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 .
Claims 1, 11, 16 have been amended.
Claims 3, 7 have been canceled.
Claims 21 and 22 have been added.
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 1-2, 5, 6, 8-13, 16-18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang [CN 217481881].
Regarding claim 1: Zhang shows a recirculator for a nut (3) of a ball screw mechanism, comprising: an annular body (4) about a reference axis of the recirculatory intended to be aligned with a helix axis of the nut (3), the annular body (4) comprising, and a guide structure (41) configured to guide balls (1) in a recirculation path opening at a first guide end into a recirculation channel of the nut (3) and at a second guide end onto a raceway defined by a thread of the nut (3), and a bearing surface (B) which extends over an angular sector about the reference axis, which does not intersect the recirculation path (see fig 1), wherein the bearing surface (B) is configured to bear against the nut (3, see fig 3) of the ball screw mechanism in a bearing direction having an axial component parallel to the reference axis and is at least partially located in a section plane intersecting the recirculation path and perpendicular to the reference axis and wherein the second guide end of the guide structure (41) extends on both sides of the section plane.
Regarding claim 2: Zhang shows wherein the bearing surface (B) is flat.
Regarding claim 5: Zhang shows wherein the guide structure (41) projects radially outwards from the annular body (4).
Regarding claim 6: Zhang shows wherein the first guide end of the guide structure (41) projects axially with respect to the annular body (4).
Regarding claim 8: Zhang shows wherein the second guide end of the guide structure (41) is formed by a scoop (6).
Regarding claim 9: Zhang shows wherein the second guide end of the guide structure (41) is formed by a scoop (6), which projects in a direction configured to be tangent to a raceway of the nut (3).
Regarding claim 10: Zhang shows wherein the recirculation path at the first guide end is perpendicular to a bearing plane.
Regarding claim 11: Zhang shows a recirculator for a nut of a ball screw mechanism, comprising: an annular body (4) about a reference axis of the recirculator intended to be aligned with a helix axis of the nut (3), the annular body (4) comprising a guide structure (41) configured to guide balls (1) in a recirculation path opening at a first guide end into a recirculation channel of the nut (3) and at a second guide end onto a raceway defined by a thread of the nut (3), and a bearing surface (B) which extends over an angular sector about the reference axis, which does not intersect the recirculation path (see fig 1 and 2, the bearing surface B does not interfere or intersect with the recirculation path), wherein the bearing surface (B) is configured to bear against the nut (3) of the ball screw mechanism in a bearing direction having an axial component parallel to the reference axis and is at least partially located in a section plane intersecting the recirculation path and perpendicular to the reference axis, and the annular body (4) comprises a sealing lip (42, see fig 3) extending radially inwards from the annular body (4) of the recirculator.
Regarding claim 12: Zhang shows wherein the sealing lip (42) is helical.
Regarding claim 13: Zhang shows wherein the sealing lip performs at least a 1/2 helix turn.
Regarding claim 16: Zhang shows A ball screw mechanism comprising: a screw (5), with an inner helical raceway and a central axis; a nut (3) with an external helical raceway and a recirculation channel; at least two balls (1) arranged between the inner helical raceway of the ball screw (5) and the external helical raceway of the nut (3); at least end recirculator arranged at one axial end of the nut (3) for recirculating the balls, the recirculator comprising an annular body (4) about a reference axis of the recirculator aligned with a helix axis of the nut (3), the annular body (4) comprising a guide structure (41) configured to guide the balls (1) in a recirculation path opening at a first guide end into the recirculation channel of the nut (3) and at a second guide end onto the external raceway, and a bearing surface (B) which extends over an angular sector about the reference axis, which does not intersect the recirculation path (see fig 1), wherein the bearing surface (B) is configured to bear against the nut (3) of the ball screw mechanism in a bearing direction having an axial component parallel to the reference axis, and is at least partially located in a section plane intersecting the recirculation path and perpendicular to the reference axis and the second guide end of the guide structure (41) extends on both sides of the section plane.
Regarding claim 17: Zhang shows wherein the axial end has a receiving surface in contact with the bearing surface (B) of the recirculator, the bearing surface (B) of the recirculator and the receiving surface of the nut having complementary geometries (see fig 2).
