DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
2. The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because:
· Reference characters “110(100)”, “230(200)”, “220(200)”, and “210(200)” are used in Fig. 2 include unnecessary parenthetical notation, where a single reference character would be sufficient to identify the element. Reference characters cannot share the same leader line.
· Reference character “210” is used in Fig. 1 points to an incorrect structure when compared with Fig. 2.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
3. The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
· In paragraph [0043], line 2, the comma (“,”) after “device.” should be deleted.
· In paragraph [0085], line 1-2, “Thus, the angular speed of W1 decreases and the speed of W2 is maintained” should be amended to read “Thus, the angular speed of W2 decreases and the speed of W1 is maintained”. The description appears inconsistent with Fig. 4B.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Claims 1-4, 7-13, 16, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sakamoto et al (WO2018056416A1).
Regarding claim 1, Sakamoto et al discloses an omnidirectional rotation drive device (10 “mobile transport mechanism”; Figs. 1 and 2) comprising: a knuckle (52 “shaft portion”; Fig. 2) connected to a vehicle body (Figs. 2 and 4; para [0030]); a wheel body (40 “wheel body”) configured to rotate around the knuckle (52; Figs. 1-4; “the outer periphery 41 of the wheel body 40 rotatably supported around the wheel rotation center axis X” per para [0026]); a plurality of sub-wheel units (The sub-wheel units are disclosed as comprising the first and second intermediate members 80 and 81. The first intermediate member 80 includes shaft 82, first intermediate gear 84, and second intermediate gear 86, and the second intermediate member 81 includes shaft 83, first intermediate gear 85, and second intermediate gear 87. The sub-wheel units further include the third intermediate gear 38 and the transmission pulley 36, which transmits rotational force to the sub-wheels 20 and 21; Para [0038 - 0044]; Figs. 2-5) rotatably supported on the wheel body (Figs. 1 and 2; para [0026]); and a bevel gear (74 and/or 75 “bevel gears”; Figs. 2-4; “For the differential large gears 54 and 64 and the differential small gears 74 and 75, for example, straight bevel gears are used” per para [0035]) located in the wheel body (40) and configured to rotate around the knuckle (52; Figs. 2-4), wherein the plurality of sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21) are configured to rotate depending on a difference between an angular speed of the wheel body (40) and an angular speed of the bevel gear (74 and/or 75; Para [0046-0049]).
Regarding claim 2, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 1, wherein a central axis of rotation of the plurality of sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21) is perpendicular to a central axis of rotation of the wheel body (40; Figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 3, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of drive shafts (72 and 73 “rotating shaft”; Fig. 3) rotatably supported on the wheel body (40) and configured to connect the bevel gear (74 and/or 75; Fig. 4) to the plurality of sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21).
Regarding claim 4, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of drive shafts (72 and 73) has one end meshed with a corresponding one of opposite side surfaces of the bevel gear (74 and/or 75; Figs. 2 and 3), and wherein each of the plurality of drive shafts (72 and 73) has another end (76 and 77 “output gears”; Fig. 4) meshed with a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-wheel units (Refer to 20 and 21 in the below annotated Fig. 2) formed in two rows on the opposite side surfaces of the bevel gear (Refer to the circle with dotted lines in the below annotated Fig. 2 and 75 “bevel gear”).
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Examiner’s annotated Fig. 2 of Sakamoto et al
Regarding claim 7, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 1, wherein the wheel body (40) comprises: a central portion (42 “support portion” and 47 “coupling member”; Figs. 2 and 4) surrounding the knuckle (52; Fig. 2); and a bridge part (44 and 46 “a pair of side plates”; Fig. 2) formed to extend outward from the central portion (42 and 47; Figs. 2 and 4), wherein the bridge part (44 and 46) has the sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21) formed in two rows and located therein (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 1, further comprising: a first motor (50 “first input member”) configured to rotatably drive the wheel body (40); and a second motor (60 “second input member”) configured to rotatably drive the bevel gear (74 and/or 75; Para [0031] and [0046-0048]; Fig. 2; Sakamoto et al does not disclose a fixed driving role to each input member. Rather, the first and second input members 50, 60 are independently rotatable, and the rotational state of the wheel body and the bevel gear is determined by the relative angular speeds and directions of the two input members 50, 60).
