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 .
The amendment filed 4/27/26 has been entered.
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) 1-4, 7-12, 15-17, 19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Shaikh et al. (DE102022104768A1).
Regarding claim 1, the Shaikh et al. (hereinafter Shaikh) reference discloses a snap-on sealing ring for externally sealing a shaft connection, comprising:
a base body made of plastic (3), the base body comprising:
a sleeve section (e.g. sleeve section of 3 under lead line 10 in Fig. 2);
a flange section (e.g. vertical section of 3 at 6) axially adjoining the sleeve section (Fig. 2, e.g. through other sections); and
at least one catch lug (14) made of plastic of the base body (Fig. 2) formed on the sleeve section for latchingly engaging with a first component (12, Fig. 1); and
an insert made of metal (2), the insert comprising:
an outer ring disk section (e.g. section of 2 at 6);
an inner ring disk section (e.g. vertical section of 2 between 3 and 10) arranged axially offset from the outer ring disk section (Figs. 1,2); and
a sleeve-shaped connecting section (e.g. section at end of lead line 2) connecting the outer ring disk section and the inner ring disk section to one another (Figs. 1,2),
wherein the outer ring disk section is embedded at least in part into the flange section (Figs. 1,2),
wherein the inner ring disk section has a smaller inside diameter than the sleeve section and the flange section (Figs. 1,2),
wherein the sleeve-shaped connecting section defines a metallic contact surface on a radially inner side for pressing onto a shaft section of a second component (13), and
wherein the sleeve-shaped connecting section on a radially outer side is in contact with the plastic of the base body (Figs. 1,2).
Regarding claim 2, the Shaikh reference discloses the insert is a sheet metal part (Claim 3).
Regarding claim 3, the Shaikh reference discloses the insert comprises a galvanized steel sheet, a stainless steel alloy, or an aluminum alloy (Para. [0009]).
Regarding claim 4, the Shaikh reference discloses the insert comprises recesses (7) that are interlocked with the plastic of the base body (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, the Shaikh reference discloses the outer ring disk section, at least in a region where it connects to the sleeve-shaped connecting section, is free of plastic on a side transitioning into the metallic contact surface of the sleeve-shaped connecting section (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8, the Shaikh reference discloses the base body is molded onto the insert (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 9, the Shaikh reference discloses an axially clamped face serration assembly (Figs. 1,2), comprising:
a first component (13) comprising a first face serration (5);
a second component (12) comprising a second face serration (5), the first face serration and the second face serration being in toothing engagement with one another and being axially clamped to one another (Fig. 1); and
a snap-on sealing ring (1) surrounding the first face serration and the second face serration radially on an outside and sealing the same (Figs. 1,2);
the snap-on sealing ring being pressed onto a shaft step at the first component by way of a metallic contact surface (surface of 2) of a sleeve-shaped connecting section of a metallic insert;
the snap-on sealing ring engaging, with axial play, in one or more recesses at the second component by way of at least one catch lug (14) formed on a sleeve section of a plastic base body of the snap-on sealing ring (Figs. 1,2); and
the snap-on sealing ring further comprising, at an axial end face, a circumferential sealing surface (e.g. surface under 10 in Fig. 2) configured to bear against the second component or against a sealing element arranged thereon when a backlash-free assembly position of the first and second face serrations is reached (Figs. 1,2).
Regarding claim 10, the Shaikh reference discloses the metallic insert of the snap-on sealing ring is a sheet metal part (Claim 3).
Regarding claim 11, the Shaikh reference discloses the metallic insert of the snap-on sealing ring comprises a galvanized steel sheet, a stainless steel alloy, or an aluminum alloy (Para. [0009]).
Regarding claim 12, the Shaikh reference discloses the metallic insert of the snap-on sealing ring comprises recesses (7) interlocked with the plastic base body (Figs. 1,2).
Regarding claim 15, the Shaikh reference discloses an outer ring disk section of the metallic insert, at least in a region where it connects to the sleeve-shaped connecting section, is free of plastic on a side transitioning into the metallic contact surface (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 16, the Shaikh reference discloses the plastic base body of the snap-on sealing ring is molded onto the metallic insert (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 17, the Shaikh reference discloses a non-contact wheel bearing pre-seal assembly (Fig. 1), comprising:
a wheel carrier (e.g. 17);
at least one of a wheel hub (13), a wheel bearing (8), and a journal; and
a snap-on sealing ring (1) mounted to the wheel hub, the wheel bearing, or the journal, the snap-on sealing ring comprising a plastic base body (3) and a metallic insert (2), the snap-on sealing ring being retained by at least one catch lug (14) formed on a sleeve section of the plastic base body (Fig. 2) and engaging a corresponding recess of the hub, bearing, or journal, the snap-on sealing ring further comprising a flange section (e.g. vertical section of 3 at 6) of the plastic base body (Fig. 2) that cooperates with a mating contour of the wheel carrier or of a component attached to the wheel carrier to define a non-contact sealing gap configured to inhibit ingress of moisture and contaminants into the wheel bearing (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 19, the Shaikh reference discloses the non-contact sealing gap is located upstream of dedicated wheel bearing seals of the wheel bearing and is configured to reduce the sealing load of the dedicated wheel bearing seals (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 20, the Shaikh reference discloses the metallic insert of the snap-on sealing ring comprises recesses (7) positively interlocked with the plastic base body (Fig. 2), and wherein the plastic base body is molded onto the metallic insert (Fig. 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 13, 14, and 18 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/27/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regards to the applicant’s argument of the rejection of claim 1, the argument is not persuasive because element 14 is capable of latchingly engaging with a first component.
Applicant further argues that element 6 is mate of metallic or sheet-metal; however, the examiner is interpreting element 14 as the catch lug.
With regards to the applicant’s argument of the “vertical section of 3 at 6”, the argument is not persuasive because the examiner is using the “vertical section of 3 at 6” to mean “vertical section of 3 in contact with 6” not element 6.
With regards to the applicant’s argument of the rejection of claims 9 and 17, the argument is not persuasive because element 12 has a two grooves. One groove accommodates element 7 and the larger groove of element 12 accommodates seal 1, better seen in the exploded view of Fig. 1.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GILBERT Y LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-5894. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-430pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Mills can be reached at (571)272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GILBERT Y LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
