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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “first end of the line element defines a sealing surface” of claim 2 and claim 13 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. The drawings do not show the sealing surface 533 being positioned at the first end.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because it recites “wherein the unless the nut is disposed”. Did Applicant intend to say --wherein unless the nut is disposed--? 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.
Claims 1-11 are 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 1 recites the limitation "the housing" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the region" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "said lubrication unit channel of the adapter" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the region" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the region" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 5 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Elting (DE 102011010231 A1). Elting discloses a lubrication unit (fig. 2) disposable in the housing (21,24) of a joining module, wherein the housing contains a screw drive (40) with a nut (50,56) defining at least one lubrication point (downstream end of 54), wherein the screw drive includes a tappet (52) that can be moved in a linear movement by the nut, the lubrication unit comprising:
Re claim 1, a lubrication body (72) defining at least one lubrication unit channel (71) therein; a lubricant (lubricant supplied from 79) disposed in the at least one lubrication unit channel; at least one nut channel (fig. 2: horizontal portion of 54) defined in the nut; at least one lubrication channel (fig. 2: vertical portion of 54) defined in the nut and defining a first end (fig. 2: top end) connected to the at least one nut channel defined in the nut; wherein the at least one lubrication point of the nut is disposed spaced apart from the first end of the at least one lubrication channel defined in the nut (fig. 2); wherein the nut is disposable into a lubrication position in which the nut and the lubrication body are in direct mechanical contact with each other and the at least one lubrication unit channel communicates with the at least one nut channel so as to permit lubricant to pass successively from the at least one lubrication unit channel into the at least one nut channel, from the at least one nut channel into the at least one lubrication channel defined in the nut and from the at least one lubrication channel defined in the nut to the lubrication point (lubrication position shown in fig. 2 shows a direct mechanical contact between 55 of the nut and 72 of the lubrication body).
Re claim 5, wherein said lubrication unit comprises a stop (70); wherein the lubrication unit channel extends through the stop (fig. 2); wherein the stop defines a stop sealing surface (fig. 2: left end surface of 70) facing said nut; wherein said nut defines a nut sealing surface (fig. 2: right end surface of 56) facing the lubrication unit; and wherein the stop sealing surface and the nut sealing surface are configured and disposed to seal the communication of the lubrication unit channel with the nut channel in a lubricant-tight manner upon direct mechanical contact between the nut and the lubrication unit (fig. 2).
Re claim 12, a method for lubricating a joining module with a lubrication unit, which joining module includes a screw drive (40), a tappet (52) and a housing (21,24), which screw drive includes a nut (50,56), which tappet is configured and disposed to be moved by said nut with a linear movement, which lubrication unit is arranged on the housing and includes lubricant (lubricant supplied from 79) in at least one lubrication unit channel (71); which nut comprises at least one nut channel (fig. 2: horizontal portion of 54) and at least one lubrication point (downstream end of 54), the method comprising the steps of: moving said nut into a lubrication position in which said nut and the lubrication unit are in direct mechanical contact with each other (lubrication position shown in fig. 2 shows a direct mechanical contact between 55 of the nut and 72 of the lubrication body); aligning the lubrication unit channel and the nut channel to communicate with each other (fig. 2); passing lubricant from the lubrication unit channel into the nut channel (by inspection of fig. 2, lubricant passes from 79 to 29 to 71 to 54); and passing lubricant from the nut channel to the lubrication point (by inspection of fig. 2, lubricant passes from the horizontal portion of 54 to the vertical portion of 54 and to the lubrication point).
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(s) 2-4, 6-8, 13 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elting (DE 102011010231 A1) in view of Sarson (US 4,799,512 A). Elting discloses the lubrication unit (as cited above):
Re claim 6, wherein said housing defines a first housing end (fig. 2: right end) with a housing channel (29), in which housing channel lubricant is located.
Elting does not disclose:
Re claim 2, wherein the lubrication body includes a sleeve elongating along a longitudinal axis and defining an interior thereof, a line element defining a first end thereof and a second end thereof disposed spaced apart from the first end along the longitudinal axis, and a spring element; wherein the first end of the line element and the spring element are arranged in the interior of the sleeve; wherein the first end of the line element defines a sealing surface; and wherein the unless the nut is disposed in the lubrication position, said spring element is configured and disposed within the interior of the sleeve to mechanically pretension the sealing surface with a spring force against the sleeve in a lubricant-tight manner that prevents the lubricant from moving from the at least one lubrication unit channel to the at least one nut channel.
Re claim 3, wherein when said nut is disposed in the lubrication position, the second end of the line element exerts a counterforce against the spring force sufficient to overcome the spring force and allow lubricant in the lubrication unit channel to enter the at least one nut channel.
Re claim 4, when said nut is disposed into the lubrication position, the line element and the spring are configured and disposed along the longitudinal axis so as to release the mechanical pretension of the sealing surface against the sleeve.
Re claim 6, wherein said lubrication unit comprises a sleeve and an adapter; wherein the sleeve comprises a first sleeve end facing the first housing end; wherein said adapter is fastened to the first sleeve end; and wherein said lubrication unit is configured and disposed to be selectively connected to the first housing end via the adapter.
Re claim 7, wherein said adapter defines an adapter channel therein; and wherein, when the adapter is connected to the first housing end, said housing channel communicates with the adapter channel and lubricant passes from the housing channel into the adapter channel of the adapter.
