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 § 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.
Claim 3 and 6-10 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 3 recites (with emphasis added) “the slider sleeve can assume a locking position, wherein, in the locking position of the slider sleeve, the two clutch partners are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner in a rotational direction and in an opposite rotational direction via the slider sleeve, and the slider sleeve can assume an open position, wherein the rotationally fixed connection between the two clutch partners is released by the slider sleeve, or the two clutch partners and the slider sleeve form an interlocking clutch, or the clutch assembly comprises the coupling device, wherein the coupling device can assume at least a first and a second control state, wherein the control states are controlled via the control members by the slider sleeve.” It is unclear which options are alternatives of which other options given multiple “or” transitions and organization of the claim. It is also unclear what is meant by in the locking position that the clutches are fixed in a rotational direction and in an opposite rotational direction. This appears to be a grammatical error; the clutch is a selective freewheeling clutch not a two way dog clutch.
Claim 6 recites “the one clutch partner.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for “the one.”
Claim 10 recites “the first shaft.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this feature.
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) 1-3, 5, 11-14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peglowski et al. (US 10,520,046; hereinafter “Peglowski”) in view of Littlefield et al. (US 2018/0231063; hereinafter “Littlefield”).
Claim 1
Peglowski discloses a clutch assembly
having a first (107) and a second (105) clutch partner, the clutch partners defining a main rotational axis (center of 103),
a sleeve (“cuff or collar”) arranged to be displaced relative to the actuator rod/control members (117);
having a plurality of control members (117) for controlling a coupling device (109) for coupling the clutch partners, the control members being actuated by the sleeve (see column 4, lines 11-20)
wherein the control members (117) are arranged radially on the inside (see column 4, lines 16-17 disclosing that the collar surrounds the outer race) with respect to the sleeve and are arranged so as to be displaceable in the radial direction to the main rotational axis (see e.g., arrows related to the rods 117 in all figures).
Peglowski does not necessarily disclose that the sleeve arranged so as to be displaceable coaxially with respect to the two clutch partners. In other words, it is not necessarily inherent that the collar/sleeve that moves to displace the rods 117 inward, moves in an sliding manner which would satisfy the coaxial displacement. However, Littlefield discloses a sleeve (114) that slides to create inward radial movement of another element (104). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified Peglowski so that the movement sleeve outside of the device in Peglowski that moves to create the inward movement of the rods 117, moves axially, i.e., slides, in order to create a compact and/or smooth acting sleeve.
It is noted that Littlefield is only relied upon for the sliding sleeve causing radial movement of pins thereinside. The collar in Peglowski that is described but not shown could only move in two possible manners, rotation or sliding, and Littlefield discloses how the sliding option would be implemented.
Claim 2
Peglowski as modified discloses wherein the slider sleeve (Peglowski, “collar” surrounding 107; modified to be a sliding collar as in Littlefield, 114) has control contours (inside surface of Littlefield, 114) on the inner circumference, wherein the control contours have a radial height profile (profile of teeth 116) in axial extension, wherein the control members (Peglowski, 117) run along the control contours during an axial movement of the slider sleeve and are displaced in the radial direction by the radial height profile and are thereby actuated.
Claim 3
Peglowski as modified discloses the slider sleeve (Peglowski, “collar” surrounding 107; modified to be a sliding collar as in Littlefield, 114) can assume a locking position, wherein, in the locking position (see FIG. 1; when Peglowski, pins 117 are radially inward) of the slider sleeve, the two clutch partners are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner (i.e., in a engaged position of the clutch) in a rotational direction and in an opposite rotational direction via the slider sleeve (when the pins 117 in Peglowski are moved radially inward), and the slider sleeve can assume an open position (see FIG. 2, when Peglowski, pins 117 are radially outward), wherein the rotationally fixed connection between the two clutch partners is released by the slider sleeve, [or the two clutch partners and the slider sleeve form an interlocking clutch, or the clutch assembly comprises the coupling device, wherein the coupling device can assume at least a first and a second control state, wherein the control states are controlled via the control members by the slider sleeve.]
It is noted that the brackets options are the non-chosen alternatives. In addition, the claim language of the locking position when the two clutch partners are connected in a rotationally fixed manner in a rotational direction and in an opposite direction, is interpreted as the locked freewheeling position as described in the specification. For example, paragraph [0016] of the specification describes in a connected state, the freewheel device can assume a locked state in one rotational direction and can transmit a torque for this direction, and can assume a freewheeling state in an opposite direction.
Claim 5
Peglowski as modified discloses the coupling device is designed as a switchable freewheel device of the clutch assembly (Peglowski includes one position where rods 117 are inward and one position where rods 117 are outward), wherein the clutch partners in the freewheel device form freewheel partners (see e.g., FIG. 1), wherein the control members (117) can be brought into a connected position (inward) by the slider sleeve (Peglowski, “collar” surrounding 107; modified to be a sliding collar as in Littlefield, 114), wherein the freewheel device is connected (FIG. 1 of Peglowski), wherein the freewheel device can assume a locked state (e.g. in Peglowski, when 105 rotates clockwise relative to 107; or when 107 rotates counterclockwise relative to 105) and a freewheeling state (e.g. in Peglowski, when 105 rotates counterclockwise relative to 107; or when 107 rotates clockwise relative to 105) according to the rotational direction [or the rotational speed of the clutch partners as freewheel partners], and wherein the control members can be brought into a disconnected position (FIG. 2 of Peglowski) by the slider sleeve (Peglowski, “collar” surrounding 107; modified to be a sliding collar as in Littlefield, 114), wherein the freewheel device is disconnected, wherein the clutch partners as freewheel partners are rotationally decoupled from one another with respect to the freewheel device.
