DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 February 23, 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 6-7, 9-11, 13, 15-16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1)/(a)(2) as anticipated by Braedt (US Publication 2012/0208662 A1) or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Braedt (US Publication 2012/0208662 A1) in view of Ishida (JP 09119508 A).
Regarding claim 1, Braedt discloses a sprocket assembly (see figures 1-8, especially figure 8) comprising:
A multi-sprocket assembly (see figure 8) for attachment to a rear axle assembly of a bicycle, comprising:
at least one first sprocket (rightmost sprocket 4’, see figure 8) having a toothed ring (5 and/or 8), a coupling opening (considered the coupling opening of the individual sprocket 4’, also see paragraphs 0029-0030) and a connecting portion (considered the portion of sprocket body in between the toothed ring and coupling opening) connecting the toothed ring to the coupling opening;
at least one second sprocket (considered the second rightmost sprocket 4’ that is to the left of rightmost sprocket 4’, see figure 8); and
at least one damping member (rightmost 9’, see figure 8), the at least one damping member extending from the at least one first sprocket toward the at least one second sprocket (see second rightmost 9’ in figure 8), wherein the at least one damping member is disposed at least on an axial side surface (see figure 8) of the connecting portion of the at least one first sprocket, wherein the at least one damping member (the rightmost 9’, see figure 8) is disposed radially inward of teeth of the at least one first sprocket (as shown in figure 8, the rightmost damping member 9’ is below the tooth root ring 8 of the rightmost sprocket 4’) such that the at least one damping member does not overlap with the teeth of the at least one first sprocket (as shown in figure 8 and the annotated figure below, the at least one damping member rightmost 9’ does not overlap with the teeth 5 of the at least one first sprocket, as the damping member rightmost 9’ is below the tooth root ring 8).
Braedt shows wherein the at least one damping member is held between the at least one first sprocket and the at least one second sprocket via a press fit (See figure 8, and paragraphs 0029-0030. As the damping element of Braedt is held between the at least one first sprocket and the at least one second sprocket similar to Applicant’s resultant structure, the damping element is considered to be held in place between the sprockets via a press fit or a connection equivalent to a press fit).
Alternatively, if Applicant does not agree that the at least one damping member is held between the at least one first sprocket and the at least one second sprocket via a press fit, Ishida discloses a low noise sprocket (see figures 1-6, especially figures 1-3) comprising a sprocket (10) is formed by press-fitting an elastic buffer (18) into a retaining groove (16) provided on the tooth root surface (14) of the meshing teeth of the chain roller (12). See paragraph 0010 of attached machine translation. Ishida teaches the elastic buffer (18) is press-fitted into the retaining groove of the constricted opening, restricting the axial and radial movement of the sprocket, and preventing it from flying out radially even when a large centrifugal force is applied. See paragraph 0006 of attached machine translation.
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the sprocket assembly of Braedt by providing the damping element held between the sprockets via a press fit, to restrict axial and radial movement of at least one of the sprockets and preventing the at least one of the sprockets from flying out radially even when a large centrifugal force is applied as taught by Ishida, to use of a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way, and/or to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
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Regarding claim 2, Braedt shows wherein the at least one damping member (rightmost 9’, see figure 8) is supported at least on mutually facing axial side surfaces of the first sprocket and of the second sprocket (see figure 8, and see paragraphs 0029-0030).
Regarding claim 4, Braedt shows wherein at least the first sprocket is configured for coupling the multi-sprocket assembly in a torque-transmitting manner (see figure 8, abstract and paragraph 0001) to the rear axle assembly of the bicycle.
Regarding claim 6, Braedt shows wherein the damping member is permanently fixedly connected to the first sprocket and/or the second sprocket (see paragraph 0027, “In one implementation of the described solution, a layer of rubber can be directly applied to the tubular segment”).
Regarding claim 7, Braedt shows wherein the at least one damping member is annular (see figure 8, and claim 15 of Braedt).
Regarding claim 9, Braedt shows wherein the damping member is made of a plastics material (see paragraph 0027, “Furthermore, a plastic could be used, which possesses the relevant characteristics related to abrasion, elasticity, damping ability, and resistance to oil”) or of a plastic foam.
