DETAILED ACTION
Application Status
Claims 1-20 are pending and have been examined in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) filed on 09/16/2024 has been reviewed and considered.
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 Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 11, “first inverted” should read, “first inverter”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 14 is 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 14, the term, “the hydraulic transmission assembly” lacks proper antecedent basis.
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 1-3, 5, 7-9, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Betz (US 20080121448 A1) in view of Yagyu (US 20240175241 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Betz discloses: a crawler vehicle comprising: A first track (60, Fig. 2); a first drive member (40) operably coupled to the first track (see “driving members 40 and 42 to operate ground engaging tracks 60 and 62”, paragraph [0022]); a first electric motor (18) mechanically coupled to the first drive member; a second track (62); a second drive member (42) independent of the first drive wheel and coupled to the second track; a second electric motor (18) mechanically coupled to the second drive member; an electric energy storage unit (26) configured to deliver electric power; and an electric power transmission assembly comprising: a first inverter (30; also see paragraph [0019]) electrically coupled to the first electric motor, and a second inverter (30; also see paragraph [0019]) electrically coupled to the second electric motor, the electric power transmission assembly configured to transmit electric power from the energy storage unit to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor (see paragraph [0019]).
Betz discloses electric motors (18) mechanically connected drive members (40/42) which are in turn coupled to first and second tracks but is silent in teaching that the drive members are drive wheels.
Yagyu teaches a crawler vehicle comprising: first and second tracks (4L/R, Fig. 2); first and second drive wheels (29L/R, Fig. 1) respectively coupled to the first and second tracks, and first and second motors (18L/R, Fig. 2) respectively mechanically coupled to the first and second drive wheels.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Yagyu to have drive wheels to arrive at the clamed invention. Such a modification would be obvious as a simple substitution of one known element (the drive member disclosed by Betz) for another known element (the drive wheel taught by Yagyu) to achieve predictable results. Since both the drive member and drive wheel are used for transmitting motive power from an electric motor to an endless track of a vehicle, such a person would predict that the modified device would perform substantially similarly to the original device.
With respect to claim 2, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches: the crawler vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first electric drive motor (Betz; 18) is arranged at the first drive wheel (Yagyu; 29L) and the second electric motor (Betz; 18) is arranged at the second drive wheel (Yagyu; 29R).
With respect to claim 3, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches: the crawler vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first drive wheel is configured to rotate around a first rotation axis, the second drive wheel is configured to rotate around a second rotation axis, the first electric motor is aligned with the first rotation axis and the second electric motor is aligned with the second rotation axis (see Yagyu; Fig. 2).
With respect to claim 5, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a working tool assembly (Betz; 56, Fig. 2) and a third electric motor (see “electric work implements 56 may include actuators (not shown) operated by, for example, electric motors”, paragraph [0030]) configured to drive the working assembly, wherein the electric power transmission assembly further comprises a third inverter (see power electronics (20) connected to electric work implement 56, Fig. 2; also see “power electronics 20 may include a power inverter”, paragraph [0015]) electrically coupled to the third electric motor and the electric power transmission assembly is configured to transmit electric power from the energy storage unit to the third electric motor.
With respect to claim 7, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 5, wherein the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel operate independently of any internal combustion engine (“electric powertrain 12 may operate such that power source 14 is substantially isolated from operation of electric motor(s) 18 and/or work implements 54 and/or 56”, paragraph [0044]).
With respect to claim 8, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a control unit (Betz; 28, Fig. 2) configured to receive commands issued by an operator (see “operator-commanded direction”, paragraph [0032]) of the crawler vehicle and to control a distribution of the electric power transmitted by the electric power transmission assembly to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor (“propel machine 10 in an operator-commanded direction”, paragraph [0052]) such that, while adhering to the control commands issued by the operator of the crawler vehicle, a sum of the power transmitted to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor is less than a total power delivered by the energy storage unit.
Regarding the limitation, “a sum of the power transmitted to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor is less than a total power deliverable by the energy storage unit.”, the sum of the power transmitted to the first and second electric motors would be less than a total power deliverable by the energy storage unit in any situation in which the machine is not operating both electric motors at their maximum capacities. Since the vehicle disclosed by Betz is operable at multiple speeds/power loads (see paragraph [0034]), the control unit is configured to adhere to at least some control commands issued by the operator such that a sum of the power transmitted to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor is less than a total power delivered by the energy storage unit
With respect to claim 9, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 8, wherein the control unit is configured to establish, in real time, a power priority between the first electric motor and the second electric motor. The vehicle disclosed by Betz is capable of turning (see “C-turns or S-turns”, paragraph [0052]). In order for the vehicle to turn, one track must move quicker than the other. In order for one track to move quicker than the other, the motor associated with that track must be given more power than the other. The motor that receives more power is considered to have power priority with respect to the other.
