Drawings
The drawings are objected to because:
Figure 1 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g).
The drawings fail to show:
First and second recesses as recited in claim 2.
Elastic material provided in first and second recess as recited in claim 3.
The plurality of connection elements 12 are cuboidal in shape as recited in claim 7
A ring flange as recited in claim 9.
Connection elements 12 having threaded or threadless passageways as recited in claim 10
First and second shaft hubs 11 & 14 having threads as recited in claim 10.
The plurality of first or second receiving units are configured such that the plurality of connection elements can be releasably fitted into the plurality of first or second receiving units with play as recited in claim 11.
First/drive shaft as recited in claim 13.
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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.77(c) for failing to include section headings.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it begins with a phrase that can be implied. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 3 & 15 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.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the first and/or second recesses". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "a shaft coupling device according to claim 14". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-6, 8-11 & 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schonstedt, US 2,724,250.
Claims 1 & 2. Figs. 1-6 show a shaft coupling device comprising:
a first shaft hub (26) of a first shaft (11), the first shaft hub having a plurality of first
receiving units/recesses (30);
a second shaft hub (38) of a second shaft (13), the second shaft hub having a plurality
of second receiving units/recesses (44);
a plurality of connection elements (45) for connecting the first and second shaft hubs to
each other; and wherein the plurality of first receiving units are arranged at a distance (see Fig. 4) from each other along the circumference of the first shaft hub, and the plurality of second receiving units are arranged at a distance (see Fig. 5) from each other along the circumference of the second shaft hub.
Claim 3. At col. 4, line 27, Schonstedt discloses the connection elements (45) are flexible, i.e. made of elastic material. As such Figs. 1-6 show elastic material (45) is provided in the first and second recesses (30 & 44).
Claim 4. Figs 1-6 show the plurality of first and second receiving units (30 & 44) are configured such that the plurality of connection elements (45) can be releasably fitted in an exclusively radial direction of movement and can be released from the first and second shaft hubs (26 & 38) exclusively in a radial direction of movement.
Claim 5. Figs. 1-6 show the plurality of connection elements (45) can be fitted into both one of the plurality of first receiving units (30) and one of the plurality of second receiving units (44).
Claim 6. Figs. 1-6 show the first shaft hub (26) and the second shaft hub (38) are rotationally symmetrical.
Claim 8. Figs. 1-3 & 5-6 show fastening means (47) configured to secure the plurality of connection elements (45) in the plurality of second receiving units (44).
Claim 9. Figs. 1-3 & 5-6 show the fastening means (47) comprises screws (col. 2, line 63).
Claim 10. Figs. 1-3 & 5-6 show the fastening means (47) comprises screws, at least some of the connection elements (45) comprise threadless passages which are configured to receive the screws, and the second shaft hub (38) comprises threads which are configured to receive the screws.
Claim 11. Fig. 2 shows the plurality of first receiving units (30) are configured such that the plurality of connection elements (45) can be releasably fitted into the plurality of first receiving units with play (see also col. 2, lines 69-72).
Claim 14. Schonstedt discloses a method (see “assembling” at col. 3, line 10) for coupling a first shaft (11) to a second shaft (13), comprising the steps below following one another in the order mentioned:
providing (col. 2, lines 11-39) the first shaft with a first shaft hub (26) having a plurality of first receiving units (30) which are arranged at a distance from each other along the circumference of the first shaft hub;
providing (col. 2, lines 40-59) the second shaft with a second shaft hub (38) having a plurality of second receiving units (44) which are arranged at a distance from each other along the circumference of the second shaft hub; and
fitting (col. 2, lines 59-72) a plurality of connection elements (45) into the plurality of first receiving units of the first shaft hub and the plurality of second receiving units of the second shaft hub, in particular exclusively in the radial direction of movement.
Claims 1-9 & 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by McLeod, US 1,865,330.
Claims 1 & 2. Figs. 1-4 show a shaft coupling device comprising:
a first shaft hub (1) of a first shaft (page 1, line 54-56), the first shaft hub having a plurality of first receiving units/recesses (see also “slot” at page 1, line 64);
a second shaft hub (2) of a second shaft, the second shaft hub having a plurality
of second receiving units/recesses;
a plurality of connection elements (5) for connecting the first and second shaft hubs to
each other; and wherein the plurality of first receiving units are arranged at a distance from each other along the circumference of the first shaft hub, and the plurality of second receiving units are arranged at a distance from each other along the circumference of the second shaft hub.
