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 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)(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) 1-10, and 44 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen (US – 2007/0199788 A1).
As per claim 1, Chen discloses Hub Driving Assembly For Transmitting A Driving Force A Sprocket To Rotate A Hub Of A Bicycle comprising:
a housing (20, Fig: 4);
a driving member (30, Fig: 4), capable of rotating around a first axis (Attached figure and Fig: 4);
a plurality of engagement teeth (32, Fig: 4-6), circumferentially distributed on the driving member (Fig: 4-6) based on the first axis(Attached figure and Fig: 4); and
an operating member (20, also function as operating member, Fig: 4-6), capable of performing reciprocating movement between an initial position and an acting position with respect to the housing around the first axis ([0024], Fig: 4-6);
wherein, when the operating member (20) moves from the acting position to the initial position, the operating member (20) passes over one of the engagement teeth (32) to return from the acting position to the initial position, and the driving member (30) docs not rotate with the operating member([0025] –[0026]).
As per claim 2, Chen discloses the plurality of engagement teeth (32) are capable of rotating between a respective engagement position and an avoidance position with respect to the driving member (30, [0024] –[0026], Fig: 4-8);
when the operating member (20) moves from the initial position to the acting position, the operating member pushes one of the engagement teeth (32) into the engagement position (Fig: 6), and brings the driving member (30) to rotate along a rotating direction via one of the engagement teeth (Fig: 4-6); and
when the operating member (20) moves from the acting position to the initial position, the operating member passes over a next one of the engagement teeth (32) behind the one of the engagement teeth in the rotating direction to return from the acting position to the initial position, and the driving member (30) does not rotate with the operating member ([0024] – [0026], Fig: 4-8).
As per claim 3, Chen discloses each of the engagement teeth (32) is capable of rotating between the engagement position and the avoidance position with respect to the driving member (30) around a respective second axis (Attached figure and Fig: 5), and the second axis is parallel to the first axis (Attached figure and Fig: 1).
As per claim 4, Chen discloses each of the engagement teeth (32) includes a forward face (third embodiment, Attached figure and Fig: 9) and a backward face (third embodiment, Attached figure and Fig: 9), and the forward face and the backward face form an included angle with each other (Attached figure and Fig: 9);
the operating member (20) includes a pushing portion (Attached figure and Fig: 5-6) to exert a pushing action on one of the engagement teeth (32, Attached figure and Fig: 5-6);
when the operating member (20) moves from the initial position to the acting position, the pushing portion of the operating member pushes against the forward face of one of the engagement teeth (32), such that one of the engagement teeth is in the engagement position; and
when the operating member (20, Fig: 4-6) moves from the acting position to the initial position, the pushing portion (Attached figure and Fig: 5-6) passes over the next one of the engagement teeth (32) and makes the next one of engagement teeth in its avoidance position by pushing against the backward face of the next one of engagement teeth([0024] – [0026], Fig: 4-6).
PNG
media_image1.png
618
544
media_image1.png
Greyscale
As per claim 5, Chen discloses a plurality of engagement tooth elastic members (33, third embodiment, Fig: 9), respectively arranged between the plurality of engagement teeth (32) and the driving member (30) to bias the engagement teeth (32) to the engagement position; the engagement teeth protrude farther radially with respect to the first axis (Attached figure and Fig: 4) in the engagement position than in the avoidance position.
As per claim 6, Chen discloses the engagement tooth elastic members (33) are compression springs (Fig: 9), and each of the engagement teeth (32) includes an engagement tooth elastic member accommodation portion (3221, Fig: 9) to at least partially accommodate one end of each of the engagement tooth elastic members (Fig: 9).
As per claim 7, Chen discloses the driving member (30) includes:
a plurality of engagement tooth grooves (315, Fig: 5-6), concavely formed from one side surface of the driving member (311, Fig: 6), and distributed circumferentially based on the first axis (Attached figure and Fig: 4-6) so as to respectively accommodate the plurality of engagement teeth (32), wherein each of the engagement tooth grooves (3153) includes:
an engagement limit portion (Attached figure and Fig: 5-6), for resisting a corresponding one of the engagement teeth from further rotating beyond the engagement position with respect to the driving member (30) when the engagement tooth (32) is in its engagement position;
an avoidance limit portion (332, 333, Fig: 5-6), for resisting a corresponding one of the engagement teeth (32) from further rotating beyond the avoidance position with respect to the driving member (30) when the engagement tooth (32) is in its avoidance position; and an engagement tooth elastic member abutting portion (334, Fig: 9), arranged adjacent to the avoidance limit portion engagement limit portion for being abutted against by the other end of the engagement tooth clastic member (Attached figure and Fig: 5-6).