Regarding claim 9, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 8, wherein: only the wheel body (40) is rotatably driven when the first motor (50) and the second motor (60) rotate at the same angular speed (Para [0046], line 1-4; In this operating state, the auxiliary wheels 20, 21 are not driven, which corresponds to a functional stop of the sub-wheel units); the wheel body (40) and the plurality of sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21) are simultaneously rotatably driven when the first motor rotates and the second motor stops (Para [0048], line 1-3; Although the reference does not explicitly disclose stopping one motor, the auxiliary wheels 20, 21 and the wheel body 40 are simultaneously driven when the input members 50, 60 rotate at different angular speeds, while one input member may be considered functionally stationary); and only the plurality of sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21) are rotatably driven when the first motor stops and the second motor rotates (Para [0047], line 1-4; Although the reference does not explicitly disclose stopping one motor, the wheel body remains stationary in this operating state, which is functionally equivalent to the first motor being stopped as recited in the claim).
Regarding claim 10, Sakamoto et al discloses an omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) comprising: a knuckle (52) connected to a vehicle body (Figs. 2 and 4); a wheel body (40) configured to rotate around the knuckle (52; Figs. 1-4); a plurality of sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21; Para [0038 - 0044]; Figs. 2-5) rotatably supported on the wheel body (Figs. 1 and 2); a bevel gear (74 and/or 75; Figs. 2-4) located in the wheel body and configured to rotate around the knuckle (52); and a plurality of drive shafts (72 and 73) rotatably supported on the wheel body (40) and configured to connect the bevel gear (74 and/or 75) to the plurality of sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21), wherein the plurality of drive shafts (72 and 73) is configured and arranged not to be parallel to the bevel gear (Refer to 74 and the dotted lines in the below examiner’s annotated Fig. 3).
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Examiner’s annotated Fig. 3 of Sakamoto et al
Regarding claim 11, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 10, wherein a central axis of rotation of the plurality of sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21) is perpendicular to a central axis of rotation of the wheel body (40; Figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 12, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 10, further comprising: a first motor (50) configured to rotatably drive the wheel body; and a second motor (60) configured to rotatably drive the bevel gear (Para [0031] and [0046-0048]; Fig. 2; Sakamoto et al does not disclose a fixed driving role to each input member. Rather, the first and second input members 50, 60 are independently rotatable, and the rotational state of the wheel body and the bevel gear is determined by the relative angular speeds and directions of the two input members 50, 60).
Regarding claim 13, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of drive shafts (72 and 73) has one end meshed with a corresponding one of opposite side surfaces of the bevel gear (74 and/or 75; Figs. 2 and 3), and wherein each of the plurality of drive shafts (72 and 73) has another end (76 and 77 “output gears”; Fig. 4) meshed with a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-wheel units (Refer to 20 and 21 in the below annotated Fig. 2) formed in two rows on the opposite side surfaces of the bevel gear (Refer to 75 and the circle in dotted lines in the below annotated Fig. 2).
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Examiner’s annotated Fig. 2 of Sakamoto et al
Regarding claim 16, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 10, wherein the wheel body (40) comprises: a central portion (42 and 47; Figs. 2 and 4) surrounding the knuckle (52; Fig. 2); and a bridge part (44 and 46; Fig. 2) formed to extend outward from the central portion (42 and 47; Figs. 2 and 4), wherein the bridge part (44 and 46) has the sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21) formed in two rows and located therein (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 17, Sakamoto et al discloses the omnidirectional rotation drive device (10) of claim 10, wherein the plurality of sub-wheel units (80, 81, 38, 36, 20, and 21) is rotated depending on a difference between an angular speed of the wheel body (40) and an angular speed of the bevel gear (74 and/or 75; Para [0046-0049]).
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 5, 6, 14, and 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent from including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references disclose omnidirectional wheel mechanisms and associated drive structures.
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAEKWON CHOI whose telephone number is (571) 272-5805. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9 am to 5 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Samuel (Joe) Morano, can be reached at telephone number (571) 272-6684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAEKWON CHOI/Examiner, Art Unit 3615
/Kip T Kotter/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615