DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the AIA first to invent provisions. 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.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/19/2025 has been entered.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sperlich et al. (U.S. P.G. Publication No. 2020/0056679 A1; “Sperlich”).
Sperlich discloses:
Regarding claim 1:
A gearbox arrangement (¶ 26, “gearbox”; FIG. 1), comprising:
a ring gear (105);
a housing part (101); and
a mating toothing (¶ 26, “carrier 101 of a first planetary stage, which via a spline 103 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to an equally rotatable mounted ring gear 105 of a second planetary stage”; FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 meshing with the teeth of the ring gear 105; see MPEP § 2125);
wherein the mating toothing connects the ring gear and the housing part to each other in a non-rotational manner (¶ 26, “carrier 101 of a first planetary stage, which via a spline 103 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to an equally rotatable mounted ring gear 105 of a second planetary stage”; FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 meshing with the teeth of the ring gear 105; see MPEP § 2125), and;
wherein the ring gear and the housing part each form a toothing of the mating toothing in one piece (FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 as one piece with the housing part 1 and the ring gear having teeth/splines integrally formed on its inner circumferential surface; see MPEP § 2125),
wherein the ring gear is fixed in the housing part using one or more screws (¶ 29, “Retainer plates 111 are used to fix the ring gear 105 axially in the planet carrier 101. For this purpose, the retainer plates 111 are screwed to the ring gear 105 and engage in a groove 113 of the planet carrier 101”), and
wherein the one or more screws run axially parallel to a central axis of the ring gear (FIG. 1 reasonably depicts/discloses a screw near reference number 11 that extends axially in a manner longitudinally aligned with i.e. parallel to the center axis of ring gear 105; see MPEP § 2125),
wherein the housing part and the ring gear are axially braced against each other by the one or more screws (¶ 29, "the retainer plates 111 are screwed to the ring gear 105 and engage in a groove 113 of the planet carrier 101"; housing part 101 is screwed to the ring gear 105 via coupling with element 111 in the axial direction, see in FIG. 1, the screwing action creating an axial clamping force that axially braces the two together e.g. prevents relative movement therebetween).
Regarding claim 3:
The gearbox arrangement of claim 1, wherein the teeth of the mating tooth run axially (FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 running/extending in the lateral direction i.e. axial direction with respect to the rotational axis of e.g. planet gear 107).
Regarding claim 4:
The gearbox arrangement of claim 3, wherein a working toothing of the ring gear forms the toothing of the mating toothing (¶ 26, “carrier 101 of a first planetary stage, which via a spline 103 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to an equally rotatable mounted ring gear 105 of a second planetary stage”; FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 meshing with mating toothing of the ring gear 105; see MPEP § 2125).
Regarding claim 5:
The gearbox arrangement of claim 1, wherein the mating toothing is configured as a spline toothing (¶ 26, “spline 103 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to an equally rotatably mounted ring gear 105 of a second planetary stage”), Hirth-toothing or rectangular toothing.
Regarding claim 7:
A gearbox arrangement (¶ 26, “gearbox”; FIG. 1), comprising:
a ring gear (105);
a housing part (101); and
a mating toothing (¶ 26, “carrier 101 of a first planetary stage, which via a spline 103 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to an equally rotatable mounted ring gear 105 of a second planetary stage”; FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 meshing with the teeth of the ring gear 105; see MPEP § 2125);
wherein the mating toothing connects the ring gear and the housing part to each other in a non-rotational manner (¶ 26, “carrier 101 of a first planetary stage, which via a spline 103 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to an equally rotatable mounted ring gear 105 of a second planetary stage”; FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 meshing with the teeth of the ring gear 105; see MPEP § 2125), and;
wherein the ring gear and the housing part each form a toothing of the mating toothing in one piece (FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 as one piece with the housing part 1 and the ring gear having teeth/splines integrally formed on its inner circumferential surface; see MPEP § 2125),
wherein the ring gear is fixed in the housing part using one or more screws (¶ 29, “Retainer plates 111 are used to fix the ring gear 105 axially in the planet carrier 101. For this purpose, the retainer plates 111 are screwed to the ring gear 105 and engage in a groove 113 of the planet carrier 101”), and
wherein the one or more screws run axially parallel to a central axis of the ring gear (FIG. 1 reasonably depicts/discloses a screw near reference number 11 that extends axially in a manner longitudinally aligned with i.e. parallel to the center axis of ring gear 105; see MPEP § 2125);
wherein the teeth of the mating tooth run axially (FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 running/extending in the lateral direction i.e. axial direction with respect to the rotational axis of e.g. planet gear 107);
wherein a working toothing of the ring gear forms the toothing of the mating toothing (¶ 26, “carrier 101 of a first planetary stage, which via a spline 103 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to an equally rotatable mounted ring gear 105 of a second planetary stage”; FIG. 1 depicts spline 103 meshing with mating toothing of the ring gear 105; see MPEP § 2125),
wherein the housing part and the ring gear are axially braced against each other by the one or more screws (29, "the retainer plates 111 are screwed to the ring gear 105 and engage in a groove 113 of the planet carrier 101"; housing part 101 is screwed to the ring gear 105 via coupling with element 111 in the axial direction, see in FIG. 1, the screwing action creating an axial clamping force that axially braces the two together e.g. prevents relative movement therebetween).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Piper et al. (U.S. P.G. Publication No. 2017/0241485 A1; “Piper”) in view of Sperlich et al. (U.S. P.G. Publication No. 2020/0056679 A1; “Sperlich”).