PNG
media_image2.png
684
606
media_image2.png
Greyscale
As per claim 8, Chen discloses the engagement limit portions (Attached figure and Fig: 5-6), the avoidance limit portion (332, 333, Fig: 5-6), and the engagement tooth elastic member abutting portions (334, Fig: 9) are all axially extending walls of the engagement tooth grooves (32), and the engagement limit portions are radially opposite to both the avoidance limit portions (332, 333, Fig: 5-6) and the engagement tooth elastic member abutting portions (334, Fig: 9), wherein the engagement limit portions are radial outer side walls of the engagement tooth grooves, the avoidance limit portions and the engagement tooth elastic member abutting portions are respectively radial inner side walls of the engagement tooth grooves (Fig: 5-6).
As per claim 9, Chen discloses a stroke of each reciprocating movement of the operating member (20) is equal to or greater than a spacing between two adjacent engagement teeth(32, Fig: 7-8).
As per claim 10, Chen discloses the operating member (20) further includes an operating member body (Fig: 4), and the operating member body is coaxially arranged with the driving member along the first axis (20 and 30 are coaxial, Fig: 4);
the plurality of engagement teeth (32) are arranged on a side of the driving member (30) facing the operating member body (20, Fig: 4-8); and
a pushing portion (Attached figure and Fig: 5-6) is disposed on a side of the operating member body (20) facing the driving member (30), and the pushing portion is arranged to protrude axially and push against one of the engagement teeth (32) when the operating member moves from the initial position to the acting position (Fig: 4-6).
As per claim 44, Chen discloses wherein: each of the engagement teeth (32, Fig: 5-6)bis capable of linearly moving between an engagement position and an avoidance position along a direction perpendicular to the first axis ([0024] – [0026], Attached figure and Fig: 5-6);
when the operating member (30) moves from the initial position to the acting position, the operating member (20) pushes one of the engagement teeth (32) into the engagement position, and brings the driving member (30, fig: 4-6) to rotate along a rotating direction via one of the engagement teeth ([0024] – [0026], fig: 4-9); and
when the operating member (20) moves from the acting position to the initial position, the operating member passes over a next one of the engagement teeth behind the one of the engagement teeth in the rotating direction to return from the acting position to the initial position, and the driving member docs not rotate with the operating member ([0024] – [0026], fig: 4-9).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-18 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.
Prior art fails to disclose the insertion post is inserted into the insertion slot, slides along the insertion slot when the operating member performs reciprocating movement with respect to the driving member, and the insertion slot limits a stroke of the movement of the operating member between the acting position and the initial position; and
the intermittent movement device further comprises an operating elastic member, the operating elastic member is disposed in the insertion slot and abuts between an end wall of the insertion slots and the insertion post, biasing the operating member to the initial position (Claim 11), wherein the wheel is provided with a parking hole on a side facing the housing, and the operating member and the wheel are located on opposite sides of the driving member;
a pin, disposed in the housing and located between the driving member and the wheel, and capable of moving axially between a parking position and a non-parking position, wherein, in the parking position, the pin is inserted into the parking hole to prevent the wheel from rotating, and in the non-parking position, the pin leaves the parking hole to allow the wheel to rotate;
wherein the driving member of the intermittent movement device is rotatably connected in the housing and abutting against one end of the pin, the driving member is provided with parking portions protruding toward the wheel and non-parking portions recessed away from the wheel on a side abutting against the pin, and as the driving member rotates, one of the parking portions or one of the non-parking portions abuts against the pin, such that the pin moves to the parking position or the non-parking position (Claim 12) and the other wheel, arranged in pair with the wheel and rotatably connected to the other housing around the first axis, and wherein the other wheel is provided with the other parking hole on a side facing the other housing;
the other pin, arranged in the other housing, capable of moving axially between its parking position and non-parking position, wherein, in the parking position of the other pin, the other pin is inserted into the other parking hole to prevent the other wheel from rotating, and in the non-parking position of the other pin, the other pin leaves the other parking hole to allow the other wheel to rotate;
the other driving member, rotatably connected in the other housing and connected against one end of the other pin, wherein the other driving member is provided with the other parking portion protruding toward the other wheel and the other non-parking portion recessed away from the other wheel on a side abutting against the other pin, and
as the other driving member rotates, the other parking portion or the other non-parking portion abuts against the other pin, such that the other pin moves to the other parking position or the other non-parking position;
a cable, having one end connected to a cable second end connecting portion at a periphery of the other driving member, and the other end connected to the driving member through a linkage mechanism, wherein, when one of the parking portions of the driving member abuts against the pin to enter its parking position, the driving member brings the other driving member to move by the linkage mechanism and the cable, such that the other driving member rotates to the other parking portion abutting against the other pin to enter it parking position (Claim 16).
Claims 13-15, 18 depend on claim 12 and claim 17 depends on claim 16.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
A: KIMES (US – 2018/0038435 A1),
B: USAMI (US – 2017/0356508 A1),
C: LIN (US – 2012/0261226 A1), and
D: Kimes (US – 2007/0131509 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAN M AUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-5792. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi can be reached at 571-272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SAN M AUNG/Examiner, Art Unit 3616
/Robert A. Siconolfi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3616
Prosecution Insights