior of the housing (Figure 1); disposing a pin 610 in the passage, wherein a first end of the pin is in contact with the bearing (Figure 3); providing a plug bolt 630 (pressure control unit that is screwed into housing to adjust the compression of spring 620) disposed at an opening of the passage; and disposing a spring 620 in the passage between the plug bolt and the pin, the spring biased to exert a force on the bearing away from the plug bolt so as to press the worm shaft in the direction of the worm wheel in order to keep the thread of the worm shaft constantly engaged with the plurality of teeth (pressure is applied from plug bolt 630 through spring 620 to pin 610 that then applies pressure on part of the bearing).
Regarding claim 9, Ho teaches the worm gear assembly is a part of a steering assist system (see Abstract; steering apparatus powered by motor 20) coupled to an electric powered steering (electric motor powered steering system) of a commercial vehicle (the steering system is for a vehicle that could be used for commercial purposes).
Regarding claim 10, the bearing 400 includes an inner race and an outer race (Figure 2), and wherein the inner race of the bearing is in contact with the worm shaft 300 and the outer race of the bearing is in contact with the first end of the pin 610 (Figure 2).
Regarding claim 11, the worm shaft 300 rotates along with the inner race of the bearing 400 (Figure 2).
Regarding claim 12, an oval ring 510 (see Figure 6; ring 510 has different internal diameters, L1, L2, making it an oval shape) is disposed in the cavity and adjacent to the outer race of the bearing (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 13, the first end of the pin 610 is inserted through an opening 520 in the oval ring 510 such that the first end of the pin is in contact with the bearing 400 (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 14, a plurality of O-rings 420 are disposed adjacent to the oval ring (Figure 2 of Ho shows O-rings 420 in contact with ring 510).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
KR 10-2208240 shows a steering system with a worm mechanism having a bearing 162, a ring 140 surrounding the bearing and O-rings 145 between the ring and the housing.
Chen and Figura each teach an electric power steering system using a worm mechanism having a noise reducing gap compensator in the gearing.
Oh ‘519, Lin, Kwon, and Kim teach electric power steering arrangements using worm gearing and noise reducers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anne Marie M. Boehler whose telephone number is (571)272-6641. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Valentin Neacsu can be reached at 571-272-6265. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANNE MARIE M BOEHLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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