DETAILED ACTION
This is the First Office Action in response to the above identified patent
application filed on November 22, 2024.
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 § 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.
Claims 8-15 and 17-20 are 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.
Claim 8, lines 4-5, the limitations “a fifth gear train” and “a third gear train” are not fully understood because the claim does not define a second gear train. It is unclear if the claimed transmission inherently has a second gear train.
Claim 17, the limitation “both the first and second clutches are rotationally coupled to the input shaft via the same gear” is not fully understood what applicant considers as “the same gear.” It appears applicant is defining the first clutch (230) and the second clutch (240) are coupled to the input shaft (218) by a gear (258). See written disclosure at [0030]. However, component 258 does not appear to be a gear, which requires gear teeth. Further, applicant has not provided proper antecedent basis for “the same gear.”
Claim 18, the limitation “the synchronizer” is unclear if applicant is referencing the first synchronizer or the second synchronizer.
Claim 18, the limitation “the selector is configured to enable movement of the synchronizer between a first position and a second position, wherein: in a first position, the first synchronizer gear is rotationally coupled to the idler shaft; and in a second position, the second synchronizer gear is rotationally coupled to the idler shaft” is not fully understood. Referring to Figure 1, it is understood the synchronizer (242) couples the synchronizer gears (272,274) to the synchronizer shaft (246) and not to the idler shaft (232). Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yao (CN 107747613) in view of Kuwabara (WO 2019/082256) and (DE 19932118).
Yao teaches a transmission comprising: an input shaft (21), a first clutch (41) positioned on the input shaft; a second clutch (43) positioned on the input shaft; a synchronizer (42) positioned on a synchronizer shaft (22), wherein the synchronizer shaft is rotationally coupled to the input shaft; an idler shaft (25) rotationally coupled to the synchronizer shaft; and an output shaft (at 52,60) rotationally coupled to the idler shaft.
Yao does not teach the output shaft is in one of a first position and a second position. It was known in the art to configure a transmission with an output shaft having at least two operating positions. For example, Kuwabara teaches a transmission (4) having an output assembly (7) with an output shaft (74), wherein the output shaft having at least two operating positions (Figs. 6-10). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed device to configure the transmission of Yao with an output shaft having at least two operating positions, as taught by Kuwabara, motivation being to adapt the transmission from use in different vehicles having different space constraints.
Yao does not teach the transmission driven by two electric motors connected to the input shaft with a speed reducer. The prior art to Spaniel teaches a transmission (5) having a first electric motor (1) coupled to an input speed reduction gear train (4), wherein the input speed reduction gear train rotationally couples to an input shaft (3); a second electric motor (2) coupled to the input speed reduction gear train (4), the electric motors providing an electric drive device having optimal efficiency. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to drive the transmission of Yao with a pair of electric motors connected to the input shaft with a speed reducer, as taught by Spaniel, motivation being to provide an electric drive device having optimal efficiency.
Claim 2: The transmission of Yao modified with Kuwabara teaches the first position can be a short drop configuration (such as 72back, Fig. 10), wherein an axis of the output shaft is a first distance from an axis of the input shaft, and the second position can be a long drop configuration (such as 72Low,Fig. 10) wherein the axis of the output shaft is a second, further distance from the axis of the input shaft.
Claim 3: The transmission of Yao modified with Spaniel teaches the input speed reduction gear train 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, and the third gear couples to the second electric motor (2).
Claim 4: The transmission of Yao teaches the input shaft (21) is selectively rotationally coupled to the synchronizer shaft via a first clutch gear (711) of the first clutch (41) when the first clutch is engaged and wherein: the synchronizer shaft is selectively rotationally coupled to the idler shaft via a first synchronizer gear (712) when the synchronizer is in a first position; and the synchronizer shaft is selectively rotationally coupled to the idler shaft via a second synchronizer gear (722) when the synchronizer is in a second position.
Claim 5: The transmission of Yao teaches the input shaft (21) is selectively rotationally coupled to the idler shaft (22) via a gear train comprising a second clutch gear (731) of the second clutch (43), a first gear (732) arranged on the synchronizer shaft, and a second gear (733) arranged on the idler shaft.
Claim 6: The transmission of Yao teaches the first clutch (41) and the second clutch (43) are configured together as a multi-range clutch, wherein, in a first position of the multi-range clutch, the first clutch is engaged, and in a second position of the multi-range clutch, the second clutch is engaged.
