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.
Claims 1-2, 6-8, 10-11, and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Pub. 2022/0340231 A1 to Braedt et al., hereinafter Braedt.
Regarding Claim 1, Braedt teaches a power module of an electric assisted bicycle, comprising:
a housing (“electric drive unit” DU (note that the use of subscripts in reference characters is hereinafter omitted for readability), Figs. 5-6, [0061]) with which a radial direction (direction perpendicular to “bottom bracket shaft” SB, Fig. 6) and an axial direction (direction parallel to SB) are defined, and comprising an end cap (CH, Figs. 5-6), a middle frame (“drive housing” DU, Figs. 5-6, [0089]) and a partition portion (“internal gearing section” Si, Figs. 5-6, [0089]), wherein the end cap (CH) and the middle frame (HD) are connected to each other (connection depicted in Fig. 6) to define an inner space (inner volume containing SB and motor/gearing components), and the partition portion (Si) is extended along the radial direction towards the inner space (depicted in Figs. 5-6), and divides the inner space of the housing into a motor accommodation portion (portion to the right of Si, Fig. 6) and a reducer accommodation portion (portion to the left of Si, Fig. 6) arranged along the axial direction (as being disposed left-right of each other axially along SB in Fig. 6), wherein the motor accommodation portion is arranged between the end cap (rightmost instance of CH in Fig. 6) and the partition portion (Si, disposition of elements depicted in Fig. 6);
a pedal shaft (SB, Figs. 5-6, [0060]) accommodated in the housing (DU), extended along the axial direction (as defining the axial direction), and passing through the end cap (both instances of CH, spatial relation of components depicted in Fig. 6);
a motor (M, Figs. 4-6, [0089]) accommodated in the motor accommodation portion (between Si and rightmost instance of CH, Fig. 6), and fixed to the partition portion (Si) along the axial direction (depicted in Fig. 6); a reducer (“reduction gearing… cycloidal gear” GC, Figs. 4-6, [0089]) accommodated in the reducer accommodation portion (depicted in Fig. 6), fixed to the partition portion (Si) along the axial direction (as being axially adjacent to Si, Fig. 6), and comprising a reducer input shaft (entire singular portion containing “bearing seats” FE, “motor shaft” SM, Fig. 6, [0089]), wherein the reducer input shaft comprises an input-shaft main part (A1, Diagram 1, annotated inset of Fig. 6), an input-shaft rotor part (A2, Diagram 1) and an extension portion (A3, Diagram 1), the input-shaft rotor part (A2) is arranged between the input-shaft main part (A1) and the extension portion (A3, as depicted in Diagram 1) and connected to a motor output shaft (in an alternative equivalent embodiment depicting detailed structure of the motor: “motor rotor” MR, Fig. 9B, [0114, 0116]) of the motor along the radial direction (MR is disposed radially from equivalent SM, Fig. 9B), the input-shaft main part (A1) is connected to the partition portion (Si) along the radial direction (through bearings B, described in further detail below and in Diagram 2), and the extension portion (A3) is extended toward the end cap (right instance of CH, Fig. 6 and Diagram 1) along the axial direction (extension of A3 towards right CH depicted in Fig. 6) and connected to a supporting portion (A4, Diagram 1) of the end cap (rightmost instance of CH, Fig. 6) through an input-shaft rear bearing (B1, Diagram 2 – annotated inset of Fig. 6), wherein the supporting portion (A4), the input-shaft rear bearing (B1) and the extension portion (A3) are sleeved from inside of the inner space to outside along the radial direction sequentially toward the middle frame (sleeved disposition of above components depicted in Fig. 6, Diagrams 1 and 2);
a pedal-shaft first two-way bearing (B2, Diagram 2) sleeved between the pedal shaft (SB) and the supporting portion (A4, Fig. 6 and Diagram 2); and
an encoder component (“torque sensor device” ST, Fig. 6, [0093]) disposed between the extension portion (A3, Diagram 1) and the end cap (leftmost instance of CH, Fig. 6) along the axial direction (disposition depicted in Fig. 6 and Diagram 1).
