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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/28/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The specification is objected to because no heading in the specification. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The following guidelines illustrate the preferred layout for the specification of a utility application. These guidelines are suggested for the applicant’s use.
Arrangement of the Specification
As provided in 37 CFR 1.77(b), the specification of a utility application should include the following sections in order. Each of the lettered items should appear in upper case, without underlining or bold type, as a section heading. If no text follows the section heading, the phrase “Not Applicable” should follow the section heading:
(a) TITLE OF THE INVENTION.
(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS.
(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT.
(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT.
(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A READ-ONLY OPTICAL DISC, AS A TEXT FILE OR AN XML FILE VIA THE PATENT ELECTRONIC SYSTEM.
(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR.
(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.
(1) Field of the Invention.
(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.
(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.
(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S).
(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.
(k) CLAIM OR CLAIMS (commencing on a separate sheet).
(l) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE (commencing on a separate sheet).
(m) SEQUENCE LISTING. (See MPEP § 2422.03 and 37 CFR 1.821 - 1.825). A “Sequence Listing” is required on paper if the application discloses a nucleotide or amino acid sequence as defined in 37 CFR 1.821(a) and if the required “Sequence Listing” is not submitted as an electronic document either on read-only optical disc or as a text file via the patent electronic system.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 1-21 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 1, the phrase “a bearing centre axis (3a,3b), which bearing centre axes” are not clear, how many centre axis.
Regarding claim 1, the phrase “when mounted” are not clear, whether the hub carrier mounted to what structure elements.
Regarding claim 1, the phrase “laterally positioned within the rim” are not clear, because it does not have a relative position.
Regarding claim 1, the phrase “within the rim” are not clear, whether it inside the wheel hub.
Regarding claims 2, it is not clear “a rim and a single tyre”, which is the same with a rim and a single tyre in claim 1.
Regarding claims 2-13, the preamble recite “An axle” is not consistent with claim 1, which recited “An inverter portal axle”.
Regarding claims 14-18, the preamble recite “a vehicle” is not consistent with claim 1, which recited “an inverter portal axle”. Whether the application is about an inverter portal axle or a vehicle.
Regarding claims 19-21, the preamble recite “A vehicle chassis structure” is not consistent with claim 19, which recited “A hub carrier”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-21 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art of record don’t disclose an inverted portal axle for use in a low floor bus comprising two hub carriers having a bearing centre axis, which bearing centre axes are positioned on a common axis. The two hub carriers are connected by an axle bridge structure that is radially spaced apart from the common axis thereby creating a space for a low floor when the axle is used in a low floor bus, wherein each hub carrier comprises a stator of a direct drive electric motor and carries a rotary assembly comprising a flange to support a rim for a single tyre. The hub carrier comprises of a first part, which is laterally positioned within the rim and tyre combination when mounted and a second part, which is laterally positioned next to the rim and tyre combination when mounted. The second part of one hub carrier is connected to the second part of the other hub carrier by the axle bridge structure. The rotary assembly is comprised of a wheel hub shaft and a second part, which is laterally positioned next to the rim and tyre combination when mounted. The second part of the hub carrier comprises the stator of the electric motor and the second part of the rotary assembly comprises a rotor of the electric motor.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAU VAN PHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-6696. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:00 to 4:00 PST.
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, Marc Jimenez can be reached at 571-272-4530. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAU V PHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
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