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
Claims 1-14 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.
In claim 1, line 14, “a second outer ring” is indefinite because no other outer ring was previously claimed, making the number of outer rings being claimed uncertain. It is not clear if a first outer ring is meant to be understood, if one of the previously claimed elements is meant to be a first outer ring, or if the speed reducer is being claimed with only one outer ring that is designated the second outer ring because it is part of the second bearing.
In claim 4, the wording of lines 2-3 is not clear, so that it is not clear if the first keyway is being claimed as extending in the axial directions and in the circumferential directions, since “in the circumferential directions” is separated from “extends in the axial directions” by other elements (it is not clear what “in the circumferential directions” is referring to).
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) 1-7 and 9-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto et al., U. S. Patent 7,901,317, in view of Black, U. S. Patent 3,160,032.
Yamamoto et al. discloses a speed reducer 38 (fig. 1).
An input unit includes an input shaft 52 and a first bearing 55A. The first bearing 55A includes an eccentric first inner ring 54A (fig. 2; col. 4, lines 4-7) that rotates together with the input shaft 52.
A cycloid gear 58A is located radially outward of the first bearing 55A and includes a plurality of external teeth 58A1 (fig. 3(B), col. 4, lines 30-33) arranged on an outer peripheral surface along circumferential directions. The cycloid gear includes a first through hole (best shown in fig. 3(A); indicated as 58A1 in fig. 2, col. 5, line 30-33) the input unit penetrates and a plurality of second through holes 58A2 (indicated as 58B2 in fig. 3(A); col. 4, lines 60-61) located radially outward of the first through hole and arranged with intervals in the circumferential directions (fig. 3(A)).
A plurality of inner pins 68 penetrates the second through holes 58A/B2 in axial directions.
An inner pin holder 42B holds end portions of the plurality of inner pins 68 in the axial directions and surrounds an outer peripheral surface of the input unit (at bearing 56B, fig. 1).
A second bearing 66 is located radially outward of the cycloid gear 58A, and includes a second inner ring 60 that is an output shaft (col. 4, lines 62-65). A second outer ring 42A (fig. 1) is located radially outward of the second inner ring, and a rolling body (66, col. 4, lines 48-50) is located between the second inner ring 60 and the second outer ring 42A.
A plurality of outer pins 60A (col. 4, lines 24-25) is held on a radially inner surface of the second inner ring 60 and meshes with the external teeth of the cycloid gear 58A.
(claim 1)
Figure 5(B) shows a variation 254A of the form of the inner ring 54A. At least an end portion of the first inner ring 254A on one side in the axial direction (left in fig. 5(B)) includes a flange 296A projecting radially outward.
(claims 5 and 11)
The input unit further includes a guide ring 96A, best shown in figure 2, that is provided separately from the input shaft 52 and the first inner ring 54A, has a disc shape (with a small, axially extending flange at the inner circumference), is located at least on one side of the first inner ring 54A in the axial directions, and projects radially outward relative to a raceway surface 54A1 of the first inner ring.
(claims 6 and 12)
The first bearing comprises a pair of first bearings 55A, 55B arranged in the axial directions.
The first inner ring comprises a pair of first inner rings 54A, 54B included in the pair of first bearings 55A, 55B. The pair of first inner rings 54A, 54B are arranged with a 180-degree phase shift in the circumferential direction (col. 6, lines 55-57).
(claims 7 and 13)
Yamamoto et al. does not disclose that the first inner ring is provided separately from the input shaft, with as movement restrictor restricting movement of the first inner ring relative to the input shaft, and the movement restrictor including keyways and a key.
Black shows in figures 1 and 2 a speed reducer similar to that of Yamamoto in that it includes an input unit including an input shaft 12 and a first bearing 44; the first bearing including an eccentric first inner ring 14 that rotates together with the input shaft 12; a cycloid gear 16 located radially outward of the first bearing 44 and including a plurality of external teeth 46 arranged on an outer peripheral surface along circumferential directions; the cycloid gear 16 including a first through hole the input unit penetrates (fig. 2) and a plurality of second through holes 25 located radially outward of the first through hole and arranged with intervals in the circumferential directions (fig. 2); a plurality of inner pins 24 penetrating the second through holes 25 in axial directions; an inner pin holder 22 holds end portions of the plurality of inner pins 24 in the axial directions and surrounds an outer peripheral surface of the input unit; and teeth radially outward of the cycloid gear meshing with the cycloid gear.
The first inner ring 14 is provided separately from the input shaft 12.
The input unit includes a movement restrictor 42/38/40 that restricts movement of the first inner ring 14 relative to the input shaft 12 in the circumferential direction (col. 2, lines 56-57 with col. 3, line 29).
(claim 1)
The movement restrictor 42/38/40 restricts movement of the first inner ring relative to the input shaft in the axial directions (col. 3, lines 21-28 describes the eccentric(s) (inner ring(s)) being disposed and spaced “by means of end retainer plates 38” and intermediate spacer 40).
