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 .
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamamoto (US 10625594 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Yamamoto discloses a vehicle drive device (vehicle drive device 10, figs.1-11) with a variable transmission (transmission mechanism 13 and reducing mechanism 40, figs.1-6), the vehicle drive device comprising: a first driving module (first motor 11, figs.1-6) that provides a driving force; a second driving module (second motor 12, figs.1-6) that controls a transmission ratio (column 4 line 66 to column 5 line 6); a reduction gear part (transmission mechanism 13 and reducing mechanism 40, figs.1-6) comprising a first sun gear (first sun gear 21, figs.1-6), a second sun gear (second sun gear 31, figs.1-6), and a planetary gear (planetary gear mechanisms 20 and 30, figs.1-6) provided inside the second driving module (fig.6); and an output part (output shaft 15, figs.1-6) connected to one of the first sun gear, the second sun gear, and the planetary gear (output shaft is connected to planetary gears as seen in figure 3), wherein the first driving module is connected to another one of the first sun gear (first motor 11 is connected to first sun gear 21, figs.1-3), the second sun gear, and the planetary gear that is not connected to the output part.
Regarding claim 3, Yamamoto discloses further comprising: a housing (case G, figs.4-6) that accommodates the first driving module and the second driving module; and a shaft (shaft 14, figs.1-6) that receives rotation of the first driving module.
Regarding claim 4, Yamamoto discloses wherein the planetary gear is configured to rotate by being connected through a plurality of vertical shafts (shafts for gears 22, 32 a-b of the planetary mechanisms 20 and 30, fig.6) disposed around the shaft, and by being included in the vertical shafts and a circular carrier (carriers 23 and 33, figs.1-6) rotating around the shaft, wherein the first sun gear is meshed with the planetary gear on an outer surface of one end of the output part (sun gear 21 meshes with the planetary mechanism 20, figs.1-6), and wherein the second sun gear is provided inside the second driving module (fig.6), disposed above the first sun gear (gear 31 extends above the gear 21 as seen in figure 6), and meshed with the planetary gear.
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) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto (US 10625594 B2) in view of Matsuda (US 20200384848 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Yamamoto discloses the vehicle drive device of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the second sun gear has a different number of teeth than the first sun gear and is meshed with the planetary gear.
Matsuda discloses sun gears having different number of teeth (first sun gear 31 has 24 teeth while second sun gear 41 has 47 teeth, paragraphs [0042 and 0046], fig.1).
Yamamoto and Matsuda are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of vehicle drive devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yamamoto with the sun gear teeth teaching of Matsuda with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have combined prior art elements yielding predictable results of allowing for different gear ratios to change the speed and torque.
Claim(s) 5-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto (US 10625594 B2) in view of Jian (CN 106183765 A).
Regarding claim 5, Yamamoto discloses wherein the housing comprises a first body (the combination of G1 and G3, figs.4-6) accommodating the first driving module, and wherein the first driving module comprises: a first stator comprising a first stator core (stator core 111, fig.6) fixed to the first body and a plurality of first coils (first coil 112, fig.6); and a first rotor (first rotor core 113, fig.6), coupled to the first stator to rotate around the shaft, wherein a first magnet (first magnet 114, fig.6) corresponding to the first coil is mounted in the first rotor. Yamamoto fails to disclose the coils being placed along and inner circumference of the first stator core and the first rotor seated inside the first stator.
However, Jian discloses electric machine (200, figs.1-2) with coils (windings 204, fig.2) being placed along and inner circumference of the first stator core (201, fig.2) and the first rotor (202, figs.1-2) seated inside the first stator (201).
Yamamoto and Jian are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of vehicle drive devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yamamoto with the drive device configuration of Jian with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have been a simple substitution of one known drive device for another obtaining predictable results of having the rotor inside the stator has benefits like high speed, heat dissipation, high power density and compact design. Having the coils inside the stator creates efficient energy conversion, high torque density, and better heat dissipation.
Regarding claim 6, Yamamoto in combination with Jian discloses wherein when an electric current is applied to the first coil, a magnetic field is formed in the first stator, and the first rotor rotates due to the first magnet interacting with the magnetic field (electric motors work by applying an electric current to the coil to create a magnetic field in the stator to rotate the rotor by the magnets interacting with the magnetic field, figs.1-6 of Yamamoto, figs.1-3 of Jian), and wherein the rotation of the first rotor is applied to a reduction part and is output via the output part to rotate the carrier to which the planetary gear is coupled through the shaft (Yamamoto, motor 11 rotates shaft 14 which is coupled to the transmission assembly 13, figs.1-6).
Regarding claim 7, Yamamoto discloses wherein the housing comprises a second body (the combination of G1 and G2, figs.4-6) accommodating the second driving module, and wherein the second driving module comprises: a second stator comprising a second stator core (second stator core 121, fig.6) fixed to the second body and a plurality of second coils (second coil 122, fig.6); and a second rotor (second rotor core 123, fig.6) seated inside the second stator (fig.6), coupled to the second stator to rotate around the shaft and the output part, wherein a second magnet (second magnet 124, fig.6) corresponding to the second coil is mounted in the second rotor (fig.6). Yamamoto fails to disclose the coils being along an inner circumference of the stator core.
However, Jian discloses drive device (300, figs.1 and 3) with coils (windings 302, fig.3) being along an inner circumference of the stator core (stator 301, fig.3).
Yamamoto and Jian are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of vehicle drive devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Yamamoto with the drive device configuration of Jian with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have been a simple substitution of one known drive device for another obtaining predictable results of having the rotor inside the stator has benefits like high speed, heat dissipation, high power density and compact design. Having the coils inside the stator creates efficient energy conversion, high torque density, and better heat dissipation.
Regarding claim 8, Yamamoto in combination with Jian, Yamamoto discloses wherein the second rotor further comprises a rotating housing (second carrier 33, figs.1-6) coupled to an inner surface of the second rotor to rotate together with the second rotor (second carrier 33 is coupled to motor 12 and on an inner surface as seen in figures 1-6), and wherein the second sun gear is provided in the rotating housing (figs.1-6).
Regarding claim 9, Yamamoto in combination with Jian discloses wherein when an electric current is applied to the second driving module, the second rotor corresponding to a rotating body of the second driving module rotates (electric motors work by applying an electric current to the coil to create a magnetic field in the stator to rotate the rotor by the magnets interacting with the magnetic field, figs.1-6 of Yamamoto, figs.1-3 of Jian), and wherein the rotation of the second rotor is applied to a reduction part and is output via the output part, and the planetary gear rotates along with the rotation of the second sun gear coupled to the second rotor (Yamamoto, motor 12 is coupled to transmission assembly 13, figs.1-6).
Regarding claim 10, Yamamoto in combination with Jian discloses wherein the reduction gear part generates a reduction ratio via the carrier that takes an input using the rotation of the first driving module (planetary gear mechanism 20 with carriers 23 and 33 takes an input from motor 11 and generates a reduction ratio, figs.1-6), the second sun gear that rotates based on the rotation of the second rotor due to the rotation of the carrier (second sun gear 31 can rotate based on motor 12 and carriers 23 and 33, figs.1-6), and the first sun gear that implements an output by rotating due to the rotation of the planetary gear rotating in engagement with the second sun gear (figs.1-6).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The prior art not relied upon but considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure is included in the 892 form. The art included has features related to claim limitations, the general structural of the invention, teachings, and other analogous art to the invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IAN BRYCE SHELTON whose telephone number is (571)272-6501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Shriver can be reached at (303)-297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/IAN BRYCE SHELTON/Examiner, Art Unit 3613
/JAMES A SHRIVER II/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3613