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 .
DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
This is in response to the amendment filed 11/20/2025 for Application No. 18/795,556. By the amendment, claims 18-19, 21-32, 34 and 37-39 are pending with claims 18, 19, 21, 25-27, 31-32 and 34 being amended, claims 20, 33, 35 and 36 are canceled and newly claims 37-39 are added. Claims 1-17 remain canceled.
Drawings
Applicant’s argument, see page 6 of the Remarks, that Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of a ring gear unit 8 and a planet gear unit 9 and they do not require hatching. However, the features of these gear units in the Figures do not clearly show what parts or sections of each respective gear are connected or not connected to the other gears or components of the units. Consequently, the Drawings objections are maintained below. Applicant is required to amend the Drawings to overcome the objections below.
The drawings are objected to because in Figures 2 and 3, hatching should be used to indicate section portions of an object for clarity. See MPEP 1.84 (h)(3) & (p)(3)(4). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 29 is objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation “the planter gear” in line 4 of the claim should be replaced with limitation - - the planet gear- - for consistency. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 18-19, 21-26, 28, 30-32 and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hohn et al. (US 2003/0080599 A1) cited in the in prior Office action.
Regarding claim 18, Hohn discloses a gear train component (figs. 7-8; pars. [0085] – [0089]) for a planetary gear train and/or for a transmission gearing of an actuating drive, the gear train component comprising:
at least one gear train element (i.e., ring gear 50 or 52),
wherein the at least one gear train element is in the form of a stamped part (par. [0089]),
wherein the at least one gear train element has at least one stamped outer contour (par. [0089], i.e., toothings or contours of tooths of sun wheel 42 and planet wheels 44, 46, 48 are manufactured by punching out of a blank, another type of stamping processes includes using a machine press) and at least one stamped inner contour (par. [0089], i.e., inner toothings 50b and 52b); and
wherein the at least one stamped outer contour and the at least one stamped inner contour have/has at least one toothing (par. [0089], i.e., inner toothings 50b and 52b) and/or at least one securing section.
Regarding claim 19, Hohn discloses the gear train component of claim 18, wherein the stamped part is one of a fine stamped part, a fine blanked part, or a precision stamped part (par. [0089]).
Regarding claim 21, Hohn discloses the gear train component of claim 18, wherein:
the at least one gear train element includes a base body (i.e., base body of ring gear 50/52); and
the at least one toothing (figs. 7 and 8; par. [0089], i.e., inner toothings 50b and 52b) and/or the at least one securing section are/is arranged, at least in part, on the base body (fig. 8).
Regarding claim 22, Hohn discloses the gear train component of claim 18, wherein:
the at least one gear train element includes a base body (i.e., base body of ring gear 50/52); and
the at least one toothing (figs. 7 and 8; par. [0089], i.e., inner toothings 50b and 52b);
the at least one gear train element further includes at least one abutting section (figs. 7 and 8; par. [0085], i.e., the section includes where the retaining ring 54 holds the latter against each other of gears 50,52; see Annotated Figure 7 below) and/or at least one bearing section; and
the at least one abutting section (see Annotated Figure 7 below) and/or the at least one bearing section adjoin(s) the base body (fig. 8, i.e., attached to base body of ring gear 50/52).
Regarding claim 23, Hohn discloses the gear train component of claim 22, wherein:
the at least one abutting section (figs. 7 and 8; par. [0085], i.e., the section includes at least retaining ring 54 which holds the latter against each other of gears 50,52; see the Annotated Figure 7 below) and/or the at least one bearing section are/is spaced apart from and/or project from the base body (i.e., the abutting section 54 is spaced apart, two separated sections shown in Figure 8, and project from the base body of the ring gear 50,52 shown in the Annotated figure 7 below),
at least in part, along an axis of rotation associated with the gear train component (figs. 7 and 8, i.e., along the axis of ring gears 50,52).
Regarding claim 24, Hohn discloses the gear train component of claim 22, wherein:
the at least one gear train element comprises at least two gear train elements (50,52);
the at least two gear train elements abut against one another (depicted in figures 7 and 8, i.e., via element 54), are supported against one another and/or are connected to each other via the at least one abutting section (54) and/or the at least one bearing section.