With respect to claim 15, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electric power transmission assembly is configured to exclusively transmit electric power from the energy storage unit to the first electric motor and the second electric motor (“electric powertrain 12 may operate such that power source 14 is substantially isolated from operation of electric motor(s) 18 and/or work implements 54 and/or 56”, paragraph [0044]).
With respect to claim 16, Betz discloses a method to control a crawler vehicle comprising:
Issuing control commands (see “operator’s commands”, paragraph [0025]) to a crawler vehicle comprising: a first track (30L, Fig. 1), a first drive member (29L) coupled to the first track,
a first electric motor (18L, Fig. 2) mechanically coupled to the first drive member, a second track (30R, Fig. 1), a second drive member (29R) independent of the first drive member and coupled to the second track, a second electric motor mechanically coupled to the second drive member, an electric energy storage unit ("battery", paragraph [0053]) configured to deliver electric power; and
an electric power transmission assembly comprising:
a first inverter (19L) electrically coupled to the first electric motor, and a second inverter (19R) electrically coupled to the second electric motor, the electric power transmission assembly configured to transmit electric power from the energy storage unit to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor; and
controlling a distribution of the electric power transmitted by the electric power transmission assembly to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor such that, while adhering to the control commands issued the crawler vehicle, a sum of the power transmitted to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor is less than a total power deliverable by the energy storage unit.
Regarding the limitation, “a sum of the power transmitted to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor is less than a total power deliverable by the energy storage unit.”, the sum of the power transmitted to the first and second electric motors would be less than a total power deliverable by the energy storage unit in any situation in which the machine is not operating both electric motors at their maximum capacities.
Betz discloses electric motors (18) mechanically connected drive members (40/42) which are in turn coupled to first and second tracks but is silent in teaching that the drive members are drive wheels.
With respect to claim 17, Betz discloses the method of claim 16, further comprising: establishing, in real time, a power priority between the first electric motor and the second electric motor. The vehicle disclosed by Betz is capable of turning (see “C-turns or S-turns”, paragraph [0052]). In order for the vehicle to turn, one track must move quicker than the other. In order for one track to move quicker than the other, the motor associated with that track must be given more power than the other. The motor that receives more power is considered to have power priority with respect to the other.
Yagyu teaches a crawler vehicle comprising: first and second tracks (4L/R, Fig. 2); first and second drive wheels (29L/R, Fig. 1) respectively coupled to the first and second tracks, and first and second motors (18L/R, Fig. 2) respectively mechanically coupled to the first and second drive wheels.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Yagyu to have drive wheels to arrive at the clamed invention. Such a modification would be obvious as a simple substitution of one known element (the drive member disclosed by Betz) for another known element (the drive wheel taught by Yagyu) to achieve predictable results. Since both the drive member and drive wheel are used for transmitting motive power from an electric motor to an endless track of a vehicle, such a person would predict that the modified device would perform substantially similarly to the original device.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Betz (US 20080121448 A1) in view of Yagyu (US 20240175241 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee (US 20250019019 A1.
With respect to claim 4, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 1 but is silent in teaching a first mechanical transmission configured to transmit mechanical power from the first electric motor to the first drive wheel, and a second mechanical transmission configured to transmit mechanical power from the second electric motor to the second drive wheel.
Lee teaches a track assembly (1, Fig. 4) for a vehicle comprising a motor (310), a drive wheel (140) driven by the motor, and a mechanical transmission (330) configured to transmit mechanical power from the electric motor to the drive wheel.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Yagyu in further view of Lee to arrive at the claimed invention and to allow the motors to provide higher torques without requiring more electrical power.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Betz (US 20080121448 A1) in view of Yagyu (US 20240175241 A1) as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Kobayashi (US 20240301650 A1).
Note, Kobayashi claims priority to Japanese application JP-2023-035264, filed 03-08-2023, and appears to be fully supported by the Japanese application.
With respect to claim 6, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 5, but is silent in teaching a hydraulic transmission assembly configured to transmit power from the third electric motor to the working tool assembly.
