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
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.
Claim(s) 1 – 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chang et al. (US 2023/0046848).
Chang discloses in figures 2 – 5C a steering device, which is configured to steer a vehicle wheel about a kingpin axis, the vehicle wheel being provided to a vehicle body, the steering device comprising: a hub (100) configured to rotatably support the vehicle wheel; a knuckle arm (figure 2) fixed to the hub and configured to steer the vehicle wheel; and a lower arm (300) configured to pivotably connect the vehicle body and the vehicle wheel to each other, wherein a lower rotation guiding part (900, 500, 400) is provided at one end of the lower arm, the lower rotation guiding part being configured to couple the hub and the lower arm to each other, and being rotatable about the kingpin axis, wherein the lower rotation guiding part includes: a guide rail (500) formed in an arc shape having a constant curvature; and a moving block (400) configured to move on the guide rail, and where in an imaginary plane including the guide rail is perpendicular to the kingpin axis (claim 1). the lower rotation guiding part is fixed to the hub, and wherein another end of the lower arm is coupled to the vehicle body (paragraph 0046) (claim 2). an upper arm (200) configured to pivotably connect the vehicle body and the vehicle wheel, wherein an upper rotation guiding part is provided at one end of the upper arm, the upper rotation guiding part (top of 100, figure 2) being configured to couple the hub and the upper arm to each other, and being rotatable about the kingpin axis (claim 3). another end of the upper arm is coupled to the vehicle body (paragraph 0080) (claim 4). one end of the lower arm is connected to a moving block of the lower rotation guiding part (figure 2) (claim 5).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nicole Verley whose telephone number is (571)270-3542. The examiner can normally be reached 10AM-6PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason Shanske can be reached at (571) 270-5985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NICOLE T VERLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3614
Prosecution Insights