DETAILED ACTION
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Withdrawal of Finality
Applicant's request for reconsideration of the finality of the rejection of the last Office action is persuasive and, therefore, the finality of that action is withdrawn.
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 . 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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of the adapter/assembly of Species I, Figures 4-16, original claims 1-20, in the reply filed August 7, 2025, has been acknowledged and made final in the non-final rejection mailed August 27, 2025
Claim Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because at line 11, “features” should read --feature--. This issue is also present in claim 18, line 9. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 11-14, 16-19, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 10,513,148 (Fuchs).
Regarding claim 1, Fuchs discloses an adapter (3; see Figures 1 and 2) for torque transmission between a first rotatable component (1) and a second rotatable component (2), the adapter comprising:
a first torque transmission feature (34) configured to transmit torque between the adapter and the first rotatable component (see column 5, lines 9-26); and
a second torque transmission feature (30) configured to transmit torque between the adapter and the second rotatable component (see column 4, lines 36-57), the second torque transmission feature being different than the first torque transmission feature (face toothing 30 vs. longitudinal toothing 34),
wherein the second torque transmission feature is located on an end face (31) of the adapter, which is configured to face an end face of the second rotatable component (see Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 2, Fuchs discloses the first torque transmission feature (34) is a friction connection (see column 1, lines 46-55, and column 2, lines 60-62).
Regarding claim 3, Fuchs discloses the first torque transmission feature (34) is a keyed connection, an axial spline, one or more pins, a taper, or a polygonal connection (see Figures 1 and 2, and column 5, line 19).
Regarding claim 4, Fuchs discloses the second torque transmission feature (30) is a radial tooth joint (see Figures 1 and 2, and column 4, lines 36-57).
Regarding claim 6, Fuchs discloses the first torque transmission feature (34) is located at a first end of the adapter (3) that is proximate the first rotatable component (1) in an assembled configuration, and the second torque transmission feature (30) is located at a second end, opposite the first end, which is proximate the second rotatable component (2; see Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 7, Fuchs discloses the first torque transmission feature (34) is configured to cooperate with a shim (4) placed between the adapter (3) and the first rotatable component (1; see Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 8, Fuchs discloses a central axial opening (formed at 34 in Figure 2) extending through the adapter (3), the central opening configured to accept a tie bolt (10) for securing the adapter in place (via 4; see Figures 1 and 2, and column 5, lines 9-26).
Regarding claim 11, Fuchs discloses an assembly (see Figures 1 and 2) comprising:
a first rotatable component (1);
a second rotatable component (2) operably coupled to the first rotatable component; and
an adapter (3) disposed between the first rotatable component and the second rotatable component to transmit torque therebetween (see column 4, lines 36-57 and column 5, lines 9-26), the adapter having a first torque transmission feature (34) located at a first end of the adapter that is proximate the first rotatable component, and a second torque transmission feature (30) located at a second end of the adapter that is proximate the second rotatable component, wherein the first torque transmission feature is different than the second torque transmission feature (longitudinal toothing 34 vs. face toothing 30);
wherein the second torque transmission feature is located on an end face of the adapter and faces an end face of the second rotatable component (see Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 12, Fuchs discloses comprising a shim (4) disposed between the first end of the adapter (3) and the first rotatable component (1), the shim configured to cooperate with the first torque transmission feature to transmit torque from the adapter to the first rotatable component (see Figures 1 and 2, and column 4, lines 30-35).
Regarding claim 13, Fuchs discloses an additional rotatable component (provided by the ball-type constant velocity joint at the left side of Figures 1 and 2) operably coupled to the second rotatable component (2) at a distal end of the second rotatable component from the first rotatable component (1; see Figures 1 and 2, and annotated Figure 1 below).
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Figure 1. Annotated Figure 2 of Fuchs
Regarding claim 14, Fuchs discloses an additional adapter disposed between the distal end of the second rotatable component (2) and the additional rotatable component (see annotated Figure 1 above).
Regarding claim 16, Fuchs discloses the first torque transmission feature (34) is a friction connection (see column 1, lines 46-55, and column 2, lines 60-62).
Regarding claim 17, Fuchs discloses the second torque transmission feature (30) is a radial tooth joint (see Figures 1 and 2, and column 4, lines 36-57).
