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 Objections
Claims 8, 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 8: “a transmission belt arrangement” (line 5) should be --the transmission belt arrangement--.
Claim 16: “a state of a transmission belt” (line 1) and “a transmission belt arrangement” (lines 1-2, and 3) should be --the state of the transmission belt-- and --the transmission belt arrangement--, or the like.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schwefe et al. (DE 10 2016 011711) in view of Hiroki et al. (JP 2008-190571).
Regarding claim 1, Schwefe et al. (hereinafter Schwefe) teaches a transmission belt arrangement comprising: a first pulley and a second pulley, a transmission belt 7 connecting the first pulley and the second pulley, at least one sensor 10 configured to measure a parameter indicative of a vibration signature of the transmission belt arrangement [0026], and processing circuitry for determining a state of the transmission belt based on the parameter and/or based on the vibration signature [0027].
Schwefe remains silent as to at least one sensor mounted on the first pulley.
Hiroki et al, (hereinafter Hiroki) teaches a vibration meter installed on the pulley bearing (page 4, 4th paragraph) .
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have also used the vibration meter installed on the pulley, as taught by Hiroki, as it is a well-known alternative to measuring the vibration of a belt in a belt driving device.
Regarding claim 2, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an accelerometer (Schwefe [0019]).
Regarding claim 3, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure the parameter (Schwefe [0019]).
Regarding claim 4, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the state is a degree of elongation (belt stretch) of the transmission belt (Schwefe [0009]).
Regarding claim 5, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor (acceleration sensor) is configured to provide the parameter to the processing circuitry, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the vibration signature of the transmission belt arrangement based on the parameter (Schwefe [0012]).
Regarding claim 6, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to compare the vibration signature indicated by the parameter to a reference vibration signature (natural vibration) (Schwefe [0011-0012]).
Regarding claim 7, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors (Schwefe [0019]), and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the vibration signature of the transmission belt arrangement based on parameters provided by the plurality of sensors (Schwefe [0020]).
Regarding claim 8, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches a method for determining a state of a transmission belt of a transmission belt arrangement comprising: providing a transmission belt arrangement of claim 1, and determining the state of the transmission belt based on the parameter and/or the vibration signal (Schwefe [0025]).
Regarding claim 9, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the method according to claim 8, further comprising comparing the state with a predetermined criterion (empirical values and corresponding temperature curves Schwefe [0020]).
Regarding claim 10, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the method according to claim 9, further comprising issuing a notification if the determined state meets the predetermined criterion (Schwefe [0016-0017]).
Regarding claim 11, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 1 and an embodiment where a noise meter is used (Hiroki page 4, paragraph 6), but remains silent as to wherein the at least one sensor comprises a piezoelectric sensor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used a piezoelectric sensor as a noise meter as they are a well-known type of sensor used for noise and sound detection.
Regarding claim 12, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki above, teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the first pulley and the second pulley and the transmission belt are mounted inside a housing 1 (Schwefe Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 13, Schwefe teaches a transmission belt arrangement comprising: a first pulley 3 and a second pulley 5 (Fig. 1), a transmission belt 7 connecting the first pulley 3 to the second pulley 5, at least one sensor 10 configured to measure a parameter indicative of a vibration signature of the transmission belt arrangement [0026], and processing circuitry for determining a state of the transmission belt based on the parameter and/or based on the vibration signature [0027].
Schwefe remains silent as to at least one piezoelectric sensor configured to measure a parameter indicative of a vibration signature of the transmission belt arrangement.
Hiroki teaches a transmission belt arrangement where a noise meter is used (page 4 paragraph 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the transmission belt arrangement of Schwefe to use the noise meter of Hiroki in order to more accurately determine the state of the transmission belt.
Regarding claim 14, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the first pulley 3 and the second pulley 5 and the transmission belt 7 are mounted inside a housing 1 (Schwefe Fig. 1), but remains silent as to wherein the piezoelectric sensor is mounted inside the housing 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have mounted the piezoelectric sensor as close to the belt as possible and therefore mounted inside the housing in which the transmission belt arrangement is housed, in order to accurately measure the noise from the belt.
Regarding claim 15, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki teaches the transmission belt arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors (Schwefe [0019]), and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the vibration signature of the transmission belt arrangement based on parameters provided by the plurality of sensors (Schwefe [0027]).
Regarding claim 16, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki teaches a method for determining a state of a transmission belt (belt condition) of a transmission belt arrangement comprising: providing a transmission belt arrangement according to claim 13, and determining the state of the transmission belt based on the parameter and/or the vibration signal (Schwefe [0017]).
Regarding claim 17, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki teaches the method according to claim 16, further comprising comparing the state with a predetermined criterion (machine condition) (Schwefe [0017]).
Regarding claim 18, Schwefe as modified by Hiroki teaches the method according to claim 17, further comprising issuing a notification (forwards appropriate information to the operator) if the determined state meets the predetermined criterion (Schwefe [0017]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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/WALTER L LINDSAY JR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2852
/A.V.D/Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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