DETAILED ACTION
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the plurality of bearings provided between the rotor carrier and spindle (see claim 18) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. As shown in figures 4 and 5, the applicant’s shown rotor carrier ends before reaching the second set of bearings therefore the applicant’s figures fail to show the rotor carrier being supported by multiple sets of bearings between the rotor carrier and the spindle hollow.
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 9-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The applicant's original disclosure fails to disclose the newly amended subject matter of claim 9. Namely, claim 9 recites “the plurality of bearings includes every bearing of the electric axle assembly” and “is axially offset from the axial midpoint of the rotor in the first axial direction”, wherein the applicant’s original disclosure fails to disclose axially offset bearing comprising EVERY bearing of the electric axle assembly wherein each bearing exists between the fist and second end of the rotor. Figures 4 and 5 show the claimed bearings in relation to the rotor, however ALSO disclose ADDITIONAL bearings on the electric axle assembly. The applicant’s amendment improperly combines embodiments of the disclosed inventions.
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 9-16 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.
Regarding claim 9, it’s not clear how the claimed bearings exist within the length of the rotor, and wherein the only bearings to support the electric axles are provided in that space as well. As disclosed by the applicant’s embodiments, when the applicant supports the rotor with bearings within its length, there are additional bearings provided outside the rotor length.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LaForce et al (US Pub No 2023/0110432).
Regarding claim 1, LaForce discloses an electric drive unit, comprising:
a housing that defines a motor housing region (shown below, indicated by 207) and a gearbox region (to the left of the housing region shown below, shown by 209), the housing having a bearing shield (320) that extends between the motor housing region and the gearbox region and defines an aperture;
a rotor shaft (310) that extends axially through the aperture from the motor housing region into the gearbox region;
a motor disposed within the motor housing region and including a stator (300) and a rotor (302) arranged on the rotor shaft; and
a plurality of bearings (309, 312) operably coupled with the rotor shaft and configured to support and facilitate rotation of the rotor shaft, wherein the plurality of bearings includes every bearing of the electric drive unit that is operably coupled with the rotor shaft and configured to support and facilitate rotation of the rotor shaft, and wherein (1) each of the plurality of bearings is disposed outside of the motor housing region and (2) each of the plurality of bearings is disposed within the gearbox region.
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Regarding claim 2, LaForce discloses the plurality of bearings comprises: a first bearing (e.g. 312) that extends radially between the bearing shield and the rotor shaft.
Regarding claim 3, LaForce discloses the first bearing is an unsealed bearing (see at least [0038]).
Regarding claim 4, LaForce discloses the plurality of bearings further comprises: a second bearing (e.g. 309) axially offset from the first bearing, such that the second bearing is further than the first bearing from the aperture defined by the bearing shield.
Regarding claims 5 and 16, LaForce discloses the rotor shaft is an assembly of a plurality of coaxial rotor shaft components (e.g. 310 and 308 making up a singular shaft).
Regarding claims 6 and 13, LaForce discloses each of the plurality of bearings is disposed outside of the motor housing region.
Regarding claims 7 and 12, LaForce discloses each of the plurality of bearings is disposed within the gearbox region.
Regarding claim 8, LaForce discloses the electric drive unit is a portion of an electric axle assembly of a vehicle (100, shown in figure 1).
Regarding claim 9, as best understood, LaForce discloses an electric axle assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing (e.g. 207, 209) that defines an interior region;
a motor disposed within the interior region and having a stator (300) and a rotor (302) that extends in a first axial direction from a first axial end to a second axial end opposite the first axial end and includes an axial midpoint positioned axially equidistant from the first and second axial ends of the rotor;
a rotor shaft (310) operably coupled with the rotor, such that operation of the motor drives rotation of the rotor shaft; and
a plurality of bearings (309, 312) operably coupled with the rotor shaft and configured to support and facilitate rotation of the rotor shaft, wherein the plurality of bearings includes every bearing of the electric axle assembly that is operably coupled with the rotor shaft and configured to support and facilitate rotation of the rotor shaft, and wherein each of the plurality of bearings is axially offset from the axial midpoint of the rotor in the first axial direction (as shown in figure 3).
Regarding claim 10, LaForce discloses at least a portion of each of the plurality of bearings is axially offset from the second axial end of the rotor in the first axial direction (as shown in figure 3).
Regarding claim 11, LaForce discloses the interior region includes a motor housing region that houses the motor (shown above, 207), and a gearbox region (209), and wherein the rotor shaft extends from the motor housing region into the gearbox region.
Regarding claim 14, LaForce discloses a gearset (328, 330) disposed within the gearbox region and operable to splash fluid disposed within the gearbox region to lubricate at least one of the plurality of bearings (noted in column 13, lines 36-53).
Regarding claim 15, LaForce discloses the motor housing region and the gearbox region are sealed from each other (via 324, shown throughout figure 4), such that fluid is prevented from entering the motor housing region from the gearbox region.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17, 18, and 20 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/11/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to the applicant’s argument that figures 4 and 5 illustrate the subject matter of claims 17 and 18; Claims 17 requires “at least one bearing that extends radially between the rotor carrier and the spindle”, wherein claim 18 adds that the bearing includes a plurality of bearings, which now requires at least two bearings (only two are shown which fit the radial aspect of claim 17) that “extends radially between the rotor carrier and the spindle”. As noted in the drawing objection, since the rotor carrier doesn’t extend to the second bearing the feature is not shown in drawings.
Regarding the assertion that LaForce discloses a bearing in the motor housing, as shown in the drawing above, the bearings referenced are clearly outside the motor housing and merely being “proximate to” as stated by the applicant is not sufficient to be within the motor housing. In as much as the applicant’s bearing are outside the motor housing, LaForce discloses the same.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Patrick Cicchino whose telephone number is (571)270-1954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30AM to 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, Anita Coupe can be reached at (571)270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Patrick Cicchino/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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