Regarding claim 18, Fuchs discloses a method (see Figures 1 and 2) comprising:
disposing an adapter (3) between a first rotatable component (1) and a second rotatable component (2) for transmitting torque between the first rotatable component and the second rotatable component (see column 4, lines 36-57 and column 5, lines 9-26), the adapter including a first torque transmission feature (34) located at a first end of the adapter that is proximate the first rotatable component, and a second torque transmission feature (30) located at a second end of the adapter that is proximate the second rotatable component, wherein the first torque transmission feature is different than the second torque transmission feature (longitudinal toothing 34 vs. face toothing 30);
wherein the second torque transmission feature is located on an end face of the adapter and faces an end face of the second rotatable component (see Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 19, Fuchs discloses inserting a shim (4) between the adapter (3) and the first rotatable component (1) to adjust an axial length (the threads at 10 and on shim 4 allowed for adjustment).
Regarding claim 21, Fuchs discloses the first rotatable component (1) is an impeller (the splines on the outside of component 1 being capable of moving fluid) and the second rotatable component (2) is a shaft (see Figures 1 and 2).
Claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 8,439,572 (Fischer).
Regarding claim 1, Fischer discloses an adapter (5; see Figure 1) for torque transmission between a first rotatable component (see column 8, lines 4-11) and a second rotatable component (2), the adapter comprising:
a first torque transmission feature (8) configured to transmit torque between the adapter and the first rotatable component (see column 8, lines 4-11); and
a second torque transmission feature (3) configured to transmit torque between the adapter and the second rotatable component (see column 8, lines 25-40), the second torque transmission feature being different than the first torque transmission feature (face toothing 3 vs. ball grooves 8),
wherein the second torque transmission feature is located on an end face of the adapter, which is configured to face an end face of the second rotatable component.
Regarding claim 3, Fischer discloses the first torque transmission feature (8) is a keyed connection, an axial spline, one or more pins, a taper, or a polygonal connection (the balls of the constant velocity joint functioning as keys; see column 8, lines 4-11).
Regarding claim 4, Fischer discloses the second torque transmission feature (3) is a radial tooth joint (see Figure 1, and column 8, lines 25-40).
Regarding claim 6, Fischer discloses the first torque transmission feature (8) is located at a first end of the adapter (5) that is proximate the first rotatable component in an assembled configuration, and the second torque transmission feature (4) is located at a second end, opposite the first end, which is proximate the second rotatable component (2; see Figure 1).
Regarding claim 8, Fischer discloses a central axial opening (formed through 20 in Figure 1) extending through the adapter (5), the central opening configured to accept a tie bolt (22) for securing the adapter in place (see column 8, lines 25-54).
Regarding claim 11, Fischer discloses an assembly (see Figure 1) comprising:
a first rotatable component (see column 8, lines 4-11);
a second rotatable component (2) operably coupled to the first rotatable component (via adapter 5; see Figure 1); and
an adapter (5) disposed between the first rotatable component and the second rotatable component to transmit torque therebetween (see column 8, lines 4-11, 25-40), the adapter having a first torque transmission feature (8) located at a first end of the adapter that is proximate the first rotatable component (see Figure 1), and a second torque transmission feature (3) located at a second end of the adapter that is proximate the second rotatable component (see Figure 1), wherein the first torque transmission feature is different than the second torque transmission feature (ball grooves 8 vs. face toothing 3);
wherein the second torque transmission feature is located on an end face of the adapter and faces an end face of the second rotatable component (see Figure 1).
Regarding claim 13, Fischer discloses an additional rotatable component (formed by a wheel) operably coupled to the second rotatable component (2) at a distal end of the second rotatable component from the first rotatable component (see column 7, line 64, through column 8, line 3).
Regarding claim 14, Fischer discloses an additional adapter (provided by bolts which extend through flange 6 to connect the second rotatable component to a wheel) disposed between the distal end of the second rotatable component (2) and the additional rotatable component (see column 7, line 64, through column 8, line 3).
Regarding claim 17, Fischer discloses the second torque transmission feature (3) is a radial tooth joint (see Figure 1, and column 8, lines 25-40).
