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 .
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 1-5, 9, 11-13, 15, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by White [US Pat # 4,489,625].
Regarding claim 1: White disclose a gearbox system, comprising:
an input shaft (see fig 5, where gear 54 is mounted at) with a first helical gear (54) coupled thereto;
a first intermediate shaft (60) with a second helical gear (55) coupled thereto and meshing with the first helical gear (54);
a second intermediate shaft (61) with a third helical gear (56) coupled thereto and meshing with the first helical gear (54); and
a balance beam (58) configured to transfer loads between the first intermediate shaft and the second intermediate shaft;
wherein the second helical gear (55) and the third helical gear (56) are identically sized (see fig 5).
Regarding claim 2: White disclose a first axial thrust bearing coupled to a first end of the balance beam and the first intermediate shaft; and a second axial thrust bearing coupled to a second end of the balance beam and the second intermediate shaft ( see col 7, lines 62-66, “…The balance beam device 58 comprises a centrally pivoted main beam 59 pivotedly connected at its outer free ends with two upright pivot beams 60 and 61 respectively connected with the reduction helical gears 55 and 56 through suitable thrust bearings…”).
Regarding claim 3: White discloses further comprising a fulcrum coupled to the balance beam (see markup fig 5).
Regarding claim 4: White discloses wherein the fulcrum is grounded by a gearbox housing (see fig 5).
Regarding claim 5: White discloses wherein the first end of the balance beam is coupled to the first axial thrust bearing (col 7, lines 62-66) via a first slotted interface (see fig 5)and the second end of the balance beam is coupled to the second axial thrust bearing via a second slotted interface (see fig 5).
Regarding claim 9: White discloses wherein the input shaft is rotationally coupled to a prime mover.
Regarding claim 11: White disclose wherein the prime mover is an internal combustion engine.
Regarding claim 12: White discloses a method for operation of a gearbox system, comprising:
balancing loads between a first intermediate shaft (60) and a second intermediate shaft (61) via a balance beam (58) coupled to the first intermediate shaft (60) and the second intermediate shaft (61) via a first axial thrust bearing and a second axial thrust bearing (see col 7, lines 62-66);
wherein the gearbox system includes:
an input shaft () with a first helical gear (54) coupled thereto;
a second helical gear (55) coupled to the first intermediate shaft (60) and meshing with the first helical gear (54); and
a third helical gear (56) coupled to the second intermediate and meshing with the first helical gear (16).
Regarding claim 13: White discloses further comprising transferring mechanical power from a prime mover to the input shaft ().
Regarding claim 15: White discloses gearbox system, comprising:
an input shaft () with a first helical gear (54) coupled thereto;
a first intermediate shaft (60) with a second helical gear (55) coupled thereto and meshing with the first helical gear (54);
a second intermediate shaft (61) with a third helical gear (56) coupled thereto and meshing with the first helical gear (54); and
a balance beam (58) coupled to the first intermediate shaft (60) and the second intermediate shaft (61) via a first axial thrust bearing and a second axial thrust bearing (col 7, lines 62-66);
wherein the second helical gear (55) and the third helical gear (56) are identically sized; and
wherein the first intermediate shaft (60) and the second intermediate shaft (61) are parallel to one another.
Regarding claim 18: White discloses further comprising a fulcrum (see fig 5) coupled to the balance beam (58). wherein the fulcrum is grounded by a stationary gearbox component.
Regarding claim 19: White disclose wherein the stationary gearbox component is a gearbox housing.
Regarding claim 20: White disclose wherein the balance beam (58) is configured to axial translate and rotate.
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 6-8, 10, 14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over White [US Pat # 4,489,625] in view of Knoblauch [DE 102020113192].
Regarding claims 6-8 and 16: white shows
an output shaft (41) with a fourth gear (40) coupled thereto;
a fifth gear (57) coupled to the first intermediate shaft (60); and
a sixth gear (58) coupled to the second intermediate shaft (61), wherein the fifth gear and the sixth helical gear are identically sized.
White does not explicitly show fourth, fifth and sixth gears are helical, a first radial bearing coupled to the first intermediate shaft and a second radial bearing coupled to the second intermediate shaft.
a first radial and axial load bearing coupled to the input shaft and a second radial and axial load bearing coupled to the output shaft. However Knoblauch fourth, fifth and sixth gears are helical (gears 2.1.1, 2.2.1, 3.1.2, 3.2.2, 4.1.1, 4.2.1), a first radial bearing (2.4) coupled to the first intermediate shaft (2.1) and a second radial bearing (4.4) coupled to the second intermediate shaft (4.2).
a first radial (3.4) and axial load bearing coupled to the input shaft (3.2) and a second radial (3.5) and axial load bearing coupled to the output shaft.
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have supported the intermediate shafts with radial bearing to provide radial support for the radial load applied on the shafts.
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have provided the transmission with helical gears to reduce backlash.
Claims 10, 14 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over White [US Pat # 4,489,625] in view of Takeda [WO 2021/145100]
Regarding claims 10, 14 and 17: White does not explicitly disclose wherein the prime mover is an electric machine. the prime mover is a traction motor in an electric vehicle (EV).
wherein the gearbox system is included in an electric drive axle. However Takeda shows wherein the prime mover is an electric machine (4). the prime mover is a traction motor in an electric vehicle (EV). wherein the gearbox system is included in an electric drive axle (see abstract).
It would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date to have provided the transmission with electric prime mover for lower operating costs, reduced maintenance and high efficiency.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. For example JP-H07285498 also shows transmission with two intermediate shafts (18,18), input shaft (15), helical gears (16, 17, 17) and balance beam (20) .
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAKARIA ELAHMADI whose telephone number is (571)270-5324. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10-6 EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached on 571-270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZAKARIA ELAHMADI/
Examiner, Art Unit 3618