IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`In re Application of:
`Carlo Asteetal.
`
`Serial No.: 17/381,239
`
`) Group Art Unit: 3616
`)
`
`) Examiner: Timothy Wilhelm
`
`Filed:
`
`July 21, 2021
`
`Attorney Docket: 1-29069/10881 HURI
`
`Title: King Pin Reload
`
`) Confirmation No.: 3064
`)
`
`Mail Stop Amendment
`Commissioner for Patents
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`AMENDMENT
`
`Honorable Sir:
`
`In response to the non-final Office Action mailed, December 1, 2022, Applicant
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`hereby submits this Amendment. Please amendthe above-identified application and
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`consider the remarksas set forth on the following pages.
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`Amendments to the Claims begin on page 2 ofthis paper;
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`Remarksbegin on page6 ofthis paper.
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`

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`1-29069/10881 HURI
`Serial No. 17/381,239
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`AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS
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`The following listing of claims will replace all prior versions andlistings of
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`claims in the application.
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`Whatis claimed:
`
`Claims 1-18 (Cancelled)
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`19. (Currently Amended) A king pin assembly for rotatably connecting a steering knuckle
`with an axle member, comprising:
`a first king pin, and
`a first member comprising a first recess for receiving the first king pin, the first
`member comprising a steering knuckle or an axle member, wherein a portion of the first
`memberenclosingthe first recess includes a female thread,
`wherein the first king pin comprises a male thread engaged with or configured to
`be engaged with the female thread enclosing the first recess,
`wherein an end portion of the first king pin comprises an increased diameter portion
`and that the first recess has an increased diameter end section for receiving the increased
`diameter portion ofthe first king pin.
`
`(Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 19, further
`20.
`comprising a fastening memberforfixing thefirst king pin with respectto the first member
`whenthefirst king pin is receivedin the first recess.
`
`(Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 20, whereinthe first
`21.
`memberfurther comprises a bore for receiving the fastening member, wherein the bore is
`in communication with the first recess so that when the fastening memberis received in
`the bore, the fastening memberis configured to fix or lock the first king pin in thefirst
`recess with respect to the first member.
`
`(Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 21, wherein the
`22.
`bore ends in an outer surface of the first member so that when the fastening memberis
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`1-29069/10881 HURI
`Serial No. 17/381,239
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`received in the bore andafirst end portion of the fastening memberfixes or locks the first
`king pin with respect to the first member, a second end portion of the fastening memberis
`accessible via the bore or protrudes out of the bore.
`
`23. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 21, wherein a
`portion of the first member enclosing the bore includes a female thread and the fastening
`memberhas a male thread engaged with or configured to be engaged with the female thread
`enclosing the bore for fixing or locking the first king pin with respect to the first member
`by moving the male thread of the fastening memberalong the female thread enclosing the
`bore.
`
`24. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 19, wherein the first
`recess is a throughhole.
`
`25. (Cancelled)
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`26. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 19, wherein the male
`thread of the first king pin extends along both axial halvesofthe first king pin.
`
`27. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 19, wherein the first
`king pin comprises a lubrication channel extending throughthefirst king pin.
`
`(Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 19, further
`28.
`comprising a second member, wherein
`a.
`the first member comprises the steering knuckle and the second member
`comprises the axle member, or
`b.
`the first member comprises the axle member and the second member
`comprises the steering knuckle,
`wherein a portion of the first king pin protruding out of the first recess when the
`first king pin is received in the first recess and when the male thread ofthe first king pin is
`engaged with the female thread enclosing the first recess rotatably connects the first
`memberwith the second member.
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`

