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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “wherein a centre of gravity of the hybrid power unit is disposed in an equilateral triangle ABC” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 31-38 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. Claim 31 includes the limitation “the engine assembly and the electric motor assembly disposed in a region formed with respect to a line CD”. It is unclear as to what structure is being defined here. The line CD is under defined, which thus makes the claimed region unknowable. Positive structure must be defined in order to clarify what is intended by Applicant.
Claim 32 includes the limitation “wherein the camshaft axis (A) and the drive shaft axis (C) form angles which are acute angles and of substantially similar values.” This is unclear as the claim does not inform with what the two axes form an acute angle.
Claim 34 includes the limitation “wherein a centre of gravity of the hybrid power unit is disposed in an equilateral triangle ABC.” However, this limitation is not supported by the drawings nor the specification as the triangle ABC is clearly not equilateral.
Claim 36 includes the limitation “wherein the hybrid power unit is disposed within lateral limit L1 and L2 of the engine assembly”. However, lateral limits L1 and L2 have not been defined and thus the limitation lacks antecedent basis.
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) 31-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nomura et al (US 2012/0217075). Nomura discloses:
With regard to claim 31 - A hybrid power unit for a vehicle, where the hybrid power unit comprising:
an engine assembly 7 having a camshaft axis 50;
an electric motor assembly 15 having an electric motor assembly axis (see Fig. 1):
a drive shaft having a drive shaft axis 82;
the engine assembly 7 and the electric motor assembly 15 disposed in a region formed with respect to a line CD; and
the camshaft axis 50, the electric motor assembly axis 15, and the drive shaft axis 82 disposed along 3 vertices of a triangle where a line joining the camshaft axis 50 and the drive shaft axis 15 substantially passes close to a crankshaft axis 13 of the engine assembly 7, wherein the line CD is defined by the drive shaft axis 82 and a locus point which is disposed on an opposite side of the crankshaft axis 13 with respect to a line defined by the camshaft axis 50 and the electric motor assembly axis 15 (see marked up figure below).
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With regard to claim 32 - wherein the camshaft axis 50 and the drive shaft axis 82 form angles which are acute angles and of substantially similar values. As the claim does not disclose to what the axes form acute angles it is impossible to discern whether the reference does not disclose this aspect
With regard to claim 33 - wherein the vehicle includes an induction system 27, the induction system 27 is disposed at the locus point (see marked up figure above).
With regard to claim 34, wherein the locus point forms an equilateral triangle ABD (see marked up figure above.
With regard to claim 35 - wherein the engine assembly 7 is disposed on one side of region formed with respect to the line CD and the electric motor assembly 15 is disposed on other region formed with respect to the line CD (see marked up figure above).
With regard to claim 36 - wherein the hybrid power unit is disposed within lateral limit L1 and L2 of the engine assembly 7 (see marked up Fig. 2, below).
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With regard to claim 37 - wherein the vehicle includes a fuel tank 29 and an energy storage unit 11, wherein the energy storage unit 11 is disposed below the fuel tank 29 and above the hybrid power unit 7, 15 (see Fig. 1).
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) 20-24 and 26-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liau et al (US 6,109,127) in view of Nishiyabu et al (US 11,447,001) and Endo et al (US 5,765,671). Schulz discloses:
With regard to claim 20 - A vehicle, comprising:
an engine assembly 200 including an engine output shaft 201; and
an electric motor assembly 300 transversely disposed above the engine assembly 200;
wherein the electric motor 300 assembly includes an electric motor and a clutch 31 mounted coaxially on the electric motor 300 (see Fig. 4).
Liau fails to explicitly disclose wherein the engine assembly includes a cylinder head, a crankshaft 10, and a crankcase. Nishiyabu teaches a hybrid vehicle comprising an engine assembly including a cylinder head Eb, an engine output shaft 12b, and a crankshaft Ea; and an electric motor assembly M transversely disposed above a crankcase 14 of the engine assembly E (see Fig. 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the vehicle of Liau with the teaching of Nishiyaba such that the engine assembly includes a cylinder head, a crankshaft 10, and a crankcase, such that the motor assembly is mounted above the crankcase, with a reasonable expectation of success, to ensure the engine is fully powered and functional
Liau fails to further explicitly disclose wherein the clutch is an electromagnetic clutch. Endo teaches an electric power unit and power transmitting unit for vehicles including a motor assembly and a clutch 23, wherein the clutch is electromagnetic (“Dog clutch 23 is mechanically brought into contact with or away from one of the drive transmission gears 24, 26 selected by electromagnetic forces, thereby transmitting or cutting off the motor output power to or from it.” – column 11, lines 2-6). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the vehicle of Liau with the teaching of Endo such that the clutch is an electromagnetic clutch, with a reasonable expectation of success, to increase the clutch efficiency and so it can be automatically operated in electrical interlock with the motor.
With regard to claim 21, Liau discloses wherein the vehicle include first belt drive 23 and a second belt drive 24, wherein the first belt drive 23 connects the electric motor 300 and the crankshaft of the engine assembly 200 and the second belt drive connects the electric motor 300 and a drive shaft 420 in the vehicle.
With regard to claim 22, Liau discloses wherein the engine assembly 200 disposed horizontally with respect to a longitudinal plane of the vehicle (see Fig. 6).