Regarding claim 25, Hohn discloses the gear train component of claim 24, wherein:
the at least two gear train elements have at least one toothing (i.e., toothings 50b and 52b of the respective gears 50 and 52) and/or at least one securing section;
the at least one toothing and/or the at least one securing section of the at least two gear train elements are/is spaced apart from one another, at least in part, along an axis of rotation associated with the gear train component (depicted in figures 7 and 8).
Regarding claim 26, Hohn discloses the gear train component of claim 18, wherein:
the at least one gear train element comprises at least two gear train elements (50,52; par. [0052]);
each of the at least two gear train elements is in the form of a ring gear (i.e., ring gears 50/52); and
the at least two gear train elements together form of a ring gear unit (par. [0089] i.e., made up of ring gears 50 and 52).
Regarding claim 28, Hohn discloses the gear train component of claim 18, wherein:
the at least one gear train element is a planet carrier and/or a planet gear (figs 7, 8; par [0089], planet wheels 44, 46, 48);
the at least one planet gear (44,46,48) and/or the at least one planet carrier form(s) at least one gear train component in the form of a planet unit (fig. 8).
Regarding claim 30, Hohn discloses the gear train component of claim 18, wherein the at least one gear train element is a sun gear (42) and/or a spur gear (Figs. 7 and 8; pars. [0052] and [0089]).
Regarding claim 31, Hohn discloses a planetary gear train for an actuating drive having at least one gear train component (figs. 7 and 8, i.e., ring gear 50 or 52), wherein the at least one gear train component is designed configured according to claim 18.
Regarding claim 32, Hohn discloses the planetary gear train of claim 31, wherein the at least one gear train component comprises first and second ring gears (50,52) and first and second planet gears (44,46,48; paragraphs [0052] and [0089]);
toothing arranged on an inner contour of the first and second ring gears are in engagement with the first and second planet gears (fig. 7; par. [0089]), respectively; and
the first and second ring gears (50,52) are spaced apart along an axis of rotation of the planetary gear train (see figs. 7 and 8).
Regarding claim 34, Hohn discloses an actuating drive, comprising:
a planetary gear train and/or a transmission gearing, wherein the planetary gear train and/or the transmission gearing includes at least one gear train component (figs. 7 and 8; pars. [0085 – 0086]) designed according to claim 18.
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Annotated Figure 7
Claims 18, 21, 28 and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dobmeier (WO 9,407,735 A2), cited in the previous action.
Regarding claim 18, Dobmeier discloses a gear train component (figs. 5 and 6; pages 17 - 18) for a planetary gear train and/or for a transmission gearing of an actuating drive, the gear train component comprising:
at least one gear train element (page 17, line 27 – page 18, line 18, i.e., ring gear 60 and/or planetary gear 70),
wherein the at least one gear train element is in the form of a stamped part (page 17, line 27 – page 18, line 18, i.e., ring gear portions 60 stamped from a metal disk wherein the recess 65 including the teeth 65a are produced by stamping the ring gear 60 so as to raise a portion thereof out of the plane Pi of the ring gear 60; similarly the planetary gear portion 70 includes teeth 75 which are formed by raising the teeth 75 out of the plane P2 of the planetary gear 70); wherein:
the at least one gear train element has at least one stamped outer contour (similar process produced for the teeth 75 of planetary gear 70) and at least one stamped inner contour (i.e., inner teeth 65a are produced by stamping of the ring gear 60;); and
the at least one stamped outer contour and the at least one stamped inner contour have/has at least one toothing (i.e., teeth 65a are produced by stamping of the ring gear 60; similar process produced for the teeth 75 of planetary gear 70) and/or at least one securing section.
Regarding claim 21, Dobmeier discloses the gear train component of claim 20, wherein:
the at least one gear train element includes a base body (i.e., the main body or ring portion of ring/planet gear 60 or 75, respectively); and
the at least one toothing (i.e., teeth 65a are produced by stamping of the ring gear 60; similar process produced for the teeth 75 of planetary gear 70) and/or the at least one securing section are/is arranged, at least in part, on the base body (i.e., the toothing or teeth 65a/75 protruded or raised out the base body of the respective gear).
Regarding claim 28, Dobmeier discloses the gear train component of claim 18, wherein:
the at least one gear train element is a planet carrier and/or a planet gear (page 17, line 27 – page 18, line 18, i.e., planetary gear 70);
the at least one planet gear and/or the at least one planet carrier form(s) at least one gear train component in the form of a planet unit (i.e., depicted in at least figures 5 and 6).