Regarding claim 10, Braedt discloses a rear wheel assembly (see figures 1-8, especially figure 8, and see abstract and paragraph 0001) for a bicycle (see abstract and paragraph 0001) comprising:
a rear wheel (see abstract and paragraph 0001) having a rear wheel axle (considered the rear wheel axle of the rear wheel and/or bicycle drive assembly, rear wheel and bicycle drive assembly as discussed abstract and paragraph 0001) configured to be coupled to a bicycle frame (considered the frame of the bicycle, bicycle as discussed in abstract and paragraph 0001);
a driver body (considered the driver body of the rear wheel and/or bicycle drive assembly of the bicycle, rear wheel and drive assembly as discussed in abstract and paragraph 0001) rotatably supported on the rear wheel axle; and
a multi-sprocket assembly (see figure 8) attached to the driver body in a drive direction (see abstract and paragraph 0001),
a multi-sprocket assembly (see figure 8) comprising:
at least one first sprocket (rightmost sprocket 4’, see figure 8) having a toothed ring (5 and/or 8), a coupling opening (considered the coupling opening of the individual sprocket 4’, also see paragraphs 0029-0030) and a connecting portion (considered the portion of sprocket body in between the toothed ring and coupling opening) connecting the toothed ring to the coupling opening;
at least one second sprocket (considered the second rightmost sprocket 4’ that is to the left of rightmost sprocket 4’, see figure 8); and
at least one damping member (rightmost 9’, see figure 8), the at least one damping member extending from the at least one first sprocket toward the at least one second sprocket (see second rightmost 9’ in figure 8), wherein the at least one damping member is disposed at least on an axial side surface (see figure 8) of the connecting portion of the at least one first sprocket, wherein the at least one damping member (the rightmost 9’, see figure 8) is disposed radially inward of teeth of the at least one first sprocket (as shown in figure 8, the rightmost damping member 9’ is below the tooth root ring 8 of the rightmost sprocket 4’) such that the at least one damping member does not overlap with the teeth of the at least one first sprocket (as shown in figure 8 and the annotated figure below, the at least one damping member rightmost 9’ does not overlap with the teeth 5 of the at least one first sprocket, as the damping member rightmost 9’ is below the tooth root ring 8).
Braedt shows wherein the at least one damping member is held between the at least one first sprocket and the at least one second sprocket via a press fit (See figure 8, and paragraphs 0029-0030. As the damping element of Braedt is held between the at least one first sprocket and the at least one second sprocket similar to Applicant’s resultant structure, the damping element is considered to be held in place between the sprockets via a press fit or a connection equivalent to a press fit).
Alternatively, if Applicant does not agree that the at least one damping member is held between the at least one first sprocket and the at least one second sprocket via a press fit, Ishida discloses a low noise sprocket (see figures 1-6, especially figures 1-3) comprising a sprocket (10) is formed by press-fitting an elastic buffer (18) into a retaining groove (16) provided on the tooth root surface (14) of the meshing teeth of the chain roller (12). See paragraph 0010 of attached machine translation. Ishida teaches the elastic buffer (18) is press-fitted into the retaining groove of the constricted opening, restricting the axial and radial movement of the sprocket, and preventing it from flying out radially even when a large centrifugal force is applied. See paragraph 0006 of attached machine translation.
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the sprocket assembly of Braedt by providing the damping element held between the sprockets via a press fit, to restrict axial and radial movement of at least one of the sprockets and preventing the at least one of the sprockets from flying out radially even when a large centrifugal force is applied as taught by Ishida, to use of a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way, and/or to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
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Regarding claim 11, Braedt shows wherein the at least one damping member (rightmost 9’, see figure 8) is supported at least on mutually facing axial side surfaces of the first sprocket and of the second sprocket (see figure 8, and see paragraphs 0029-0030).
Regarding claim 13, Braedt shows wherein at least the first sprocket is configured for coupling the multi-sprocket assembly in a torque-transmitting manner (see figure 8, abstract and paragraph 0001) to the rear axle assembly of the bicycle.
Regarding claim 15, Braedt shows wherein the damping member is permanently fixedly connected to the first sprocket and/or the second sprocket (see paragraph 0027, “In one implementation of the described solution, a layer of rubber can be directly applied to the tubular segment”).
Regarding claim 16, Braedt shows wherein the at least one damping member is annular (see figure 8, and claim 15 of Braedt).
Regarding claim 18, Braedt shows wherein the damping member is made of a plastics material (see paragraph 0027, “Furthermore, a plastic could be used, which possesses the relevant characteristics related to abrasion, elasticity, damping ability, and resistance to oil”) or of a plastic foam.
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 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.
Claims 3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Braedt (US Publication 2012/0208662 A1, or Braedt in view of Ishida as discussed above) in view of Shimano Inc. (DE 202013101728 U1).
Regarding claim 3, Braedt as modified by Ishida does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one damping member contacts the at least one second sprocket at least in the radial direction.
Shimano Inc. (from here on just referred to as Shimano) discloses a bicycle sprocket and bicycle sprocket arrangement (see figures 1-9, especially figures 1-4 and 8) and teaches of providing a damping element (one of 326g, or 326g and 326f, see figure 8) in the radial direction of a recessed portion (334, see figure 8) of connecting portion (324, see figure 8) of a second sprocket (322d) to provide a damping element the same shape as a recessed portion of a sprocket (see Applicant’s submitted Google Patents Translation, page 4 lines 1-23, especially lines 20-23 of page 4, of FOR of 07/19/2023 24 pages).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the sprocket assembly of Braedt as modified by Ishida by providing a recessed portion to the second sprocket and the damping element in the radial direction of a recessed portion with the same shape as the recessed portion, to provide a damping element the same shape as a recessed portion of a sprocket as taught by Shimano.
