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 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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LI et al. (CN 106553510 A).
Regarding claim 1, LI discloses an electric drive unit for an electric vehicle, comprising:
a transmission system comprising:
a plurality of motor-transmission subassemblies (Fig. 1), wherein each subassembly comprises:
an electric motor (6, 7) rotationally coupled to an input shaft (8, 9), wherein the input shaft comprises a first gear (11) and a second gear (12); and
an intermediate shaft (15) comprising a dog clutch selector (10), a first clutch gear (13), and a second clutch gear (14), wherein the first clutch gear is meshed with the first gear of the input shaft and the second clutch gear is meshed with the second gear of the input shaft (Fig. 1) and wherein the dog clutch selector is configured to selectively couple the first or second clutch gear to the intermediate shaft; ()
an output system comprising an output shaft (4) coupled to one or more output interfaces (e.g., 3, 4) and rotationally coupled to the plurality of motor-transmission subassemblies; (Fig. 1) and
a controller configured to, in response to a request to powershift, increase torque of at least one electric motor while at least one other motor-transmission subassembly is undergoing a shift, where a torque of the at least one other motor-transmission subassembly is reduced to zero. (From PE2E translation: “The working principle is as follows: preparing shifting, the first electric motor 6 increases torque, the second motor 7 torque 0, second synchronizer shifting is completed, the second motor 7 increases torque, the first motor 6 torque is zeroed, then power is uninterrupted, the first synchronizer, two motors are shifting gear, the first motor 6 and the second motor 7 torque regression is normal, then it can realize switching of the whole gear, outer end tooth of the main reduction gear 5 always has power input continues.”)
Claim(s) 11-13, 15-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by MULLER (EP 3854616 A1).
Regarding claim 11, MULLER discloses a method for operation of a transmission system in an electric drive unit, comprising: transitioning between a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio via selective engagement and disengagement of one or more clutch gears of one or more dog clutch selectors of the transmission system; wherein the transmission system includes: a first motor-transmission subassembly, a second motor-transmission subassembly, and a third motor-transmission subassembly (Muller explicitly discloses (taken from PE2E Search translation) an example with two subassemblies but further mentions:
“As mentioned, the transmission 14B of FIG Figure 4 can be derived from the same modular transmission kit as the transmission 14A of Figure 2 . This means that many identical parts can be used... The transmission 14B particularly preferably uses the basic module 54 again (see FIG Figure 3 ). The basic module 54 can be used twice / twice in the transmission 14B or once in each sub-transmission 14A1, 14A2 of the transmission 14B…In addition, it is possible that the basic module can be combined with one another not only twice, but more frequently with one another in a corresponding summing gear, e.g. B triple or quadruple. For example, a summing gear can be constructed from three or more basic modules, each of which is driven by its own drive unit (a total of three or more drive units) and connected to one another on the output side... Since the load within the basic module does not change even if it is used multiple times, its design and dimensions do not have to be adjusted even if it is used multiple times. This enables a very cost-efficient coverage of a wide range of transmissions and drivetrains.”), wherein each of the first, second, and third motor-transmission subassemblies comprises an electric motor rotationally coupled to an input shaft that comprises a first gear and a second gear and an intermediate shaft comprising a dog clutch selector with a first clutch gear and a second clutch gear, wherein the first gear meshes with the first clutch gear and the second gear meshes with the second clutch gear; and an output shaft rotationally coupled to each of the first, second, and third motor-transmission subassemblies; and transferring mechanical power from the first, second, and third motor-transmission subassemblies to the output shaft.
Regarding claim 12, MULLER discloses each dog clutch selector comprises: a first position wherein the first clutch gear is engaged with the intermediate shaft and the second clutch gear is disengaged from the intermediate shaft; a second position wherein the second clutch gear is engaged with the intermediate shaft and the first clutch gear is disengaged from the intermediate shaft; and a neutral position wherein both the first and second clutch gears are disengaged from the intermediate shaft.
Regarding claim 13, MULLER discloses transitioning between the first gear and the second gear comprises shifting a first dog clutch selector of the first motor-transmission subassembly from first position to second position, shifting a second dog clutch selector of the second motor-transmission subassembly from first position to second position, and shifting a third dog clutch selector of the third motor-transmission subassembly from first position to second position.