PNG
media_image1.png
451
1159
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Diagram 1: First annotated inset of Braedt - Fig. 6
PNG
media_image2.png
523
1147
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Diagram 2: Second annotated inset of Braedt - Fig. 6
Regarding Claim 2, Braedt further teaches wherein the encoder component (ST) comprises a rotating part (in an equivalent alternative embodiment of Braedt, “coil bobbin” BC in Fig. 9C, [0134]) and a sensing part (“drawing-related left-hand measuring coil” CW1, Fig. 9C, [0130-0131]) arranged along the axial direction (CW1 arranged axially to BC as depicted in Fig. 9C), and the rotating part (BC) is disposed on the extension portion (in this equivalent embodiment – “left-hand inner-side projection” BS, contact with SOS depicted in Fig. 9C).
Regarding Claim 6, Braedt further teaches wherein the motor (M) further comprises a stator (in an equivalent alternative embodiment of Braedt, “motor stator” MS, Figs. 9B, [0114], which is presented for detail), and the stator is fixed to a first side of the partition portion (the right side of the portion of Si extending radially towards the center, Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 7, Braedt further teaches wherein the reducer further comprises a movable gear (either of “cycloidal wheels” WC, Fig. 5, [0089-0090]), a fixed gear (internal gearing section of SI, [0089]) and a reducer output shaft (“hollow output shaft” SO, Fig. 6, [0083]), wherein the fixed gear is sleeved around the movable gear along the radial direction (internal gearing of SI sleeved around WC, Fig. 6, [0089]), the fixed gear is fixed to a second side of the partition portion (fixed to the left side of the portion of Si extending radially via “transmission pins” PT, Fig. 6) and the first side (right side of SI, Fig. 5) and the second side (left side of Si, Fig. 5) are opposite to each other (depicted in Figs. 5-6), wherein the reducer output shaft (SO) is connected to the movable gear (WC) along the axial direction (axial disposition depicted in Figs. 5-6).
Regarding Claim 8, Braedt further teaches wherein the reducer input shaft (FE and SM) further comprises an input-shaft eccentric part (“bearing seats” FE, Figs. 5-6, [0089]), the movable gear (WC) is sleeved around the input-shaft eccentric part along the radial direction (through bearings B3 and B4, as depicted in Fig. 6, Diagram 1, and Diagram 2), the input-shaft main part (A1) is connected to a third side of the partition portion (A5, through bearing B6 depicted in Fig. 6, Diagram 1 and Diagram 2), and the third side is connected between the first side and the second side (A5 between first and second sides, Fig. 6 and Diagram 1).
Regarding Claim 10, Braedt further teaches an input-shaft-main-part first two-way bearing (B3, Diagram 2) and an input-shaft-main-part second two-way bearing (B4, Diagram 2), wherein the input-shaft-main-part first two-way bearing (B3) and the input-shaft-main-part second two-way bearing (B4) are arranged along the axial direction (arrangement depicted in Diagram 2), and sleeved around the input-shaft main part (A1, depicted in Diagram 1 and Diagram 2) and disposed adjacent to the third side of the partition portion (end portion of Si parallel to the axial direction) along the radial direction (adjacency to B3 and B4 depicted in Diagram 2), respectively, wherein the input-shaft-main-part second two-way bearing (B4) is connected to the input-shaft rotor part along the axial direction (B4 disposed axially to A2, Diagram 1 and Diagram 2)A2 in Diagram 1 and Diagram 2).
Regarding Claim 11, Braedt further teaches a reducer-output-shaft first two-way bearing (B5, Diagram 2) and an input-shaft-eccentric-part first two-way bearing (B6, Diagram 2), wherein the reducer-output-shaft first two-way bearing (B5) is sleeved around the reducer output shaft (SO, sleeving depicted in Fig. 6 and Diagram 2) and disposed adjacent to the housing (HD) along the radial direction (disposition depicted in Fig. 6), and the input-shaft-eccentric-part first two-way bearing (B6) is sleeved around the input-shaft eccentric part (B6 sleeves around FE, depicted in Diagram 2) and disposed adjacent to the movable gear (WC) along the radial direction (B6 disposed radially below leftmost WC depicted in Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 14, Braedt further teaches a sensing component (“drawing-related middle-measuring coil” CW2 in the alternative equivalent embodiment depicted in Fig. 9C, [0128-0130]), wherein the sensing component is attached to the pedal shaft (attached through torque flows in assembly of BC, SOS, DCR, to SB, which culminates in “superposition principle between the material stresses” TC, which demonstrates physical mechanical linkage, Fig. 9C, [0127]) and disposed adjacent to one side of the pedal-shaft first two-way bearing (B2, Diagram 2) along the axial direction (The sensing component CW2 is disposed as part of ST. In the embodiment of Fig. 6/Diagram 2, ST is disposed axially to the left of B2).
