DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/09/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 01/22/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-13 and 16 remain pending in the application.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 6 line 2 reads “axial load”, --the axial loads-- is suggested.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 1-2, 6, 13 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jahnel (US 4442728 A) in view of Fox (US 20070099745 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jahnel discloses a transmission (see Fig. 1a; 100) comprising a gearwheel arrangement (5, 6), the gearwheel arrangement comprising: a first gearwheel (5) and a second gearwheel (6), the first and second gearwheels being coaxially arranged and selectively rotationally connectable to one another (via 7), and a set of bearings (30), comprising: a first pair of cylindrical roller bearings (30 to the left and right of 5) configured to support radial loads, the first pair of cylindrical roller bearings being arranged to support the first gearwheel in a radial direction of the gearwheel arrangement (see Fig. 1a), a second pair of cylindrical roller bearings (30 to the left and right of 6) configured to support the radial loads, the second pair of cylindrical roller bearings being arranged to support the second gearwheel in the radial direction (see Fig. 1a), wherein the transmission is arranged to selectively transfer torque via the first gearwheel (see Fig. 1a, wherein 100 can selectively transfer torque via 5), and wherein the transmission is further configured to selectively transfer torque via the second gearwheel only when the second gearwheel is rotationally connected to the first gearwheel (see Fig. 1a, wherein 100 is configured to selectively transfer torque via 6 only when 6 is rotationally connected to 5 via 7). Jahnel fails to disclose a common rolling element bearing configured to support axial loads and a housing. However, Fox teaches a common rolling element bearing (see Fig. 1; roller bearing) configured to support axial loads (inherent property of roller bearings) and a housing (transmission housing). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date to modify Jahnel with a common rolling element bearing and a housing, as taught by Fox, to accommodate thrust loading in both axial and radial directions introduced by helical gears (see paragraph [0004]). As a result of the combination, the following limitations would necessarily result: the common rolling element bearing (Fox; roller bearing) being arranged to support both of the first and second gearwheels (Jahnel; 5, 6) in an axial direction of the gearwheel arrangement (Jahnel; axial direction of 5, 6); the transmission (Jahnel; 100) further comprising a housing (Fox; transmission housing) in which the gearwheel arrangement is arranged, the set of bearings being arranged to support the first and second gearwheels directly against the housing (Fox; Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Jahnel discloses the first gearwheel (5) comprises a first set of gear teeth (teeth of 5) and the second gearwheel (6) comprises a second set of gear teeth (teeth of 6), the first and second sets of gear teeth being axially offset from one another (see Fig. 1a, wherein the teeth of 5 are axially offset from the teeth of 6).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of claim 1 elsewhere above would necessarily result in the following limitations: the common rolling element bearing (Fox; roller bearing) configured to support axial load is a ball bearing (Fox; see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of claim 1 elsewhere above would necessarily result in the following limitations: the common rolling element bearing (Fox; roller bearing) is configured to support the axial loads in both axial directions of the gearwheel arrangement (left to right in the figures; note that it is well known in the art that ball bearings inherently support axial load in both directions).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of claim 1 elsewhere above would necessarily result in the following limitations: a vehicle (see column 4, line 10 wherein a marine transmission is disclosed) comprising the transmission according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 elsewhere above ).
Claim 3, 5 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jahnel (US 4442728 A) in view of Fox (US 20070099745 A1) and Hedman (EP 2864659 B1).
Regarding claim 3, Jahnel discloses an axial side surface of the first gearwheel (right side axial side surface of 5) faces an axial side surface of the second gearwheel (left side axial side surface of 6). Jahnel fails to disclose the axial side surfaces being arranged to transfer an axial gear mesh force between the first and second gearwheels via axial contact. However, Hedman teaches the axial side surfaces (see Fig. 1a; 33, 35) being arranged to transfer an axial gear mesh force between the first and second gearwheels (333, 535) via axial contact (see NPL, page 8 lines 24-26, wherein the axial contact surface 33 of the first gearwheel 333 comes in contact with the axial contact surface 35 of the second gearwheel 535). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date to modify Jahnel with axial contact faces, as taught by Hedman, to provide first and second gears that are in contact to each other which reduces the axial space requirements of the gearbox allowing for use in a wider range to applications and reducing material cost.
Regarding claim 5, Jahnel fails to disclose a first gear engaging sleeve arranged to selectively rotationally connect the first and second gearwheels. However, Hedman teaches a first gear engaging sleeve (see Fig. 1a; 148) arranged to selectively rotationally connect the first and second gearwheels (333, 535). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date to modify Jahnel with an engaging sleeve, as taught by Hedman, to provide a non-slip connection between the first and second gears to allow direct torque transfer.
Regarding claim 8, Jahnel fails to disclose a shaft on which the first and second gearwheels are arranged. However, Hedman teaches a shaft (see Fig. 1a; 223) on which the first and second gearwheels (333, 535) are arranged (see Fig. 1a). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date to modify Jahnel with a single shaft, as taught by Hedman, to reduce the axial dimensions of the gearbox and reducing the number of parts of the gearbox therefore reducing assembly time and cost requirements.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of claim 8 elsewhere above would necessarily result in the following limitations: the first and second gearwheels (see Fig. 1a; 333, 535) are rotatably arranged on the shaft (223).
Claim 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jahnel (US 4442728 A) in view of Fox (US 20070099745 A1), Hedman (EP 2864659 B1) and Yumoto (US 6877928 B2).
Regarding claim 4, Jahnel fails to disclose an axial fastening member arranged to prevent relative axial movement of the first and second gearwheels, wherein the axial fastening member is arranged to transfer the axial gear mesh force between the first and second gearwheels via axial contact between the axial fastening member and one of the first and second gearwheels. However, Yumoto teaches an axial fastening member (see Fig. 3, 418) arranged to prevent relative axial movement of the first and second gearwheels (402, 403), wherein the axial fastening member is arranged to transfer axial gear mesh force between the first and second gearwheels via axial contact between the axial fastening member and one of the first and second gearwheels (see Fig. 3). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date to modify Jahnel with an axial fastening member, as taught by Yumoto, to force the abutment of the first and second gear while restricting axial movement of the gears on the shaft (see column 6 lines 39-45).
Claim 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jahnel (US 4442728 A) in view of Fox (US 20070099745 A1) and Yumoto (US 6877928 B2).
Regarding claim 11, Jahnel in view of Fox fail to disclose the rolling element bearing is arranged on an axial extension of the first gearwheel. However, Yumoto teaches the rolling element bearing (see Fig. 3, 426) is arranged on an axial extension (412) of the first gearwheel (402). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date to modify Jahnel in view of Fox with a bearing arranged on an axial extension of the first gearwheel, as taught by Yumoto, so that the bearing disposed on the outer periphery of the small-diameter shaft section can be free from any stress which may direct from radially inside to radially outward. With the above free-stress state, the shaft can be rotatably born in an ordinary state (see column 7 lines 30-35). As a result of the combination, the following limitations would necessarily result: the common rolling element bearing configured to support axial load (Fox; roller bearing) is arranged on an axial extension (Yumoto, 412) of the first gearwheel (Jahnel; 5).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of claim 11 elsewhere above would necessarily result in the following limitations: the common rolling element bearing configured to support axial load (Fox; roller bearing) comprises at least one inner ring member (Fox, inner ring of the roller bearing; Yumoto, 426b) arranged in fixed connection with the first gearwheel (Yumoto, 402).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejections that were necessitated by an amendment.
Conclusion
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/JOSEPH BROWN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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