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
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 Ln 12-13, please amend to --a sleeve forming a piston chamber in which the piston slides --.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1, 3, 8, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DOWTY BOULTON PAUL LTD GB 2033536 A, hereinafter Dowty in view of Nagai, Shigekazu et al. US 20030042892 A1, hereinafter Nagai. The references is/are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because the references is/are from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (linear actuators); or the references is/are reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (piston position sensing). MPEP2141.01(a) I.
Regarding claim 1, Dowty discloses (Fig. 1) a fluid pressure cylinder comprising:
a cylinder housing (3) in which an accommodation chamber (depicted chamber therein) is formed, wherein the cylinder housing includes:
a first fixing member (depicted flange approximate (17)); and
a cylinder unit configured to be insertably and removably accommodated in the accommodation chamber, wherein the cylinder unit includes:
a piston (12) configured to be pushed by a pressure fluid;
a piston rod (11) provided with the piston;
a sleeve (6) in which a piston chamber (23/24) in which the piston slides is formed;
a first holder (15) configured to hold one end portion (depicted right end) of the sleeve;
a second holder (4) configured to hold another end portion (depicted left end) of the sleeve; and
a second fixing member (depicted flange portion approximate (18)) configured to be engaged with the first fixing member; and
wherein an insertion hole (depicted hole approximate (33)) into which the piston rod is inserted is formed in at least one of the first holder or the second holder, and by engaging the first fixing member with the second fixing member, the cylinder unit is attachably and detachably coupled to the cylinder housing (as depicted, the first/second fixing members are depicted as threaded members thereby making them “attachably and detachably coupled”).
Dowty fails to explicitly state that the cylinder housing further comprises a position sensor and the position sensor is aligned with the piston.
Nagai discloses (Fig. 1-2) a fluid pressure cylinder comprising:
a cylinder housing (16) in which an accommodation chamber (depicted chamber therein) is formed, wherein the cylinder housing includes:
a position sensor (40/42); and
a cylinder unit configured to be insertably and removably accommodated in the accommodation chamber, wherein the cylinder unit includes:
a piston (34) configured to be pushed by a pressure fluid;
a piston rod (18) provided with the piston;
wherein the position sensor is aligned with the piston [0035-0036] for the purpose of detecting predetermined positions of the piston [0040].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Dowty, by providing the position sensor, as taught by Nagai, for the purpose of detecting predetermined positions of the piston.
To further clarify the modification, Dowty is provided with the groove (40), position sensor (42) and magnet (34) on the piston such that the positions of the piston of Dowty may be determined.
Regarding claim 3, Dowty discloses (Fig. 1) a passage hole (16) is formed in the first holder (15), and the pressure fluid flows through the passage hole and reaches the piston (Pg 1 Ln 120-122).
Regarding claim 8, Dowty discloses (Fig. 1) the cylinder housing includes a closing portion (5) configured to close one end portion of the accommodation chamber (depicted right end) in an axial direction of the accommodation chamber, and the second holder (4) closes another end portion (depicted left end) of the accommodation chamber in the axial direction, and the second holder is provided with the second fixing member (depicted flange portion approximate (18)) and the insertion hole (depicted hole approximate (33)).
Regarding claim 9, Dowty discloses (Fig. 1) the second holder includes: a damper (7) configured to abut against the piston (Pg 1 Ln 83-87); and a flow passage through which the pressure fluid flows (depicted passage connected to (21)), and the damper includes a supply/discharge hole (8) that communicates with the flow passage (Pg 1 Ln 88-93).
Regarding claim 11, Dowty discloses (Fig. 1) the cylinder housing includes a sensor mounting groove (40) in which the position sensor is mounted (as modified by Nagai above for claim 1, the cylinder housing comprises a mounting groove (40)).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dowty in view of Nagai, in further view of Richards; Paul D. US 5117741 A, hereinafter Richards. The references is/are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because the references is/are from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (linear actuators); or the references is/are reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (piston position sensing). MPEP2141.01(a) I.
Regarding claim 2, Dowty discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 1 except fails to explicitly state that the first fixing member is a first threaded portion formed on an inner peripheral wall of the cylinder housing that defines the accommodation chamber, the second fixing member is a second threaded portion formed on an outer peripheral wall of the cylinder unit, and the first threaded portion is screw-engaged with the second threaded portion.
Richards discloses (Fig. 1) a fluid pressure cylinder comprising:
a cylinder housing (19) in which an accommodation chamber (61) is formed, wherein the cylinder housing includes:
a first fixing member (79); and
a cylinder unit configured to be insertably and removably accommodated in the accommodation chamber, wherein the cylinder unit includes:
a piston (25) configured to be pushed by a pressure fluid;
a piston rod (27) provided with the piston;
a sleeve (21) in which a piston chamber (99/165) in which the piston slides is formed;
a first holder (17) configured to hold one end portion (depicted bottom end) of the sleeve;
a second holder (15) configured to hold another end portion (depicted top end) of the sleeve; and
a second fixing member (79) configured to be engaged with the first fixing member; and
wherein an insertion hole (depicted hole approximate (91)) into which the piston rod is inserted is formed in at least one of the first holder or the second holder, and
by engaging the first fixing member with the second fixing member, the cylinder unit is attachably and detachably coupled to the cylinder housing (Col 4 Ln 56-66),
the first fixing member is a first threaded portion formed on an inner peripheral wall of the cylinder housing that defines the accommodation chamber, the second fixing member is a second threaded portion formed on an outer peripheral wall of the cylinder unit, and the first threaded portion is screw-engaged with the second threaded portion (Col 4 Ln 56-66).
