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 as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “204” has been used to designate both a pin and another component in figure 7. 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. 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Examiner suggests rephrasing “the plates 152 can are moveable” to be either --the plates 152 can be moveable-- or --the plates 152 are moveable-- (page 16, line 1; paragraph 0087). 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, 12-15, 17, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Isaka et al. (US 8899129 B2).
In regards to claims 1, 12-15, and 17, Isaka et al. discloses a steering assembly (steering device #11) for steering a vehicle (#1; figures 1, 2), the steering assembly comprising:
(claim 1) a steering input device (steering wheel #12) configured to steer the vehicle (#1; column 7) and to pivotably connect to a frame (vehicle body #2) of the vehicle to pivot about a laterally extending pivot axis (axis extending through support shafts #31, 32; figures 2-7; column 7, lines 32-42, 60-65; column 10, lines 26-39; column 11, lines 22-35; column 13, lines 24-54; column 14, lines 47-36; column 15, line 63-column 16, line 25);
an adjustment assembly (including tilt angle adjusting mechanism #33) configured to select a driving position of the steering input device (#12) from a plurality of driving positions (figures 2-9; column 9, lines 21-33; column 10, line 51-column 18);
a coupling assembly (including tilt-up mechanism #25) having:
a coupled configuration (drive position), in which, upon actuation of the adjustment assembly (#33), the steering input device (#12) is moveable about the pivot axis (axis extending through support shafts #31, 32) between the plurality of driving positions (column 9, line 34-column 18; figures 2-7, 10);
an uncoupled configuration (tilt-up position), in which, without actuation of the adjustment assembly (#33), the steering input device (#12) is moveable about the pivot axis (axis extending through support shafts #31, 32) to an ingress-egress position (column 9, line 34-column 18; figures 2-7, 10);
one of the adjustment assembly (#33) and the coupling assembly (#25) being disposed between the steering input device (#12) and an other one of the adjustment assembly and the coupling assembly (figure 2);
(claim 12) wherein the adjustment assembly (#33) comprises a locking mechanism (including elongate hole portion #27B, connecting bolt #34, tilt lever #35, cylindrical nut #24) configured to selectively lock a state of the adjustment assembly, thereby locking the selected driving position of the steering input device (#12; column 9, lines 21-33; column 10, line 51-column 18; figures 2-9);
(claim 13) wherein in the uncoupled configuration (tilt-up position), the locking assembly (including elongate hole portion #27B, connecting bolt #34, tilt lever #35, cylindrical nut #24) retains the state of the adjustment assembly (#33; column 2, lines 18-64; column 3, line 50-column 4, line 13; column 17, lines 27-36; column 17, line 59-column 18, line 2);
(claim 14) wherein the adjustment assembly (#33) is disposed below the steering input device (#12; figure 2);
(claim 15) at least one biasing member (including tilt-up spring #47) configured to bias the steering input device (#12) upwards when the steering input device and the adjustment assembly (#33) are in the uncoupled configuration (tilt-up position; figures 2, 3, 6, 7, 10; column 12, lines 40-53; column 13, lines 36-63; column 15, lines 44-54; column 15, line 63-column 16, line 5; column 16, line 36-column 17, line 26; column 18, lines 47-54);
(claim 17) wherein, in the coupled configuration (drive position), the steering input device (#12) is pivotable within a coupled range of motion (columns 9-18; figures 2-7);
in the uncoupled configuration (tilt-up position), the steering input device (#12) is pivotable within an uncoupled range of motion, the uncoupled range of motion being larger than the coupled range of motion (columns 9-18; figures 2-7).
