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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “external connecting plate” as claimed in claim 9 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 6-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Schuler et al. (8,931,843).
Regarding claim 1, Schuler et al. disclose a small continuous angle adjuster 10, comprising: a gear tooth plate 12 and a gear ring tooth plate 11 that can rotate relative to each other, wherein the gear tooth plate is provided with an outer tooth gear, wherein the gear ring tooth plate is provided with an inner tooth ring, wherein the gear tooth plate and the gear ring tooth plate are connected with each other through the outer tooth gear and the inner tooth ring that mesh with each other, and wherein the gear tooth plate is provided with a neck ring 19 that is concentric with the outer tooth gear; and an eccentric member 27, 35 driven by a drive cam 21, wherein the eccentric member rotates in the circumferential direction to drive the relative rolling motion of the gear tooth plate and the gear ring tooth plate; wherein the neck ring is provided with a center point, wherein the tooth surface of the outer tooth gear of the gear tooth plate and the tooth surface of the inner tooth ring of the gear ring tooth plate have a contact point, wherein the center point and the contact point are connected to form a first connecting line (MK), wherein each tooth of the outer tooth gear of the gear tooth plate is provided with a first working arc section (17c-17b), and the first working arc section of a contact tooth of the gear tooth plate is provided with a first arc section center point 17d, wherein each tooth of the inner tooth ring of the gear ring tooth plate is provided with a second working arc section (16c-16b), and the second working arc section of a contact tooth of the gear ring tooth plate is provided with a second arc section center point 16d wherein the first arc section center point and the second arc section center point are connected to form a second connecting line, wherein the contact point is located on the second connecting line, and an included angle (beta) between the first connecting line and the second connecting line ranges from 85 degrees to 95 degrees (col. 6, lines 45-65).
Regarding claim 4, Schuler et al. disclose the drive cam 21 is provided with a cylindrical segment 29, 22 axially inserted into the neck ring.
Regarding claim 6, Schuler et al. disclose the drive cam 21 is a single part formed as a whole.
Regarding claim 7, Schuler et al. disclose a wedge 27 and a spring 35 work together to define the eccentric member to press the outer tooth gear of the gear tooth plate into the inner tooth ring of the gear ring tooth plate at the meshing position.
Regarding claim 8, Schuler et al. disclose the gear tooth plate 12 is provided with a first step surface (See figure A) for supporting the wedge 27, wherein the gear ring tooth plate is provided with a flange boss (central opening), and the first step surface is close to the top surface of the flange boss.
Regarding claim 9, Schuler et al. disclose the gear tooth plate 12 is provided with a boss for connecting the small continuous angle adjuster to an external connecting plate 43 and a third step surface (see figure A) for supporting the external connecting plate, wherein the gear tooth plate is also provided with a second step surface (see figure A) formed simultaneously with the third step surface as a stamping surface, and wherein the first step surface and the second step face are on the same plane.
Regarding claim 10, Schuler et al. disclose a distance between the second step surface and the third step surface is a material thickness of the gear tooth plate (see figure 3).
Regarding claim 11, Schuler et al. disclose the small continuous angle adjuster further comprises a clamping ring 13 for holding the gear tooth plate and the gear ring tooth plate together.
Regarding claim 12, Schuler et al. disclose the third step surface is provided with a protruding height so that the external connecting plate 43 is placed on the third step surface while avoiding the clamping ring 13 (see figure 3).
Regarding claim 13, Schuler et al. disclose the wedge 27 is supported on the neck ring 19 by its curved inner surface, and carries the gear ring tooth plate 12 by its curved outer surface.
Regarding claim 14, Schuler et al. disclose the drive cam is provided with a drive segment 29, wherein the wedge is composed of two wedge-shaped segments 27, wherein the drive segment is inserted into a clearance between narrow sides of the two wedge-shaped segments, and wherein two ends of the spring 35a are respectively connected to broad sides facing each other of the two wedge-shaped segments to force the two wedge-shaped segments to separate by acting on the wedge-shaped segments in the circumferential direction through the spring.
Regarding claim 15, Schuler et al. disclose the small continuous angle adjuster further comprises a friction bearing 28, which is arranged between the curved outer surface of the wedge and a center hole of the gear ring tooth plate.
Regarding claim 16, Schuler et al. disclose the small continuous angle adjuster further comprises a cover 25, which is mounted over the drive cam and fixedly connected to the gear ring tooth plate.
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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) 2, 3, 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schuler et al.
Regarding claim 2, Schuler et al. fail to disclose the first working arc section of the contact tooth of the gear tooth plate is provided with a first arc radius, wherein the second working arc section of the contact tooth of the gear ring tooth plate is provided with a second arc radius, and wherein a ratio of the first arc radius to the second arc radius is between 1.05and 1.15.
However, Schuler et al. has no limitations that prevents from using such limitations. Furthermore, Schuler et al. disclose any modification are apparent without departing from the scope of the invention. In this instance, modifying the ratio of radius in Schuler et al. will not depart from the scope of the invention. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention was made to any ratio of radius to reduce cost, since it has been held that where the general condition of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 3, Schuler et al. fail to disclose each tooth of the outer tooth gear of the gear tooth plate is provided with a first tooth profile width, wherein each tooth of the inner tooth ring of the gear ring tooth plate is provided with a second tooth profile width, and wherein a tooth width ratio of the first tooth profile width to the second tooth profile width is between 1.1 and 1.6.
However, Schuler et al. has no limitations that prevents from using such limitations. Furthermore, Schuler et al. disclose any modification are apparent without departing from the scope of the invention. In this instance, modifying the ratio of width profile in Schuler et al. will not depart from the scope of the invention. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention was made to any ratio of width of the tooth to reduce cost, since it has been held that where the general condition of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 5, Schuler et al. fail to disclose a clearance between the cylindrical segment and the neck ring is between 0.05 mm and 0.15 mm.
However, Schuler et al. has no limitations that prevents from using such limitations. Furthermore, Schuler et al. disclose any modification are apparent without departing from the scope of the invention. In this instance, modifying the clearance in Schuler et al. will not depart from the scope of the invention. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention was made to any clearance to reduce cost, since it has been held that where the general condition of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SYED A ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)272-7768. The examiner can normally be reached 10am-10pm.
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/SYED A ISLAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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