DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1, 2, 4 – 6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/25/26.
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 7 – 15 and 17 – 20 in the reply filed on 6/25/26 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 13, lines 1 – 2 recites the limitation “the ¶ derailleur” which should be changed to “the derailleur”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 7 – 15 and 17 – 20 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 15 recites the limitation "the rear sprocket" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 7, 8, 14, 15, 17, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Giroux et al. (US 2021/0276659 A1).in view of Neumann (DE 19726067 A1).
For claim 15, Giroux et al. discloses a rear suspension bicycle comprising
a frame 10 including a front triangle 21, 22, 23 and a swingarm 30, 40;
a rear suspension pivot point J3 [between the front triangle and the swingarm] (fig. 2, page 2, paragraph [0019]); and
a drive train 3 including a chain drive 6, [a rear cassette having a plurality of cogs located at a rear wheel axis R] (fig. 1, page 2, paragraph [0017]), a front chainring 4C [located at a crank axis CC] (fig. 1, page 3, paragraph [0022]), a routing tensioner 7 and a derailleur 8 [located in proximity to the rear cassette] (fig. 1), [wherein the routing tensioner is mounted at a fixed point on the wheel link 30] (fig. 1) [so as to be located behind and above the front chainring] (fig. 1) [to route an untensioned portion of the chain drive toward a tensioned portion of the chain drive in order to reduce chain growth in the chain drive] (page 2, paragraph [0017]), [wherein the chain drive traverses from the rear cassette to the front chainring, from the front chainring to the routing tensioner and from the routing tensioner to the derailleur and from the derailleur back to the rear cassette] (fig. 1), [wherein the derailleur is to provide different driveline angles based on chain growth of the chain drive caused by the cog of the rear cassette selected and vertical rear wheel travel T of the bicycle] (page 5, paragraph [0042]); but does not explicitly disclose
the routing pulley is a pulley mounted at a fixed point on the front triangle.
Neumann discloses [a second deflection device 21 can be provided on both a front part 30 and a rear part 60] (page 5, lines 6 – 7); and [the second deflection device is similar to the first deflection device 20 provided with a free wheel or pulley or gear] (page 5, lines 37 – 38)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to alternatively use the pulley fixed to the front frame of Neumann with rear suspension bicycle of Giroux et al. with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for an alternative cost-effective structure and attachment, while allowing for a better force transmission.
For claim 7, Giroux et al. modified as above discloses the bicycle [wherein the driveline angle provided by the derailleur increases as the chain growth increases] (page 5, paragraph [0042]).
For claim 8, Giroux et al. modified as above discloses the bicycle [wherein the driveline angle provided by the derailleur increases as the vertical rear wheel travel increases] (page 5, paragraph [0042])
For claim 14, Giroux et al. modified as above discloses the bicycle further comprising [an electric motor] (page 2, paragraph [0017]).
For claim 17, Giroux et al. modified as above discloses the bicycle wherein the routing pulley is mounted to a seat tube of the front triangle] (page 5, lines 6 – 7 of Neumann).
For claim 18, Giroux et al. modified as above discloses the bicycle [wherein the seat tube of the front triangle includes a bracket extending therefrom and the routing pulley is mounted to the bracket] (in view of the modification above, fig. 1 of Giroux et al. and page 5, lines 6 – 7 of Neumann).
Claims 9 – 13, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Giroux et al. (US 2021/0276659 A1).in view of Neumann (DE 19726067 A1), and further in view of Ando (JP H06227476 A).
For claim 9, Giroux et al. modified as above does not explicitly discloses the bicycle wherein the driveline angle provided by the derailleur increases as size of cog of the rear cassette utilized for gear ratio of the bicycle increases.
Ando discloses a chain guide plate 5; a guide pulley 3; a tension pulley 4; [a second tension spring 13, which is housed in support 6, biases the chain guide plate to rotate relative to the support, thereby biasing the guide pulley and the tension pulley to pivot around a second axis P relative to the support, and thus applies tension to a chain C] (page 16, paragraph [0007]); [guide pulley moves up and down efficiently relative to gears G1 to G7 from both sides, from the perspective of oscillation and movement of the support around a first axis B, and from the perspective of the oscillation and movement of the guide pulley around the second axis] (page 26, paragraph [0009]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to alternatively use the derailleur and rear cassette of Ando with the bicycle of Giroux et al. modified as above with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for an effective chain-changing operation force, thus enabling smooth and responsive gear shifting.
