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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 11/14/24 and 6/3/25 are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mann et al. (US 5,779,588 A).
Regarding claim 1, Mann teaches a drive device comprising:
a motor (not shown, col 2 ln 65-68) including a motor shaft (portion connected to coupling 1) configured to rotate on an axis of rotation extending along an axial direction;
a first speed reducer (9) including:
a first input shaft (2) connected to the motor shaft and configured to rotate; and
a first output part (21) configured to reduce rotation of the first input shaft and output the reduced rotation; and
a first brake (6) disposed between the motor and the first speed reducer, the first brake (6) being configured to apply a braking force to the first input shaft (2).
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Regarding claim 2, Mann teaches a position of at least a portion of the first brake (6) in the axial direction is aligned with a position of at least a portion of the motor shaft in the axial direction (fig 1).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mann in view of Han (CN 118815876 A).
Regarding claim 3, Mann teaches claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, except for the added limitation of the motor includes a second brake configured to apply a braking force to the motor shaft.
Han teaches a speed reducer having a motor (400) includes a second brake (900) configured to apply a braking force to the motor shaft (fig 13) to improve the reliability of the speed reducer (abstract).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Mann’s drive device with the motor includes a second brake configured to apply a braking force to the motor shaft as taught by Han. Doing so would improve the reliability of the speed reducer (abstract).
Regarding claim 7, Mann teaches claimed invention as set forth in claim 1, except for the added limitation of a second speed reducer connected to the first output part, the second speed reducer including a second output part configured to reduce rotation of the first output part and output the reduced rotation.
Han teaches a speed reducer having a second speed reducer (600) connected to the first output part, the second speed reducer (600) including a second output part configured to reduce rotation of the first output part and output the reduced rotation (fig 13) to simplify inner structure of speed reducer and improve reliability of the speed reducer (abstract).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Mann’s drive device with a second speed reducer connected to the first output part, the second speed reducer including a second output part configured to reduce rotation of the first output part and output the reduced rotation as taught by Han. Doing so would improve the reliability of the speed reducer (abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, and 8 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the record of prior art by itself or in combination with other references does not show the drive device wherein the first brake includes: a solenoid configured to generate a magnetic force upon being powered; a rotatable plate configured to rotate relative to the solenoid but not to rotate relative to the first input shaft; a stationary plate configured not to rotate relative to the solenoid; and an armature configured to move in the axial direction, the armature being biased by a bias force acting toward a first direction in the axial direction, the armature being configured to move toward a second direction that is opposite to the first direction upon being acted upon by the magnetic force of the solenoid, the armature being configured to press the rotatable plate against the stationary plate upon being acted upon by the bias force or the magnetic force to apply a braking force to the first input shaft, as recited in claim 4, or wherein the first speed reducer includes: a first casing having, on an inner circumferential surface thereof, internal teeth arranged in a circumferential direction; a first external gear having external teeth meshing with the internal teeth of the first casing; a first shaft member connected to the first input shaft, the first shaft member being configured to cause the first external gear to eccentrically oscillate; and a first carrier supporting the first shaft member, the first carrier being configured to serve as the first output part configured to rotate relative to the first casing, and wherein the second speed reducer includes: a second input shaft connected to the first carrier; a second casing having, on an inner circumferential surface thereof, internal teeth arranged in a circumferential direction; a second external gear having external teeth meshing with the internal teeth of the second casing; a second shaft member connected to the second input shaft, the second shaft member being configured to cause the second external gear to eccentrically oscillate; and a second carrier supporting the second shaft member, the second carrier being configured to serve as the second output part configured to rotate relative to the second casing, as recited in claim 8.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Radev (US 5,804,935 A) teaches a dual-rotor electric motor (1), having an outer rotor (3) and an inner rotor (4), drives a first drive axle (5) and a second drive axle (6), while also provides inter-axle speed differential function. One of the drive axles is also a steering axle. Torque and rotation are transmitted between the outer rotor and the first drive axle through a clutch (19) and a first drive shaft (20), and between the inner rotor and the second drive axle through a second drive shaft (22). A first brake (24) brakes the rotation of the outer rotor, and a second brake (25) brakes the rotation of the inner rotor. A fluid pressure source, including a pump (51) and an accumulator (59), provides fluid pressure, through a plurality of fluid lines, for operating the clutch and brakes. Electromagnetic control valves (60, 61, 62) control the operation of the clutch and brakes. An electronics (78) monitors and compares continuously the rotational speeds of the axles and controls the valves for engaging the clutch and releasing the first brake when a speed lower than a predetermined value is detected, whereby providing low-speed/four-wheel-drive mode, or disengaging the clutch and applying the first brake when a speed higher than a predetermined value is detected, whereby providing high-speed/two-wheel-drive mode, or applying the first brake or the second brake when a traction slip respectively of the first drive axle or of the second drive axle higher than a respective predetermined value is detected, whereby providing anti-slip traction control.
Elliot (US 2022/0055875 A1) teaches a braking system for a motor housing is provided. In one example, braking system comprises a double disk brake configuration arranged in a motor housing. A working position of the double disk brake is configured to automatically adjust based on a condition of a friction pad of a friction disk.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEDA T PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-5806. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LEDA T PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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