FIRST NON-FINAL REJECTION
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
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 8, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. CN210400671 (the citations are from the translation provided with the IDS).
With respect to claim 1, Zhang teaches a transmission mechanism including a crankshaft (electric power-assisted vehicle torque detecting device comprising a central shaft 1, paragraph 55); and a torque sensor including an outer tube and a first strain gauge (shaft sleeve 2 having a strain gauge detection element 3, paragraph 55, figure 2), wherein the outer tube has a main tube part (interpreted as the part of the sleeve without the mounting surfaces 21, figure 2) and a first deformable part (interpreted as the two mounting surfaces 21 provided on the outer wall of sleeve 2, paragraph 59, figure 2), wherein the outer tube is connected to and surrounds the crankshaft (the sleeve 2 surrounds the central shaft 1, figures 1 and 2), wherein a first end of the first deformable part is joined to an end of the main tube part in a direction parallel to an axial direction of the crankshaft (an end of the two mounting surfaces 21 is joined at ends of a part of the sleeve 2, figure 2), wherein the first deformable part has a first and a second side and extends circumferentially around the crankshaft between the first and the second sides (interpreted as the sides of the two mounting surfaces 21 which extend circumferentially, figure 2 ), wherein the first deformable part has a first included angle defined between a first line extending through a center of the crankshaft and the first side and a second line extending through the center of the crankshaft and the second side (interpreted as the angle drawn from the sides of each of the mounting surfaces 21 through the center of the central shaft 1, figures 2 and 3), wherein the first included angle is less than 180 degrees (the above angle would be less than 180, figures 2 and 3), wherein the first strain gauge is attached to the first deformable part (paragraph 55, figure 2), and wherein the outer tube defines a first groove next to the first side and a second groove next to the second side (interpreted as slots 22, paragraph 71, figure 2).
With respect to claims 3 and 5, Zhang teaches wherein the torque sensor includes a processing unit configured to receive a signal of the first strain gauge (first PCB 5 and second PCB 6, paragraph 64, figure 4), wherein the processing unit is connected to the first strain gauge (paragraph 68), and wherein the processing unit is attached to the outer tube (first PCB 5 and second PCB 6 are sleeved on the shaft sleeve 2, paragraph 64, figure 4).
With respect to claim 4, Zhang teaches wherein the torque sensor includes a second strain gauge (strain detection element 3 mounted on the opposite mounting surface 21), wherein the outer tube has a second deformable part (the other of the two mounting surfaces 21 opposite each other, paragraphs 59-61, figures 2 and 3) with a first end joined to the end of the main tube part in the direction parallel to the axial direction of the crankshaft (an end of the two mounting surfaces 21 is joined at ends of a part of the sleeve 2, figure 2), wherein the first and the second deformable parts are on opposite sides of the crankshaft in a radial direction (figures 2 and 3), wherein the second deformable part has a third and a fourth side and extends circumferentially around the crankshaft between the third and the fourth sides (interpreted as the sides of the two mounting surfaces 21 which extend circumferentially, figure 2 ), wherein the second deformable part has a second included angle defined between a third line extending through the center of the crankshaft and the third side and a fourth line extending through the center of the crankshaft and the fourth side (interpreted as the angle drawn from the sides of each of the mounting surfaces 21 through the center of the central shaft 1, figures 2 and 3), wherein the second included angle is less than 180 degrees (the above angle would be less than 180, figures 2 and 3), and wherein the second strain gauge is attached to the second deformable part (paragraphs 55 and 59, figure 2).