Kobayashi teaches a crawler vehicle comprising an electric motor (21a, Fig. 2) and a working tool assembly (18a-c) and further comprising a hydraulic transmission assembly (22a) configured to transmit power from the electric motor to the working tool assembly.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Yagyu in further view of Kobayashi to arrive at the claimed invention. Such a modification would be obvious as a simple substitution of one known element (the working tool assembly transmission disclosed by Betz) for another known element (the hydraulic working tool assembly transmission disclosed by Kobayashi) to achieve predictable results. Since both transmissions transmit motive power from an electric motor to a work implement installed on a vehicle, such a person would predict that the modified device would perform substantially similarly to the original.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Betz (US 20080121448 A1) in view of Yagyu (US 20240175241 A1) as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Sosnowski (US 20210094420 A1).
With respect to claim 10, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 8 but is silent in teaching: the control unit is configured to: set a first input current limit to the first electric motor as a function of an operating regime of the crawler vehicle, set a second input current limit to the second electric motor as the function of the operating regime of the crawler vehicle, and control the electric power transmission assembly such that a current of the electric power transmitted to the first electric motor does not exceed the first input current limit and a current of the electric power transmitted to the second electric motor does not exceed the second input current limit.
Sosnowski teaches an electric vehicle (100, Fig. 2) propelled by electric motors (122a-d) and a control unit configured to control the current (see “maximum available electric current”, paragraph [0007]) supplied to the motors such that the current does not exceed a current limit set based on a function of an operating regime (“first power state”, paragraph [0007]) of the vehicle.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Yagyu in further view of Sosnowski to arrive at the claimed invention and to reduce energy consumption when the vehicle is being operated in a manner that requires reduced input current to the motors.
With respect to claim 11, Betz in view of Yagyu in further view of Sosnowski as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to control the first inverter and the second inverter such that a current of the electric power transmitted to the first electric motor does not exceed the first input current limit and a current of the electric power transmitted to the second electric motor does not exceed the second input current limit.
Note, the current limits would not be limits if the control unit allowed for current above the limit to be delivered to the motors. Accordingly, when making a modification to impose current limits, such a person would be motivated to configure the control unit to control the first and second inverters such that a current of the electric power transmitted to the electric motors does not exceed the limits.
Claim 13 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Betz (US 20080121448 A1) in view of Yagyu (US 20240175241 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Carpenter (US 20130269911 A1).
With respect to claim 13, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 1 but is silent in teaching a frame, a drive cabin mounted on the frame, and a heat transfer assembly comprising: a heating element arranged within the drive cabin, a first heat exchanger configured to heat a first heating fluid by exchanging heat with at least one of the first electric motor, the second electric motor, the first inverter, and the second inverter, and a first transport system configured to convey the first heating fluid from the first heat exchanger to the heating element.
Carpenter teaches an electric vehicle (12, Fig. 1) comprising a frame, a drive cabin (18, Fig. 1) mounted on the frame, and a heat transfer assembly comprising: a heating element (“cabin heating heat exchanger”, paragraph [0134]) arranged within the drive cabin, a first heat exchanger (“heat exchanger”, paragraph [0138]) configured to heat a first heating fluid (“heat exchange fluid”, paragraph [0138]) by exchanging heat with an electric drive motor (“heated by the electric traction motor”, paragraph [0138]) and a transport system (see “flowing to the passenger cabin”, paragraph [0138]) configured to convey the heating fluid from the first heat exchanger to the heating element.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Yagyu in further view of Carpenter to provide a cabin supported by a frame with temperature control using waste heat.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Betz (US 20080121448 A1) in view of Yagyu (US 20240175241 A1) as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Clowes (US 20210023950 A1).
With respect to claim 14, Betz in view of Yagyu and Carpenter as modified above teaches the crawler vehicle of claim 13 but is silent in teaching that the heat transfer assembly further comprises: a second heat exchanger configured to heat a second heating fluid by exchanging heat with the hydraulic transmission assembly, and a second transport system configured to convey the second heating fluid from the second heat exchanger to the heating element.
Clowes teaches a work vehicle (1, Fig. 1) comprising a hydraulically powered implement and a heat transfer assembly comprising a heat exchanger (58, Fig. 3) configured to heat a heating fluid by exchanging heat with a hydraulic transmission assembly (“drawing heat from the hydraulic fluid”, paragraph [0067]) and a transport system (see “supplying it to…”, paragraph [0067]) configured to convey the heating fluid from the heat exchanger to a heating element.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Yagyu and Carpenter in further view of Clowes to arrive at the claimed invention and to allow more waste heat to be recovered.
