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
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 – 2, 4, 6, and 8 – 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang (US 20130260958 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Wang discloses a drive part (speed reducing mechanism 40) (Wang Para [0020] last sentence) comprising:
a central shaft (output shaft 60) (Wang Fig. 2);
a shaft sleeve (hollow axle 30 and hollow shaft 50) sleeved on the central shaft (Wang Fig. 2),
wherein the shaft sleeve and the central shaft are coaxially disposed (Wang Fig. 2);
a power input member (output gear 46) coaxially disposed with the shaft sleeve (Wang Fig. 2);
a first clutch (second one-way clutch 62) (Wang Fig. 2),
through which power is unidirectionally transmittable between the shaft sleeve and the central shaft (Wang Para [0008] lines 12 – 15);
and a second clutch (first one-way clutch 52) (Wang Fig. 2),
through which power is unidirectionally transmittable between the power input member and the shaft sleeve (Wang Para [0008] lines 9 – 11).
Regarding Claim 2, Wang discloses the drive part according to claim 1, wherein the shaft sleeve comprises a first shaft sleeve portion and a second shaft sleeve portion (see below in annotated Wang Fig. 2),
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and an inner diameter of the first shaft sleeve portion is greater than an inner diameter of the second shaft sleeve portion (see below in annotated Wang Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 4, Wang discloses the drive part according to claim 2, wherein:
the first clutch comprises an input portion and an output portion (Wang Fig. 2 discloses the second one-way clutch that inherently has an input portion connected to the shaft and an output portion connected to the first shaft sleeve, MPEP 2112);
the input portion is connected to the central shaft (Wang Fig. 2 discloses the second one-way clutch that inherently has an input portion connected to the shaft, MPEP 2112);
and power is unidirectionally transmittable between the input portion and the first shaft sleeve portion through the output portion (Wang Fig. 2 discloses the second one-way clutch that inherently has an output portion connected to the first shaft sleeve, MPEP 2112).
Regarding Claim 6, Wang discloses the drive part according to claim 2, wherein the power input member is disposed on the second shaft sleeve portion and is coaxially disposed with the second shaft sleeve portion (Wang Fig. 2 discloses output gear 46 is disposed on the second shaft sleeve via the first one-way clutch 52) .
Regarding Claim 8, Wang discloses the drive part according to claim 1, wherein both the first clutch and the second clutch are overrunning clutches (Wang Para [0008] lines 9 – 15 discloses first and second one-way clutches that are inherently overrunning clutches, MPEP 2112).
Regarding Claim 9, Wang discloses a power assembly (clutch type driving mechanism) (Wang Para [0020] first sentence) comprising:
a drive part (also clutch type driving mechanism) (Wang Fig. 2) comprising:
a central shaft (output shaft 60) (Wang Fig. 2);
a shaft sleeve (hollow axle 30 and hollow shaft 50) sleeved on the central shaft (Wang Fig. 2),
wherein the shaft sleeve and the central shaft are coaxially disposed (Wang Fig. 2);
a power input member (output gear 46) coaxially disposed with the shaft sleeve (Wang Fig. 2);
a first clutch (second one-way clutch 62) (Wang Fig. 2),
through which power is unidirectionally transmittable between the shaft sleeve and the central shaft (Wang Para [0008] lines 12 – 15);
and a second clutch (first one-way clutch 52) (Wang Fig. 2),
through which power is unidirectionally transmittable between the power input member and the shaft sleeve (Wang Para [0008] lines 9 – 11).
a motor assembly (20) configured to output power (Wang Fig. 2);
and a transmission portion (speed reducing mechanism 40) (Wang Fig. 2),
wherein an input end (input gear 41) of the transmission portion is connected to an output end of the motor assembly (also output shaft 60) (Wang Fig. 2),
wherein an output end of the transmission portion (fourth transmission gear 45) is connected to the power input member (Wang Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 10, Wang discloses an electric bicycle (Wang Para [0022] first sentence) comprising a power assembly (clutch type driving mechanism) (Wang Para [0020] first sentence),
the power assembly (Wang Fig. 2) comprising:
a drive part (also clutch type driving mechanism) (Wang Fig. 2) comprising:
a central shaft (output shaft 60) (Wang Fig. 2);
a shaft sleeve (hollow axle 30 and hollow shaft 50) sleeved on the central shaft (Wang Fig. 2),
wherein the shaft sleeve and the central shaft are coaxially disposed (Wang Fig. 2);
a power input member (output gear 46) coaxially disposed with the shaft sleeve (Wang Fig. 2);
a first clutch (second one-way clutch 62) (Wang Fig. 2),
through which power is unidirectionally transmittable between the shaft sleeve and the central shaft (Wang Para [0008] lines 12 – 15);
and a second clutch (first one-way clutch 52) (Wang Fig. 2),
through which power is unidirectionally transmittable between the power input member and the shaft sleeve (Wang Para [0008] lines 9 – 11).
