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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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, 4-9, 11-12 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Hadwan et al (US 11,839,043).
Hadwan et al (US 11,839,043) discloses:
1. A control device for a vehicle, comprising:
a printed circuit board, PCB (Hadwan - 1), and
a housing including a frame (Hadwan - 3) and a cover (Hadwan - 2) configured for engagement with the frame (Hadwan - 3), wherein the frame (Hadwan - 3) and the cover (Hadwan - 2) define a housing cavity configured to house the PCB (Hadwan - 1) therein,
wherein at least one of the frame (Hadwan - 3) or the cover (Hadwan - 2) includes a molded part (Hadwan - Col 1, Ln 53-63), wherein the molded part (Hadwan – 2, 3) has an inner surface (Hadwan – Fig 2) facing toward the housing cavity, and the molded part (Hadwan - 2, 3) includes at least one structural feature (Hadwan - Fig 2) that projects from or is recessed in the inner surface,
wherein the housing includes at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6,) that adheres to the molded part (Hadwan – 2, 3).
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4. The control device for a vehicle of claim 2, wherein the molded part (Hadwan – 2, 3) and the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) form an integral unit (Hadwan – Fig 2, 2 incorporates 5 and 3 incorporates 6).
5. The control device for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) includes a strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) arranged to reduce or eliminate foreign matter ingress into the housing cavity. (Col 3, Ln 5-19; “An EMC gasket provides, in addition to a fluid seal, a conductive path between the components to be sealed, thus preventing leakage of electromagnetic interference in either direction. In the disclosed embodiment…”)
6. The control device for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein the strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) arranged to reduce or eliminate foreign matter ingress is adhered to one of the frame (Hadwan - 3) and the cover (Hadwan - 2) and abuts on the other one of the frame (Hadwan - 3) and the cover (Hadwan - 2). (Col 3, Ln 5-19; “An EMC gasket provides, in addition to a fluid seal, a conductive path between the components to be sealed, thus preventing leakage of electromagnetic interference in either direction. In the disclosed embodiment…”)
7. The control device for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) includes a strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) in abutment with the PCB (Hadwan - 1).
8. The control device for a vehicle of claim 7, wherein the PCB (Hadwan - 1) has a first major face and a second major face parallel to the first major face, wherein the strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) in abutment with the PCB (Hadwan - 1) abuts on the first major face to secure the PCB (Hadwan - 1) with the second major face of the PCB (Hadwan - 1) abutting on at least one PCB support member (either rib that extends upwards and abuts 6 against the lower face of PCB 1; or the rib that extends downward and abuts 5 against the upper face of PCB 1) of the housing.
9. The control device for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one structural feature (Hadwan - Fig 2) includes a ribbed structural feature (Hadwan - Fig 2).
11. The control device for a vehicle of claim 9, wherein the ribbed structural feature (Hadwan - Fig 2) includes a curved surface segment (the end face, lower face, of the part of the rib which abuts gasket 5 in Figure 2 of Hadwan, has three distinct horizontal surfaces with curves connecting each adjacent surface) at an end face (47) of the ribbed structural feature (Hadwan - Fig 2), wherein the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) includes a strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) arranged on the curved surface segment.
12. The control device for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one structural feature (Hadwan - Fig 2) includes a groove (the end face, lower face, of the part of the rib which abuts gasket 5 in Figure 2 of Hadwan, has three distinct horizontal surfaces with curves connecting each adjacent surface) in the molded part (Hadwan - Col 1, Ln 53-63), wherein the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) includes a strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) arranged in the groove (Hadwan – Figure 2).
17. A vehicle brake valve (Hadwan - Col 1, Ln 6-12, ‘brake control modules’), including the control device of claim 1.
18. A pressure modulator (Hadwan - Col 1, Ln 6-12, ‘brake control modules’), for a utility vehicle, including the control device of claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 2-3, 13 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hadwan in view of Goll et al (DE 10 2007 014 938).
As concerns claim 2, Hadwan discloses the control device for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) adheres to the molded part (Hadwan – 2, 3) by an adhesion force of the foam material directly against the molded part (Hadwan – 2, 3).
Goll et al (DE 10 2007 014 938) teaches wherein a foam material adheres to an adjacent surface by an adhesion force and not due to any external adhesive. (Paragraph [0008] – Translated: “The circuit board is preferably placed on the foam at a time when the foam still exhibits strong adhesive properties—thereby establishing a material bond with the circuit board in addition to the damping effect—rather than being placed on the foam at a later time when the foam's adhesive properties are relatively weak or no longer present.”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify Hadwan as taught by Goll to include a foam material that adheres without any need for external or additional adhesive materials, for the expected benefit of making assembly easier, to obtain the invention as specified in the claim.
As concerns claim 3, the combination discloses the control device for a vehicle of claim 2, wherein the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) is in direct abutment with the molded part (Hadwan – 2, 3) without a glue being interposed between the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) and the molded part (Hadwan – 2, 3).
As concerns claim 13, the combination discloses the control device for a vehicle of claim 2, wherein the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) is fixed and retained to the molded part (Hadwan – 2, 3) without a friction fit (Goll – Paragraph [0008]) between the at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6) and the molded part (Hadwan – 2, 3).
As concerns claim 19, Hadwan discloses a method of manufacturing a control device for a vehicle, the method comprising:
forming a first housing component (Hadwan - 3) and a second housing component (2), wherein at least one of the first housing component or the second housing component includes a molded part;
wherein the molded part includes a structural feature (Hadwan - Fig 2) that projects from or is recessed into the molded part;
dispensing a foam material (97) onto the molded part (Hadwan - Col 1, Ln 53-63) along the structural feature (Hadwan - Fig 2) of the molded part (Hadwan - Col 1, Ln 53-63) and forming at least one strip of foam material (Hadwan - 5/6);
arranging a printed circuit board, PCB (Hadwan - 1) between the first housing component and the second housing component; and
engaging the first housing component with the second housing component (30; 102) such that the PCB (Hadwan - 1) is arranged in a housing cavity defined by the first housing component and the second housing component.
Hadwan is silent about the means by which the foam is held in place.
Goll et al (DE 10 2007 014 938) teaches wherein a foam material adheres to an adjacent surface by an adhesion force and not due to any external adhesive. (Paragraph [0008] – Translated: “The circuit board is preferably placed on the foam at a time when the foam still exhibits strong adhesive properties—thereby establishing a material bond with the circuit board in addition to the damping effect—rather than being placed on the foam at a later time when the foam's adhesive properties are relatively weak or no longer present.”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify Hadwan as taught by Goll to include a foam material that adheres without any need for external or additional adhesive materials, for the expected benefit of making assembly easier, to obtain the invention as specified in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10, 14-16 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As concerns claim 10, Hadwan discloses the control device for a vehicle of claim 9. However, Hadwan fails to specify the additional structural details claimed regarding wherein the width varies as a function of position along the second direction.
As concerns claims 14, 16 and 20, Hadwan discloses the control device for claims 9, 12 and 19. Hadwan, however fails to specify the spaced apart ribs, or as written in claim 20, a series of ribs.
Neither Hadwan nor any additionally cited art of record teaches or fairly suggests, alone or in combination, inter alia, wherein the ribs are spaced apart along the structural feature, as claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON L LEMBO whose telephone number is (571)270-3065. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Coy can be reached on (571) 272-5405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AARON L LEMBO/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3679
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