Regarding claim 34, Dobmeier discloses an actuating drive (Abstract; Summary of the invention), comprising:
a planetary gear train and/or a transmission gearing, wherein the planetary gear train and/or the transmission gearing includes at least one gear train component (figs 5 and 6; page 17, line 27 – page 18, line 18, i.e., ring gear 60 and/or planetary gear 70) designed according to claim 18.
Claims 37-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Watzek (GB 2555600A).
Regarding claim 37, Watzek discloses an actuating drive (12) comprising a planetary gear train (see figs. 3 and 4) and an electric motor (18), wherein the planetary gear train comprises a planet carrier (158) in the form of a stamped part (page 8, lines 4-6 and page 10, lines 3-6, i.e., carrier plate 158 being preferably manufactured from stamped metal).
Regarding claim 38, Watzek discloses the actuating drive according to claim 37, wherein the planetary gear train is configured as a multi-stage planetary gear train and comprises two planet carriers (132,158), wherein at least one of the two planet carriers is stamped (page 8, lines 4-6 and page 10, lines 3-6, i.e., carrier plate 158 being preferably manufactured from stamped metal).
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.
Claims 18 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scoville et al. (US 4,986,802) and further in view of Dobmeier, cited in the prior Office action.
Regarding claims 18 and 29, Scoville discloses a gear train component for a planetary gear train (figs. 3-5) and/or for a transmission gearing of an actuating drive, the gear train component comprising:
at least one gear train element (72, 112, 111, 115, 41, 96, 91),
wherein the at least one gear train element is in the form of a stamped part (col. 1, line 54 – col. 2, line 2 and col. 3, lines 62-68);
wherein the at least one gear train element is in the form of a stamped part (col. 4, lines 13-24); and
further includes the at least one gear train element comprises two gear elements (72,91) comprises a first gear train element in the form of a planet gear (112, 111, 115) and a second gear train element in the form of a planet carrier (91) and the planet gear is rotatably mounted and/or accommodated on the planet carrier (figs. 3-5). Scoville further teaches the “planet gear box to be constructed using stamped parts rather than machine parts thus resulting in a less expensive unit”, col. 4, lines 13-24. However, Scoville does not specifically teach the planet gear is in a form of a stamped part. The process of making a gear member of a planetary gear train by stamping processes is well known in the art for low vibration and noise and cost-effectiveness.
Dobmeier teaches a gear train component (figs. 5 and 6; pages 17 - 18) for a planetary gear train includes at least one gear train element (page 17, line 27 - page 18, line 18, i.e., planetary gear 70), wherein the at least one gear train element is in the form of a stamped part, See page 17, line 27 - page 18, line 18, i.e., ring gear portions 60 stamped from a metal disk wherein the recess 65 including the teeth 65a are produced by stamping the ring gear 60 so as to raise a portion thereof out of the plane Pi of the ring gear 60; similarly the planetary gear portion 70 includes teeth 75 which are formed by raising the teeth 75 out of the plane P2 of the planetary gear 70 is in form of a stamped part.
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the at least gear train element of Scoville, with a reasonable expectation of success, to further have the first gear train element or the planet gear in the form of a stamped part as taught by Dobmeier in order to provide a simple method of forming a planetary gear which is easy to manufacture as the predictable results of compactness and low vibration/noise. See page 17, line 27 - page 18, line 18.
Further, the modified gear train of Scoville and Dobmeier further teaches the at least one gear train element has at least one stamped outer contour and at least one stamped inner contour (i.e., inner teeth 65a are produced by stamping of the ring gear 60); and the at least one stamped outer contour and the at least one stamped inner contour have/has at least one toothing (i.e., teeth 65a are produced by stamping of the ring gear 60; similar process produced for the teeth 75 of planetary gear 70) and/or at least one securing section. In other words, the inner toothing of the modified ring gear 60 and the outer toothing of the modified planet gear(s) of Dobmeier and Scoville are considered as the inner and outer stamped contours.
Claim 39 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watzek in view of Dobmeier, as indicated above.
Regarding claim 39, Watzek discloses the actuating drive according to claim 37, wherein the planetary gear train includes at least one planet gear (34,40), and wherein the planet carrier (158) is formed as a stamped part but does not explicitly teach the at least one planet gear is formed as stamped part. The process of making a gear member of a planetary gear train by stamping processes is well known in the art for low vibration and noise and cost-effectiveness.
