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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to for the following minor informalities: Line 3 should read: “the input selector collar is disengaged from the forward input pulley” for the purpose of grammatical clarity.
Claim 9 is objected to for the following informalities: Line 5 should read: “the output pulley is reversibly rotatable in a first rotational direction” for the purpose of grammatical clarity.
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 9-16 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 9 recites an idler output pulley in line 2, a reversible output pulley in line 3, and the output pulley in lines 4 and 5 which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if the recitation of “the output pulley” refers to the idler output pulley, the reversible output pulley, or a third output pulley. The output pulley is also recited in claim 10, lines 1-2, claim 11 line 1, claim 12 lines 2 and 3, claim 13 line 4, claim 14 line 3, claim 15 line 4, and claim 16 line 3. Claims 10-16 depend from claim 9.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8 and 17-20 are allowed. Independent claims 1 and 17 recite an input selector collar between the forward input pulley and the reverse input gear. The collar slides along a common input axis into a forward mode position where it engages with the forward input pulley and a reverse mode position where it engages with the reverse input gear. The forward input pulley and the reverse input gear are required to be rotatably coupled to the gearbox input shaft. The closest prior art of record, Pard (US 11,415,207 B2) teaches a snowmobile with a reverse gear operation for when the engine does not have a reverse function. However, Pard teaches a reverse drive gear 246 with a support collar 256, where the reverse drive gear itself slides along the input shaft 165 to select from forward or reverse modes (Column 14 lines 56-67: “The actuator 260 is controlled by the user via the control element 150 to operate the gearbox 170 in either a “forward operation mode” or a “reverse operation mode”. […] More particularly, when the control element 150 is controlled by the user to engage the forward operation mode of the gearbox 170, the actuator 260 moves the reverse drive gear 246 along the countershaft 165 such that the dog teeth 252, 254 of the reverse and forward drive gears 246, 184 are engaged with one another thereby transmitting rotary motion from the reverse drive gear 246 to the forward drive gear 184.” Underline added for clarity. See also Column 15 lines 18-42 for a description of the reverse mode). There is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to replace the movement of the reverse drive gear in Pard with an input selector collar nor would it be obvious to do so. Additional art was not found to teach the limitations as claimed, especially regarding the input selector collar, gear, and pulley arrangement. Claims 2-16 depend from claim 1. Claims 18-20 depend from claim 17.
Claims 9-16 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Koynov (US 2026/0008517 A1) teaches a snowmobile transmission with a separate reverse gear axle. Voges (US 2024/0410446 A1) teaches a reverse drive system for a motor vehicle with a separate reverse drive motor. Penttila (US 2010/0275713 A1) teaches a gear shifting arrangement for off-road vehicle’s such as snowmobiles with forward and reverse gears. Schoenfelder (US 7063639 B2) teaches a snowmobile planetary drive system with a reversing unit. Wysocki (5,038,881) teaches a snowmobile with a power transfer gear on a coupler attached to the output shaft.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABIGAIL R HYMEL whose telephone number is (571)272-0389. The examiner can normally be reached Generally M-F 7:30-4:30.
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/ABIGAIL R HYMEL/Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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