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 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.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the case, as set forth at least in claim 8, line 3, and the bell crank, as set forth at least in claim 8, line 24, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 4,191,487 (Schultenkamper).
Regarding claim 1, Schultenkamper discloses a torque tube with a hirth tooth coupling (see Figures 1-3) comprising:
a torque tube side (2) attached to a case side of the torque tube (1), a skipped tooth (15) formed in a torque tube side end face (right end of 2 in Figure 2), multiple torque tube side teeth (12) formed in the torque tube side end face (see Figure 2); and
a bell crank side (3) in operative communication with the torque tube side opposite the case side of the torque tube, the bell crank side comprising a bell crank side end face (left end of 3 in Figure 2; see also Figure 3), a cutout (16) formed in the bell crank side end face, multiple bell crank side teeth (10) formed in the bell crank side end face (see Figure 4), wherein the skipped tooth is configured to operatively couple with the cutout to engage the torque tube side and the bell crank side of the hirth tooth coupling, wherein the multiple torque tube side teeth are configured to engage with the multiple bell crank side teeth responsive to the skipped tooth engaging with the cutout (see Figure 2 and column 4, lines 14-48).
Regarding claim 2, Schultenkamper discloses the skipped tooth (15) comprises a portion of the torque tube (1) end face that is not cut to a full height; and the multiple torque tube side teeth (12) having full height tapered serrations that form grooves (14) in the torque tube end face (right end of 2 in Figure 2).
Regarding claim 3, Schultenkamper discloses the skipped tooth (15) comprises a flat surface configured to be received within the cutout (16; see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 4, Schultenkamper discloses asymmetrically locating an additional skipped tooth (15) in the torque tube end face (right end of 2 in Figure 2) spaced apart from the skipped tooth at least one of the torque tube teeth (12) apart (see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 5, Schultenkamper discloses asymmetrically locating an additional cutout (16) in the bell crank end face (left end of 3 in Figure 2; see also Figure 3) spaced apart from the cutout at least one of the bell crank teeth (10) apart (see Figures 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 6, Schultenkamper discloses the cutout (16) comprises cutting out extra teeth (10) from the bell crank side end face (left end of 3 in Figure 2; see also Figure 3).
Regarding claim 7, Schultenkamper discloses an alignment feature formed by a meshing of the torque tube side (2) equipped with the torque tube side teeth (12) and the skipped tooth (15) along with the bell crank side (3) equipped with the combination of the bell crank side teeth (16) and the cutout (10; see Figure 2).
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 8-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 10,570,770 (Ward) in view of Schultenkamper.
Regarding claim 8, Ward discloses a torque tube with a hirth tooth coupling assembly (see Figures 2, 3, and 5) comprising:
a case (160 in Figure 2; unnumbered in Figure 5) having a case receiver (e.g. 120); and
a torque tube (132, 432) inserted within the case receiver (see Figures 2, 3, and 5) and extending along an axis, the torque tube having a case side (see annotated Figure 1 below);
a hirth tooth coupling (see annotated Figure 1 below and column 7, line 44, through column 8, line 9) comprising a torque tube side attached to the case side of the torque tube, multiple torque tube side teeth (formed at the bottom of 432 in Figure 5) formed in the torque tube side end face;
a bell crank side (see annotated Figure 1 below) in operative communication with the torque tube side opposite the case side of the torque tube, the bell crank side comprising a bell crank side end face, multiple bell crank side teeth (adjacent 402 in Figure 5) formed in the bell crank side end face, wherein the multiple torque tube side teeth are configured to engage with the multiple bell crank side teeth (see Figure 5); and
a bell crank (204 in Figure 3; 440 in Figure 5) in operative communication with the bell crank side (see Figure 5).
Ward does not expressly disclose a skipped tooth formed in a torque tube side end face and a cutout formed in the bell crank side end face, wherein the skipped tooth is configured to operatively couple with the cutout to engage the torque tube side and the bell crank side of the hirth tooth coupling and the multiple torque tube side teeth are configured to engage with the multiple bell crank side teeth responsive to the skipped tooth engaging with the cutout.