Regarding claim 18: Zhang shows wherein the axial end comprises an annular skirt projecting axially from the receiving surface, the annular skirt and the receiving surface delimiting a volume wherein the annular body (4) of the recirculator is at least partially housed.
Regarding claim 20: Zhang shows wherein the recirculator has one or more guide faces facing one or more guide faces of the nut (3) to delimit the recirculation path between the two ends.
Regarding claim 22: Zhang shows wherein the second guide end of the guide structure is formed by a scoop (6).
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.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang [CN 217481881] in view of Takeda [JP # 2000145915].
Regarding claim 15: Zhang does not explicitly disclose wherein the recirculator is moldable without undercuts. However Takeda shows modable recirculatory with no undercut (see translation “…No undercut occurs in the slit 213 when injection molding is performed using a pair of dies 50 and 51 combined in the axial direction. As a result, the number of parts of the mold is reduced, and the labor required for injection molding is reduced, thereby achieving cost reduction….”)
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at time of the effective filling date to have made the recirculator with no undercut to simplify the manufacturing of the recirculatory and prevent stress pint that can form around the undercut.
Claims 4, 14 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang [CN 217481881] in view of Brun [FR 1398059].
Regarding 4: Brun does not disclose wherein the angular sector has an apex angle greater than Pi/2 radians and less than 3Pi/2 radians. However Brun shows the angular sector has an apex angle greater than Pi/2 radians (see fig 2) Brun does not explicitly show that the angle is less than 3Pi/2 radians. However it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skills in the art at the time of the effecting filling date to have made the angular sector with apex within certain range such as Pi/2 and 3Pi/2 or any other adequate range that optimize the recirculation of ball, this is can be done by routine experiment to figure out the optimal range, Also modifying Zhang to include angular sector has an apex between Pi/2 and 3Pi/2, as the relative dimension of the angular range would cause the device of Zhang to function as disclosed.
Regarding claim 14 and 19: Zhang does not explicitly show wherein the recirculator is in one piece.wherein the annular skirt has a radial notch in continuity with the recirculation channel. However Brun shows wherein the recirculator is in one piece (see fig 2). wherein the annular skirt has a radial notch in continuity with the recirculation channel (16)
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skills in the art at the time of the effecting filling date to have made the recirculator as one piece to expedite the manufacturing process and reduce the cost of making the recirculatory.
Claims 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang [CN 217481881] in view of Nishimura [CN 100494732]
Regarding claim 21: Zhang shows wherein the annular body comprises a sealing lip (42) extending radially inwards from the annular body of the recirculatory. Zhang does not show that the sealing lip extending inward from the annular body. However, Nishimura shows the sealing (7) lip extending inward from the annular body (5, see fig 3).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have made the sealing inward to prevent any internal fluid from leaking to the external components.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 03/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant argument that Zhang reference failed to show the bearing surface does not disclose the claimed bearing surface that "extends over an angular sector about the reference axis, which does not intersect the recirculation path".
Figure below clearly shows the surface (B) does not intersect the recirculation path.
Zhang shows a bearing surface (B) which extends over an angular sector about the reference axis, which does not intersect the recirculation path (see fig 1), wherein the bearing surface (B) is configured to bear against the nut (3, see fig 3) of the ball screw mechanism in a bearing direction having an axial component parallel to the reference axis and is at least partially located in a section plane intersecting the recirculation path and perpendicular to the reference axis and wherein the second guide end of the guide structure (41) extends on both sides of the section plane (see fig 1 and 2). regarding claim 21, The new added reference Nishimura shows the sealing (7) lip extending inward from the annular body (5, see fig 3).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. For example [US 2010/0236345] shows a recirculator for a nut (21) of a ball screw mechanism, comprising: an annular body about a reference axis of the recirculatory (41) intended to be aligned with a helix axis of the nut (21), the annular body comprising a bearing surface (26) configured to bear against the nut (21) of the ball screw mechanism.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAKARIA ELAHMADI whose telephone number is (571)270-5324. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10-6 EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached on 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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/ZAKARIA ELAHMADI/
Examiner, Art Unit 3618
Prosecution Insights