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 recites “a camshaft” in line 2 which should be changed to --the camshaft--. Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-2, 4-7, 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2003/0140886 to Hada et al. (Hada).
Regarding claim 1, Hada discloses a bearing arrangement for a camshaft (1, fig. 1; [25]) of an internal combustion engine ([1]), the internal combustion engine including a crankcase (along with cylinder head 5) and a camshaft (1, fig. 1; [25]) including a camshaft gear wheel (4, fig. 1; [25]) and a side including a shaft end allocated to the camshaft gear wheel (fig. 1), the bearing arrangement comprising:
an axial bearing (formed by thrust plate 3 and slot 10 in cam bracket 8 and corresponding slots 53, 54 in cylinder head 5 as shown in figs 8-9) configured for supporting the camshaft on the side of the shaft end (fig. 1), the axial bearing including a plain bearing body, which includes a mounting surface, is crescent- shaped (shape of 10, 53 and 54 is crescent, figs. 2, 8-9), and is configured for axially supporting the camshaft and for being attached to the crankcase by way of the mounting interface (figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 3, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plain bearing body includes a bearing groove (groove in 8 and 5 as shown in figs. 1, 2, 8) and is configured for being slid onto a corresponding shoulder of the camshaft for an axial support of the camshaft, for axially supporting the camshaft in a slid-on state, and for being attached to the crankcase in the slid-on state by way of the mounting interface.
Regarding claim 4, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the mounting interface includes a contact surface corresponding to a contact surface of the crankcase (figs. 1, 8).
Regarding claim 5, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the plain bearing body is configured for being axially screwed to the crankcase (see screw holes shown in figs. 1, 8 for attaching 8 and 5).
Regarding claim 6, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the plain bearing body includes an axial direction and a region of the mounting interface, wherein the plain bearing body includes an increased material thickness in the axial direction in the region of mounting interface (see figs. 1 and 8, thickness of 8 increases in axial direction).
Regarding claim 7, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the plain bearing body includes a first side, the increased material thickness being formed as a protrusion on the first side (part of 8 towards the left or the right of the bearing slot, figs. 1, 8).
Regarding claim 15, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the bearing arrangement further includes a radial bearing on the side of the shaft end (see figs. 1, 7-9; first and second bearings and shown sandwiching the cams between them), which supports the camshaft radially at the crankcase (figs. 1, 7-9), wherein the radial bearing is arranged in a bearing seat of the crankcase (figs. 1, 7-9), and wherein the axial bearing is arranged between the radial bearing and the camshaft gear wheel (figs. 1, 7-9).
Regarding claim 16, Hada discloses an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a crankcase (along with cylinder head 5, figs. 1, 7-9);
a camshaft (1, fig. 1; [25]);
a camshaft gear wheel (4, fig. 1; [25]), which is attached to the camshaft and is configured for driving the camshaft, the camshaft including a side including a shaft end allocated to the camshaft gear wheel (fig. 1); and
a bearing arrangement (formed by thrust plate 3 and slot 10 in cam bracket 8 and corresponding slots 53, 54 in cylinder head 5 as shown in figs 8-9) for the camshaft, the bearing arrangement including an axial bearing (formed by thrust plate 3 and slot 10 in cam bracket 8 and corresponding slots 53, 54 in cylinder head 5 as shown in figs 8-9) configured for supporting the camshaft on the side of the shaft end, the axial bearing including a plain bearing body, which includes a mounting surface, is crescent-shaped (shape of 10, 53 and 54 is crescent, figs. 2, 8-9), and is configured for axially supporting the camshaft and for being attached to the crankcase by way of the mounting interface (figs. 1-2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 2, 8-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hada as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 6,212,746 to Cooks, Jr. (Cooks).
Regarding claim 2, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose which Cooks discloses:
the camshaft includes a bearing groove (groove 2 in shaft 1, fig. 1) that is circumferentially incorporated into a circumference of the camshaft, the plain bearing body (3, fig. 1) (a) is configured for being inserted into the bearing groove for an axial support of the camshaft in order to support the camshaft axially in an inserted state of the plain body bearing (fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to the one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have the camshaft with a bearing groove as taught by Cooks with the device of Hada so as to enable the ring (thrust plate) to resist forces directed along a longitudinal axis of the workpiece as well as impact and shock forces, so as to prevent undesirable shifting of the ring and parts mounted in the workpiece (col. 1, lines 26-30; Cooks).
Once teachings of Cooks are applied to the device of Hada and camshaft with bearing groove is used, it will be configured for being attached in the inserted state to the crankcase by way of the mounting interface (as seen in figs. 1, 7-9 of Hada).
Regarding claim 8, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the plain bearing body includes a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface opposite first bearing surface (figs. 1, 8), but does not explicitly disclose which Cooks discloses:
the camshaft includes a bearing groove (groove 2 in shaft 1, fig. 1) that is circumferentially incorporated into a circumference of the camshaft (shaft 1, fig. 1), the bearing groove including two groove edges opposite one another, and wherein the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface in an inserted state each facing respectively one of the two groove edges (col. 3, lines 41-56).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to the one with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have the camshaft with a bearing groove as taught by Cooks with the device of Hada so as to enable the ring (thrust plate) to resist forces directed along a longitudinal axis of the workpiece as well as impact and shock forces, so as to prevent undesirable shifting of the ring and parts mounted in the workpiece (col. 1, lines 26-30; Cooks).
Regarding claim 9, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 8, wherein an axial distance between opposite ones of the two groove edges is greater than an axial distance between opposite ones of the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface, such that, in the inserted state, the bearing arrangement is configured such that an axial bearing gap forms between the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface and the two groove edges respectively (col. 3, lines 41-56; Cooks) .
Regarding claim 10, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the plain bearing body includes a fluid channel (6, 7, figs. 1, 7-9; Hada) that can be connected in a fluid-conducting manner to a lubricant supply, wherein the fluid channel includes a first outlet and a second outlet respectively for the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface (see figs. 1, 7-9; different oil channels 7 are disclosed especially in fig. 8; Hada), the first outlet and the second outlet opening respectively into the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface (figs. 1, 7-9; Hada).
Regarding claim 11, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the plain bearing body includes an inlet side and an outlet side in a circumferential direction of the plain bearing body relative to a direction of rotation of the camshaft (figs. 1, 7-9; Hada).
Regarding claim 12, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are positioned closer to the inlet side than to the outlet side (see fig. 8, 7 is closer to one side than the other; Hada).
Regarding claim 13, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are aligned coaxially relative to one another (figs. 1, 7-9; Hada).
Regarding claim 14, Hada discloses the bearing arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface have an inlet end and an end face in a circumferential direction of the plain bearing body at the inlet end (figs. 1, 7-9; Hada), where a chamfer (56a on both inlet and outlet side; figs. 1, 7-9; Hada) is formed respectively, such that the plain bearing body is tapered in a wedge shape at the inlet end.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 10,215,061 to Ortmann
US 9,863,466 to Tsuboi et al.
US 8,776,746 to Scheidig et al.
US 5,887,557 to Battlogg
US 5,267,797 to Brandt
US 2015/0090210 to Sugiura
US 2013/0156359 to Flender et al.
All references above describe general state of art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAPINDER SINGH whose telephone number is (571)270-1774. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:30 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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/DAPINDER SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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