With respect to claim 8, Zhang teaches wherein the outer tube has a first and a second extension part and first ends of the first and the second extension parts are joined to the end of the main tube part in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the crankshaft (interpreted as the sections of the sleeve 2 which are between and connected to each of the two mounting surfaces 21, figures 2 and 3), wherein the first extension part are on opposite sides of the crankshaft in a radial direction (the sections are on opposite sides of the central shaft 1, figures 2 and 3), wherein the first extension part extends circumferentially around the crankshaft from a first side which is adjacent to the first side of the first deformable part to a second side which is adjacent to the third side of the second deformable part (one of the sections extends circumferentially around the central shaft on one side, figures 2 and 3), wherein the second extension part extends circumferentially around the crankshaft from a first side which is adjacent to the second side of the first deformable part to a second side which is adjacent to the fourth side of the second deformable part (the other of the sections extends circumferentially around the central shaft on opposite side, figures 2 and 3), wherein the first groove has a first section delimited between the first side of the first deformable part (the slot 22 is interpreted as being between the side of the mounting surface 21 and the section of the sleeve 2 which extends along circumferentially one side, figures 2 and 3), and wherein the second groove has a first section delimited between the second side of the first deformable part and the first side of the second extension part (the other slot 22 that is interpreted as being between the other side of the mounting surface 21 and the section of the sleeve 2 which extends along circumferentially the opposite side, figures 2 and 3).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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) 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. CN210400671.
With respect to claims 6 and 6, Zhang teaches the claimed invention except wherein the first included angle is greater than 30 degrees and less than 90 degrees, and wherein the first included angle is greater than 30 degrees and less than 90 degrees, and wherein the second included angle is greater than 30 degrees and less than 90 degrees.
However, it has been held that where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device (MPEP 2144.04). Therefore, it would have been obvious to modifying the size of the two mounting surfaces 21 by increasing the width of the surfaces circumferentially which would modify an angle between the sides of the mounting surfaces and the center of the central shaft in order to provide a mounting surface which may accommodate many different strain sensor arrangements and sizes.
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. CN210400671 in view of Wilson et al. U.S. Patent 8,607,647.
With respect to claims 14 and 15, Zhang teaches that the shaft sleeve 2 rotates with the central shaft 1, but fails to specifically teach wherein the transmission mechanism includes a first and a second bearing seat respectively configured to support a first and a second bearing that are configured for the crankshaft, and wherein the first and the second bearing seats are connected to and surrounds the crankshaft, and wherein inner peripheries of the first and the second deformable parts surround an outer periphery of the first bearing.
Wilson teaches a bicycle 2 that incorporates a bicycle power sensing system 20 where the bicycle 2 is powered by a cyclist providing rotational forces to the crank chain ring 8 via the pedals 4 and crank arms 6 and the rotation of the crank chain ring 8 is transferred by the chain 10 to the driven sprocket 9 and thus to the power-measuring hub assembly 30 which carries and rotates a driven rear wheel 12 into rotation via spokes 14 to drive the bicycle 2 into motion, the bicycle power sensing system 20 includes the power-measuring hub assembly 30 that can measure torque and wheel speed of the driven rear wheel 12, and power-measuring hub assembly 30 includes an axle 31 that extends longitudinally through and supports the rest of the power-measuring hub assembly 30, between end caps 35 and concentrically outside of the axle 31, the power-measuring hub assembly 30 includes a free hub 40, a torque tube 50 a hub shell 90, a pair of spaced apart bearings 41, 42 rotationally mounts the free hub 40 to the axle 31, and a spacer 43 is concentrically mounted over the axle 31 and is provided between the bearings 41, 42 to maintain their spaced apart relationship with each other (col. 3 line 62 – col. 4 line 59, figures 5). Further, onboard electronics 110 includes sensors, shown in this example as strain gauges 112, which are attached to lands 58 on the main body 53 of the torque tube 50 (col. 6 lines 23-26).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the torque detecting device and sleeve of Zhang with the bearings that are mounted to an axle and part of the hub sensing assembly including the axle of as taught by Wilson in order to provide a measurement assembly which easily attaches to an shaft for measurement.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 9-13 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FREDDIE KIRKLAND III whose telephone number is (571)272-2232. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John Breene can be reached at (571) 272-4107. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
FREDDIE KIRKLAND III
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2855
/Freddie Kirkland III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855 12/4/2025