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`1-29069/10881 HURI
`Serial No. 17/381,239
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`29. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 28, wherein the
`second member comprisesa first receiving portion, wherein the portion ofthe first king
`pin protruding out of the first recess is rotatably mounted in the first receiving portion of
`the second memberviaafirst bearing.
`
`further
`30. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 28,
`comprising a second king pin coaxial with the first king pin, the second king pin rotatably
`connecting the first member with the second membervia a second bearing.
`
`(Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 30, wherein the
`31.
`second member further comprises a second receiving portion coaxial with the first
`receiving portion with respect to the rotation axis, wherein the second king pin is rotatably
`mounted in the second receiving portion of the second membervia the second bearing.
`
`32. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly accordingto the claim 31, wherein the
`first receiving portion and the second receiving portion of the second memberare
`configured as blind holes facing in opposite directions along the rotation axis, wherein the
`first receiving portion and the second receiving portion of the second member face away
`from one another along the rotation axis.
`
`33. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 30, wherein the first
`member comprises a second recess for receiving the second king pin anda portion of the
`first member enclosing the second recess includes a female thread, wherein the second king
`pin comprises a male thread engaged with or configured to be engaged with the female
`thread enclosing the secondrecess.
`
`34. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 31, wherein the first
`memberand the second memberare configured such that they form a clearance in between
`the first king pin and the second king pin along the rotation axis so that a drive shaft or a
`joint may pass throughthe clearance.
`
`further
`35. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 34,
`comprising a vehicle wheel hub and a drive shaft or a joint drivingly engaged with the
`vehicle wheel hub, wherein the steering knuckle is configured to steer the vehicle wheel
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`1-29069/10881 HURI
`Serial No. 17/381,239
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`hub and wherein the drive shaft or joint passes through the clearance formed in between
`the first king pin and the second king pin along the rotation axis.
`
`36. (Previously presented) The king pin assembly according to claim 31, wherein the
`steering knuckle comprises a first arm portion extending at least partially perpendicular to
`the rotation axis, a second arm portion extending at least partially perpendicular to the
`rotation axis, and a connecting portion connecting the first arm portion and the second arm
`portion, wherein the first king pin is mounted onthefirst arm portion, the second king pin
`is mounted on the second arm portion, and wherein the axle memberis disposed in between
`the first arm portion and the second arm portion or wherein the axle memberencloses the
`first arm portion and the second arm portion of the steering knuckle alongtherotation axis.
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`1-29069/10881 HURI
`Serial No. 17/381,239
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`REMARKS
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`Responsive to the non-final Office Action, Applicant has carefully studied the
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`references cited by the Examiner and the Examiner’s commentsrelative thereto.
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`Claims 19-36 are pendingin the patent application.
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`Claim 1-18 and 25 are cancelled.
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`Claim 19 is amended.
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`No new matter has been added.
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`35 U.S.C. § 102 REJECTION
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`Claims 19-25 and 27-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being
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`anticipated by Hamperl (US 7,232,140).
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`Independentclaim 19 is amendedto include the limitation of an increased
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`diameter portion ofthe first king ping and a corresponding increased diameter portion of
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`the first recess. As shownin at least Fig. 1b, the threaded portion ofthe first king pin and
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`the first recess do not extend into the increased diameter portion ofeither the first king
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`pin orthe first recess. This increased diameter end section also form a mechanical stop to
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`present the first king pin from being screwedtoo far into the first recess. No new matter
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`has been entered.
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`Applicant respectfully points out that the Hamperl references, in Fig. 1, clearly
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`showsthe threaded portionsof the first king pin and the first recess are contained within
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`the increased diameter portion, which is contrary to what is shown in Applicantsfigure.
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`Applicant respectfully submits that Hamperl does not teach the claimed feature and on
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`this basis Applicant requests removal of the rejection of claim 19 and the claims that
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`depend from claim 19.
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`"A claim is anticipated only if each and every elementas set forth in the claim is
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`found, either expressly or inherently described, in a single prior art reference." Verdegaal
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`Bros. v. Union Oil Co. of California, 814 F.2d 628, 631, 2 USPQ2d 1051, 1053 (Fed. Cir.
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`1987). "The identical invention must be shown in as complete detail as is contained in
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`the ... claim." Richardson v. Suzuki Motor Co., 868 F.2d 1226, 1236, 9 USPQ2d 1913,
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`1-29069/10881 HURI
`Serial No. 17/381,239
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`1920 (Fed. Cir. 1989). See also MPEPSection 2131.
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`Accordingly, amended claim 19 is patentable over Hamperl. Withdrawal of the
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`rejection of claims 19-25 and 27-36 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a) is respectfully requested.
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`Claims 19 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
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`Grainger (US 1,992,065). In view ofthe limitations added to amended claim 19,
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`Applicant respectfully submits that Grainger does not teach the claimed feature and on
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`this basis Applicant request removed ofthe rejection of claim 19 and the claims that
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`depend from claim 19.
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`Based on the foregoing, applicant respectfully submits that the references do not
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`teach or suggest each of the elements of the independent claim. Applicant requests that
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`the rejection be withdrawn and an early notice of allowance be entered.
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`CONCLUSION
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`It is believed that all of the stated groundsof rejection have been properly
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`traversed, accommodated, or rendered moot. Applicant therefore respectfully requests
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`that the Examiner reconsider and withdraw all presently outstanding rejections. It is
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`believed that a full and complete response has been madeto the outstanding Office
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`Action and the present patent application is in condition for allowance. Thus, prompt and
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`favorable consideration of this amendmentis respectfully requested. If the Examiner
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`believes that personal communication will expedite prosecution of this patent application,
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`the Examineris invited to telephone the undersigned at (419) 249-7195.
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`Noadditional fees are believed due with this response. In the event that fees are
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`due, please charge them to Deposit Account No. 13-1816. Kindly credit any
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`overpayment to the same account.
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`In either case, please associate 1-29069/10881 HURI
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`with any credit or debit of the Deposit Account.
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`

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`1-29069/10881 HURI
`Serial No. 17/381,239
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`Respectfully submitted,
`
`/Kristene M Ragan/
`Kristene M Ragan
`Reg. No. 48,611
`
`February 28, 2023
`Date
`
`ATTORNEYS
`MARSHALL & MELHORN, LLC
`Four SeaGate
`Eighth Floor
`Toledo, OH 43604
`Phone: (419) 249-7100
`Facsimile: (419) 249-7151
`
`