In regards to claim 18, Isaka et al. discloses a vehicle (#1; figure 1) comprising:
a frame (vehicle body #2; figure 1; column 6, line 32-column 7, line 12);
a plurality of ground-engaging members (wheels #5, 6) operatively connected to the frame (#2; figure 1; column 6, lines 32-51);
a motor (hydraulic motor) supported by the frame (#2) for driving the vehicle (#1; column 6, lines 42-51);
a steering assembly (steering device #11) having:
a steering input device (steering wheel #12) for steering the vehicle (#1; column 7), the steering input device pivotably connected to the frame (#2) to pivot about a laterally extending pivot axis (axis extending through support shafts #31, 32; figures 2-7; column 7, lines 32-42, 60-65; column 10, lines 26-39; column 11, lines 22-35; column 13, lines 24-54; column 14, lines 47-36; column 15, line 63-column 16, line 25);
an adjustment assembly (including tilt angle adjusting mechanism #33) configured to select a driving position of the steering input device (#12) from a plurality of driving positions (figures 2-9; column 9, lines 21-33; column 10, line 51-column 18);
a coupling assembly (including tilt-up mechanism #25) having:
a coupled configuration (drive position), in which, upon actuation of the adjustment assembly (#33), the steering input device (#12) is moveable about the pivot axis (axis extending through support shafts #31, 32) between the plurality of driving positions (column 9, line 34-column 18; figures 2-7, 10);
an uncoupled configuration (tilt-up position), in which, without actuation of the adjustment assembly (#33), the steering input device (#12) is moveable about the pivot axis (axis extending through support shafts #31, 32) to an ingress-egress position (column 9, line 34-column 18; figures 2-7, 10);
one of the adjustment assembly (#33) and the coupling assembly (#25) being disposed between the steering input device (#12) and an other one of the adjustment assembly and the coupling assembly (figure 2).
In regards to claim 20, Isaka et al. discloses a steering assembly (steering device #11) for steering a vehicle (#1; figures 1, 2), the steering assembly comprising:
a steering input device (steering wheel #12) configured to receive a driver input to steer the vehicle (#1; column 7);
an adjustment assembly (including tilt angle adjusting mechanism #33) configured to select a driving position of the steering input device (#12) from a plurality of driving positions (figures 2-9; column 9, lines 21-33; column 10, line 51-column 18);
a coupling assembly (including tilt-up mechanism #25) having a coupled configuration (drive position) and an uncoupled configuration (tilt-up position; column 9, line 34-column 18; figures 2-7, 10);
in the uncoupled configuration (tilt-up position), the steering input device (#12) being movable from the selected driving position to an ingress-egress position (column 9, line 34-column 18; figures 2-7, 10);
in response to moving the coupling assembly (#25) from the uncoupled configuration (tilt-up position) to the coupled configuration (drive position), the steering input device (#12) being moved from the ingress-egress position to the selected driving position (column 9, line 34-column 18; figures 2-7, 10).
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) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Isaka et al. (US 8899129 B2) in view of Leonard et al. (US 7795602 B2). Isaka et al. does not disclose wherein the vehicle (#1) is a side-by-side vehicle. Leonard et al. teaches a side-by-side vehicle comprising a steering assembly that can be tilted to provide clearance for a driver entering and exiting the vehicle (column 5, lines 19-35). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the steering assembly of Isaka et al. for use with a side-by-side vehicle, as taught by Leonard et al., so as to afford the benefit of providing clearance for a driver entering and exiting the vehicle (Leonard et al.; column 5, lines 19-35) for use with other vehicles that tend to exhibit tight cabin space, such as side-by-side vehicles.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-11 and 16 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:
The allowable subject matter of claim 2 is wherein the coupling assembly is disposed between the steering input device and the adjustment assembly, in combination with other features of preceding claim 1;
The allowable subject matter of claim 16 is the spring disposed about the pivot axis and having a first end connected to the steering input device and a second end configured to connect to the frame of the vehicle, in combination with other features of preceding claims 1 and 15. Isaka et al. (US 8899129 B2) discloses wherein the at least one biasing member (including tilt-up spring #47) is a spring, but the spring does not have the claimed configuration.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art discloses vehicle steering assemblies including adjustment and coupling assemblies.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA FREEDMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2442. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm.
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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.
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/LAURA FREEDMAN/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3614B