Claim 11
Peglowski discloses a clutch assembly comprising:
a main rotational axis (center of 103);
a first clutch partner (107) and a second clutch partner (105),
a plurality of control members (117) arranged to control a coupling device (109), the coupling device (109) device arranged to couple the first clutch partner (107) and the second clutch partner (105);
a sleeve (“cuff or collar”) arranged to be displaced relative to the actuator rod/control members (117) to actuate the plurality of control members (see column 4, lines 11-20)
wherein: the plurality of control members (117) is arranged on a radial inside (see column 4, lines 16-17 disclosing that the collar surrounds the outer race) of the sleeve and displaceable in a radial direction to the main rotational axis (see e.g., arrows related to the rods 117 in all figures).
Peglowski does not necessarily disclose that the sleeve arranged so as to be coaxially displaceable with respect to the two clutch partners. In other words, it is not necessarily inherent that the collar/sleeve that moves to displace the rods 117 inward, moves in an sliding manner which would satisfy the coaxial displacement. However, Littlefield discloses a sleeve (114) that slides to create inward radial movement of another element (104). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified Peglowski so that the movement sleeve outside of the device in Peglowski that moves to create the inward movement of the rods 117, moves axially, i.e., slides, in order to create a compact and/or smooth acting sleeve.
Claim 12
Peglowski as modified discloses wherein: the slider sleeve (Peglowski, “collar” surrounding 107; modified to be a sliding collar as in Littlefield, 114) has an inner circumference with a plurality of control contours (inside surface of Littlefield, 114), each of the plurality of control contours comprising a respective radial height profile (profile of teeth 116) in axial extension; and each of the plurality of the control members (Peglowski, 117): runs along a respective one of the plurality of control contours during an axial movement of the slider sleeve; and is actuated by displacement in the radial direction by the radial height profile.
Claim 13
Peglowski as modified discloses wherein: the slider sleeve (Peglowski, “collar” surrounding 107; modified to be a sliding collar as in Littlefield, 114) can assume a locking position (see FIG. 1; when Peglowski, pins 117 are radially inward) connecting the first clutch partner to the second clutch partner in a rotationally fixed manner (i.e., in a engaged position of the clutch); and the slider sleeve (Peglowski, “collar” surrounding 107; modified to be a sliding collar as in Littlefield, 114) can assume an open position (see FIG. 2, when Peglowski, pins 117 are radially outward) wherein: the first clutch partner is rotatable relative to the second clutch partner; or [the first clutch partner, the second clutch partner, and the sliding sleeve form an interlocking clutch].
Claim 14
Peglowski discloses wherein the coupling device (109) can assume a first control state (FIG. 1) and a second control state (FIG. 2), controlled by the plurality of control members (117).
Claim 16
Peglowski discloses wherein: the coupling device is designed as a switchable freewheel device (Peglowski, compare the switchable states of FIGS. 1 and 2); the first clutch partner (Peglowski, 107) is a first freewheel clutch partner; the second clutch partner (Peglowski, 105) is a second freewheel clutch partner; the slider sleeve (Peglowski, “collar” surrounding 107; modified to be a sliding collar as in Littlefield, 114) is arranged to bring the plurality of control members (Peglowski, 117) into a connected position (Peglowski, FIG. 1) to connect the switchable freewheel device so that the switchable freewheel device can assume a locked state (Peglowski, when 105 rotates clockwise relative to 107; or when 107 rotates counterclockwise relative to 105) or a freewheeling state (Peglowski, when 105 rotates counterclockwise relative to 107; or when 107 rotates clockwise relative to 105) depending on a rotational direction [or a rotational speed of the first freewheel clutch partner and the second freewheel clutch partner]; and the slider sleeve is arranged to bring the plurality of control members into a disconnected position (Peglowski, FIG. 2) to disconnect the switchable freewheel device so that the first freewheel clutch partner and the second freewheel clutch partner are rotationally decoupled from one another.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peglowski in view of Littlefield and further in view of Sato (US 2022/0260121).
Claim 10
Peglowski discloses the second shaft (103) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the second clutch partner (inner clutch member 105),
Peglowski does not disclose what structure inputs torque into 107. However, Sato discloses wherein a first shaft (shaft 4) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the first clutch partner (outer clutch member 6) and a second shaft (3) connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the second clutch partner (inner clutch 5) (see FIG. 1). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified Peglowski to include a shaft fixed to the outer clutch member (Peglowski, 107) in order to input torque to the clutch.
As so modified, Peglowski discloses wherein torque transmission between the two shafts can be controlled by axially displacing the slider sleeve of the clutch assembly.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4, 15, and 17-20 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 6-9 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
With reference to each of claims 4 and 15, the prior art does not disclose or render obvious a clutch assembly comprising the combination of features as recited including the external tooth to which the sleeve is fixed by internal toothing that can also be brought into engagement with a locking toothing on the other clutch member.
With reference to each of claims 6 and 17, the prior art does not disclose or render obvious a clutch assembly comprising the combination of features as recited including the spring loaded locking bodies that have the locking second that is deflected and interacts with a ramp like control on the other clutch member, operating as recited. In Peglowski, locking bodies (101) do operate the lock the two clutch members but function in a completely different manner than that which is recited.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2017/0138416 discloses a freewheel clutch with actuators (70, 80) connected to a sleeve.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STACEY A FLUHART whose telephone number is (571)270-1851. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9AM-7PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ernesto Suarez can be reached at 571-270-5565. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/STACEY A FLUHART/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655