Regarding claim 18, Fischer discloses a method (see Figure 1) comprising:
disposing an adapter (5) between a first rotatable component (see column 8, lines 4-11) and a second rotatable component (2) for transmitting torque between the first rotatable component and the second rotatable component (see column 2, lines 4-11, 25-40), the adapter including a first torque transmission feature (8) located at a first end of the adapter that is proximate the first rotatable component (see Figure 1), and a second torque transmission feature (3) located at a second end of the adapter that is proximate the second rotatable component (see Figure 1), wherein the first torque transmission feature is different than the second torque transmission feature (ball grooves 8 vs. face toothing 3);
wherein the second torque transmission feature is located on an end face of the adapter and faces an end face of the second rotatable component (see Figure 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 10, 15, and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claims 9 and 10, Fuchs discloses a first annular body portion (right side of adapter 3 Figure 2) having a diameter and including an outer surface extending in an axial direction, and an end face extending in a radial direction that faces the first rotatable component (1); and
a second annular body portion (left side of adapter 3 in Figure 2) having a diameter different than the diameter of the first annular body portion, and including an outer surface extending in the axial direction, wherein the end face extends in the radial direction (see Figure 1).
Fuchs fails to disclose the first torque transmission feature (34) is located on the end face, and instead discloses the first torque transmission feature as an internal toothing located on an internal diameter of the adapter (3). The prior art fails to fairly show or suggest a modification to Fuchs such that the first torque transmission feature is located on the end face. Further, such a modification would involve extension modification to the adapter of Fuchs such that the means of torque transmission (internal/external splines) and connection (threaded at 4) between the first rotatable component (1) and the adapter (3) would teach away from the intended structure of Fuchs.
Fischer discloses a first annular body portion (right side of adapter 5 in Figure 1) having a diameter and including an outer surface extending in an axial direction, and an end face extending in a radial direction that faces the first rotatable component (see column 8, lines 4-11); and
a second annular body portion (left side of adapter 5 in Figure 2) having a diameter different than the diameter of the first annular body portion, and including an outer surface extending in the axial direction, wherein the end face extends in the radial direction (see Figure 1).
Fischer fails to disclose the first torque transmission feature (8) is located on the end face, and instead discloses the first torque transmission feature as internal ball grooves located on an internal diameter of the adapter (3). The prior art fails to fairly show or suggest a modification to Fuchs such that the first torque transmission feature is located on the end face. Further, such a modification would involve extension modification to the adapter of Fuchs such that the means of torque transmission and connection (balls/ball grooves 8) between the first rotatable component and the adapter would teach away from the intended structure of Fischer.
Regarding claims 15 and 20, Fuchs fails to disclose a tie bolt insertable through the first rotatable component (1) to secure the adapter (3) in place between the first rotatable component and the second rotatable component (2). Fuchs instead discloses an end of the first rotatable component being threaded (at 10) and secured to the adapter via a nut (4). The prior art fails to fairly show or suggest a modification to Fuchs such that the threaded end/nut connection is replaced with a tie bolt connection. Further, such a modification would teach away from the intended structure of Fuchs, as it would alter the torque carrying capability of the first rotatable component, as it would require the interior to be hollowed out in order to accept such a bolt. This same reasoning applies to the method of claim 20.
Fischer discloses a tie bolt (22) to secure the adapter (5) in place between the first rotatable component and the second rotatable component (2; see column 8, lines 25-54), but fails to disclose the tie bolt being insertable through the first rotatable component (see column 8, lines 4-11). Instead, the tie bolt is inserted through the second rotatable component. The prior art fails to fairly show or suggest a modification to Fuchs such that the tie bolt is insertable through the first rotatable component. Further, such a modification would teach away from the intended structure of Fischer, a constant velocity joint, which inherently provides for angular misalignment between two parts. Replacing such a constant velocity joint with a bolted joint would destroy the intended structure of Fischer. This same reasoning applies to the method of claim 20.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 9-10, filed March 26, 2026, with respect to the 102 rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-4, 6-9, 11, 12, and 15-21 over US 5,961,247 (Gold), and associated 103 rejections, have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made as set forth above.
Conclusion
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/Josh Skroupa/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
March 31, 2026
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