DETAILED ACTION
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 .
This action is responsive to the amendment filed 8/18/2026. Claims 1-19 are currently pending in this application.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7-15 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by IMA et al. (US 2023/0068720 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, IMA et al. discloses an electric drive device (Figs. 1, 4 and 6) configured to rotationally drive a drive wheel (22 or 24) of an electric vehicle (Fig. 1), the electric drive device comprising: an electric motor (70 or 71) that includes: a rotor (76); a stator (75) that is radially opposed to the rotor (Fig. 6); an electrical power converter (72) that is electrically connected to a plurality of stator windings of the stator and is configured to supply an electric current to the plurality of stator windings when a switching control operation of the electrical power converter is executed (Fig. 6); and a motor housing (52) that receives the rotor, the stator and the electrical power converter in a space inside the motor housing (Fig. 6); and a speed reducer (68) that includes: a motor-side rotatable body (74a) that is coupled to a shaft (74) of the rotor; and a drive-side rotatable body (112) that is configured to rotationally drive the drive wheel (Figs. 4 and 6), wherein the speed reducer is configured to reduce a rotational speed of the drive-side rotatable body relative to a rotational speed of the motor-side rotatable body (Fig. 6), wherein: the electric motor and the speed reducer are integrally formed together (Fig. 6); and the electrical power converter is provided individually for the drive wheel (Figs. 4 and 6).
Regarding Claim 2, IMA et al. discloses the speed reducer includes a housing (53/54 and 57) that has a peripheral wall (Fig. 6), wherein the peripheral wall has a first wall portion (57) and a second wall portion (53 or 54) which are opposed to each other (Fig. 6), and the housing receives the motor-side rotatable body in a receiving space which is surrounded by the peripheral wall (Fig. 6); the first wall portion is joined to an end part of the motor housing which faces the first wall portion in a longitudinal direction of the motor housing (Fig. 6); a motor-side opening extends in an extending direction of the shaft through a connection between the motor housing and the first wall portion (Fig. 6); the motor-side rotatable body and the shaft are coupled together through the motor-side opening (Fig. 6); the second wall portion has a drive-side opening through which a drive shaft (80 or 81) coupled to the drive-side rotatable body is inserted (Fig. 6); a rotational axis of the motor-side rotatable body and a rotational axis of the drive-side rotatable body extend in the extending direction of the shaft (Fig. 6); and the rotor and the stator are placed in the motor housing at one side which is adjacent to the motor-side opening in the longitudinal direction of the motor housing (Fig. 6), and the electrical power converter is placed in the motor housing at an opposite side which is opposite to the motor-side opening in the longitudinal direction of the motor housing (Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 7, IMA et al. at least one braking device (90) which is provided to at least one of the electric motor and the speed reducer (Fig. 6), wherein the at least one braking device is configured to apply a braking force that limits rotation of the shaft, the motor- side rotatable body and the drive-side rotatable body (Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 8, IMA et al. discloses the at least one braking device is configured to apply the braking force to one of: the shaft (Fig. 6); a drive shaft coupled to the drive-side rotatable body (Fig. 6); and a gear of the speed reducer (Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 9, IMA et al. discloses a controller (paragraph [0039], “control device”) that is configured to execute the switching control operation of the electrical power converter, wherein: the controller is configured to execute the switching control operation to control a control amount of the electric motor to a command value (paragraph [0039], “the control device causes the corresponding one of the electric motors 70 and 71 to rotate in the rotation direction indicated by the instruction”); and the control amount is one of: a torque; a rotational angular position of the rotor; and a rotational speed of the rotor (paragraph [0039], “the control device causes the corresponding one of the electric motors 70 and 71 to rotate in the rotation direction indicated by the instruction”; “the vehicle turns according to a difference in rotation speed”).
Regarding Claim 10, IMA et al. discloses the electric drive device is used as a driving power source of one of: an electric wheelchair which includes at least one front wheel, at least one rear wheel and a user seat; an electric vehicle which includes at least one front wheel, at least one rear wheel and a user seat (Fig. 1); and an automated guided vehicle that includes at least one wheel.
Regarding Claim 11, IMA et al. discloses the electrical power converter is placed on a side of the speed reducer, which is opposite to the drive wheel in an extending direction of the shaft (Figs. 4 and 6).
Regarding Claim 12, IMA et al. discloses a braking device (90) that is configured to apply a braking force in a transmission path of a rotational drive force extending from the shaft to a drive shaft through the motor-side rotatable body and the drive-side rotatable body (Fig. 6), wherein the electric motor, the speed reducer and the braking device are integrally formed together (Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 13, IMA et al. discloses the electrical power converter is placed on a side of the braking device which is opposite to the drive wheel in an extending direction of the shaft (Figs. 4 and 6).