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Figure 1. Annotated Partial Figure 5 of Ward
Schultenkamper teaches a torque tube with a hirth tooth coupling (see Figures 1-3) comprising:
a torque tube side (2) attached to a case side of the torque tube (1), a skipped tooth (15) formed in a torque tube side end face (right end of 2 in Figure 2), multiple torque tube side teeth (12) formed in the torque tube side end face (see Figure 2); and
a bell crank side (3) in operative communication with the torque tube side opposite the case side of the torque tube, the bell crank side comprising a bell crank side end face (left end of 3 in Figure 2; see also Figure 3), a cutout (16) formed in the bell crank side end face, multiple bell crank side teeth (10) formed in the bell crank side end face (see Figure 4), wherein the skipped tooth is configured to operatively couple with the cutout to engage the torque tube side and the bell crank side of the hirth tooth coupling, wherein the multiple torque tube side teeth are configured to engage with the multiple bell crank side teeth responsive to the skipped tooth engaging with the cutout (see Figure 2 and column 4, lines 14-48).
Schultenkamper teaches this structure provides a means of positive engagement for torque transmission while eliminating misalignment between the torque tube side and bell crank side (see column 1, lines 60-68). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the torque tube of Ward such that a skipped tooth formed in a torque tube side end face and a cutout formed in the bell crank side end face, wherein the skipped tooth is configured to operatively couple with the cutout to engage the torque tube side and the bell crank side of the hirth tooth coupling and the multiple torque tube side teeth are configured to engage with the multiple bell crank side teeth responsive to the skipped tooth engaging with the cutout, as taught in Schultenkamper, in order to provide a means of positive engagement for torque transmission while eliminating misalignment between the torque tube side and bell crank side.
Regarding claim 9, Schultenkamper teaches the skipped tooth (15) comprises a portion of the torque tube (1) end face that is not cut to a full height; and the multiple torque tube side teeth (12) having full height tapered serrations that form grooves (14) in the torque tube end face (right end of 2 in Figure 2).
Regarding claim 10, Schultenkamper teaches the skipped tooth (15) comprises a flat surface configured to be received within the cutout (16; see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 11, Schultenkamper teaches asymmetrically locating an additional skipped tooth (15) in the torque tube end face (right end of 2 in Figure 2) spaced apart from the skipped tooth at least one of the torque tube teeth (12) apart (see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 12, Schultenkamper teaches asymmetrically locating an additional cutout (16) in the bell crank end face (left end of 3 in Figure 2; see also Figure 3) spaced apart from the cutout at least one of the bell crank teeth (10) apart (see Figures 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 13, Schultenkamper teaches the cutout (16) comprises cutting out extra teeth (10) from the bell crank side end face (left end of 3 in Figure 2; see also Figure 3).
Regarding claim 14, Ward discloses a process forming a torque tube with a hirth tooth coupling assembly (see Figures 2, 3, and 5) comprising:
a case (160 in Figure 2; unnumbered in Figure 5) having a case receiver (e.g. 120); and
inserting a torque tube (132, 432) within the case receiver (see Figures 2, 3, and 5);
extending the torque tube along an axis, the torque tube having a case side (see annotated Figure 1 above));
forming a hirth tooth coupling (see annotated Figure 1 above) comprising a torque tube side attached to the case side of the torque tube;
forming multiple torque tube side teeth (formed at the bottom of 432 in Figure 5) in the torque tube side end face (see annotated Figure 1 above);
coupling a bell crank side (see annotated Figure 1 above in operative communication with the torque tube side opposite the case side of the torque tube (see Figure 5);
forming the bell crank side comprising a bell crank side end face (see Figure 5);
forming multiple bell crank side teeth (adjacent 402 in Figure 5) in the bell crank side end face (see annotated Figure 1 above);
configuring the multiple torque tube side teeth to engage with the multiple bell crank side teeth (see Figure 5 and annotated Figure 1 above); and
coupling a bell crank (204 in Figure 3; 440 in Figure 5) in operative communication with the bell crank side (see Figure 5).