Dobmeier teaches a gear train component (figs. 5 and 6; pages 17 - 18) for a planetary gear train includes at least one gear train element (page 17, line 27 – page 18, line 18, i.e., planetary gear 70), wherein the at least one gear train element is in the form of a stamped part (page 17, line 27 – page 18, line 18, i.e., ring gear portions 60 stamped from a metal disk wherein the recess 65 including the teeth 65a are produced by stamping the ring gear 60 so as to raise a portion thereof out of the plane Pi of the ring gear 60; similarly the planetary gear portion 70 includes teeth 75 which are formed by raising the teeth 75 out of the plane P2 of the planetary gear 70 is in form of a stamped part).
It would have been obvious to an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the at least gear train element of Watzek, with a reasonable expectation of success, to have the at least planet gear in the form of a stamped part as taught by Dobmeier in order to provide a simple method of forming a planetary gear which is easy to manufacture as the predictable results of compactness and low vibration/noise. See page 17, line 27 – page 18, line 18.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 11/20/2025 has been entered. Applicant’s amendments have overcome the rejections of claims 18, 19, 22, 23, 28 and 33-36 under 35 USC §102(a)(1) by Nurnberger and claim 29 under 35 USC §103 over Nurnberger in view of Dobmeier, set forth in the prior Office action. However, the amendment did not overcome the rejections under 35 USC §102(a)(1) by Dobmeier and by Hohn. Applicant’s amendment raised new issues set forth above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see the Remarks filed 11/20/2025, with respect to claims 18, 19, 22, 23, 28 and 33-36 being rejected under 35 USC §102(a)(1) by Dobmeier and claim 29 under 35 USC §103 over Nurnberger in view of Dobmeier have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of the claims have been withdrawn. However, applicant's arguments with respect to the claims being rejected under 35 USC §102 by Hohn and Dobmeier, respectively have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on the middle of page 7 of the Remarks that neither Hohn or Dobmeier discloses or renders obvious the particular features recited in independent claim 18, as amended, specifically “a gear train component including, inter alia, wherein the at least one gear train element has at least one stamped outer contour and at least one stamped inner contour, and wherein the at least one stamped outer contour and the at least one stamped inner contour have at least one toothing and/or at least one securing section”. However, Hohn discloses a planetary gear for an actuator includes toothings (inner/outer toothings or contours) of ring gears 50,52, sun gear 42 and planet gears 44,46,48 being formed from stamping and/or punching them out of a blank by a pressing machine, i.e., another type of stamping processes, see Figures 7 & 8; paragraph [0089], which states that “the toothings (teeth 68) of the sun wheel 42 and planet wheels 44, 46, 48 and the internal toothings 50b and 52b of the ring gears 50, 52 are preferably produced here without cutting as involute toothings and spur toothings, the internal toothings 50b, 52b being shaped out of the disk-shaped ring gears 50, 52 by precision stamping, while the toothings of sun wheel 42 and planet wheels 44, 46, 48 are manufactured by punching them out of a blank”. Further, Dobmeier discloses a planetary gear train includes a ring gear 60 and planet gears 70 both are stamped parts, See page 17, line 27 – page 18, line 18, i.e., ring gear portions 60 stamped from a metal disk wherein the recess 65 including the teeth 65a are produced by stamping the ring gear 60 so as to raise a portion thereof out of the plane Pi of the ring gear 60; similarly the planetary gear portion 70 includes teeth 75 which are formed by raising the teeth 75 out of the plane P2 of the planetary gear 70. In other words, the inner toothing of the ring gear 60 and the outer toothing of the planet gear 70 are considered as inner and outer contours.
For at least the reasons above, the rejections of claims 18-19, 21-26, 28 and 30-32 and 34 by Hohn and Dobmeier, respectively, are maintained.
Further, applicant’s arguments with respect to the amended claims indicated above and newly claims 37-39 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejections does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Furthermore, Applicant’s amendment necessitated new ground of rejection regarding claims 18 and 29 as set forth above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 27 is allowed.
The reasons for the allowable subject matter of the claim are the same as set forth in the prior office action.
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 Tinh T Dang whose telephone number is (571)270-1776. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM.
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/TINH T DANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655 March 4, 2026