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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/11/24 is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to the preliminary amendment filed on 10/11/24. Regarding the amendment, claims 1-9 are present for examination.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Para [0051] discloses “The brake 60 comprises a first friction partner 61, which consists of the radial outside 62 of the clutch 40. In addition, in this example the brake 60 comprises two second friction partners 62, 63…” The reference character “62” has been used to designate both “the radial outside” and “second friction partner”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 8 claim 1, “the bearing of the frame” should be change to –the bearing of the rack frame--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-7, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hell et al. (US 2019/0391043 A1) in view of Duan et al. (US 9,719,584 B1).
Regarding claim 1, Hell teaches a drive unit (1) configured for a drive train test bench for testing a motor vehicle drive train, the drive unit comprising:
a rack frame (10) having a bearing (5);
an electric motor (3) on the rack frame (10) and having a motor shaft (the shaft of motor 3);
a drive output shaft (output shaft of test part 9) held rotatably in the bearing of the frame (10). However, Hell does not teach a clutch having a radial outside portion, a brake having a first friction partner that is the radial outside portion of the clutch and having a second friction partner that is at least one brake pad, wherein the motor shaft can be connected rotationally fixed to the drive output shaft by means of the clutch.
Duan teaches a two speed transaxle for electric vehicle having a drive unit (fig 1) with a clutch (63) having a radial outside portion (54), a brake (58) having a first friction partner (54) that is the radial outside portion of the clutch (63) and having a second friction partner (56, 57) that is at least one brake pad, wherein the motor shaft (47) can be connected rotationally fixed to the drive output shaft by means of the clutch (63) to provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hell’s drive unit with a clutch having a radial outside portion, a brake having a first friction partner that is the radial outside portion of the clutch and having a second friction partner that is at least one brake pad, wherein the motor shaft can be connected rotationally fixed to the drive output shaft by means of the clutch as taught by Duan. Doing so would provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Regarding claim 2, Hell in view of Duan teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, except for the added limitation of the brake has two second friction partners each held in a floating manner by a brake frame on the outside of the clutch.
Duan further teaches the brake has two second friction partners (56, 57) each held in a floating manner by a brake frame (59, 62) on the outside of the clutch (63, fig 1) to provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hell in view of Duan’s drive unit with the brake has two second friction partners each held in a floating manner by a brake frame on the outside of the clutch as further taught by Duan. Doing so would provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Regarding claim 3, Hell in view of Duan teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 2, except for the added limitation of the brake frame is arranged floatingly on a side-plate of the electric motor.
Duan further teaches the brake frame (59, 62) is arranged floatingly on a side-plate of the electric motor (fig 1) to provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that efficiency results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hell in view of Duan’s drive unit with the brake frame is arranged floatingly on a side-plate of the electric motor as further taught by Duan. Doing so would provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Regarding claim 4, Hell in view of Duan teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 2, except for the added limitation of the brake frame at least partially surrounds the clutch radially.
Duan further teaches the brake frame (59, 62) at least partially surrounds the clutch radially (fig 1) to provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hell in view of Duan’s drive unit with the brake frame at least partially surrounds the clutch radially as further taught by Duan. Doing so would provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Regarding claim 5, Hell in view of Duan teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, except for the added limitation of the brake is configured to be actuated hydraulically.
Duan further teaches the brake (58) is configured to be actuated hydraulically (col 5 ln 30-35) to provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hell in view of Duan’s drive unit with the brake is configured to be actuated hydraulically as further taught by Duan. Doing so would provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Regarding claim 6, Hell in view of Duan teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, except for the added limitation of the drive unit further comprises a torque-measurement flange.
Duan further teaches the drive unit further comprises a torque-measurement flange (55, fig 2) to provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hell in view of Duan’s drive unit with the drive unit further comprises a torque-measurement flange as further taught by Duan. Doing so would provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Regarding claim 7, Hell in view of Duan teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, except for the added limitation of the clutch is in the form of a flange connection.
Duan further teaches the clutch (63) is in the form of a flange connection (fig 1) to provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hell in view of Duan’s drive unit with the clutch is in the form of a flange connection as further taught by Duan. Doing so would provide a brake system with small stirring oil loss and without shifting heat so that results high efficiency and high reliability brake system (col 2 ln 8-15).
Regarding claim 9, Hell in view of Duan teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, Hell further teaches a drive train test bench comprising at least one drive unit (fig 1).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hell in view of Duan, further in view of Hell Christian et al. (DE 102016202332 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Hell in view of Duan teaches the claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, except for the added limitation of the electric motor is in the form of a three-phase synchronous motor.
Hell Christian teaches a powertrain test bench having the electric motor (3) is in the form of a three-phase synchronous motor to reduce manufacturing cost.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hell in view of Duan’s drive unit with the electric motor is in the form of a three-phase synchronous motor as taught by Hell Christian. Doing so would reduce manufacturing cost.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Desrochers (US 5,529,157 A) teaches a brake and clutch assembly mounted on an electric motor's drive shaft comprises, in succession and outwardly from the motor, a brake pad, a drive disk, a clutch plate, a pulley, a compression spring and an end cap. The drive disk includes a sleeve with the clutch plate and the pulley being slidably mounted thereon. A pin extending diametrically through the shaft lies in a diametrical V-shaped recess defined in the drive disk. The spring biases the pulley, clutch plate and disk drive towards the brake pad thereby frictionally retaining the drive disk thereagainst when the motor is not operating and preventing the components from rotating. When the motor is started, the pin climbs out of the bottom of the recess by pushing the drive disk against the spring's force thereby axially displacing slightly the disk drive away from the brake pad such that the pin rotates the drive disk which frictionally drives the clutch plate and the pulley. Resistance applied against the rotation of the pulley causes the clutch plate to slip thereby allowing the pulley to stop while the clutch plate, the drive disk and the motor shaft continue to rotate, thus preventing damage to the motor. The friction forces between the clutch plate and the pulley are insufficient to stop the clutch plate and thus the drive disk and the motor shaft if the pulley is forced to stop rotating.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEDA T PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-5806. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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/LEDA T PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Prosecution Insights