Ward does not expressly disclose forming a skipped tooth in a torque tube side end face, forming a cutout in the bell crank side end face, operatively coupling the skipped tooth with the cutout to engage the torque tube side and the bell crank side of the hirth tooth coupling, and configuring the multiple torque tube side teeth to engage with the multiple bell crank side teeth responsive to the skipped tooth engaging with the cutout.
Schultenkamper teaches a process of forming a torque tube with a hirth tooth coupling (see Figures 1-3), the torque tube with a hirth tooth coupling comprising:
a torque tube side (2) attached to a case side of the torque tube (1), a skipped tooth (15) formed in a torque tube side end face (right end of 2 in Figure 2), multiple torque tube side teeth (12) formed in the torque tube side end face (see Figure 2); and
a bell crank side (3) in operative communication with the torque tube side opposite the case side of the torque tube, the bell crank side comprising a bell crank side end face (left end of 3 in Figure 2; see also Figure 3), a cutout (16) formed in the bell crank side end face, multiple bell crank side teeth (10) formed in the bell crank side end face (see Figure 4), wherein the skipped tooth is configured to operatively couple with the cutout to engage the torque tube side and the bell crank side of the hirth tooth coupling, wherein the multiple torque tube side teeth are configured to engage with the multiple bell crank side teeth responsive to the skipped tooth engaging with the cutout (see Figure 2 and column 4, lines 14-48).
Schultenkamper teaches this structure provides a means of positive engagement for torque transmission while eliminating misalignment between the torque tube side and bell crank side (see column 1, lines 60-68). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the process of Ward such that forming a skipped tooth in a torque tube side end face, forming a cutout in the bell crank side end face, operatively coupling the skipped tooth with the cutout to engage the torque tube side and the bell crank side of the hirth tooth coupling, and configuring the multiple torque tube side teeth to engage with the multiple bell crank side teeth responsive to the skipped tooth engaging with the cutout, as taught in Schultenkamper, in order to provide a means of positive engagement for torque transmission while eliminating misalignment between the torque tube side and bell crank side.
Regarding claim 15, Schultenkamper teaches forming the skipped tooth (15) as a portion of the torque tube end face (right end of 2 in Figure 2) in the absence of cutting the torque tube end face (see Figure 2); and
forming the multiple torque tube side teeth (12) by cutting (see “broaching or milling operations” in column 2, lines 45-46) the torque tube end face to full height tapered serrations forming grooves (14) in the torque tube end face (see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 16, Schultenkamper teaches forming the skipped tooth (15) as a flat surface configured to be received within the cutout (16; see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 17, Schultenkamper teaches locating an additional skipped tooth (15) in the torque tube end face (right end of 2 in Figure 2) spaced apart asymmetrically from the skipped tooth at least one of the torque tube teeth (12) apart (see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 18, Schultenkamper teaches locating an additional cutout (16) in the bell crank end face (left end of 3 in Figure 2) spaced apart asymmetrically from the cutout at least one of the bell crank teeth (10) apart (left end of 3 in Figure 2; see also Figure 3).
Regarding claim 19, Schultenkamper teaches forming the cutout (16) by cutting out (see “broaching or milling operations” in column 2, lines 45-46) extra teeth (10) from the bell crank side end face (left end of 3 in Figure 2; see also Figure 3).
Regarding claim 20, Schultenkamper teaches forming an alignment feature by meshing the torque tube side (2) with the bell crank side (3);
equipping the torque tube side with a combination of the torque tube side teeth (12) and the skipped tooth (15); and
equipping the bell crank side with a combination of the bell crank side teeth (10) and the cutout (16; see Figure 2).
Conclusion
The prior art set forth in the attached Notice of References Cited (PTO-892) 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 Josh Skroupa whose telephone number is (571)270-3220. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM ET.
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/Josh Skroupa/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
February 11, 2026