DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the amendment filed October 1, 2025 for the above identified patent application.
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 .
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 limitation “an outer ring of the bearing is connected to an inner wall of the sleeve, and an inner ring of the bearing is sleeved on the first end of the first input shaft” (claims 1 and 12) 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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 6 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 6 and 17, the limitation “the input gear of the third gear train is sleeved on the support shaft” is not fully understood. Claims 4 and 15, from which claims 6 and 17 depend, define “an input gear of the third gear train is sleeved on the first input shaft.” It is not understood how the input gear of the third gear train can be sleeved to both the first input shaft and the support shaft. A dependent claim must incorporate the limitations of the claim from which it depends.
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(s) 1-4, 6, 12-15, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (CN 102897017).
Zhang teaches a hybrid power system, comprising: a gearbox; an engine (1); a first motor (2); and a second motor (3); wherein the gearbox comprises a first input shaft (4), an output shaft (6), a second input shaft (portion of 5 disposed at the right end), a first speed change mechanism (11,12), and a second speed change mechanism (15,16), wherein the first input shaft is connected to the output shaft via the first speed change mechanism, and the second input shaft is connected to the output shaft via the second speed change mechanism; wherein the engine and the first motor are drivingly connected to the first input shaft; and wherein the second motor is drivingly connected to the second input shaft, the first input shaft is coaxially spaced from the second input shaft, wherein the second speed change mechanism comprises a support shaft (portion of 5 at the left end), wherein a first end of the support shaft is movably connected to a first end (right end) of the first input shaft in a circumferential direction (via a sleeve portion in Fig. 1), a second end of the first input shaft (left end) is drivingly connected to the engine, and a second end of the support shaft is coaxially connected (integrally connected) to the second input shaft; and a sleeve (adjacent bearing 17) coaxially connected to the support shaft is arranged at the first end of the support shaft, one end of the sleeve is open (Fig. 1), and the sleeve is opposite to the first end of the first input shaft, a bearing (17) is arranged in the sleeve.
Zhang does not specifically disclose an outer ring of the bearing is connected to an inner wall of the sleeve, and an inner ring of the bearing is sleeved on the first end of the first input shaft. However, forming the bearing (17) with separate bearing rings would have been obvious to one in the art, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art, motivation being to form a more modular arrangement. Alternatively, it was notoriously known in the bearing art to form a bearing with separate inner and outer rings, motivation being to provide a bearing that can be easily replaced as needed, without having to replace the corresponding shafts.
In the event applicant argues the second input shaft and the support shaft of the instant gearbox are separate shafts, it is noted that the claims do not preclude the gearbox of Zhang having a single shaft defining both a second input shaft portion connected to a support shaft portion. Alternatively, forming the shaft (5) of Zhang as a pair of connected shafts (second input shaft and support shaft) would have been obvious to one in the art, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art, motivation being to form a more modular arrangement.
Claims 2 and 13: Zhang teaches the first speed change mechanism comprises a first gear train and a first synchronizer (7); wherein an input gear (11) of the first gear train is sleeved on the first input shaft, and an output gear (12) of the first gear train is coaxially connected to the output shaft; and wherein the first synchronizer (7) is sleeved on the first input shaft, and the first synchronizer is configured to cause the input gear of the first gear train to be connected to the first input shaft or cause the input gear of the first gear train to be disconnected from the first input shaft.
Claims 3 and 14: Zhang teaches the second speed change mechanism comprises a second gear train, wherein an input gear (15) of the second gear train is coaxially connected to the second input shaft, and an output gear (16) of the second gear train is coaxially connected to the output shaft; and the first input shaft is coaxially spaced from the second input shaft, the input gear of the second gear train is disposed at one end of the second input shaft opposite to the first input shaft, and the first synchronizer is configured to cause at most one of the input gear of the first gear train and the input gear of the second gear train to be connected to the first input shaft.
Claims 4 and 15: Zhang teaches the first speed change mechanism further comprises a third gear train (13,14), wherein an input gear (13) of the third gear train is sleeved on the first input shaft, and an output gear (14) of the third gear train is coaxially connected to the output shaft; and wherein the first synchronizer (7) is disposed between the input gear of the first gear train and the input gear of the third gear train, and the first synchronizer is configured to cause at most one of the input gear of the first gear train and the input gear of the third gear train to be connected to the first input shaft.
Claims 6 and 17: Zhang teaches the input gear (13) of the third gear train is sleeved on the first input shaft and indirectly sleeved on the support shaft (via bearing 17).
Claim(s) 8, 10, 11, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (CN 102897017), as applied to claims 1-4, 6, 12-15, and 17 above, and further in view of Zhang (CN 113022295).
Zhang ‘017 does not teach the claimed clutch and gear arrangement, such as the second speed change mechanism comprises a clutch. However, Zhang ‘295 teaches a gearbox having the claimed arrangement.
Claims 8, 10, 19, Zhang ‘295 teaches a second speed change mechanism (53) further comprises a clutch (62), wherein the clutch is disposed between an input gear of a second gear train (input gear of 53) and a second motor (21), a fourth gear train (54), wherein a first motor (22) is coaxially connected to an input gear of the fourth gear train, and an output gear of the fourth gear train is coaxially connected to a first input shaft (31). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filling of the claimed device, to modify the gear arrangement of Zhang ‘017, with the second speed change mechanism comprises a clutch, and a fourth gear train connected to the first input shaft, as taught by Zhang ‘295, motivation being to provide the gearbox with a predetermined reduction gearing, for a particular application.
Claim 11: Zhang ‘295 teaches a power supply assembly (71,72), wherein the power supply assembly comprises a battery (71) and two inverters (72), the two inverters being connected to the battery, the first motor (22) being connected to one of the two inverters, and the second motor (21) being connected to the other of the two inverters. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filling of the claimed device, to configure the gearbox of Zhang ‘017, with the power supply arrangement of Zhang ‘295, motivation being to effectively control the motors of the gearbox.
Claim(s) 9 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (CN 102897017), as applied to claims 1-4, 6, 12-15, and 17 above, and further in view of Kaltenbach (USP 10,808,816).
Zhang ‘017 does not teach the claimed clutch and gear arrangement, such as the second synchronizer configured to connect an output gear of either the second gear train or the third gear train. However, Kaltenbach teaches a gearbox having the claimed arrangement.
Claims 9 and 20: Kaltenbach teaches the second speed change mechanism (Z2) comprises a second gear train (3G), a third gear train (1G), and a second synchronizer (S2); wherein an input gear (Z12) of the second gear train and an input gear (Z11) of the third gear rain are both coaxially connected to the second input shaft, and an output gear (Z22) of the second gear train and an output gear (Z21) of the third gear train are sleeved on the output shaft; wherein the first input shaft is coaxially spaced from the second input shaft, the first synchronizer (S1) is configured to cause at most one of the input gear of the first gear train and the input gear of the second gear train to be connected to the first input shaft; and wherein the second synchronizer (S2) is sleeved on the output shaft, and the second synchronizer (S2) is configured to be drivingly connected to at most one of the output gear of the second gear train and the output gear of the third gear train.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filling of the claimed device, to configure the gearbox of Zhang ‘017, with second and third gear trains having the second synchronizer, as taught by Kaltenbach, motivation being to provide the gearbox with a predetermined reduction gearing, for a particular application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM C JOYCE whose telephone number is (571)272-7107. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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, Minnah Seoh can be reached at 571-270-7778. 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.
/WILLIAM C JOYCE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618