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 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.
Claim(s) 13-20, 22, and 25-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DE 102010048267 A1 to Hiramatsu et al. (Hiramatsu).
In reference to independent claim 13, Hiramatsu discloses:
A cylinder head cover (12, see Figs. 1 and 3) with a camshaft (16) received rotatably in the cylinder head cover (see Fig. 3), comprising:
an axial bearing (see bearing recesses 28 and 30) including at least one pin pair (see Fig. 3);
wherein the camshaft is equipped with a functional component (18) fixed axially on the camshaft (see Fig. 3), or with a functional component received axially displaceably on the camshaft;
wherein the functional component (18) is arranged between pins (screws/bolts) of the at least one pin pair (screws/bolts) (see Fig. 3).
In reference to dependent claim 14, Hiramatsu further discloses: the pin pair comprises a first pin and a second pin (see holes for bolts/screws to secure cam cap 14 to the housing 12, see Fig. 3).
In reference to dependent claim 15, Hiramatsu further discloses: the axial bearing (28, 30) comprises a further pin pair (see Fig. 3), between which the functional component (18) is arranged (each cam 18 is positioned between two sets of holes for screws/bolts, see Fig. 3).
In reference to dependent claim 16, Hiramatsu further discloses: the pin pair (screws/bolts) is arranged perpendicularly with respect to the rotational axis of the camshaft (16) (see Fig. 3 annotated below).
In reference to dependent claim 17, Hiramatsu further discloses: the pins (screws/bolts) of the pin pair are received in sections in receiving openings (see screw/bolt openings in Fig. 3).
In reference to dependent claims 18 and 19, Hiramatsu further discloses: at least one pin/two pins (screws/bolts) of the pin pair is received rotatably in the receiving openings (a screw or bolt would rotate in the holes/openings while being inserted, i.e. received).
In reference to dependent claim 20, Hiramatsu further discloses: the functional component is a locking disk, a sensor wheel, or a cam (cams 18).
In reference to dependent claim 22, Hiramatsu further discloses: the camshaft (16) is a sliding camshaft, comprising a basic shaft and at least one sliding cam (see “background” on page 2 of the machine generated translation).
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In reference to dependent claims 25 and 27, Hiramatsu further discloses: the cylinder head cover comprises a first cylinder head cover element and a second cylinder head cover element/a cylinder head cover main body and a bearing frame (cam cap 14 and cam housing 12), wherein receiving openings for the pins are provided both in the first cylinder head cover element and in the second cylinder head cover element/the cylinder head cover main body and the bearing frame (see Fig. 3, holes for accommodating screws/bolts in both the cam cap and cam housing).
In reference to dependent claims 26 and 28, Hiramatsu further discloses:
A method for assembling a cylinder head cover as claimed in claim 25, comprising:
inserting the camshaft (16) with the functional component (18) into bearing half shells (12, 14) of the cylinder head cover/cylinder head cover main body (see Fig. 3);
introducing the pins (screw/bolts not shown) into the receiving openings of the first cylinder head cover element/main body (see openings for screws/bolts for attaching cam cap 14 to cam housing 12); and
placing the second cylinder head cover element onto the first cylinder head cover element/main body, wherein the pins dip in portions into the receiving openings of the second cylinder head cover element/bearing frame (see Fig. 3).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiramatsu in view of US 20110126793 A1 to Ahn (Ahn).
In reference to dependent claim 21, Hiramatsu is silent regarding the functional component being a locking disk, a sensor wheel, or pump lobe.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the prior art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of the cam lobes on the camshaft shaft would have been a cam lobe for a fuel pump (see [0068]) as evidenced by Ahn.
Claim(s) 23-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiramatsu in view of WO 2020/193560 A1 to Weidauer et al. (Weidauer).
In reference to dependent claim 23, Hiramatsu is silent regarding the camshaft is a sliding camshaft, comprising a basic shaft and at least one sliding cam, wherein the sliding camshaft comprises two sliding cams which are connected to one another by a coupling rod.
Weidauer teaches a similar cam system for an engine including a camshaft (10) with a carrier shaft (11) having at least two sliding cam elements (12a and 12b) coupled by an adjustment element (16).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the camshaft of Hiramatsu to include the sliding camshaft taught by Weidauer in order to economize space in the engine cylinder head, thus reducing production cost.
In reference to dependent claim 24, Hiramatsu is also silent regarding the functional component (cam 18) being selectively attached fixedly or axially displaceably on the camshaft. Weidauer further teaches that the sliding cam elements of the sliding cam system are displaceable between at least two axial positions (see page 8 of machine generated translation).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ngoc T Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)272-7176. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark Laurenzi can be reached at (571) 270-7878. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NGOC T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799