Regarding claim 15, MULLER discloses transmission system, comprising: three motor-transmission subassemblies; and an output system rotationally coupled to each motor-transmission subassembly, wherein each motor-transmission subassembly comprises: a motor rotationally coupled to an input shaft that is further rotationally coupled to a first gear and a second gear; an intermediate shaft selectively rotationally coupled to the input shaft via selective engagement of dog clutch that comprises a first clutch gear meshed with the first gear and a second clutch gear meshed with the second gear.
Regarding claim 16, MULLER discloses engagement of a respective first clutch gear with a corresponding intermediate shaft for each of the three motor-transmission subassemblies corresponds to a first gear ratio of the transmission system and engagement of a respective second clutch gear with the corresponding intermediate shaft for each of the three motor-transmission subassemblies corresponds to a second gear ratio of the transmission system.
Regarding claim 17, MULLER discloses engagement of a respective first clutch gear with a corresponding intermediate shaft for each of one or more first motor-transmission subassemblies and engagement of a respective second clutch gear with another corresponding intermediate shaft for each of one or more second motor-transmission subassemblies corresponds to an overlapping gear ratio.
Regarding claim 18, MULLER discloses the output system comprises an output shaft rotationally coupled to the intermediate shaft of each motor-transmission subassembly via a gear meshing.
Regarding claim 20, MULLER discloses the output system couples to one or more output interfaces.
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) 2-5 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI et al. (CN 106553510 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of MULLER (EP 3854616 A1).
Regarding claim 2, LI discloses the plurality of motor-transmission subassemblies comprises a first motor-transmission subassembly, a second motor-transmission subassembly.
LI does not disclose the plurality of motor-transmission subassemblies comprises a third motor-transmission subassembly.
MULLER teaches an electric drive unit for an electric vehicle having a first motor-transmission subassembly, a second motor-transmission subassembly, and a third motor-transmission subassembly.
Muller explicitly discloses (taken from PE2E Search translation) an example with two subassemblies but further mentions:
“As mentioned, the transmission 14B of Figure 4 can be derived from the same modular transmission kit as the transmission 14A of Figure 2 . This means that many identical parts can be used... The transmission 14B particularly preferably uses the basic module 54 again (see FIG Figure 3 ). The basic module 54 can be used twice / twice in the transmission 14B or once in each sub-transmission 14A1, 14A2 of the transmission 14B…In addition, it is possible that the basic module can be combined with one another not only twice, but more frequently with one another in a corresponding summing gear, e.g. B triple or quadruple. For example, a summing gear can be constructed from three or more basic modules, each of which is driven by its own drive unit (a total of three or more drive units) and connected to one another on the output side... Since the load within the basic module does not change even if it is used multiple times, its design and dimensions do not have to be adjusted even if it is used multiple times. This enables a very cost-efficient coverage of a wide range of transmissions and drivetrains.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the electric drive unit disclosed by LI to have a third motor-transmission subassembly, as taught by MULLER to “[enable] a very cost-efficient coverage of a wide range of transmissions and drivetrains” as taught in MULLER. The addition of subassemblies would allow the transmission/ drivetrain to increase its load carrying capacity, and/ or provide the vehicle with which it is mounted to have higher speed, and/ or better acceleration characteristics.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of LI-MULLER discloses the first motor-transmission subassembly comprises a first intermediate shaft, the second motor-transmission subassembly comprises a second intermediate shaft, and the third motor-transmission subassembly comprises a third intermediate shaft.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of LI-MULLER discloses each of the first, second, and third intermediate shafts are rotationally coupled to the output shaft of the output system.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of LI-MULLER discloses each of the first, second, and third intermediate shafts include a gear that meshes with an output shaft gear rotationally coupled to the output shaft.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of LI-MULLER discloses the controller is configured to maintain a total output torque while powershifting one or more of the plurality of motor-transmission subassemblies.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 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 DEREK D. KNIGHT whose telephone number is (571)272-7951. The examiner can normally be reached Telework: From 5:30am-1:30pm EST.
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/DEREK D KNIGHT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655