a motor assembly (20) configured to output power (Wang Fig. 2);
and a transmission portion (speed reducing mechanism 40) (Wang Fig. 2),
wherein an input end (input gear 41) of the transmission portion is connected to an output end of the motor assembly (also output shaft 60) (Wang Fig. 2),
wherein an output end of the transmission portion (fourth transmission gear 45) is connected to the power input member (Wang Fig. 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:
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Yin et al. (US 20150333592 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, Wang discloses the drive part according to claim 2.
Wang does not disclose:
a first bearing disposed between the second shaft sleeve portion and the central shaft.
Yin et al. discloses:
further comprising a first bearing (second bearing 23) disposed between the second shaft sleeve portion (bearing sleeve 21) and the central shaft (1) (Yin et al. Fig. 3).
Wang and Yin et al. disclose bearings therefore, Yin et al. constitutes as prior art. Yin et al. discloses a bearing sleeve connected to a shaft via bearings. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further comprise a first bearing disposed between the second shaft sleeve portion and the central shaft of Yin et al. for the purpose of rotatably securing the second shaft sleeve to the central shaft via the first bearing.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Schulman et al. (US 5631511 A).
Regarding Claim 5, Wang discloses the drive part according to claim 4, wherein:
a connecting end between the input portion and the central shaft is divided into a connection area and an opening area (see below in annotated Wang Fig. 2);
the connection area is connected to the central shaft (see below in annotated Wang Fig. 2);
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an opening groove is formed between the opening area and the central shaft (see below in annotated Wang Fig. 2).
Wang does not disclose:
an end of the first shaft sleeve portion extends into the opening groove.
Schulman et al. discloses:
an end of the first shaft sleeve portion (left end of hollow shaft 8) extends into the opening groove (opening groove of driving part 22 of first clutch 24) (Schulman et al. Fig. 1).
Wang and Schulman et al. discloses clutches therefore, Schulman et al. constitutes prior art. Schulman et al. discloses a opening groove of a driving part of a first clutch with an end of a hollow shaft extended inside. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have an end of the first shaft sleeve portion extends into the opening groove of Schulman et al. for the purpose of rotatably securing the first shaft sleeve to the first clutch such that the shaft rotates at the same speed of the first shaft sleeve.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Manzini (IT 201900008541 A1).
Regarding Claim 7, Wang discloses the drive part according to claim 6, wherein:
a second bearing (also first one-way clutch 52) is disposed between the power input member and the second shaft sleeve portion (Wang Fig. 2).
Wang does not disclose:
a boss portion is disposed on an outer wall of the second shaft sleeve portion;
and the boss portion is configured to position and install the second bearing and the second clutch.
Manzini discloses:
a boss portion (axial bearing 34) is disposed on an outer wall of the second shaft sleeve portion (hollow tubular element 26) (Manzini Fig. 4);
and the boss portion is configured to position and install the second bearing and the second clutch (external one-way clutch 24 inherently acts as a bearing and a clutch, MPEP 2112) (Manzini Fig. 4).
Wang and Manzini discloses clutches therefore, Manzini constitutes as prior art. Manzini discloses two axial thrust bearings acting as boss portions that position and install the at least one external one-way clutch. It would be obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a boss portion is disposed on an outer wall of the second shaft sleeve portion; and the boss portion is configured to position and install the second bearing and the second clutch of Manzini for the purpose of securing the second bearing/clutch to the second shaft sleeve via the boss portion.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THEODORE L PERKINS whose telephone number is (703)756-4629. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00am- 17:00pm.
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/THEODORE L PERKINS/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TERRANCE L KENERLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834