DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the amendment filed August 24, 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.
Claim 23 is 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.
Claim 23, the limitation “a third drive gear” is not fully understood if the gearbox includes a second drive gear. Is applicant suggesting that the gearbox includes a second drive gear. The claims must clearly define the meets and bounds of the desired potent protection.
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, 19-23 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 (positioned between gears 4 and 5 in Fig. 4); 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.
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.
Claims 7 and 21: 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 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.
Claim 22: Tian teaches the drive gear (positioned between 4 and 5 in Fig. 4) comprises a third gear section and a fourth gear section arranged coaxially and configured to rotate synchronously, the third gear section is engaged with the first planetary gear, and the fourth gear section is engaged with the protective gear.
Claim 23: Tian teaches: a worm connected to an output end of the motor; and a third drive gear (such as 3) connected to the worm and the main gear.
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 filed August 24, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4-5 of Serizawa does not disclose or suggest that spur gear 12 is "connected to the protective gear via the drive gear" as recited by claims 1 and 19. This argument is not persuasive because the prior art to Serizawa was relied upon for teaching a gearbox with a protective gear positioned on an output shaft for protecting the gearbox from damage due to excessive torque. The primary reference to Tian teaches a gearbox having the claimed gear arrangement, including the drive gear.
With respect to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-3 of Serizawa, applicant argues the gear 20 is positioned on one of the gear trains 7, and not positioned on the last gear 9. It is acknowledged that instant claims recite "a protective gear connected to the gearbox output shaft." However, the claim term “connected” does not require the protective gear to be “directly connected” to the output shaft. For example, it is understood the claim does not preclude a protective gear that is indirectly connected to the output shaft via an intermediate gear element.
In view of the foregoing, the claims stand rejected in view of Tian et al. (CN 111577053) in view of Serizawa (JP 9-329211).
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 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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached at 571-270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM C JOYCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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