(claim 2)
The movement restrictor 42/38/40, as described in column 3, lines 29-31, includes a first keyway, a second keyway, and a key member 42.
The first keyway is recessed from an outer peripheral surface of the input shaft (“by forming mating keyways in the shaft”).
The second keyway is recessed from an inner peripheral surface of the first inner ring (“by forming mating keyways in the…and eccentrics”.
The key member 42 is fitted in both the first keyway and the second keyway (“forming mating keyways…for reception of a key 42”).
(claims 3 and 9)
The first keyway extends in the axial direction in a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the input shaft 12 in the circumferential direction (fig. 2).
The second keyway is located at a position facing the first keyway (“mating keyways” col. 3, line 30).
The key member 42 has a rod shape extending in the axial direction (fig. 2, and “26” in fig. 1, where the key 26 is described as being like the key 42 in col. 4, lines 73-75).
(claims 4 and 10)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the inner ring of Yamamoto et al. separately from the input shaft, and to include a movement restrictor that restricts movement of the inner ring relative to the input shaft in view of Black because such a structure could be assembled with elements of simple form, which for metal parts in particular, result in parts that are easy and cheap to manufacture as compared to the machining required of the relatively complex form of a shaft and two eccentric rings as a one-piece element, and the resulting input unit is capable of being disassembled for maintenance and replacement of individual parts.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8-11, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tamura, CN 110094466, a machine translation of the description of which is attached as an Office Action Appendix, in view of Yamamoto et al.
Tamura shows a speed reducer 231 in figures 7 and 8.
An input unit includes an input shaft 223 and a first bearing 241. The first bearing 241 includes an eccentric first inner ring 241a (its center is offset from the center of the input shaft 223, being affixed to eccentric body 237) that rotates together with the input shaft 223. “Alternatively, the eccentric bearing 241 can also be structured without an inner ring 241a, allowing the rolling element 241b to directly contact the eccentric body 237” ([0099]), in which case the eccentric body 237 is the eccentric first inner ring.
A cycloid gear 235, described in [0097], is located radially outward of the first bearing 241 and includes a plurality of external teeth (“having external teeth”) arranged on an outer peripheral surface along circumferential directions. The cycloid gear 235 includes a first through hole (“has a central hole”) the input unit penetrates and a plurality of second through holes 235a located radially outward of the first through hole (figs. 7 and 8; “at a position offset from its axis”) and arranged with intervals in the circumferential directions (“provided at multiple locations on a circumference of the same radius”).
A plurality of inner pins 243 penetrates the second through holes 235a in axial directions.
An inner pin holder 245 holds end portions of the plurality of inner pins 243 in the axial directions and surrounds an outer peripheral surface of the input unit (figs. 7 and 8).
A second bearing 251 is located radially outward of the cycloid gear 235, and includes a second inner ring (bearing race) that is affixed to an output shaft 233 ([0094] describing wheel 211 being bolted to 233). A second outer ring (bearing race) is located radially outward of the second inner ring, and a rolling body ([0104], “main bearings 251A and 251B are, for example, ball bearings”) is located between the second inner ring and the second outer ring.
A plurality of outer pins 233b is held on a radially inner surface of the second inner ring and meshes with the external teeth of the cycloid gear 235 ([0100], “internal gear 233 has…multiple pin slots on its inner circumference, multiple pins 233b that are rotatably supported in each pin slot….and the outer teeth of the most eccentric part of the external gear 235 mesh with the outer pin 233b”).
The first inner ring 241a (237) is provided separately from the input shaft 223.
The input unit includes a movement restrictor, a key ([0098], “eccentric body 237 is connected to the motor shaft 223 by a key connection”; clearly shown in fig. 7 and partly in profile and partly in phantom in fig. 8) and shim 259 ([0119] takes up space between the counter weight 255, which shares the key with eccentric body 237, and bearing 253B) that restricts movement of the first inner ring 241a (237) relative to the input shaft in the circumferential direction (specifically the key connection).
(claim 1)
The movement restrictor key/259 restricts movement of the first inner ring 241a (237) relative to the input shaft 223 in the axial directions (specifically shim 259 installed between the counter weight 255 and input bearing 253B).
(claim 2)
The movement restrictor includes a first keyway, a second keyway, and a key member ([0098], “eccentric body 237 is connected to the motor shaft 223 by a key connection”; shown in both figs. 7 and 8).
The first keyway, shown in figure 7 and shown in figure 8 in phantom (dashed lines), is recessed from an outer peripheral surface of the input shaft 223.
In the variation in which the first inner ring is the eccentric body 237, the second keyway, shown as a slot extending through the eccentric body 237 in figures 7 and 8, is recessed from an inner peripheral surface of the first inner ring 237.
The key member, shown as a rectangle with dark cross hatching just below the lead line for 237 in figure 7, is fitted in both the first keyway and the second keyway.
(claims 3 and 9)
As best shown in figure 7, the first keyway extends in the axial direction in a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the input shaft in the circumferential direction.
