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 .
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.
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.
Claims 1, 4, and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2020195647 A1 to Ishimizu.
Regarding claim 1, Ishimizu discloses a mechanism comprising:
an input shaft (Fig. 5: 45);
an output shaft (7) provided with a plurality of grooves, wherein the plurality of grooves are evenly distributed on a circumferential surface of the output shaft (Fig. 7: grooves in-between 52);
an output gear (43) installed on the output shaft (7), wherein the output gear is provided with a plurality of bumps, and the bumps are matched with the respective grooves (Fig. 7: bumps in-between 51); and
a plurality of transmission gear sets (40-43) for transmitting a power, wherein the plurality of transmission gear sets are connected to the input shaft (40a connected to input shaft 45) and the output gear (42 connected to output gear 43).
Regarding claim 4, Ishimizu discloses three transmission gear sets are provided, the three transmission gear sets are arranged along a circumferential direction of the input shaft (Fig. 5: 45), the three transmission gear sets are respectively a first transmission gear set (40), a second transmission gear set (41) and a third transmission gear set (42) which are meshed in sequence, the first transmission gear set (40) is connected to the input shaft (45), and the output gear (43) is connected to the third transmission gear set (42).
Regarding claim 8, Ishimizu discloses stepping motor, comprising the transmission mechanism of stepping motor according to claim 1 (see claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 9, Ishimizu discloses a mechanism, comprising: the stepping motor according to claim 8 (see claim 8 above); and a connecting piece (Fig. 2: 201) connected to the output shaft (7) to transmit the power of the stepping motor.
Regarding claim 10, Ishimizu discloses the connecting piece is one of a coupling, a rotating rod, or a gear (rotating hinge/rod of 201).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2020195647 A1 to Ishimizu in view of US 5820504 A to Geralde.
Regarding claim 2, Ishimizu discloses a mechanism as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the bumps are arc-shaped bumps and the grooves are arc-shaped grooves.
Geralde teaches the bumps are arc-shaped bumps (Fig. 4: 14f) and the grooves are arc-shaped grooves (13).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the arc-shaped grooves and bumps as disclosed by Geralde to the grooves and bumps disclosed by Ishimizu.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve the form fitting of the output shaft and output gear.
Regarding claim 3, Ishimizu and Geralde discloses a mechanism as described above including bumps are provided, and the bumps are evenly distributed along a circumferential direction of the output gear.
However, it fails to disclose five bumps.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use five bumps, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
One would have been motivated to do so to optimize the form fitting of the output shaft and output gear.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2020195647 A1 to Ishimizu in view of CN 208078818 U to Zhong.
Regarding claims 5-6, Ishimizu discloses a mechanism as described above including one end of the input shaft (Fig. 5: 45) is provided with tooth spaces (39b); the first driven gear (40a) is meshed with the input shaft through the tooth spaces (39b); and an outer diameter of the first driven gear (40a) is greater than an outer diameter of the input shaft (45).
However, it fails to disclose:
the first transmission gear set comprises a first transmission shaft, a first driven gear and a first driving gear, the second transmission gear set comprises a second transmission shaft, a second driven gear and a second driving gear, the third transmission gear set comprises a third transmission shaft, a third driven gear and a third driving gear, the first driving gear and the first driven gear are fixedly installed on the first transmission shaft, the second driving gear and the second driven gear are fixedly installed on the second transmission shaft, the third driving gear and the third driven gear are fixedly installed on the third transmission shaft, the second driven gear is meshed with the first driving gear, the third driven gear is meshed with the second driving gear, and the output gear is meshed with the third driving gear.
an outer diameter of the second driven gear is greater than an outer diameter of the first driving gear, an outer diameter of the third driven gear is greater than an outer diameter of the second driving gear, and an outer diameter of the output gear is greater than an outer diameter of the third driving gear.
Zhong teaches:
the first transmission gear set comprises a first transmission shaft (Fig. 4: 321), a first driven gear and a first driving gear (331), the second transmission gear set comprises a second transmission shaft (322), a second driven gear and a second driving gear (332), the third transmission gear set comprises a third transmission shaft (323), a third driven gear and a third driving gear (333), the first driving gear and the first driven gear are fixedly installed on the first transmission shaft, the second driving gear and the second driven gear are fixedly installed on the second transmission shaft, the third driving gear and the third driven gear are fixedly installed on the third transmission shaft, the second driven gear (bigger 332) is meshed with the first driving gear (smaller 331), the third driven gear (bigger 333) is meshed with the second driving gear (smaller 332), and the output gear (334) is meshed with the third driving gear (smaller 333).
an outer diameter of the second driven gear is greater than an outer diameter of the first driving gear, an outer diameter of the third driven gear is greater than an outer diameter of the second driving gear, and an outer diameter of the output gear is greater than an outer diameter of the third driving gear (Fig. 4: the driven gears are smaller than the driving gears).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the transmission as disclosed by Zhong to the mechanism disclosed by Ishimizu.
One would have been motivated to do so to improve transfer of power from input to output.
Claims 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2020195647 A1 to Ishimizu in view of CN 208078818 U to Zhong as applied to claims 1, 4, and 5 above and further in view of CN 213693426 U to Geng.
Regarding claim 7, Ishimizu and Zhong discloses a mechanism as described above.
However, it fails to disclose the limitations from claim 7.
Geng teaches a thickness of each of the tooth spaces is greater than a thickness of the first driven gear, a thickness of the first driving gear is greater than a thickness of the second driven gear, a thickness of the second driving gear is greater than a thickness of the third driven gear, and a thickness of the third driving gear is greater than a thickness of the output gear (Fig. 3: thickness of gears increase from 63 to 64 to 62 to 65).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of the gear thickness as disclosed by Geng to the transmission disclosed by Ishimizu and Zhong.
One would have been motivated to do so to increase transfer of power from input to output.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VIET P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-9457. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12-8.
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, Tulsidas C Patel can be reached at 571-272-2098. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/VIET P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834