DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the amendment filed April 17, 2026 for the above identified patent application.
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 § 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(s) 1, 3-7 and 16, 17, 19, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ziegler (DE 26 20 972) alone, or alternatively, in combination with Spaniel (DE 199 32 118).
Ziegler teaches a three-speed transmission system comprising: an input shaft (14); a first clutch shaft (18); a second clutch shaft (20); an idler shaft (24); a first clutch (34) configured to selectively engage the first clutch shaft; a second clutch (56) configured to selectively engage the second clutch shaft; a third clutch (50) configured to selectively engage the first clutch shaft; and an output shaft (16) coupled to the idler shaft, wherein the output shaft is positioned in one of a first and second position relative to the input shaft (the first and second output shaft positions are considered a first rotational position and a second rotational position); wherein the input shaft is positioned between the first clutch shaft and the second clutch shaft in relation to an axis that extends perpendicular to the input shaft, the first clutch shaft, and the second clutch shaft.
Ziegler does not teach one/two electric motor(s) driving the input shaft through an input speed reduction gear train. The prior art to Spaniel teaches a pair of electric motors (1,2) connected to a transmission input shaft (3) with an input speed reduction gear train (4) for providing an electric drive device having optimal efficiency. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to drive the input shaft of Ziegler with a pair of electric motors having an input speed reduction gear train, as taught by Spaniel, motivation being to provide an electric drive device having optimal efficiency.
Claim 3: The above described transmission of Ziegler modified with Spaniel teaches the input speed reduction gear train (Fig. 2 of Spaniel) comprises a first gear (4), a second gear (4), and a third gear (4) coupled in series, wherein the first gear couples to the first electric motor (1), the second gear rotationally couples to the input shaft (3), and the third gear couples to the second electric motor (2).
Claim 4: Ziegler teaches the input shaft is selectively rotationally coupled to the first clutch shaft via a first clutch gear (36) of the first clutch when the first clutch is engaged and via a third clutch gear (44) of the third clutch when the third clutch (and the first clutch are) is engaged.
Claim 5: Ziegler teaches the input shaft is selectively rotationally coupled to the second clutch shaft via a second clutch gear (54) of the second clutch when the second clutch is engaged.
Claim 6: Ziegler teaches the first clutch and the third clutch are configured together as a multi-range clutch, wherein, in a first position (friction plated or 34 are engaged and friction plates of 50 are disengaged) of the multi-range clutch, the first clutch is engaged, and in a second position (friction plated or 34 are disengaged and friction plates of 50 are engaged) of the multi-range clutch, the third clutch is engaged.
Claim 7: Ziegler teaches when the first clutch is engaged and the second and third clutches are disengaged, the transmission system is in a first gear ratio, when the second clutch is engaged and the first and third clutches are disengaged, the transmission system is in a second gear ratio, and when the third clutch is engaged and the first and second clutches are disengaged, the transmission system is in a third gear ratio.
Claim 17: Ziegler teaches the first and third clutches are configured as a multi-range clutch, wherein both the first and third clutches are rotationally coupled to the input shaft via the same gear (44).
Claim 19: Ziegler teaches the input shaft is rotationally coupled to the first clutch shaft via the first clutch when the first clutch is engaged and via the third clutch when the third clutch (and the first clutch are) is engaged with the first clutch shaft.
Claim 20: Ziegler teaches the idler shaft is rotationally coupled to the first clutch shaft and the second clutch shaft.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 9, and 11-15 are allowed.
Claims 2 and 18 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: The prior art transmission does not teach the claimed structure, including the output shaft having short drop configuration and a long drop configuration.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM C JOYCE whose telephone number is (571)272-7107. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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, Minnah Seoh can be reached at 571-270-7778. 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.
/WILLIAM C JOYCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
Prosecution Insights