DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the amendment filed February 9, 2026 for the above identified patent application.
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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-9 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The newly amended portion of claims 1 and 19 recite “the planetary gear is selectively driven by and connected to the protective gear when the main gear is driven to rotate.” Referring to Figure 2, it is understood the motor (20) drives the main gear (51), the main gear (51) drives the planetary gear (52), the planetary gear selectively drives the protective gear (70). Accordingly, the limitation “the planetary gear is selectively driven by … the protective gear” appears to be inaccurate because the planetary gear drives the protective gear. It is suggested the amendment be changed to - - the planetary gear selectively drives and connected to the protective gear when the main gear is driven to rotate - -.
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) 1-9, 19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian et al. (CN 111577053) in view of Serizawa (JP 9-329211).
Tian teaches a motor gearbox comprising: a housing (1); a motor (2) having a motor shaft that is disposed in the housing; a gearbox output shaft (6) disposed (at least partially) in the housing; a main gear (41) connected to the motor; a drive gear (such gear 5); and a planetary gear (42) meshing with the main gear, wherein: the planetary gear is configured to move in a circumferential direction of the main gear (Figs. 1-3) in response to the main gear rotating; the main gear is driven by the motor; the planetary gear comprises a first planetary gear (42) and a second planetary gear (42) spaced apart from each other; when the main gear is rotated in a first rotational direction (as illustrated in Fig. 2), the first planetary gear is connected to the gearbox output shaft; and when the main gear is rotated in a second rotational direction (as illustrated in Fig. 3) opposite to the first rotational direction, the second planetary gear is connected to the gearbox output shaft.
Tian, does not teach the motor gearbox having a protective gear connected to a gearbox output shaft. However, it was well known to configure a gearbox with a protective gear for protecting the gearing from damage due to excessive torque. For example, Figures 4-5 of Serizawa teaches a motor gearbox comprising: a motor (5) having a motor shaft, the motor shaft having a motor driving gear (4), the motor driving gear connected with a motor driven gear (such as 12), the motor driven gear connected to an output shaft (11), wherein the motor driven gear configured as a protective gear, the protective gear allowing relative rotation between the driven gear (12) and the output shaft (11) when subjected to an excessive torque. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed device to configure the output shaft gear of Tian as a protective gear, as taught by Serizawa, motivation being to protect the gear arrangement from damage caused by excessive torque.
Alternatively, the prior art to Serizawa teaches an alternative protective gear arrangement in Figures 1-3, comprising: a first protective gear (21) connected to and driven by the motor; a second protective gear (23) arranged coaxially to the first protective gear, and connected to the gearbox output shaft; and a protective resilient device (25b) clamped between the first and second protective gears in a compressed state, wherein the protective gear is one the motor driven gears. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed device to configure one of the motor driven gears of Tian as a protective gear having a first protective gear and a coaxial second protective gear, as taught by Serizawa, motivation being to protect the gear arrangement from damage caused by excessive torque.
Claim 2: Tian teaches a main gear shaft (44) configured to set the main gear (41); a support (43,46) rotatably connected to the main gear shaft; and a planetary gear shaft (45) configured to set the planetary gear, wherein the planetary gear shaft is provided on the support, and the planetary gear is rotatable with respect to the planetary gear shaft.
Claim 3: Tian teaches a clutch resilient device (spring 47) clamped between the planetary gear (42) and the support (43), wherein the clutch resilient device is in a compressed state.
Claim 4: Tian teaches the support comprises an interconnected first support portion (left side portion in Fig 5) and a second support portion (right side portion in Fig 5), the first and second support portions are rotatably connected to the main gear shaft; the first planetary gear (left gear 42 in Fig. 5) is provided in the first support portion; and the second planetary gear (right gear 42 in Fig. 5) is provided in the second support portion.
Claim 5: Tian illustrated the first planetary gear and the second planetary gear are connected to the gearbox output shaft via the drive gear (such as 5); the first support portion is set at a predetermined angle between an extending direction of the first support portion and an extending direction of the second support portion, the predetermined angle being less than 180 degrees and a space between the first support portion and the second support portion faces the drive gear.
Claim 6: Tian teaches the main gear comprises a first gear section (upper gear portion of 41 in Fig. 5) and a second gear section (lower gear portion of 41 in Fig. 5) arranged coaxially, the first and second gear sections are configured to rotate simultaneously; the first gear section is connected to and driven by the motor; and the second gear section is engaged with the planetary gear.
Claim 7: The alternative protective gear arrangement in Figures 1-3 of Serizawa comprises: a first protective gear (21) connected to and driven by the motor; a second protective gear (23) arranged coaxially to the first protective gear, and connected to the gearbox output shaft; and a protective resilient device (25b) clamped between the first and second protective gears in a compressed state.
Claim 8: Tian (as modified by Figs. 1-3 of Serizawa) teaches the motor gearbox further comprises: a first drive gear (such as 5) a second drive gear (disposed on 6) disposed on the gearbox output shaft (6); the second drive gear is fixed with respect to the gearbox output shaft; and the second drive gear is connected (indirectly) to the planetary gear.
Claim 9: Tian teaches, as understood: a worm (disposed on the motor shaft) connected to an output end of the motor; and a third drive gear (3) connected to the worm and the main gear.
Claim 19: Tian teaches: the first planetary gear and the second planetary gear are configured to move in a circumferential direction of the main gear in response to the main gear rotating.
Claim 20: Tian teaches a clutch resilient device (spring 47) clamped between the planetary gear (42) and the support (43), wherein the clutch resilient device is in a compressed state.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10, 14, 15, 17, and 18 are allowed..
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not teach the claimed transmission having a protective gear, wherein the protective gear comprises a fixed sleeve, the first and second protective gears are both disposed on the fixed sleeve, and the fixed sleeve comprises the fixing groove on an outer periphery of the fixed sleeve.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-9, 19, and 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM C JOYCE whose telephone number is (571)272-7107. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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/WILLIAM C JOYCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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