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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-8, 11, 12, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(1)(1) as being anticipated by CN111823853 to Wang et al. (cited by applicant).
Regarding claim 1, Wang teaches an electric drive assembly 1, comprising a first electric motor 111, a second electric motor 112, a first speed reducer 121, a second speed reducer 122, and an electric motor controller 13; the first speed reducer 121 being connected between the first electric motor 111 and a first wheel (), the second speed reducer being connected between the second electric motor and a second wheel, one of the first wheel and the second wheel being a left wheel, and the other one of the first wheel and the second wheel being a right wheel (para [0086]; the drive assembly differentially drives wheels for smooth steering, which requires left and right wheels); and the first electric motor, the second electric motor, the first speed reducer, and the second speed reducer being disposed in a U-shape (Figure 2), and forming an electric motor controller 13 mounting space configured to mount the electric motor controller (para [0057]).
Regarding claim 2, the first electric motor and the second electric motor are disposed side by side in a vehicle width direction (para [0053], on left and right sides of baffle 1102), and the first electric motor, the second electric motor, and the electric motor controller are located between the first speed reducer and the second speed reducer (Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 4, Wang teaches an integrated housing 110 (para [0050]), a first speed reducer housing (para [0056], Figure 3), and a second speed reducer housing (para [0056], FIugre3), the integrated housing comprising a first electric motor housing 110 comprising a first electric motor mounting cavity configured to mount the first electric motor, a second electric motor housing comprising a second electric motor mounting cavity configured to mount the second electric motor (housing 110 and baffle 1102 form two motor cavities; para [0051]-[00523]), and an electric motor controller housing at 13 located in the electric motor controller mounting space and comprising an electric motor controller mounting cavity configured to mount the electric motor controller (Figure 1); the first electric motor housing, the second electric motor housing, and the electric motor controller housing connected to each other; and the first speed reducer housing connected to a first surface of the integrated housing, and the second speed reducer housing connected to a second surface of the integrated housing.
Regarding claim 5, Wang teaches the first electric motor housing, the second electric motor housing, and the electric motor controller housing are integrally formed (para [0055], lines 1-2); or the first electric motor housing and the second electric motor housing are integrally formed, and are separately disposed from and connected to the electric motor controller housing; or the first electric motor housing and the second electric motor housing are separately disposed, the electric motor controller housing and the first electric motor housing are connected or integrally formed, and the electric motor controller housing and the second electric motor housing are connected or integrally formed.
Regarding claim 6, the first speed reducer housing is fixed or integrally formed on the first surface of the integrated housing, and the second speed reducer housing is fixed or integrally formed on the second surface of the integrated housing (Wang teaches that speed reducer housings are integrally formed with the motor housing in para [0055] or they can be separately formed and bolted to the integrated motor housing as described in para [0056]).
Regarding claim 7, Wang teaches that the first electric motor 111 has a first stator component 1111 and a first rotor component 1112, and the second electric motor 112 has a second stator component 1121 and a second rotor component 1122; the first stator component 1111 is fixed on a cavity wall of the first electric motor mounting cavity (Figure 3), and the first rotor component 1112 is disposed inside the first stator component (Figure 3); and the second stator component is fixed on a cavity wall of the second electric motor mounting cavity, and the second rotor component is disposed inside the second stator component (Figure 3; para [0047], [0050]).
Regarding claim 8, Wang teaches a first end plate and a second end plate (seen at ends of motor assembly 11 in Figure 1), the first end plate fixed on the first surface of the integrated housing 110, and the second end plate fixed on the second surface of the integrated housing; the first electric motor comprising a first stator component 1111, a first rotor component 1112, and a first electric motor encapsulation housing 110 configured to encapsulate the first stator component and the first rotor component (Figure 3), the first electric motor 111 disposed in the first electric motor mounting cavity and spaced apart from a cavity wall of the first electric motor mounting cavity (axially spaced from baffle wall 1102), the first rotor component 1112 disposed inside the first stator component 1111, and the first electric motor encapsulation housing fixed on the first end plate; and the second electric motor 112 comprising a second stator component 1121, a second rotor component 1122, and a second electric motor encapsulation housing 110 configured to encapsulate the second stator component and the second rotor component, the second electric motor disposed in the second electric motor mounting cavity and spaced apart from a cavity wall of the second electric motor mounting cavity, the second rotor component disposed inside the second stator component, and the second electric motor encapsulation housing fixed on the second end plate (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 11, Wang shows an electric motor controller cover plate (cover plate for controller 13 is shown in Figure 1) fixed at an opening of the electric motor controller mounting cavity (fixed in place, see Figures 1 and 2 and para [0058]).
Regarding claim 12, Wang teaches a first end plate and a second end plate (unnumbered, shown in Figures,1, 2, on opposite ends of motor assembly 11 and in Figure 3 on opposite ends of shell 1101 of housing 110) the first end plate fixed on the first surface of the integrated housing 110 (appears to be fixed by bolts), and the second end plate fixed on the second surface of the integrated housing 9also shown in Figures 1-3); and an electric motor shaft 1113 of the first electric motor supported on the first end plate through a bearing, and an electric motor shaft 1123 of the second electric motor supported on the second end plate through a bearing (bearings in the plates are shown but not described; bearings 1103, 1104, supporting one end of each motor shaft in the baffle 1102 are described and the bearings holding the opposite end of each motor shaft are illustrated in Figure 3).
Regarding claim 14, Wang teaches a speed ratio of the first speed reducer is the same as a speed ratio of the second speed reducer (the speed reducers have the same structure).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 3 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN ‘853 to Wang in view of CN112519494 to Dongfeng (cited by applicant).