Piper discloses:
Regarding claim 1:
A gearbox arrangement (10; FIG. 1), comprising:
a ring gear (16);
a housing part (12); and
a mating toothing (28, 34);
wherein the mating toothing connects the ring gear and the housing part to each other in a non-rotational manner (¶ 24, “The gear 16 further includes an annular array of teeth 34 extending outwardly from an end thereof. The teeth 34 of the gear 16 engage and intermesh with the teeth 28 of the drum 12 to form a castle joint connection therebetween”), and;
wherein the ring gear and the housing part each form a toothing of the mating toothing in one piece (FIG. 1 depicts toothing 28 as one piece with the housing part 12 and the ring gear 16 having teeth 28 integrally formed on its inner circumferential surface; see MPEP § 2125).
However, Piper does not expressly disclose that the ring gear is fixed in the housing part using one or more screws, that the one or more screws run axially parallel to a central axis of the ring gear, wherein the housing part and the ring gear are axially braced against each other by the one or more screws.
Sperlich teaches the ring gear is fixed in the housing part using one or more screws (¶ 29, “Retainer plates 111 are used to fix the ring gear 105 axially in the planet carrier 101. For this purpose, the retainer plates 111 are screwed to the ring gear 105 and engage in a groove 113 of the planet carrier 101”), and the one or more screws run axially parallel to a central axis of the ring gear (FIG. 1 reasonably depicts/discloses a screw near reference number 11 that extends axially in a manner longitudinally aligned with i.e. parallel to the center axis of ring gear 105; see MPEP § 2125), wherein the housing part and the ring gear are axially braced against each other by the one or more screws (29, "the retainer plates 111 are screwed to the ring gear 105 and engage in a groove 113 of the planet carrier 101"; housing part 101 is screwed to the ring gear 105 via coupling with element 111 in the axial direction, see in FIG. 1, the screwing action creating an axial clamping force that axially braces the two together e.g. prevents relative axial movement therebetween), to prevent unwanted relative movement between the housing part and the ring gear (¶ 29, “Retainer plates 111 are used to fix the ring gear 105 axially in the planet carrier 101. For this purpose, the retainer plates 111 are screwed to the ring gear 105 and engage in a groove 113 of the planet carrier 101” thereby indicating axial bracing between the housing part 101 and ring gear 105).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify, with a reasonable expectation of success, Piper such that the ring gear is fixed in the housing part using one or more screws, and that the one or more screws run axially parallel to a central axis of the ring gear, wherein the housing part and the ring gear are axially braced against each other by the one or more screws, as taught by Sperlich, to prevent unwanted relative movement between the housing part and the ring gear. The Supreme Court in KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) identified that the use of a known technique to improve similar devices in the same way is a rationale that supports a conclusion of obviousness. See MPEP § 2143. In this case, one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would recognize that both Piper and Sperlich are drawn to analogous/similar structures i.e. gearbox arrangements, and would therefore recognize that modifying Piper in view of the known technique taught in Sperlich as described supra would, with reasonable predictability, result in the ring gear being fixed to the housing part with one or more screws at portion 30 e.g. at interface at reference number 34 as seen in FIG. 2.
Piper as modified above further teaches the following:
Regarding claim 2:
The gearbox arrangement of claim 1, wherein the teeth of the mating tooth run radially (FIG. 1 depicts mating teeth at 28 having a radial dimension; (¶ 23, “teeth 28 are defined by a plurality of substantially rectangular shaped recesses formed on the inner surface 18 of the drum 12”).
Regarding claim 5:
The gearbox arrangement of claim 1, wherein the mating toothing is configured as a spline toothing, Hirth-toothing or rectangular toothing (¶ 23, “teeth 28 are defined by a plurality of substantially rectangular shaped recesses formed on the inner surface 18 of the drum 12”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/19/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Sperlich does not disclose “wherein the housing part and the ring gear are axially braced against each other by one or more screws” because element 111 cannot be considered part of the housing part 101 since they are disclosed as separate elements. Remarks at 4-6. In response, the limitation “wherein the housing part and the ring gear are axially braced against each other by one or more screws” does not necessarily require the housing part 101 and the ring gear 105 to be in direct contact with each other. Instead, the phrase “axially braced against each other by one or more screws” is reasonably broad so as to include that a mutual axial force is exerted on and between the housing part 101 and ring gear 105 exists to prevent relative movement therebetween. Here, paragraph 29 in Sperlich recites "the retainer plates 111 are screwed to the ring gear 105 and engage in a groove 113 of the planet carrier 101" i.e. housing part 101 is screwed to the ring gear 105 via coupling with element 111 in the axial direction, the screwing action creating a mutual axial force exerted on and between the housing part 101 and ring gear 105 i.e. an axial clamping force that axially braces the two together e.g. prevents relative movement therebetween. As such, Applicant’s argument is not deemed as persuasive.
Applicant argues that the cited art combination does not teach that the housing part and ring gear part are "externally" braced against each other. Remarks at 6-7 of after-final response filed on 11/19/2025. In response, the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., externally bracing the housing part and ring gear part) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Furthermore, Sperlich indeed braces them together insofar as they are *screwed* together (¶ 29, "the retainer plates 111 are screwed to the ring gear 105 and engage in a groove 113 of the planet carrier 101"). One of ordinary skill would understand that fixing two components with a screw i.e. screwing them together involves axially forcing them together i.e. axial bracing. As such, Applicant's argument is not deemed as persuasive.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL D YABUT whose telephone number is (571)270-5526. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor John Olszewski can be reached on (571) 272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL D YABUT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3656