One of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted one known element (first/second threaded portion) for another (bolt/flange portion), and the results of the substitution (attachably/detachably coupling the cylinder housing to the cylinder unit) would have been predictable. Because both Dowty and Richards teach coupling methods, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to substitute first/second threaded portion for the bolt/flange portion to achieve the predictable result of attachably/detachably coupling the cylinder housing to the cylinder unit.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dowty in view of Nagai, in further view of CHARLES PASSAGGIO US 3233523 A, hereinafter Charles. The references is/are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because the references is/are from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (linear actuators); or the references is/are reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (piston position sensing). MPEP2141.01(a) I.
Regarding claim 10, Dowty discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 1. Dowty further discloses (Fig. 1) the cylinder housing includes:
a first attachment hole (21) configured to be connected to a first supply/discharge tube configured to supply and discharge the pressure fluid (Pg 1 Ln 115-119);
a second attachment hole (22) configured to be connected to a second supply/discharge tube configured to supply and discharge the pressure fluid (Pg 1 Ln 115-119).
Dowty fails to explicitly state that the cylinder housing further comprises
a first tube fitting configured to be connected to a first supply/discharge tube configured to supply and discharge the pressure fluid;
a second tube fitting configured to be connected to a second supply/discharge tube configured to supply and discharge the pressure fluid.
Charles discloses (Fig. 3) a fluid pressure cylinder comprising a cylinder housing (A) in which an accommodation chamber (10) is formed, wherein the cylinder housing includes:
a first tube fitting (16) configured to be connected to a first supply/discharge tube (21) configured to supply and discharge the pressure fluid (Col 2 Ln 21-31) for the purpose of coupling the first supply/discharge tube to the first attachment hole (Col 2 Ln 26-31);
a first attachment hole (11c) to which the first tube fitting is attached;
a second tube fitting (17) configured to be connected to a second supply/discharge tube (19) configured to supply and discharge the pressure fluid for the purpose of coupling the second supply/discharge tube to the second attachment hole (Col 2 Ln 26-31); and
a second attachment hole (17a) to which the second tube fitting is attached (Col 2 Ln 21-31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to modify Dowty, by providing the first/second tube fitting, as taught by Charles, for the purpose of coupling the first/second supply/discharge tube to the first/second attachment hole.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7 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:
Regarding claim 4, Dowty discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 3. Dowty further discloses (Fig. 1) the cylinder housing includes a closing portion (5) configured to close one end portion (depicted right end) of the accommodation chamber in an axial direction of the accommodation chamber.
Dowty fails to explicitly state that an annular clearance is formed between the first holder and the closing portion, and the pressure fluid that pushes the piston flows into the passage hole from the clearance.
The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim, and specifically does not show the claimed structural relationship between the first holder and the closing portion. Although Dowty discloses a first holder and a closing portion, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Dowty to incorporate the details of an annular clearance is formed between the first holder and the closing portion, and the pressure fluid that pushes the piston flows into the passage hole from the clearance, along with the other claimed components of the fluid pressure cylinder. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the claim.
Claims 5 and 6 depend from claim 4.
Regarding claim 7, Dowty discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for Claim 3. Dowty further discloses (Fig. 1) a first chamber (24) is formed between the piston (12) and the first holder (15).
Dowty fails to explicitly state that the piston includes an annular damper facing the first holder, and the damper includes: an inlet/outlet hole that faces the passage hole in an axial direction of the cylinder unit and through which the pressure fluid flows; and an inlet/outlet channel that allows the inlet/outlet hole and the first chamber to communicate with each other.
The prior art does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination set forth in the claim, and specifically does not show the claimed annular damper. Although Dowty discloses a piston, first holder and first chamber, there is no teaching in the prior art of record that would, reasonably and absent impermissible hindsight, motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Dowty to incorporate the details of an annular damper facing the first holder, and the damper includes: an inlet/outlet hole that faces the passage hole in an axial direction of the cylinder unit and through which the pressure fluid flows; and an inlet/outlet channel that allows the inlet/outlet hole and the first chamber to communicate with each other, along with the other claimed components of the fluid pressure cylinder. Therefore, when viewed as a whole and for at least the foregoing reasons, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor rendered obvious the present invention as set forth in the claim.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Relevant Art
The following is a listing of relevant art:
US 2810370 A, US 20180156247 A1, US 5052279 A, US 4930403 A discloses a fluid pressure cylinder compromising a cylinder housing and a sleeve.
DE 102007058630 A1 discloses a fluid pressure cylinder comprising a damper.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW WIBLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9836. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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/MATTHEW WIBLIN/ Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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