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 . 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.
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.
Claim 1-2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20080099292 A1 (LEE) in view of US 20070074945 A1 (Ponson et al.).
Regarding Claim 1 LEE discloses an overrunning bi-directional clutch ( Figure 1 element 10 is the overrunning bi-directional clutch) comprising an inner ring and an outer ring provided capable of relative rotation on the same axis ( Figure 1 element 12 is the fixed ring which is the inner ring and element 16 is the slipper ring which is the outer ring of the clutch provided capable of relative rotation on the same axis); wherein an outer peripheral surface of the inner ring and an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring have cylindrical shapes ( Figure 6A element 12 is the inner ring and element 16 is the outer ring having smooth bearing surfaces); the torque transmission mechanism has a plurality of cams provided in a circumferential direction between the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring ( Figure 3A element 18 are forty sprag elements positioned circumferentially in the annular space between the fixed ring 12 and slipper ring 16); a plurality of minimum radius parts and a plurality of maximum radius parts are alternately disposed ( Figure 1 element 18 is a sprag that has a shape of the number eight providing alternating minimum and maximum radii), and the cam is formed with a rotationally symmetric shape with respect to a rotation center thereof ( Figure 1 element 18 is a symmetrical sprag that Is symmetrical from top-to -bottom as well as side-to-side); and in a state where the maximum radius part is opposed to the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring, a diameter including the maximum radius part is formed larger than an interval between the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring ( Figure 5 element 18 are sprags rocking diagonally to apply a radial wedging force against the rings inherently requiring the maximum diagonal diameter to be larger than the interval between the rings) but fails to discloses an overload protecting device capable of shutting down the transmission of a torque equal to or larger than an allowable level.
However, Ponson et al. teaches an overload protecting device (Figure 5 element 7 Is a friction element acting as a torque limiter member) capable of shutting down the transmission of a torque equal to or larger than an allowable level (Figure 5 element 7 is a friction element placed between the sleeve 2 and the solid race 14 that slips angularly when the torque transmitted exceeds a predetermined threshold to smooth torque peaks and shut down transmission of excessive torque, Paragraph 0054).
It would therefore have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the overrunning bi-directional clutch of LEE with the torque limiting friction element capable of shutting down the transmission of a torque equal to or larger than an allowable level as taught by Ponson. Such modification would provide the benefit of limiting the torque transmitted by a freewheel when the freewheel is in a locked positioned to reduce the stresses sustained by other mobile elements and reduce their fatigues (Ponson Paragraph 0005).
Regarding Claim 2 LEE in view of Ponson teach the overload protecting device according to claim 1, and wherein LEE further teaches the cam has the minimum radius parts at two spots at a position of 180º and the maximum radius parts at two spots at a position of 180º ( Figures 7A and 7C element 40 is a sprag having opposing contact points providing minimum and maximum radii poisoned at opposite 180º spots); and a minimum diameter connecting the minimum radius parts at the two spots and a maximum diameter connecting the maximum radius parts at the two spots are disposed so as to form an angle other than 90º (Figures 7A and 7C element 40 is an asymmetrical sprag that is non-symmetrical in a radial direction where forms a skewed shape requiring the minimum and maximum diameters to cross at an angle other than 90º, See annotated Figure 7C ) .
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Regarding Claim 4 LEE in view of Ponson teach the overload protecting device according to claim 1, and wherein LEE further teaches at least either one of the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring is constituted movably in a radial direction and is urged to a direction approaching each other( Figure 3A element 34 is an axial groove or slit extending radially and axially through the slipper ring 16 that allows the slipper ring 16 to move radially under force and the memory inherent in the material from which the slipper ring 16 is made allows the ring to return to a rest position once the force is withdrawn inherently urging it in a direction approaching the inner ring, paragraph 4).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20080099292 A1 (LEE) in view of US 20070074945 A1 (Ponson et al.) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 4130191 A (Judd et al.).
Regarding Claim 3 LEE in view of Ponson teach the overload protecting device according to claim 1 but fail to teach wherein the torque transmission mechanism has urging means that urges a plurality of the cams to a rotating direction thereof; in a state where the minimum radius part is opposed to the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring, a diameter including the minimum radius part is formed smaller than an interval between the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring; the urging means has a spring extended around a pressing portion provided on the cam and urging the pressing portion to an inner ring direction; and the pressing portion provided in the cam is formed so as to be pressed by the spring at a position eccentric to a rotation center of the cam.
However, Judd teaches as sprag clutch assembly comprising a torque transmission mechanism having urging means that urges the cams (Figure 1 element 28 are the contracting grate springs acting as urging means that engage the sprags 16 and urge the cams into race engaging positions); the urging means has a spring extended around a pressing portion provided on the cam ( Figure 1 element 28 is the contracting grate sprag encircling the footed portions 18 of the sprags) and urging the pressing portion to an inner ring direction ( Figure 1 element 28 is the contracting garter spring which inherently exerts a radially inward contracting force towered the inner race 10); and the pressing portion provided in the cam is formed so as to be pressed by the spring at a position eccentric to a rotation center of the cam ( Figure 1 element 18 is the axially extending footed portion closely adjacent sinner race 10 which positions it eccentrically form the center of the sprag 16 body).
It would therefore have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the overrunning bi-directional clutch of LEE in view of Ponson with the torque transmission mechanism has urging means that urges a plurality of the cams to a rotating direction thereof; in a state where the minimum radius part is opposed to the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring, a diameter including the minimum radius part is formed smaller than an interval between the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring; the urging means has a spring extended around a pressing portion provided on the cam and urging the pressing portion to an inner ring direction; and the pressing portion provided in the cam is formed so as to be pressed by the spring at a position eccentric to a rotation center of the cam as taught by Judd. Such modification would provide the benefit of allowing a much higher force to be imparted to the cams than can be obtained with similar sized garter springs which ensures the camas respond immediately and provides the highest indexing rates.
Claims 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20080099292 A1 (LEE) in view of US 20070074945 A1 (Ponson et al.) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 4373620 A ( Zlotek).
Regarding Claim 5 LEE in view of Ponson teach the overload protecting device according to claim 1 but fail to teach wherein the cam is formed of an elastic material or includes an elastic member, and a radius of the maximum radius part is constituted changeably.
However, Zlotek teaches a cam that includes an elastic member, and radius of the maximum radius art is constituted changeably (Figures 1 and 2 element 16 are individual rigid sprags having grooves 26 in their sides and element 28 is an elastomeric energizer O ring contained within the annular recess formed by the grooves to act as a two-part assembly where the elastomeric O ring compresses and deforms).
It would therefore have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective fling date to provide the overrunning bidirectional clutch of LEE in view Zlotek with the cam is formed of an elastic material or includes an elastic member, and a radius of the maximum radius part is constituted changeably as taught by Zlotek. Such modification would provide the benefit of dampening sprag oscillations, thereby cutting clutch chatter, avoiding localize stresses on the energizing surfaces of the sprags and ensuring less wearing of both energizer and the sprags in contact therewith (Abstract of Zlotek).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2960852 A, US 2837189 A, US 2781882 A, US 2668426 A, US 20210018045 A1, US 20190078628 A, US 6168402 B1, US 8220607 B2, US 4949824 A.
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/A.H.A./ Examiner, Art Unit 3678
/AMBER R ANDERSON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3678
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