Regarding claim 3, the first electric motor 111 and the second electric motor 112 are coaxially disposed in the vehicle width direction (para [0053], spaced left to right; and coaxial, as seen in Figure 3); an input gear of the first speed reducer is coaxially connected to an electric motor shaft of the first electric motor (para [0050]), and an output gear of the first speed reducer is connected to an axle of the first wheel; and an input gear of the second speed reducer is coaxially connected to an electric motor shaft of the second electric motor. Output gears of the speed reducers are connected to wheels, but it is not clear if they are coaxially connected to the wheel axles.
Dongfeng shows a dual motor electric drive assembly having first and second motors 1, 10, connected to first 2-7 and second 11-16 speed reducers. Output gears 7, 16, of the speed reducers are coaxially connected to axles 8, 17, of the respective wheels 9, 18.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to position the output gears of the speed reduces of Wang coaxially with the wheel axles, as taught by Dongfeng, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to form the drive arrangement compactly to minimize materials used, space required and weight.
Regarding claim 13, Wang is silent regarding the gearing arrangements of the speed reducers.
Dongfeng teaches a first speed reducer comprising a first reduction gear set 2-7, the first reduction gear set comprises a first input shaft 2, a first gear 3, a first intermediate shaft 5, a second gear 4, a third gear 6, a first output shaft 8, and a fourth gear 7, the first gear 3 is disposed on the first input shaft 2, the second gear 4 and the third gear 6 are disposed on the first intermediate shaft 5, the fourth gear 7 is disposed on the first output shaft 8 (Figure 1), the first gear serves as an input gear of the first speed reducer and engages with the second gear, and the fourth gear serves as an output gear of the first speed reducer and engages with the third gear; one end of the first input shaft 2 is connected to the first electric motor, the other end of the first input shaft is supported on the first speed reducer housing through a bearing (as well known in the art), one end of the first output shaft 8 is connected to an axle of the first wheel 9, the other end of the first output shaft is supported on the first end plate through a bearing, one end of the first intermediate shaft is supported on the first speed reducer housing through a bearing, and the other end of the first intermediate shaft is supported on the first end plate through a bearing; and the second speed reducer housing comprises a second reduction gear set, the second reduction gear set comprises a second input shaft, a fifth gear, a second intermediate shaft, a sixth gear, a seventh gear, a second output shaft, and an eighth gear, the fifth gear is disposed on the second input shaft, the sixth gear and the seventh gear are disposed on the second intermediate shaft, the eighth gear is disposed on the second output shaft, the fifth gear serves as an input gear of the second speed reducer and engages with the sixth gear, and the eighth gear serves as an output gear of the second speed reducer and engages with the seventh gear; and one end of the second input shaft is connected to the second electric motor, the other end of the second input shaft is supported on the second speed reducer housing through a bearing, one end of the second output shaft is connected to an axle of the second wheel, the other end of the second output shaft is supported on the second end plate through a bearing, one end of the second intermediate shaft is supported on the second speed reducer housing through a bearing, and the other end of the second intermediate shaft is supported on the second end plate through a bearing (each rotating shaft requires bearings at both ends and the shafts are connected between the reducer housings and the plates closing opposite ends of the motor housing).
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 speed reducer of Wang coaxially with an output shaft from the motor and having an intermediate shaft, an output shaft, and the intermeshing gearing claimed, as taught by Dongfeng, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide appropriate gear reduction for an electric vehicle in a compact arrangement.
Claim(s) 15 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN ‘853 to Wang in view of Verbridge (USPGPub 2020/0164736).
Regarding claims 15 and 16, Wang teaches a vehicle having a drive system, an electric drive assembly disposed on a drive axle, wherein the electric drive assembly comprises: a first electric motor 111, a second electric motor 112, a first speed reducer 121, a second speed reducer 122, and an electric motor controller 13 (see Figures 1-3); the first speed reducer is connected between the first electric motor and a first wheel, the second speed reducer is connected between the second electric motor and a second wheel, one of the first wheel and the second wheel is a left wheel, and the other one of the first wheel and the second wheel is a right wheel; and the first electric motor, the second electric motor, the first speed reducer, and the second speed reducer are disposed in a U-shape, and form an electric motor controller mounting space configured to mount the electric motor controller (see figures, para [0057]).
Wang lacks a drive assembly comprising a front drive axle and a rear drive axle, to configure the vehicle with four-wheel drive.
Verbridge teaches a vehicle having a four-wheel drive system comprising a front drive axle and rear drive axle (front drive unit 110 at the front axle and rear drive unit 120 at the rear axle; para [0021], Figure 1), each drive axle having an electric drive assembly 110, 120. Each electric drive assembly includes two electric motors 111, 112, (para [0022]) and two sets of reduction gearing 263, 273 (para [0024]). Verbridge teaches providing substantially identical drive assemblies (identical elements, arranged at 180 degrees; para [0021]) for each of the front and rear drive axles.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide electric drive assemblies at both front and rear axles, as taught by Verbridge, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide improved traction in poor weather conditions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 10 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Milton shows an electric drive unit with end plates that support reduction gearing.
Nishizawa teaches a holder for three-phase wiring on the housing for a drive motor.
Tabata shows a groove formed in the housing of a drive motor.
Yanagihara and Ito teach dual motor electric drive assemblies.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anne Marie M. Boehler whose telephone number is (571)272-6641. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8-5pm.
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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.
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/ANNE MARIE M BOEHLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/ab/
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