Claim 3. At page 1, line 65, McLeod the connection elements (5) are springs, i.e. made of elastic material. As such Figs. 1-3 show elastic material (5) is provided in the first and second recesses.
Claim 4. Figs 1-4 show the plurality of first and second receiving units are configured such that the plurality of connection elements (5) can be releasably fitted in an exclusively radial direction of movement and can be released from the first and second shaft hubs (1 & 2) exclusively in a radial direction of movement.
Claim 5. Figs. 1-4 show the plurality of connection elements (5) can be fitted into both one of the plurality of first receiving units and one of the plurality of second receiving units.
Claim 6. Figs. 1 & 4 show the first shaft hub (1) and the second shaft hub (2) are rotationally symmetrical.
Claim 7. Figs. 1-4 show the plurality of connection elements (5) are cuboidal in shape.
Claims 8 & 9. Fig. 1 shows fastening means/ring shaped flange (6-9) configured to secure the plurality of connection elements (5) in the plurality of receiving units (44).
Claim 14. See “assembling” at page 1, line 23; and claims 1 & 4 above.
Claim 15. McLeod discloses a method of uncoupling shafts (see “disassembling” at page 1, line 23) comprising
releasing (see “disassembling” at page 1, line 23) the plurality of connection elements (5) of the shaft coupling device, in particular by moving the plurality of connection elements exclusively radially away from the first shaft hub of the first shaft and the second shaft hub of the second shaft (see claim 4 above); and
displacing (see “disassembling” at page 1, line 23) the first shaft relative to the second shaft exclusively in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the second shaft. Fig. 1 and col. 1, lines 54-56, indicate that to dissemble/remove a shaft after the connection elements and their fasteners are removed, the shaft can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the other shaft no less than in the instant invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morton, US 3,342,425 in view of Schonstedt. At Figs. 1-3, Morton shows a multi-shaft comminuting device comprising:
a material receiving space (15);
a first shaft, in particular a drive shaft (47);
a second shaft, in particular a rotor shaft (44, 45) arranged in the material receiving
space; and
a shaft coupling device (48) for connecting the drive shaft to the rotor shaft.
Morton does not expressly disclose the shaft coupling device (48) comprises all the features of instant claim 1. At col. 1, lines 48-53, Schonstedt teaches a making a shaft coupling device comprising all the features of instant claim 1 in order to provide a coupling where bending or flexing of the coupled shafts is avoided and in which slight axial misalignment of the coupled shafts is compensated for. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the comminuting device of Morton by making its shaft coupling device with all the features of instant claim 1 in order to provide a coupling where bending or flexing of the coupled shafts is avoided and in which slight axial misalignment of the coupled shafts is compensated for as taught by Schonstedt.
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morton, US 3,342,425 in view of McLeod. At Figs. 1-3, Morton shows a multi-shaft comminuting device comprising:
a material receiving space (15);
a first shaft, in particular a drive shaft (47);
a second shaft, in particular a rotor shaft (44, 45) arranged in the material receiving
space; and
a shaft coupling device (48) for connecting the drive shaft to the rotor shaft.
Morton does not expressly disclose the shaft coupling device (48) comprises all the features of instant claim 1. At page 1, lines 1-6, McLeod teaches a making a shaft coupling device comprising all the features of instant claim 1 in order to provide a coupling where torsional variations of load and misalignments are not transmitted between drive and driven shafts. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the comminuting device of Morton by making its shaft coupling device with all the features of instant claim 1 in order to provide a coupling where torsional variations of load and misalignments are not transmitted between drive and driven shafts as taught by McLeod.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Each of Fawick, Spencer and Reich discloses a shaft coupling device comprising:
a first shaft hub of a first shaft, a second shaft hub and a plurality of connection elements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Greg Binda whose telephone number is (571)272-7077. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-5:30 et.
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/Greg Binda/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679