DETAILED ACTION
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
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 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.
Claims 2, 3, 7-9, 11-13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matoba JP 2011-190826 in view of Antrag DE 102017111382 A1.
Matoba discloses:
Claim 7- a wave generator (5) arranged to rotate about an axis and having an elliptical cross- section; a flex spline (3) mounted around the wave generator; and a bearing assembly (6, 7, 8) as claimed in claim 1, located around the wave generator between the wave generator and the flex spline (see figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claims 7, 11 and 12, Matoba discloses all of the claimed subject matter as described above. Matoba does not disclose a plurality ( 2 or 4) of rows of bearing components.
Antrag teaches a plurality ( 2 or 4) of rows of bearing components for the purpose of providing a particularly high torque at a small radial space (see paragraph 6 of English description).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matoba and provide a plurality ( 2 or 4) of rows of bearing components, as taught by Antrag, for the purpose of providing a particularly high torque at a small radial space.
Claim 2- wherein the bearing components comprise rollers arranged in a circumferentially side-by-side arrangement around the peripheral extent close enough to each other to secure the bearing components in place without additional securing means (see figure 3).
Claim 3- the rollers (8) each configured and arranged to roll about their own axis (the rollers perform this function).
Claim 8- an output spline (1) arranged around the flex spline, the output spline driven by the wave generator via the bearing assembly and the flex spline (the device performs this function).
Claim 9- an earth spline (2) arranged either side of the output spline.
Claim 13- wherein the wave generator is provided with one or more circumferential grooves (see space containing rollers 8) defined by radially extending walls (9), within which the or each set of bearing components (8) forming a row around the circumference of the wave generator is accommodated.
Claim 15- wherein the wave generator is provided with cut-outs in its walls (see cutouts containing 10 in figure 1)
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matoba JP 2011-190826 in view of Antrag DE 102017111382 A1 and further in view of Gotz GB 407,375.
Matoba discloses all of the claimed subject matter as described above. Matoba does not disclose smaller diameter idler rollers between each pair of rollers and configured to rotate in a direction opposite to adjacent the rollers.
Gotz teaches smaller diameter idler rollers (see II in fig. 2) between each pair of rollers (see fig. 1) and configured to rotate in a direction opposite to adjacent the rollers (see rotation arrows in figure 1) for the purpose of reducing friction.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matoba and provide smaller diameter idler rollers between each pair of rollers and configured to rotate in a direction opposite to adjacent the rollers, as taught by Gotz, for the purpose of reducing friction.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matoba JP 2011-190826 in view of Antrag DE 102017111382 A1, and further in view of Chmielewski et al. US 20240209930 A1.
Matoba discloses all of the claimed subject matter as described above. Matoba does not disclose Chmielewski.
Chmielewski teaches a wave generator having a conical interior shape (see figure 1a) at its ends for the purpose of reducing weight while maintaining radial strength.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matoba and provide a wave generator having a conical interior shape at its ends, as taught by Chmielewski, for the purpose of reducing weight while maintaining radial strength.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/6/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant generally argues Antrag DE ‘382 does not teach “a plurality of adjacent rows of circumferentially mounted bearing components”.
In response, Antrag clearly discloses: “a plurality of adjacent rows of circumferentially mounted bearing components (9)” Referring to figures 1-6 of Antrag, Figures 1-2 and 4-6 clearly disclosed four rows of bearings. Additionally, Figure 3 of Antrag clearly discloses six rows of bearings. Additionally, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matoba and provide a plurality ( 2 or 4) of rows of bearing components, as taught by Antrag, for the purpose of providing a particularly high torque at a small radial space.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2013/0276575 discloses a similar device but does not disclose idler rollers between standard rollers.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 TERENCE BOES whose telephone number is (571)272-4898. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-6:30.
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.
TERENCE BOES
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3618
/TERENCE BOES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
Prosecution Insights