Regarding Claim 15, Braedt further teaches a driver (“radial freewheel” DCR, Fig. 6, [0081-0082]), wherein the driver is disposed in the housing (HD, disposition of DCR inside of HD depicted in Fig. 6), and arranged between the motor (M) and the end cap (left instance of CH, disposition of DCR between M and left CH depicted in Fig. 6).
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.
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Braedt in view of US Pub. 2020/0063793 A1 to Rossberger.
Regarding Claim 4, Braedt teaches the power module of the electric assisted bicycle according to Claim 1, but does not teach that the power module comprises a wave spring, nor its spatial disposition.
In the same field of endeavor of electric motor assisted bicycle bottom bracket assemblies, Rossberger teaches a wave spring (61, Figs. 10-11, [0342, 0346]), wherein the wave spring is arranged between the input-shaft rear bearing (“ball bearing” 45, Figs. 10-11, analogous to Braedt -– A1, Diagram 1) and the reducer input shaft (Rossberger – “rotor shaft” 27, [0349-0350]) along the axial direction (axial displacement of 61 above 45 and between 27 depicted in Figs. 10-11).
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art of electric motor bicycle transmissions, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the power module of the electric assisted bicycle of Braedt with the wave spring of Rossberger and its location between the input-shaft rear bearing and the reducer input shaft of Braedt, yielding predictable results. One ordinarily skilled in the art would recognize the beneficial effects of adding a wave spring in a power transmission gear train to compensate for manufacturing tolerance stacking of the numerous transmission components (Rossberger – [0113]).
Regarding Claim 5 (note similar limitations to unrelated Claim 4), Braedt teaches the power module of the electric assisted bicycle according to Claim 1, but does not teach that the power module comprises a wave spring, nor its spatial disposition.
In the same field of endeavor of electric motor assisted bicycle bottom bracket assemblies, Rossberger teaches a wave spring (61, Figs. 10-11, [0342, 0346]), wherein the wave spring is arranged between the input-shaft rear bearing (“ball bearing” 45, Figs. 10-11, analogous to Braedt -– A1, Diagram 1) and the supporting portion (Rossberger – portion of housing labeled C1, Diagram 3, annotated inset of Rossberger – Fig. 11, analogous to Braedt – A4), along the axial direction (61 disposed axially between C1 and 27, Fig. 11 and Diagram 3).
PNG
media_image3.png
388
564
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Diagram 3: Annotated inset of Rossberger - Fig. 11
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art of electric motor bicycle transmissions, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the power module of the electric assisted bicycle of Braedt with the wave spring of Rossberger and its location between the input-shaft rear bearing and the supporting portion of Braedt, yielding predictable results. One ordinarily skilled in the art would recognize the beneficial effects of adding a wave spring in a power transmission gear train to compensate for manufacturing tolerance stacking of the numerous transmission components (Rossberger – [0113]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 9, and 12-13 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 3, Braedt does not teach that an outer diameter of the supporting portion (A4) is smaller than an inner diameter of the extension portion (portion of shaft SM in area A3), but instead teaches that A4 surrounds SM in the area A3, teaching away from the claim.
Regarding Claim 9, Braedt does not teach that the input-shaft main part (A1) is arranged between the input-shaft rotor part (A2) and the input-shaft eccentric part (FE), but instead teaches that FE is contained within A1, and therefore cannot be disposed between it and A2.
Regarding Claim 12, Braedt does not teach wherein a gear-plate output shaft (which would have been mapped to the portion of FO disposed directly above and in contact with DCM, Fig. 6) sleeved within the reducer output shaft (SO), but instead teaches the inverse configuration.
It would not have been possible to modify Braedt with Rossberger or another reference due to the opposite physical disposition of components without resorting to impermissible hindsight.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US Pub. 2023/0119459 A1 to Mercat et al. discloses an electric motor and reducer pedal assembly that is contained entirely within the bottom bracket of a bicycle, having a partitioned housing (7) to accommodate the motor (3) and reducer (2) using eccentric cams (14) to assist pedal input torque.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mitchell James Price whose telephone number is (571)272-3729. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Thurs 8:00 - 5:00 Eastern, Fri 8:00 - 12:00 Eastern.
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, Valentin Neacsu can be reached at (571)272-6265. 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.
/Mitchell James Price/Examiner, Art Unit 3611 /VALENTIN NEACSU, Ph.D./Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611
Prosecution Insights