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 .
Claims 1 – 3, 6 – 12, 14 16, 19 – 25 remain pending in the application and have been fully considered.
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, 6 – 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakajima et al. (US 9,855,794).
Regarding Claim 1:
Nakajima et al. teaches an apparatus comprising: a hub body (56) to connect to a tire (19a), wherein the hub body is substantially cylindrical; a spindle (51) to support the hub body, wherein the spindle is coaxially disposed within the hub body, and wherein the spindle is to connect to a frame (11); a bearing (67a, 67b) connected to the hub body and the spindle, wherein the bearing is to provide rotation between the hub body and the spindle; a fixed driver (45, Fig 3) connected to the hub body to rotate with the hub body relative to the spindle; and a multi-speed sprocket (28. Figs 3 – 4) mounted on the fixed driver, wherein the multi-speed sprocket rotates with the fixed driver relative to the spindle.
Regarding Claim 2:
Nakajima et al. teaches a spoke flange (57, 58) connected to the hub body, wherein the spoke flange is to receive a spoke (Fig 3, see also Col 12 lines 50 – 59).
Regarding Claim 3:
Nakajima et al. teaches a brake rotor mount (72) to secure a brake rotor (60) thereon.
Regarding Claim 6:
Nakajima et al. teaches an axle spacer (53, 54) disposed at an end of the spindle to engage the frame.
Regarding Claim 7:
Nakajima et al. teaches a non-metallic ring (Col 11 line 54 to Col 12 line 9) to secure the axle spacer, wherein the axle spacer is to be secured manually.
Regarding Claim 8:
Nakajima et al. teaches the spindle includes threading at the end to secure the axle spacer with complementary threading (Fig 3).
Regarding Claim 9:
Nakajima et al. teaches a fastener (Col 10 lines 25 – 35) to connect the fixed driver to the hub body.
Regarding Claim 10:
Nakajima et al. teaches the fixed driver and the hub body include complimentary teeth (61) to engage each other.
Regarding Claim 11:
Nakajima et al. teaches the teeth of the fixed driver are reinforced (Fig 3).
Regarding Claim 12:
Nakajima et al. teaches the fixed driver and the hub body are connected via a press-fitment process to semi-permanently bond the fixed driver and the hub body (Fig 3).
In accordance to MPEP 2113, the method of forming the device is not germane to the issue of patentability of the device itself. Therefore, this limitation has not been given patentable weight. Please note that even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product, i.e. the fixed driver and hub body connection, does not depend on its method of production, i.e. press fit. In re Thorpe, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Federal Circuit 1985).
Claim(s) 14 – 16, 19 – 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yahuda et al. (US 2016/0159435).
Regarding Claim 14:
Yahuda et al. teaches an apparatus comprising: a frame (100); a rear wheel (130) mounted on the frame; a multi-speed sprocket (132) mounted on the rear wheel, wherein the multi-speed sprocket is fixed to the rear wheel and rotates with the rear wheel; a motor (20) mounted on the frame at a mid-lower region; a motor spindle (500) to be rotated by the motor; a motor sprocket (232) coupled to the motor spindle; a freewheel mechanism (400, paragraph 0043, “free to rotate”) to couple the motor sprocket to the motor spindle, wherein the freewheel mechanism is to provide free rotation of the motor sprocket; and a chain (140) connecting the motor sprocket to the multi-speed sprocket, wherein the chain is to drive the rear wheel.
Regarding Claim 15:
Yahuda et al. teaches the rear wheel includes a spoke flange (Fig 2) connected to a hub body, wherein the spoke flange is to receive a spoke.
Regarding Claim 16:
Yahuda et al. teaches the rear wheel includes a brake rotor mount (240) to secure a brake rotor (200) thereon.
Regarding Claim 19:
Yahuda et al. teaches the rear wheel includes an end cap (630) to engage the frame.
Regarding Claim 20:
Yahuda et al. teaches the rear wheel includes a non-metallic ring to secure the end cap, wherein the end cap is to be secured manually (614).
Regarding Claim 21:
Yahuda et al. teaches the rear wheel includes threading to secure the end cap (Figs 8 – 10).
Regarding Claim 22:
Yahuda et al. teaches a charging system coupled to the motor spindle, wherein rotation of the rear wheel provides energy to the charging system to charge a battery (600).
Regarding Claim 23:
Yahuda et al. teaches a method comprising: rotating a motor spindle (500) with a motor (20), wherein rotation of the motor spindle rotates a motor sprocket (232); driving a multi-speed sprocket (132) with a chain (140) connected to the motor sprocket, wherein the multi-speed sprocket is fixedly connected to a rear wheel (130) and wherein driving the multi-speed sprocket is to accelerate a bicycle (10); and providing free rotation of a pedal arm from rotation of the rear wheel when the bicycle is coasting (via 400, paragraph 0043).
Regarding Claim 24:
Yahuda et al. teaches charging a battery (600) when the bicycle is coasting.
Regarding Claim 25:
Yahuda et al. teaches moving the chain from a first gear of the multi-speed sprocket to a second gear of the multi-speed sprocket with the rotation of the rear wheel (via 132, Fig 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LONG T TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1899. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00 - 5:00.
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/LONG T TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747