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 .
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.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/30/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uneura et al. (US 11,339,794 B2) hereinafter Uneura.
Regarding claim 1, Uneura teaches a bearing structure, comprising:
a shaft (8) (Fig. 1);
a bearing, which includes an inner ring (20b, 21b), an outer ring (20a, 21a), and rolling elements (20c 21c) provided between the inner ring and the outer ring, and axially supports the shaft (Figs. 1-2; Col. 4, line 40-Col. 5 line 2);
a bearing housing (2) that accommodates the bearing (Figs. 1-2;
an impeller (9) provided at an end portion of the shaft (Figs. 1-2);
an impeller housing (4) that accommodates the impeller (Fig. 1; Col. 3, lines 25-50)
a partition wall (Uneura, annotated FIG. 1 below) that separates an internal space of the bearing housing and a space in the impeller housing in which the impeller is allowed to be accommodated from each other;
a side wall portion (Uneura, annotated FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 below), which is formed in the bearing housing, and is opposed to the rolling elements in an axial direction of the shaft over an entire area in a circumferential direction of the shaft, and is spaced apart from the partition wall in the axial direction (Uneura, annotated FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 below);
an annular groove (Uneura, annotated FIG. 2 below), which is spaced between the side wall portion and the bearing in the axial direction, and extends in the circumferential direction (Uneura, annotated FIG. 2 below);
an oil discharge port formed in the bearing housing (Uneura, annotated FIG. 1 below); and
a communication passage, which allows the annular groove and the oil discharge port to be in communication with each other, and passes through the bearing housing in a direction intersecting with the axial direction (Uneura, annotated FIG. 1 below).
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Regarding claim 2, Uneura teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Uneura further teaches a bearing hole (2e) formed in the bearing housing; a fitting member, which is provided integrally with or separately from the outer ring (Uneura, annotated FIG. 2 above), and has an outer peripheral surface that is allowed to be fitted onto an inner peripheral surface of the bearing hole (the fitting member as shown could be allowed to be fitted onto the inner surface of the bearing hole), wherein the side wall portion is opposed to an outer peripheral edge of a side surface of the fitting member in the axial direction over the entire area in the circumferential direction.
Regarding claim 3, Uneura teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Uneura further teaches the annular groove has an inner diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of the outer ring (Uneura, annotated FIG. 2 above).
Regarding claim 4, Uneura teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Uneura further teaches a guide portion, which is provided in the communication passage, and guides lubricating oil discharged through the communication passage, in a direction toward the oil discharge port (Uneura, annotated FIG. 1 above).
Regarding claim 5, Uneura teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Uneura further teaches a turbocharger, comprising the bearing structure (Fig. 1, Col. 3, lines 1-12).
Regarding claim 6, Uneura teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 2. Uneura further teaches a turbocharger, comprising the bearing structure (Fig. 1, Col. 3, lines 1-12).
Regarding claim 7, Uneura teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 3. Uneura further teaches a turbocharger, comprising the bearing structure (Fig. 1, Col. 3, lines 1-12).
Regarding claim 8, Uneura teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 4. Uneura further teaches a turbocharger, comprising the bearing structure (Fig. 1, Col. 3, lines 1-12).
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gutknecht (US 5,145,334).
Regarding claim 1, Gutknecht teaches a bearing structure, comprising:
a shaft (26) (Fig. 1);
a bearing, which includes an inner ring (56), an outer ring (52), and rolling elements (62) provided between the inner ring and the outer ring, and axially supports the shaft (Figs. 1-2, Col. 2, line 48-Col. 3, line 1-4);
a bearing housing (14) that accommodates the bearing (Fig. 1);
an impeller (28) provided at an end portion of the shaft (Figs. 1);
an impeller housing (16) that accommodates the impeller (Fig. 1);
a partition wall (Koda, annotated FIG. 1 below) that separates an internal space of the bearing housing and a space in the impeller housing in which the impeller is allowed to be accommodated from each other;
a side wall portion (Koda, annotated FIG. 1 below) which is formed in the bearing housing, and is opposed to the rolling elements in an axial direction of the shaft over an entire area in a circumferential direction of the shaft, and is spaced apart from the partition wall in the axial direction (Koda, annotated FIG. 1 below);
an annular groove (Koda, annotated FIG. 1 below), which is spaced between the side wall portion and the bearing in the axial direction, and extends in the circumferential direction (Koda, annotated FIG. 1 below);
an oil discharge port (106) formed in the bearing housing (Figs. 1-2); and
a communication passage, which allows the annular groove and the oil discharge port to be in communication with each other, and passes through the bearing housing in a direction intersecting with the axial direction (Koda, annotated FIG. 1 below).
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Regarding claim 2, Koda teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Koda further teaches a bearing (24) hole formed in the bearing housing; a fitting member, which is provided integrally with or separately from the outer ring (Koda, annotated FIG. 1 above), and has an outer peripheral surface that is allowed to be fitted onto an inner peripheral surface of the bearing hole, wherein the side wall portion is opposed to an outer peripheral edge of a side surface of the fitting member in the axial direction over the entire area in the circumferential direction.
Regarding claim 3, Koda teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Koda further teaches the annular groove has an inner diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of the outer ring (Koda, annotated FIG. 1 above).
Regarding claim 4, Koda teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Koda further teaches a guide portion, which is provided in the communication passage, and guides lubricating oil discharged through the communication passage, in a direction toward the oil discharge port (Koda, annotated FIG. 1 above).
Regarding claim 5, Koda teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 1. Koda further teaches a turbocharger, comprising the bearing structure (Fig. 1, Col. 2, lines 3-13).
Regarding claim 6, Koda teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 2. Koda further teaches a turbocharger, comprising the bearing structure (Fig. 1, Col. 2, lines 3-13).
Regarding claim 7, Koda teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 3. Koda further teaches a turbocharger, comprising the bearing structure (Fig. 1, Col. 2, lines 3-13).
Regarding claim 8, Koda teaches all the claimed limitations as stated above in claim 4. Koda further teaches a turbocharger, comprising the bearing structure (Fig. 1, Col. 2, lines 3-13).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAXIME M ADJAGBE whose telephone number is (571)272-4920. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NATHANIEL E WIEHE can be reached at 571-272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MAXIME M ADJAGBE/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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