DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the amendment filed December 29, 2025 for the above identified patent application.
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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Each section of the specification must have a heading (i.e. “Brief Summary of the Invention”, “Brief Description of the Drawings”, and “Detailed Description of the Invention”). 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.
Claim(s) ) 1, 3, 5, 7, 10-11, 16-17, 19, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Quinn (WO 2021/156585).
Quinn teaches a transmission system, including: a first gear selector assembly (37), wherein the first gear selector assembly includes a first selector ring (53) and a second selector ring (55), the first and second selector rings being movable translationally relative to one another; wherein the first selector ring includes a first set of engagement members (45a-45c) fixed together by a first annular member, and each engagement member in the first set includes a first part located on a first side (right side in Fig. 3b) of the first annular member and a second part located on a second side (45c in Fig. 3b) of the first annular member, each first part having a first drive face (67) oriented generally in a first rotational direction and a first non-drive face (69) oriented generally in a second rotational direction, and each second part includes a second drive face (Fig. 3b) oriented generally in the first rotational direction and a second non-drive face (Fig. 3b) oriented generally in the second rotational direction; and wherein the second selector ring (55) includes a second set of engagement members (46a-46c) fixed together by a second annular member, and each engagement member in the second set includes a first part located on a first side of the second annular member and a second part located on a second side of the second annular member, each first part having a first drive face oriented generally in the second rotational direction and a first non-drive face oriented generally in the first rotational direction, and each second part includes a second drive face oriented generally in the second rotational direction and a second non-drive face oriented generally in the first rotational direction (rings 53 and 55 are the same).
Claim 3: Quinn illustrates (Fig. 3b) the engagement members in the first set of engagement members are angularly distributed evenly about the first annular member and/or the engagement members in the second set of engagement members are angularly distributed evenly about the second annular member.
Claim 5: Quinn illustrates (Fig. 3b) the first selector ring (53) includes a first set of recesses (between 45a, 45b, 45c) formed through (along the length of) the first annular member, wherein each recess in the first set of recesses is sized, shaped and positioned to receive a respective one of the engagement members (46) in the second set of engagement members.
Claim 7: Quinn illustrates an actuator (47) assembly arranged to control movement of the first and second selector rings, wherein the first selector assembly is mounted on a shaft (3), a first gear element (23) is rotatably mounted on the shaft, a second gear element (29) is rotatably mounted on the shaft, and the first selector assembly is arranged to selectively lock the first and second gear elements for rotation with the shaft.
Claims 10-11: Quinn teaches (first full paragraph on page 33 of the written description) “Thus the first gear selector assembly 37 is arranged to selectively engage the first sleeve 33 from operational modes that include the following modes: fully engaged in both forward and reverse torque directions; disengaged in both torque directions (neutral); engaged in the forward torque direction while disengaged in the reverse torque direction; and disengaged in the forward torque direction while engaged in the reverse torque direction” and “The first gear selector assembly 37 is arranged to selectively engage the second sleeve 35 from operational modes that include the following modes: fully engaged in both the forward and reverse torque directions; disengaged in both torque directions (neutral); engaged in the forward torque direction while disengaged in the reverse torque direction; and disengaged in the forward torque direction while engaged in the reverse torque direction.” Alternatively, the claim must define over the prior art in terms of structure, and not how it functions.
Claim 16: Quinn illustrates the first selector assembly is mounted on to the shaft by means of a support sleeve (49), wherein the support sleeve includes internal splines (49a) arranged to lock the support sleeve for rotation with the shaft.
Claim 17: Quinn illustrates at least one of the engagement members in the first set of engagement members includes a rectilinear formation formed on an inwardly facing side, that is arranged to engage with a complementary formation of the support sleeve.
Claim 19: Quinn teaches (fourth paragraph on page 39, and elsewhere) the first gear selector assembly is arranged to provide torque support during a gear shift, to ensure that there is no loss of drive during the gear shift. Alternatively, the claim must define over the prior art in terms of structure, and not how it functions.
Claim 22: Quinn teaches the actuator assembly includes a first shift fork assembly (79), the first shift fork assembly including a first shift fork (79a) arranged to control axial movement of the first selector ring and a second shift fork (79b) arranged to control axial movement of the second selector ring.