The second keyway is located at a position facing the first keyway.
The key member has a rod shape extending in the axial direction (shown as an elongated rectangle).
(claims 4 and 10)
In the variation in which 241a is the first inner ring, at least an end portion of the first inner ring 241a on one side in the axial direction includes a flange projecting radially outward. Figures 7 and 8 show a flange on both ends of the first inner ring 241a.
(claims 5 and 11)
In the variation in which 241a is the first inner ring, the first inner ring 241a is fixed to the input shaft 223 by interference fitting ([0099], “inner ring 241a is pressed into the eccentric body 237”, the eccentric body 237 being fixed to the input shaft so that the first inner ring 241a is as well).
(claims 8 and 14)
The inner ring of the second bearing 251, though fixed to the output shaft 233, is a separate member rather than itself being an output shaft, and so Tamura does not disclose the second bearing including a second inner ring that is an output shaft. Tamura also discusses the main bearings 251A and 251B in [0123], including disclosing that the main bearings may be a single crossed roller bearing, but does not describe the nature of the inner ring of such a bearing.
Yamamoto et al. discloses a speed reducer similar to that of Tamura as discussed above, including an input unit with an input shaft 52 and a first bearing 55A, a cycloid gear 58A, a plurality of inner pins 68, an inner pin holder 42B, a second bearing 66 located radially outward of the cycloid gear, and a plurality of outer pins 60A meshing with the cycloid gear.
The second bearing 66 is located radially outward of the cycloid gear 58A, and includes a second inner ring 60 that is an output shaft (col. 4, lines 62-65). A second outer ring 42A (fig. 1) is located radially outward of the second inner ring, and a rolling body (66, col. 4, lines 48-50) is located between the second inner ring 60 and the second outer ring 42A. The second bearing 66 is a cross roller bearing (col. 4, line 48).
A plurality of outer pins 60A (col. 4, lines 24-25) is held on a radially inner surface of the second inner ring 60 and meshes with the external teeth of the cycloid gear 58A.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the second bearing of Tamura a bearing with a second inner ring that is an output shaft in view of Yamamoto et al. because the cross roller bearing of Yamamoto et al. using the output shaft as an inner race provides a sturdy and durable bearing that has fewer different components, yet is capable of sustaining various types of forces, including radial and thrust forces.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U. S. Patent 1,125,091 (Gray) January 1915 - "Mounted upon the driving shaft 8 is an eccentric 18 which is here shown as secured to the shaft by means of a key or feather 19 which insures that the eccentric and shaft rotate together. Mounted upon the eccentric 18 is a spur gear wheel 20, having peripheral teeth which mesh with those of the internal gear 17 at certain varying portions of each wheel during each revolution of the eccentric." The eccentric 18 is the inner ring of a bearing, and the internal gear 17 forms the output shaft.
U. S. Patent 1,770,035 (Heap et al.) July 1930 - a speed reducer with two eccentric members keyed to the input shaft and two cycloid gears meshing with an internally toothed output gear.
GB 1245012 (Miller) September 1971 - "The eccentrics 10, 11, 12 are keyed to a sleeve 9 which is keyed to a motor shaft 5." Bearing 20 is radially outward of the cycloidal gears, and the annulus gear between the bearing 20 and the cycloidal gears may be the output.
WO 2013/008492 (Ishizuka) January 2013 - "The eccentric body may be configured separately from the input shaft, and may be fixed to the input shaft with a key or the like."; "a protrusion 76B formed integrally with the axial end portion of the eccentric body 76A of the input shaft 76, and the eccentric body 76A. The position is also regulated with respect to the input shaft 76 by a retaining ring 82 (also serving as a thrust plate) fixed in a groove 76C provided between eccentric bodies (not shown) adjacent thereto."
U. S. Patent 9,252,641 (Ishizuka) February 2016 - a cycloidal speed reducer with the ring gear of outer pins being the output shaft. The two eccentric bodies 18 and 20 are eccentric relative to each other by a phase difference of 180°. The eccentric bodies 18 and 20 may be configured as components independent of the input shaft 16 and fixed to the input shaft 16 using a key, etc.
JP 6736223 (南雲 稔也) August 2020 - "The input shaft 12 is provided with two eccentric bodies 30 via keys 28.'
CN 114396460 (Wu et al.) April 26, 2022 - "the hollow double-eccentric shaft 6 of the eccentric section with the outer ring roller bearing 4 of the inner hole interference fit"
U. S. Patent 12,044,294 (Sasaki) July 2024 - "FIG. 4, a keyway 11A in which a key 13 is to be inserted is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the first shaft portion 11 and extends in the axial directions D1. The key 13 fixes the inner rings of the first eccentric bearing 15 and the second eccentric bearing 16 to the outer circumferential surface of the input shaft 10 (first shaft portion 11)."
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHERRY LYNN ESTREMSKY whose telephone number is (571)272-7090. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am-4:30pm.
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SLE
/SHERRY L ESTREMSKY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655