Claim 18 is are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Betz (US 20080121448 A1) in view of Yagyu (US 20240175241 A1) as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Sosnowski (US 20210094420 A1).
With respect to claim 18, Betz in view of Yagyu as modified above teaches the method of claim 16 but is silent in teaching setting a first input current limit to the first electric motor as a function of an operating regime of the crawler vehicle, setting a second input current limit to the second electric motor as the function of the operating regime of the crawler vehicle, and controlling the electric power transmission assembly such that a current of the electric power transmitted to the first electric motor does not exceed the first input current limit and a current of the electric power transmitted to the second electric motor does not exceed the second input current limit.
Sosnowski teaches an electric vehicle (100, Fig. 2) propelled by electric motors (122a-d) and a control unit configured to control the current (see “maximum available electric current”, paragraph [0007]) supplied to the motors such that the current does not exceed a current limit set based on a function of an operating regime (“first power state”, paragraph [0007]) of the vehicle.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Yagyu in further view of Sosnowski to arrive at the claimed invention and to reduce energy consumption when the vehicle is being operated in a manner that requires reduced input current to the motors.
Note, the current limits would not be limits if the control unit allowed for current above the limit to be delivered to the motors. Accordingly, when making a modification to impose current limits, such a person would be motivated to configure the control unit to control the first and second inverters such that a current of the electric power transmitted to the electric motors does not exceed the limits.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Betz (US 20080121448 A1) in view of Yagyu (US 20240175241 A1) and Ota (JP 2016132857 A).
With respect to claim 20, Betz discloses: issuing control commands (“power electronic units 30 control the two electric motors 18”, paragraph [0032]) to a crawler vehicle comprising a first track (30L, Fig. 1), a first drive member (29L) coupled to the first track, a first electric motor (18) mechanically coupled to the first drive member, a second track (30R), a second drive member (29R) independent of the first drive wheel and coupled to the second track, a second electric motor (18) mechanically coupled to the second drive wheel, an electric energy storage unit ("battery", paragraph [0053]) configured to deliver electric power; and an electric power transmission assembly comprising a first inverter (19L) electrically coupled to the first electric motor, and a second inverter (19R) electrically coupled to the second electric motor, the electric power transmission assembly configured to transmit electric power from the energy storage unit to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor; and control a distribution of the electric power transmitted by the electric power transmission assembly to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor such that, while adhering to the control commands issued the crawler vehicle, a sum of the power transmitted to the first electric motor and to the second electric motor is less than a total power deliverable by the energy storage unit.
Note, master controller 36 and motor controllers 28 would not be able to function as disclosed by Betz without instructions for the controllers to follow; however, Betz not does not teach a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions.
Ota teaches a hybrid work machine comprising a processor (57) and a non-transitory computer readable medium (“processing program”) storing a plurality of instructions executed by the processor.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Ota to arrive at the claimed invention and to allow the controllers disclosed by Betz to function as disclosed.
Betz discloses electric motors (18) mechanically connected drive members (40/42) which are in turn coupled to first and second tracks but is silent in teaching that the drive members are drive wheels.
Yagyu teaches a crawler vehicle comprising: first and second tracks (4L/R, Fig. 2); first and second drive wheels (29L/R, Fig. 1) respectively coupled to the first and second tracks, and first and second motors (18L/R, Fig. 2) respectively mechanically coupled to the first and second drive wheels.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Betz in view of Yagyu to have drive wheels to arrive at the clamed invention. Such a modification would be obvious as a simple substitution of one known element (the drive member disclosed by Betz) for another known element (the drive wheel taught by Yagyu) to achieve predictable results. Since both the drive member and drive wheel are used for transmitting motive power from an electric motor to an endless track of a vehicle, such a person would predict that the modified device would perform substantially similarly to the original device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12 and 19 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.
Regarding claims 12 and 19, none of the cited references disclose or otherwise suggest setting a current limit as a function of a torque signal detected by an inverter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and discloses work vehicles and tracked vehicles in general.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Matthew D Lee whose telephone number is (571)272-6087. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Fri. (7:30 - 5:00 EST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John Olszewski can be reached at (571) 272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW D LEE/ Examiner, Art Unit 3617
/TIMOTHY WILHELM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
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