Claim 7: The transmission of Yao teaches when the first clutch is engaged, the second clutch is disengaged, and the synchronizer is in a first position, the transmission system is in a first gear ratio, when the second clutch is engaged and the first clutch is engaged, the transmission system is in a second position, and when the first clutch is engaged, the second clutch is disengaged, and the synchronizer is in a second position, the transmission system is in a third gear ratio.
Claim 8: As described above, the transmission of Yao teaches, the synchronizer shaft (22) selectively coupled to the input shaft (21) via one of a fifth gear train (741,742,743) and a third gear train (721,722,723) depending on a selected gear ratio; an idler shaft (25) selectively coupled to the synchronizer shaft via one of the third gear train (722,723), a fourth gear train (732,733), and the fifth gear train (742,743) depending on the selected gear ratio; and an output shaft (at 52,60) coupled to the idler shaft (25) via a sixth gear train (51,52).
Claim 9: As described above, Spaniel teaches the first gear train comprises a first gear (4) meshed with a second gear (4), which also meshes with a third gear (4), wherein the first gear is rotationally coupled to a first rotor shaft of the first electric motor (1), the second gear is rotationally coupled to the input shaft, and the third gear rotationally couples to a second rotor shaft of the second electric motor (2).
Claim 10: The transmission of Yao teaches a second gear train (711,712,713) comprises a first clutch gear (711) of the first clutch (41) of the multi-range clutch meshed (indirectly) with a gear (712) that is rotationally coupled to the synchronizer shaft.
Claim 11: The transmission of Yao teaches the fifth gear train (741,742,743) comprises a second clutch gear (741) of the second clutch (43) of the multi-range clutch meshed with a first gear (741) that is rotationally coupled to the synchronizer shaft and is meshed with a second gear (733) that is rotationally coupled to the idler shaft.
Claim 12: The transmission of Yao teaches the third gear train (721,722,723) comprises a first synchronizer gear (722) of the synchronizer (42) meshed with a first gear (723) that is rotationally coupled to the idler shaft and the fourth gear train (732,733) comprise a second synchronizer gear (732) of the synchronizer meshed with a second gear (733) that is rotationally coupled to the idler shaft.
Claim 13: The transmission of Yao teaches the sixth gear train (51,52) comprises a first gear (51) rotationally coupled to the idler shaft meshed with a second gear (52) fixedly rotationally coupled to the output shaft.
Claim 14: The transmission of Yao modified with Kuwabara teaches in the short drop configuration (such as 72back, Fig. 10), an axis of the output shaft is a first distance from an axis of the input shaft and, in the long drop configuration (such as 72Low,Fig. 10), the axis of the output shaft is a second, further distance from the axis of the input shaft.
Claim 15: The transmission of Yao teaches in a first gear ratio, the input shaft is selectively rotationally coupled to the synchronizer shaft via a second gear train and the synchronizer shaft is rotationally coupled to the idler shaft via the third gear train; in a second gear ratio, the input shaft is selectively rotationally coupled to the synchronizer shaft and the idler shaft via the fifth gear train; and in a third gear ratio, the input shaft is selectively rotationally coupled to the synchronizer shaft via the second gear train and the synchronizer shaft is rotationally couple to the idler shaft via the fourth gear train.
Claim 16: The transmission of Yao modified with Kuwabara and Spaniel teaches each claim limitation, as described above with respect to claims 1-15.
Claim 17: The transmission of Yao teaches, as best understood, the first and second clutches (41,43) are configured as a multi-range clutch, wherein both the first and second clutches are rotationally coupled to the input shaft via the same gear.
Claim 18: The transmission of Yao teaches, as best understood, the synchronizer (42) comprises a selector (inherent), a first synchronizer gear (712), and a second synchronizer gear (722), wherein the selector is configured to enable movement of the synchronizer between a first position and a second position, wherein: in a first position, the first synchronizer gear is rotationally coupled to the idler shaft; and in a second position, the second synchronizer gear is rotationally coupled to the idler shaft.
Claim 19: The transmission of Yao teaches in the first gear ratio, the first clutch is engaged and the synchronizer is in the first position, and in the third gear ratio, the first clutch is engaged and the synchronizer is in the second position.
Claim 20: The transmission of Yao teaches in the second gear ratio, the first clutch is disengaged and the second clutch is engaged to couple the input shaft to the idler shaft, bypassing the synchronizer.
Conclusion
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