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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 4 and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 4 Line 3; Claim 16 Line 3: “form” should be amended to --from--.
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.
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.
Claim 17 is 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 17 Line 2: The recitation “the moving body and the housing are fastened by a fastening member” is indefinite. In particular, Claim 15 only recite the moving body in the preamble and is considered to be an intended use for the regulating unit. As such it is unclear if the moving body is being actively claimed now, even though it is a part separate from the regulating unit, or alternatively if the housing is configured to be fastened to the moving body by the fastening member.
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.
(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, 11, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schroeder et al. (US 9,010,205).
Regarding Claim 1, Schroeder a ball screw unit (200) (note: “ball screw unit” is being interpreted as a title, and given limited patentable weight as no ball screw components are specifically recited, e.g. “a ball nut” or “ball screw shaft”) configured to be attached to a screw shaft (212), comprising:
A moving body (204) configured to be movable in an axial direction of the screw shaft in conjunction with relative rotation with the screw shaft (see Fig. 10).
A regulating mechanism (222) configured to regulate the relative rotation of the screw shaft and the moving body (see Fig. 12, showing a screw and nut relationship), wherein the regulating mechanism includes:
A nut (244, 245) to be screwed into the screw shaft (see Fig. 12).
A biasing member (247) configured to bias the nut in the axial direction so as to generate a frictional force between the nut and the screw shaft (see Fig. 12).
A housing (236, 238) configured to be detachably connected to the moving body and accommodating the nut and the biasing member (see Fig. 12).
A regulating member (246, 248) provided in the housing and configured to regulate relative rotation of the nut with respect to the housing (see Fig. 12, showing the square shape of the cutout that holds the square nut).
Regarding Claim 11, Schroeder further discloses the ball screw unit according to claim 1, wherein the regulating mechanism is configured to adjust a biasing force of the biasing member with respect to the nut (see Fig. 12, showing the regulating mechanism allows a second nut to move using the biasing member, this allows the spring to compress which adjusts the biasing force).
Regarding Claim 15, Schroeder discloses a regulating unit applicable to a ball screw including a screw shaft and a moving body movable in an axial direction of the screw shaft in conjunction with relative rotation with the screw shaft, and configured to regulate the relative rotation of the screw shaft and the moving body, the regulating unit comprising:
A nut (244, 245) configured to be fitted to the screw shaft (see Fig. 12).
A biasing member (247) configured to bias the nut in the axial direction so as to generate a frictional force between the nut and the screw shaft (see Fig. 12).
A housing (236, 238) configured to be detachably connected to the moving body and accommodating the nut and the biasing member (see Fig. 12).
A regulating member (246, 248) provided in the housing and configured to regulate relative rotation of the nut with respect to the housing (see Fig. 12).
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, 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 4 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schroeder et al. (US 9,010,205) in view of Murase et al. (US 2021/0254691).
Regarding Claim 4, Schroeder does not disclose a self-lubricating nut for the ball screw unit according to claim 1. However, Murase teaches in a similar linear actuator, wherein the nut (53) is configured to include a self-lubricating material (see [0032]), and a lubricant is applied to the screw shaft form the nut when the nut moves in the axial direction with respect to the screw shaft (see Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the ball screw unit disclosed in Schroeder with a self-lubricating material for the nut as taught in Murase to increase the useful life of the ball screw unit by reducing friction.
Regarding Claim 16, Schroeder does not disclose a self-lubricating nut for the regulating unit according to claim 15,
However, Murase teaches in a similar linear actuator, wherein the nut (53) is configured to include a self-lubricating material (see [0032]), and a lubricant is applied to the screw shaft form the nut when the nut moves in the axial direction with respect to the screw shaft (see Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the regulating unit disclosed in Schroeder with a self-lubricating material for the nut as taught in Murase to increase the useful life of the ball screw unit by reducing friction.
Claims 12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schroeder et al. (US 9,010,205) in view of Pettersen et al. (US 12,454,994).
Regarding Claim 12, Schroeder discloses a slider unit comprising:
A lead screw unit (22)
A screw shaft (212) to be inserted into the ball screw unit (see Fig. 11).
A support portion (206) rotatably supporting the screw shaft (see Fig. 11).
Wherein the ball screw unit includes:
A moving body (204) movable in an axial direction of the screw shaft in conjunction with relative rotation with the screw shaft (see Fig. 10).
A regulating mechanism (222) configured to regulate the relative rotation of the screw shaft and the moving body (see Fig. 12).
The regulating mechanism includes:
A nut (244, 245) to be screwed into the screw shaft (see Fig. 12).
A biasing member (247) configured to bias the nut in the axial direction so as to generate a frictional force between the nut and the screw shaft (see Fig. 12).
A housing (236, 238) configured to be detachably connected to the moving body and accommodating the nut and the biasing member (see Fig. 12).
A regulating member (246, 248) provided in the housing and configured to regulate relative rotation of the nut with respect to the housing (see Fig. 12, showing the square shape of the cutout that holds the square nut).
Schroeder does not disclosed a ball screw unit, but instead a lead screw unit. However, Pettersen discloses a similar linear actuator having a regulating member, having a ball screw shaft and a ball nut, and accordingly a ball screw unit (see Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to replace the lead screw for the slider unit disclosed in Schroeder with a ball screw unit as taught in Pettersen based on the intended application, e.g. to provide a higher efficiency, previous, and accuracy over a lead screw.
Regarding Claim 14, Schroeder further discloses the slider unit according to claim 12, further comprising:
A drive source (211) configured to rotate the screw shaft (see Fig. 10), wherein the relative rotation of the screw shaft with respect to the nut is allowed when torque exceeding the frictional force is transmitted from the drive source to the screw shaft (it necessarily follows that for the nut to move torque sufficient to overcome static friction would be required), and the relative rotation of the screw shaft with respect to the nut is regulated when torque less than the frictional force is transmitted from the drive source to the screw shaft (it necessarily follows that if insufficient torque is applied the nut will not move).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 5-10, 13, and 17-23 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY WEBER whose telephone number is (571)272-3307. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MINNAH SEOH can be reached at (571) 270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GREGORY ROBERT WEBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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