Re claim 8, wherein said lubrication unit comprises a line element; wherein said line element defines a first end facing the adapter; wherein said sleeve defines an interior and the line element is arranged with its first end in the interior; wherein said line element defines at least one lubrication unit channel in the region of its first end; and wherein the lubrication unit channel of the line element communicates with said lubrication unit channel of the adapter so as to permit the passage of lubricant from the lubrication unit channel of the adapter into the lubrication unit channel of the line element.
Re claim 13, wherein said lubrication unit comprises a sleeve, a line element and a spring element, which sleeve defines an interior and a first end of the line element and the spring element are arranged in the interior, which first end of said line element comprises at least one sealing surface, and wherein, as long as the nut is not moved into the lubrication position, said spring element is designed in such a manner that it mechanically pretensions the sealing surface with a spring force against said sleeve in the interior and interrupts a communication in the lubrication unit channel in a lubricant-tight manner.
Re claim 14, wherein said nut moved into the lubrication position exerts a counterforce on a second end of the line element, which counterforce acts against the spring force; and wherein a counterforce which is greater than the spring force abolishes the interruption of the communication in the lubrication unit channel.
However, Sarson teaches a fluid communication assembly (fig. 3):
Re claim 2, wherein the lubrication body (fig. 1 shows 12 that, when taught, would be on the lubrication body) includes a sleeve (84,86) elongating along a longitudinal axis (48) and defining an interior thereof, a line element (134,112) defining a first end (fig. 1: right end) thereof and a second end (fig. 1: left end) thereof disposed spaced apart from the first end along the longitudinal axis, and a spring element (116); wherein the first end of the line element and the spring element are arranged in the interior of the sleeve (fig. 1); wherein the first end of the line element defines a sealing surface (110); and wherein the unless the nut is disposed in the lubrication position (lubrication position is equivalent to fig. 4 when 14 is mechanically engaged with 12), said spring element is configured and disposed within the interior of the sleeve to mechanically pretension the sealing surface with a spring force against the sleeve in a lubricant-tight manner that prevents the lubricant from moving from the at least one lubrication unit channel to the at least one nut channel (fig. 1 shows the spring is biasing 110 against 108 to form a seal).
Re claim 3, wherein when said nut is disposed in the lubrication position (lubrication position is equivalent to fig. 4 when 14 is mechanically engaged with 12; when taught, 14 would be mounted on the nut of Elting), the second end of the line element exerts a counterforce against the spring force sufficient to overcome the spring force and allow lubricant in the lubrication unit channel to enter the at least one nut channel (fig. 4).
Re claim 4, when said nut is disposed into the lubrication position (lubrication position is equivalent to fig. 4 when 14 is mechanically engaged with 12; when taught, 14 would be mounted on the nut of Elting), the line element and the spring are configured and disposed along the longitudinal axis so as to release the mechanical pretension of the sealing surface against the sleeve (fig. 4 shows the surface between 108 and 110 is not sealed).
Re claim 6, wherein said lubrication unit comprises a sleeve (82,84) and an adapter (right portion that includes 90); wherein the sleeve comprises a first sleeve end (fig. 1: right end) facing the first housing end (when taught element 72 of Elting would be modified to be replaced by element 12 of Sarson); wherein said adapter is fastened to the first sleeve end (fig. 1); and wherein said lubrication unit is configured and disposed to be selectively connected to the first housing end via the adapter (adapter has threads 90).
Re claim 7, wherein said adapter defines an adapter channel (104) therein; and wherein, when the adapter is connected to the first housing end, said housing channel communicates with the adapter channel and lubricant passes from the housing channel into the adapter channel of the adapter (Elting fig. 2 shows 29 communicates with 71 and the same would exist when modified).
Re claim 8, wherein said lubrication unit comprises a line element (134,112); wherein said line element defines a first end (fig. 1: right end) facing the adapter; wherein said sleeve defines an interior (102,100) and the line element is arranged with its first end in the interior (fig. 1); wherein said line element defines at least one lubrication unit channel (122) in the region of its first end; and wherein the lubrication unit channel of the line element communicates with said lubrication unit channel of the adapter so as to permit the passage of lubricant from the lubrication unit channel of the adapter into the lubrication unit channel of the line element (fig. 1).
Re claim 13, wherein said lubrication unit comprises a sleeve (82,84), a line element (134,112) and a spring element (116), which sleeve defines an interior (100,102) and a first end (fig. 1: right end) of the line element and the spring element are arranged in the interior (fig. 1), which first end of said line element comprises at least one sealing surface (110), and wherein, as long as the nut is not moved into the lubrication position (lubrication position is equivalent to fig. 4 when 14 is mechanically engaged with 12), said spring element is designed in such a manner that it mechanically pretensions the sealing surface with a spring force against said sleeve in the interior and interrupts a communication in the lubrication unit channel in a lubricant-tight manner (fig. 1 shows the spring is biasing 110 against 108 to form a seal).
Re claim 14, wherein said nut moved into the lubrication position (lubrication position is equivalent to fig. 4 when 14 is mechanically engaged with 12; when taught, 14 would be mounted on the nut of Elting) exerts a counterforce on a second end of the line element, which counterforce acts against the spring force; and wherein a counterforce which is greater than the spring force abolishes the interruption of the communication in the lubrication unit channel (fig. 4 shows the surface between 108 and 110 is not sealed because 14 acts against the spring force).
It would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the sleeve, line element, and spring, as taught by Sarson, to provide a passive seal and prevent leakages when the nut is moved away from the housing.
It would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the sleeve and adapter, as taught by Sarson, to provide a an interface for quick remove and replacement during maintenance.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The cited prior art(s) made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINH D TRUONG whose telephone number is (571) 270-3014. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Hodge can be reached at (571) 272-2097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Minh Truong/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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