Regarding Claim 14, IMA et al. discloses the electrical power converter and the braking device are arranged at positions, respectively, that overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the shaft (Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 15, IMA et al. discloses an electric vehicle (Figs. 1, 4 and 6) comprising: a first electric drive device (left-hand structure of Fig. 6) that is configured to rotationally drive one drive wheel (22) among left and right drive wheels of the electric vehicle; and a second electric drive device (right-hand structure of Fig. 6) that is configured to rotationally drive an other drive wheel (24) among the left and right drive wheels, wherein each of the first electric drive device and the second electric drive device includes: an electric motor (70 or 71) that includes: a rotor (76); a stator (75) that is radially opposed to the rotor (Fig. 6); and an electrical power converter (72) that is electrically connected to a plurality of stator windings of the stator and is configured to supply an electric current to the plurality of stator windings when a switching control operation of the electrical power converter is executed (Fig. 6); and a speed reducer (68) that includes: a motor-side rotatable body (74a) that is coupled to a shaft (74) of the rotor; and a drive-side rotatable body (112) that is coupled to a drive shaft (80 or 81) which is configured to rotationally drive a corresponding one of the one drive wheel and the other drive wheel (Figs. 4 and 6), wherein: the speed reducer is configured to reduce a rotational speed of the drive-side rotatable body relative to a rotational speed of the motor-side rotatable body (Fig. 6); and in each of the first electric drive device and the second electric drive device, the electric motor and the speed reducer are integrally formed together (Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 18, IMA et al. discloses the one drive wheel and the other drive wheel are configured to rotate in the same direction while a difference is provided between a rotational speed of the one drive wheel and a rotational speed of the other drive wheel to cause the electric vehicle to turn when the rotor of each of the first electric drive device and the second electric drive device is rotated (paragraph [0039], “the vehicle turns according to a difference in rotation speed between the left and right wheels 22 and 24”); or the one drive wheel and the other drive wheel are configured to rotate in opposite directions, respectively, to cause the electric vehicle to turn when the rotor of each of the first electric drive device and the second electric drive device is rotated (paragraph [0039], “the left and right wheels 22 and 24 rotate in opposite directions, so that the vehicle turns”).
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.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IMA et al. (US 2023/0068720 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, IMA et al. discloses the electric drive device according to Claim 1 (see detailed rejection above), and further wherein: the speed reducer (68) includes a housing (53/54 and 57) that has a peripheral wall (Fig. 6), wherein the peripheral wall has a first wall portion (57) and a second wall portion (53 or 54) which are opposed to each other (Fig. 6), and the housing receives the motor-side rotatable body in a receiving space which is surrounded by the peripheral wall (Fig. 6); the first wall portion is joined to an end part of the motor housing which faces the first wall portion in a longitudinal direction of the motor housing (Fig. 6); a motor-side opening extends in an extending direction of the shaft through a connection between the motor housing and the first wall portion (Fig. 6); the motor-side rotatable body and the shaft are coupled together through the motor-side opening (Fig. 6); the second wall portion has a drive-side opening (Fig. 6) through which a drive shaft (80 or 81) coupled to the drive-side rotatable body is inserted (Fig. 6); a rotational axis of the motor-side rotatable body and a rotational axis of the drive-side rotatable body extend in the extending direction of the shaft (Fig. 6); and the rotor and stator are placed in the motor housing at one side which is adjacent to the motor-side opening in the longitudinal direction of the motor housing (Fig. 6), and the electrical power converter is placed in the motor housing at an opposite side which is opposite to the motor-side opening in the longitudinal direction of the motor housing (Fig. 6).
Therefore, IMA et al. does not disclose a reverse configuration wherein the electrical power converter is placed in the motor housing at one side which is adjacent to the motor-side opening in the longitudinal direction of the motor housing, and the rotor and the stator are placed in the motor housing at an opposite side which is opposite to the motor-side opening in the longitudinal direction of the motor housing.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reconfigure the electric drive device of IMA et al. wherein the electrical power converter is placed in the motor housing at one side which is adjacent to the motor-side opening in the longitudinal direction of the motor housing, and the rotor and the stator are placed in the motor housing at an opposite side which is opposite to the motor-side opening in the longitudinal direction of the motor housing, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Einstein, 8 USPQ 167.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 16 and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 19 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art does not disclose nor render obvious an electric vehicle comprising at least two electric drive devices that respectively rotationally drive a plurality of drive wheels, wherein each of the at least two electric drive devices includes: wherein the at least two electric drive devices are configured to communicate with each other such that the controller of one of the at least two electric drive devices functions as a master and the controller of an other one of the at least two electric drive devices functions as a slave, and the one of the at least two electric drive devices controls the other one of the at least two electric drive devices, in combination with the other elements required by independent Claim 19.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have no rationale, absent hindsight, to modify the prior art to derive the claimed invention since the above-mentioned limitations, in combination with the other claim limitations, are considered new and nonobvious improvements over the prior art.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claim(s) 1-4 and 7-10 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 EDWIN YOUNG whose telephone number is (571)272-4781. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (CST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jacob S Scott can be reached at (571)270-3415. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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EDWIN YOUNG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3655
/Edwin A Young/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
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