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.
Claim(s) 20-21, 23-25, 27-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Quinn (WO 2021/156585), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Janson et al. (USPub 2004/0266584).
Claims 20-21, 23, 24, and 28 Quinn teaches the actuator assembly includes a shift drum (77) having a first part (actuator used to drive the drum in rotation) and a second part (the drum), wherein the second part is arranged to rotate relative to the first part, the second part includes a first control slot (Fig. 2) that is arranged to control operation of the first selector assembly. Quinn does not teach a second and third gear selector, with associated selector parts. For example, Janson teaches a transmission having multiple selectors used to select a particular gear in a transmission arrangement. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the disclosed device, to use the gear selector arrangement of Quinn in a transmission having a second and third gear selectors, with associated selector parts, as taught by Janson, motivation being to provide the transmission having a predetermined number of gear speeds.
Claim 25: Quinn does not teach a transmission having a first input shaft that is directly connected to the output of a drive source, and a second input shaft that is connected to the output of the drive source via a friction clutch. Janson teaches a transmission having a first input shaft (10) that is directly connected to the output of a drive source, and a second input shaft (18) that is connected to the output of the drive source via a friction clutch (20). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the disclosed device, to use the gear selector arrangement of Quinn in a transmission having the claimed first and second input shafts, and friction clutch, as taught by Janson, motivation being to provide a transmission with a predetermined number of gear speeds.
Claim 27: Janson teaches a transmission having odd gears and even gear grouped together. Adapting the selector arrangement of Quinn to be used in the transmission of Janson would have been obvious. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed device to use the selector arrangement of Quinn in the transmission of Janson, motivation being to actuate the different transmission gear speeds.
Claims 29-31: Janson teaches a transmission having an output shaft (12) and a second layshaft (16), wherein a third gear selector assembly (86) is mounted on the second lay shaft and a sleeve mounted on the second lay shaft (88), at least one further gear element (62,68) is rotatably mounted on the same shaft as third gear selector assembly, and the third gear selector assembly is arranged to selectively lock the at least one further gear element for rotation with the shaft on which it is mounted, the third gear selector assembly comprises a pre-select selector assembly, a friction clutch (20) and a drive source (inherent). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the disclosed device, to use the selector arrangement of Quinn in a transmission having the claimed transmission structure, such as the third gear selector mounted on a second layshaft, as taught by Janson, motivation being to provide the transmission with a predetermined number of gear speeds.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 26 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 33 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not teach the first and second selector rings being identical as defined in claim 2, or the claimed combination of structural features defined in newly submitted claim 33.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 29, 2025, with respect to claim 1, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Specifically, applicant provided annotated figures illustrating how the drive face and non-drive face on the first and second selector rings of Quinn (WO 2021/156585) are different from the claimed device. It is acknowledged that applicant’s comparison of the drive face and non-drive face of Quinn is different from the instant arrangement. However, the claims do not define how the first selector ring is oriented with the second selector ring, such as the first and second selector rings being mounted on a shaft. Further, claim 1 does not define specific structure of the drive faces (or non-drive faces) or how they interact with engaging surfaces. Since the claims do not define the relative positioning of the rings, it is understood the first selector ring (53) of Quinn can be rotated about a vertical axis (in Fig. 3b) such that the first and second drive faces of the engagement members on the first selector ring are oriented towards the first rotational direction; the first and second non- drive faces of the engagement rings on the first selector ring are oriented towards the second rotational direction; the first and second drive faces of the engagement members on the second selector ring are oriented towards the second rotational direction; and the first and second non-drive faces of the engagement members on the second selector ring are oriented towards the first rotational direction. To overcome this rejection, it is suggested claim 1 be amended to clearly define how the first and second selector rings are arranged relative to one another. Any amendment after a final rejection would require further consideration.
Applicant’s arguments, filed December 29, 2025, with respect to claim 2, have been fully considered and are persuasive. The claim respective claim rejections have been withdrawn.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 WILLIAM C JOYCE whose telephone number is (571)272-7107. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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/WILLIAM C JOYCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618