Regarding claim 12, Braedt as modified by Ishida does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one damping member contacts the at least one second sprocket at least in the radial direction.
Shimano Inc. (from here on just referred to as Shimano) discloses a bicycle sprocket and bicycle sprocket arrangement (see figures 1-9, especially figures 1-4 and 8) and teaches of providing a damping element (one of 326g, or 326g and 326f, see figure 8) in the radial direction of a recessed portion (334, see figure 8) of connecting portion (324, see figure 8) of a second sprocket (322d) to provide a damping element the same shape as a recessed portion of a sprocket (see Applicant’s submitted Google Patents Translation, page 4 lines 1-23, especially lines 20-23 of page 4, of FOR of 07/19/2023 24 pages).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the sprocket assembly of Braedt as modified by Ishida by providing a recessed portion to the second sprocket and the damping element in the radial direction of a recessed portion with the same shape as the recessed portion, to provide a damping element the same shape as a recessed portion of a sprocket as taught by Shimano.
Claims 8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Braedt (US Publication 2012/0208662 A1, or Braedt in view of Ishida as discussed above) in view of Hayami et al. (US Publication 2011/0300977 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Braedt as modified by Ishida does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one damping member has at least one recess on at least one radially outer surface and/or on at least one radially inner surface.
Hayami et al. (from here on just referred to as Hayami) discloses a sprocket (100, see figure 1) and a cushion ring (120, see figure 1) with at least one recess (123, see figure 1) on at least the radially outer surface (see figure 1) of the ring. Hayami teaches that the recess (123) does not contact the middle parts of link plates or if there is contact pressure is reduced, and as a result deformation of the ring is reduced (see paragraphs 0036-0040, especially last 9 lines of paragraph 0040).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the sprocket assembly of Braedt as modified by Ishida by providing at least one recess on at least one radially outer surface of the damping member of Braedt, to reduce the deformation of the ring as taught by Hayami.
Regarding claim 17, Braedt as modified by Ishida does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one damping member has at least one recess on at least one radially outer surface and/or on at least one radially inner surface.
Hayami et al. (from here on just referred to as Hayami) discloses a sprocket (100, see figure 1) and a cushion ring (120, see figure 1) with at least one recess (123, see figure 1) on at least the radially outer surface (see figure 1) of the ring. Hayami teaches that the recess (123) does not contact the middle parts of link plates or if there is contact pressure is reduced, and as a result deformation of the ring is reduced (see paragraphs 0036-0040, especially last 9 lines of paragraph 0040).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the sprocket assembly of Braedt as modified by Ishida by providing at least one recess on at least one radially outer surface of the damping member of Braedt, to reduce the deformation of the ring as taught by Hayami.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 23, 2026 (see Remarks REM of 02/23/2026) have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues:
“In paragraph 0029 of Braedt, it states that the damper assembly 9' is disposed between each of the sprockets. Braedt does not disclose that the damper assembly 9' is held between the sprockets via a press fit. During prosecution, claims must be "given their broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification. The meaning given to a claim term must be consistent with the ordinary and customary meaning of the terms unless the term has been given a specifical definition. Further, the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claims must be consistent with the interpretation that those skilled in the art would reach (MPEP § 2111). A person of ordinary skilled in the art would interpret "press fit" to mean an interference fit where friction is holding the two members together. Accordingly, Braedt fails to disclose or teach at least one damping member being held between the at least one first sprocket and the at least on second sprocket as claimed in claim 1 and 10. For at least this reason, this rejection of claims 1 and 10 should be withdrawn. Since claims 2, 4-7, 9, 11, 13-16 and 18 depend on independent claim 1 or claim 10, they are allowable for at least the same reason as claim 1 or claim 10.”
See page 1 line 22 to page 2 line 6.
The Examiner respectfully does not agree the following reason(s):
First, as the damping element of Braedt is held between the at least one first sprocket and the at least one second sprocket similar to Applicant’s resultant structure, the damping element is considered to be held in place between the sprockets via a press fit or a connection equivalent to a press fit.
Second, alternatively, Ishida teaches the elastic buffer (18, or damper member) is press-fitted into the retaining groove of the constricted opening, restricting the axial and radial movement of the sprocket, and preventing it from flying out radially even when a large centrifugal force is applied. See paragraph 0006 of attached machine translation. The desire by one of ordinary skill in the art to restrict axial and radial movement of a sprocket and prevent the sprocket from flying out radially even when a large centrifugal force is applied is/are motivation(s) to one of ordinary skill in the art to hold a damping member between sprocket via a press fit.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUAN J CAMPOS, JR whose telephone number is (571)270-5229. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.
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/JJC/
/ROBERT W HODGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654