With regard to claim 23, Lau fails to explicitly disclose wherein the vehicle comprises an induction system, the induction system disposed above the cylinder head of the engine assembly. Nishiyabu teaches an air cleaner box 52 for an induction system, wherein the air cleaner box is disposed above the cylinder head of the engine assembly E (see Fig. 12, “The other end of the breather tube 51 is connected to an air cleaner box 52 disposed above the drive motor. The air cleaner box 52 forms an intake passage for introduction of intake air into the cylinder Eb and purifies the intake air.” – column 13, lines 25-29). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the vehicle of Liau with the teaching of Nishiyaba such that the engine assembly includes an induction system disposed above the cylinder head of the engine assembly, with a reasonable expectation of success, to purify the intake air that flows into the cylinder for mixing with the fuel.
With regard to claim 24, Liau discloses wherein the vehicle includes first belt drive 23 and a second belt drive 24, wherein the clutch 31 disposed between the first belt drive 23 and a second belt drive 24 (see Fig. 3).
With regard to claim 26, Lau discloses wherein the vehicle includes a one way clutch 50, wherein, with the teaching of Nishiyabu, the one way clutch 50 is disposed on the crankshaft of the engine assembly.
With regard to claim 27, Lau fails to explicitly disclose wherein the vehicle includes a one way clutch, wherein the one way clutch disposed on a countershaft in the vehicle. Nishiyabu teaches a one-way clutch 21 disposed on a countershaft 12 a of the vehicle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the vehicle of Liau with the teaching of Nishiyaba such that the vehicle includes a one way clutch, wherein the one way clutch disposed on a countershaft in the vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success, to transmit power of the engine without need of increased width.
With regard to claim 28, Lau fails to explicitly disclose wherein the vehicle includes a one way clutch, wherein the one way clutch is disposed on the engine output shaft of the engine assembly. Nishiyabu teaches a one-way clutch 21 disposed on an engine output shaft 12a of the vehicle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the vehicle of Liau with the teaching of Nishiyaba such that the vehicle includes a one way clutch, wherein the one way clutch disposed on an engine output shaft in the vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success, to transmit power of the engine without need of increased width.
With regard to claim 29, Lau fails to explicitly disclose wherein the vehicle includes a fuel tank. Nishiyabu teaches a fuel tank 9, wherein the induction system 52 partially overlapped with the fuel tank 9 in the vehicle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the vehicle of Liau with the teaching of Nishiyaba such that the vehicle includes a fuel tank, with a reasonable expectation of success, to allow for the vehicle to supply fuel to the engine.
With regard to claim 30, Lau fails to explicitly disclose wherein the vehicle includes an energy storage unit, wherein the energy storage unit is mounted on a center frame in the vehicle. Endo teaches a vehicle comprising an energy storage unit 12, wherein the energy storage unit is mounted on a center frame in the vehicle (see Fig. 1). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the vehicle of Liau with the teaching of Endo such that the vehicle includes a battery power supply located on a center frame of the vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success, to allow for the motor to receive electric power.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liau et al (US 6,109,127), Nishiyabu et al (US 11,447,001), and Endo et al (US 5,765,671), as applied to claims 20-24 and 26-30 above, and further in view of Gu et al (US 7,128,671). Liau discloses wherein the vehicle include first belt drive 23 and a second belt drive 24. However, Liau, Nishiyabu, and Endo fail to explicitly disclose wherein the vehicle include first belt drive and a second belt drive, wherein the electromagnetic clutch with the first belt drive is disposed on one side of the electric motor assembly and the second belt drive is disposed on another side of the electric motor assembly in the vehicle. Gu teaches a hybrid power system comprising a power unit 10 and a clutch 31 coaxial thereto, and further including a first belt drive 33 and a second belt drive 76, wherein the clutch 31 with the first belt drive 33 is disposed on one side of the power unit and the second belt drive 76 is disposed on another side of the power unit in the vehicle. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the vehicle of Liau, Nishiyabu, and Endo with the teaching of Gu such that the vehicle includes a battery power supply located on a center frame of the vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success, the electromagnetic clutch with the first belt drive is disposed on one side of the electric motor assembly and the second belt drive is disposed on another side of the electric motor assembly in the vehicle to allow for a desired amount of independent operation of the two belt drives.
Claim 38 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nomura (US 2012/0217075) in view of Liau et al (US 6,109,127). Nomura fails to explicitly disclose wherein the hybrid power unit includes a first belt drive and a second belt drive, where the first belt drive couples a drive from the electric motor assembly to a crankshaft of the engine assembly and a second belt drive couples the electric motor assembly to the drive shaft. As seen in the rejections above, Liau teaches a vehicle having a hybrid power unit, wherein the hybrid power unit includes a first belt drive 23 and a second belt drive 24, where the first belt drive 23 couples a drive from an electric motor assembly 300 to a crankshaft of an engine assembly 200 and the second belt drive 24 couples the electric motor assembly 300 to a drive shaft 420. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the vehicle of Nomura with the teaching of Liau such that the hybrid power unit includes a first belt drive and a second belt drive, where the first belt drive couples a drive from the electric motor assembly to a crankshaft of the engine assembly and a second belt drive couples the electric motor assembly to the drive shaft, with a reasonable expectation of success, to allow the engine power to be used at certain desired speeds while the motor power is used at other desired speeds.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/TIMOTHY WILHELM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3614 November 14, 2025