For claim 10, Giroux et al. modified as above does not explicitly disclose the bicycle wherein the derailleur includes a rotating member having a pulley mounted on each side thereof.
Ando discloses a chain guide plate 5; a guide pulley 3; a tension pulley 4; [a second tension spring 13, which is housed in support 6, biases the chain guide plate to rotate relative to the support, thereby biasing the guide pulley and the tension pulley to pivot around a second axis P relative to the support, and thus applies tension to a chain C] (page 16, paragraph [0007]); [guide pulley moves up and down efficiently relative to gears G1 to G7 from both sides, from the perspective of oscillation and movement of the support around a first axis B, and from the perspective of the oscillation and movement of the guide pulley around the second axis] (page 26, paragraph [0009]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to alternatively use the derailleur and rear cassette of Ando with the bicycle of Giroux et al. modified as above with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for an effective chain-changing operation force, thus enabling smooth and responsive gear shifting.
For claim 11, Giroux et al. modified as above discloses the bicycle [wherein the rotating member and the pulleys are rotated based on the amount of chain growth] (page 26, paragraph [0009] of Ando).
For claim 12, Giroux et al. modified as above discloses the bicycle [wherein the derailleur is secured to the swingarm in close proximity to the rear cassette] (fig. 1).
For claim 13, Giroux et al. modified as above discloses the bicycle wherein the derailleur further includes a spring 13;
[the tension on the chain drive caused by increasing chain growth causes the rotating member and the pulleys to rotate in a first direction to increase the driveline angle] (page 26, paragraph [0009] of Ando); and
[the spring causes the rotating member and the pulleys to rotate in a second direction to provide appropriate tension to the chain drive and reduce the driveline angle when the chain growth decreases] (page 16, paragraph [0007] of Ando).
For claim 19, Giroux et al. modified as above discloses the bicycle [wherein the driveline angle provided by the derailleur increases as the chain growth increases, wherein the chain growth increases as the vertical rear wheel travel increases] (page 5, paragraph [0042]), but does not explicitly disclose the chain growth increases as size of cog of the rear cassette utilized for gear ratio of the bicycle increases.
Ando discloses a chain guide plate 5; a guide pulley 3; a tension pulley 4; [a second tension spring 13, which is housed in support 6, biases the chain guide plate to rotate relative to the support, thereby biasing the guide pulley and the tension pulley to pivot around a second axis P relative to the support, and thus applies tension to a chain C] (page 16, paragraph [0007]); [guide pulley moves up and down efficiently relative to gears G1 to G7 from both sides, from the perspective of oscillation and movement of the support around a first axis B, and from the perspective of the oscillation and movement of the guide pulley around the second axis] (page 26, paragraph [0009]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to alternatively use the derailleur and rear cassette of Ando with the bicycle of Giroux et al. modified as above with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for an effective chain-changing operation force, thus enabling smooth and responsive gear shifting.
For claim 20, Giroux et al. modified as above does not explicitly disclose the bicycle wherein the derailleur includes a rotating member having a pulley mounted on each side thereof and a spring;
tension on the chain drive caused by increasing chain growth causes the rotating member and the pulleys to rotate in a first direction to increase the driveline angle; and
the spring causes the rotating member and the pulleys to rotate in a second direction to provide appropriate tension to the chain drive and reduce the driveline angle when the chain growth decreases.
Ando discloses a chain guide plate 5; a guide pulley 3; a tension pulley 4; [a second tension spring 13, which is housed in support 6, biases the chain guide plate to rotate relative to the support, thereby biasing the guide pulley and the tension pulley to pivot around a second axis P relative to the support, and thus applies tension to a chain C] (page 16, paragraph [0007]); [guide pulley moves up and down efficiently relative to gears G1 to G7 from both sides, from the perspective of oscillation and movement of the support around a first axis B, and from the perspective of the oscillation and movement of the guide pulley around the second axis] (page 26, paragraph [0009]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to alternatively use the derailleur and rear cassette of Ando with the bicycle of Giroux et al. modified as above with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for an effective chain-changing operation force, thus enabling smooth and responsive gear shifting.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US-20210354782 – comprising a bicycle drivetrain comprising a cassette; an idler pulley; a pedal crank; a chain tensioner; and a rear derailleur;
US-20120142469 – comprising a dual pulley chain guide comprising a crank; a rotatable pulley assembly; and a bracket; and
FR-2945785 – comprising a chain guide and tensioner system comprising a guiding system; a chain tension; a support; and arms.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jacob D. Knutson whose telephone number is (571)270-5576. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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/JACOB D KNUTSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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