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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claim 20 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 01/05/26.
Claim Objections
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 19 line 2 recites “external the power cable,” which appears to be a typographical error (i.e. “the external”). Appropriate correction is required.
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 3-12 and 15 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 3 line 2 recites “the second end of the bus bar,” which lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 12 recites “the tie structure is an only component coupled to both the first drum support and the second drum support” (emphasis added). This is unclear. All of the components of the instant winch are in a single assembly, meaning that all the components of the winch are coupled one to another. How can the tie structure be the only component connected to the two supports? For example, instant control pack (500) is coupled to both of the supports.
Claim 15 line 2 recites “the second end of the bus bar,” which lacks antecedent basis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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.
Claims 1-4 and 10-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2018/0175713 A1 (hereinafter “Fretz”). It is noted that motor assembly 700 is disclosed as being for “a winch, such as the winch 100 shown in FIG. 1” (par. 54). In the following rejection assembly 700 is used in conjunction with the embodiment of fig. 1.
Regarding claim 1 Fretz discloses a winch, comprising:
a motor (704) having a motor housing (105) including (being) a motor case (105) and a first drum support (110) attached to the motor case (105) for closing an end of the motor case (105);
a gear reduction unit drivingly attached to the motor (704) and having a gear housing including a gear case (126) and a second drum support (112) attached to the gear case (126) for closing an end of the gear case (126);
a tie structure (120) connecting the first drum support (110) and the second drum support (112);
an external power cable (171) having a first end and a second end (see fig. 1), wherein the first end of the external power cable (171) is configured to be coupled to an external power source (175), and wherein the second end of the external power cable (171) is coupled to a bus bar (724); and
a rotatable drum (118) drivingly connected to the motor (704) and supported by the first drum support (110) and the second drum support (112).
Regarding claim 2 Fretz discloses the above winch, and further discloses wherein the bus bar (724) is disposed within a control pack housing (710).
Regarding claim 3 Fretz discloses the above winch, and further discloses wherein the bus bar (724) includes a constant thickness (see fig. 7) from a first end of the bus bar (724) to the second end of the bus bar (724).
Regarding claim 4 Fretz discloses the above winch, and further discloses wherein the bus bar (724) includes a notch (N, see annotated fig. below) disposed between the first end of the bus bar (724) and the second end of the bus bar (724).
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Regarding claim 10 Fretz discloses the above winch, and further discloses wherein the bus bar (724) includes a plurality of angular bends (see fig. 7) between the first end of the bus bar (724) and the second end of the bus bar (724).
Regarding claim 11 Fretz discloses the above winch, and further discloses wherein the plurality of angular bends include two 90-degree bends (i.e. folded portion, and bend in the outer side surface; see annotated fig. below).
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Regarding claim 12 Fretz discloses the above winch, and further discloses wherein the tie structure (120) [is coupled] to both the first drum support (110) and the second drum support (112). See rejection under 35 USC 112(b), above.
Regarding claim 13 Fretz discloses a winch, comprising:
a motor (704) and a first drum support (110);
a gear reduction unit (gearset within 126) drivingly attached to the motor (704) and a second drum support (112);
a tie structure (120) connecting the first drum support (110) and the second drum support (112);
an external power cable (171) having a first end and a second end (see fig. 1), wherein the first end of the external power cable (171) is configured to be coupled to an external power source (175), wherein the second end of the external power cable (171) is coupled to a bus bar (724), and wherein the bus bar (724) is an exclusive pathway for electrical power between the external power source (175) and the winch, such that all electrical power from external power source (175) to the winch flows across the bus bar (724) (i.e. the motor has no other leads); and
a rotatable drum (118) drivingly connected to the motor (704).
Regarding claim 14 Fretz discloses the above winch, and further discloses wherein the bus bar (724) is disposed within a control pack housing (710).
Regarding claim 15 Fretz discloses the above winch, and further discloses wherein the bus bar (724) includes a constant thickness (see fig. 7) from a first end of the bus bar (724) to the second end of the bus bar (724).
Regarding claim 16 Fretz discloses the above winch, and further discloses wherein the bus bar (724) includes a notch (N, see annotated figure below) disposed between the first end of the bus bar (724) and the second end of the bus bar (724).
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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.
Claims 5, 7-9, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fretz in view of US 5,214,359 A (hereinafter “Herndon”).
Regarding claims 5 and 17 Fretz discloses the above winch, including the notch (N, above) on the power bar, the notch being at (near) either end of the bus bar. Fretz fails to teach the current sensor of claim 5. Herndon teaches a power distribution system for a winch with a power cord (see fig. 1). Herndon further teaches wherein a current sensor (32/44) is disposed adjacent to a bus bar (20; see col. 3 ll. 29-34). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the current sensing device of Herndon to the winch power system of Fretz with a reasonable expectation of success. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination in order to regulate/limit the current so as to avoid overcurrent in the winch (per Herndon). It is noted that this would result in a current sensor “at” (or near) the notch.
Regarding claims 7 and 18 modified Fretz teaches the above winch, and further teaches wherein the current sensor (Herndon 32/44) is a Hall effect sensor (i.e. 44 is a Hall effect sensor).
Regarding claim 8 modified Fretz teaches the above winch, and further teaches wherein the current sensor (Herndon 32/44) includes a cable (42/56), coupled to a circuit board (i.e. unshown structure holding components in Herndon figure 2).
Regarding claims 9 and 19 modified Fretz teaches the above winch, and further teaches wherein the current sensor (Herndon 32/44) is configured to measure current delivered to the winch from the external power source (Fretz 175) via the external power cable (Fretz 171).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fretz and Herndon, and in further view of CN 114424070 A (hereinafter “Zhao”).
Regarding claim 6 modified Fretz teaches the above winch. Fretz fails to teach the particulars of claim 6. Zhao teaches a power distribution system including a bus bar (102) for providing current flow, the bus bar (102) having notch (120A/120B). Zhao further teaches wherein a current sensor includes two protrusions (130/132) each of which extends into the notch (120A/120B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the bus bar of Fretz with the dual protrusion current sensing of Zhao with a reasonable expectation of success. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this combination in order to better detect the current in the system of Fretz.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Such references show various forms of apparatus which comprise at least one similar feature to the present application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nathaniel L Adams whose telephone number is (571)272-4830. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 Pacific Time.
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/NATHANIEL L ADAMS/ Examiner, Art Unit 3654