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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by FR 2462612, hereafter ‘612.
Re Clm 1: ‘612 discloses an overload protection device that allows torque transmission between an inner rotating member (10) and an outer rotating member (14/16 or 46/48) that are coaxial and rotatable relative to each other, and is able to interrupt the transmission of torque exceeding a permissible level (para 0005), the device comprising: an inner ring (20); an outer ring (22); and a torque adjustment mechanism (threaded holes, screw), the inner ring having an inner transmission surface in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the inner rotating member (see figs), and a first taper surface on a radially outer side (see figs), the outer ring having an outer transmission surface in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the outer rotating member (see figs), and a second taper surface that makes contact with the first taper surface of the inner ring (see figs), the inner ring and the outer ring being configured to be inserted between the inner rotating member and the outer rotating member (see figs), with the first taper surface and the second taper surface contacting each other (see figs), the torque adjustment mechanism being configured to press the inner ring and the outer ring to come closer to each other in an axial direction (screw actuates axial movement of the wedges).
Re Clm 2: ‘612 discloses wherein the torque adjustment mechanism includes an internally threaded hole formed in the outer ring (fig 3) such as to extend in an axial direction, a screw hole formed in the inner ring (fig 3), and a screw member (38/40) that passes through the screw hole and engages with the internally threaded hole.
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 626732, hereafter ‘732.
Re Clm 1: ‘732 discloses an overload protection device (fig 5) that allows torque transmission between an inner rotating member (E) and an outer rotating member (C) that are coaxial and rotatable relative to each other, and is able to interrupt the transmission of torque exceeding a permissible level (as disclosed), the device comprising: an inner ring (inner wedge ring B); an outer ring (outer wedge ring B); and a torque adjustment mechanism (screw holes, screw), the inner ring having an inner transmission surface in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the inner rotating member (fig 5), and a first taper surface on a radially outer side (in contact with outer ring taper surface), the outer ring having an outer transmission surface in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the outer rotating member (fig 5), and a second taper surface that makes contact with the first taper surface of the inner ring, the inner ring and the outer ring being configured to be inserted between the inner rotating member and the outer rotating member (fig 5), with the first taper surface and the second taper surface contacting each other, the torque adjustment mechanism being configured to press the inner ring and the outer ring to come closer to each other in an axial direction (see fig 5).
Re Clm 3: ‘732 discloses wherein the torque adjustment mechanism includes: a restricting portion (axial stop on outer member) provided to one or both of the inner rotating member and the outer rotating member to restrict axial movement of one or both of the inner ring and the outer ring (fig 5); a pressing member (D) configured to press one or both of the inner ring and the outer ring toward the restricting portion (fig 5); an internally threaded hole formed either in the inner rotating member or the outer rotating member such as to extend in an axial direction (fig 5); a screw hole formed in the pressing member (fig 5); and a screw member that passes through the screw hole and engages with the internally threaded hole (fig 5).
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 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FR 2462612, hereafter ‘612.
Re Clm 4: ‘612 discloses a friction reducing material (24) on the outer ring between the outer rotation member to regulate the limit torque beyond which the coupling will slip (para 0006). ‘612 fails to explicitly disclose wherein a static friction between the inner transmission surface and the outer circumferential surface of the inner rotating member is smaller than a static friction between the outer transmission surface and the inner circumferential surface of the outer rotating member. Examiner notes that providing the low friction material (24) on the inside, between the inner rotational member and the inner ring, instead of the outside, would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention. Examiner notes the reversal/rearrangement of components in a prior art reference, where there is no disclosed significance to such reversal, is a design consideration within the skill of the art. In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955); In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Re Clm 5: ‘612 fails to discloses wherein the inner transmission surface is a surface that has been subjected to surface treatment. ‘612, however, discloses a friction reducing material (24) on the outer ring between the outer rotation member to regulate the limit torque beyond which the coupling will slip (para 0006). ‘612 fails to explicitly disclose wherein a static friction between the inner transmission surface and the outer circumferential surface of the inner rotating member is smaller than a static friction between the outer transmission surface and the inner circumferential surface of the outer rotating member. Examiner notes that providing the low friction material (24) on the inside, between the inner rotational member and the inner ring, instead of the outside, would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention. Examiner notes the reversal/rearrangement of components in a prior art reference, where there is no disclosed significance to such reversal, is a design consideration within the skill of the art. In re Gazda, 219 F.2d 449, 104 USPQ 400 (CCPA 1955); In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Re Clms 6-7: ‘612 fails to disclose wherein the treatment is a coating with a high hardness material with a hardness of 1500 HV or more. Examiner notes that Applicant has provided (in the Specification) known coating treatments with low friction and high hardness materials (VC, CrN, DLC). Examiner notes that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to replace the low friction liner with a low friction and high hardness coating to the inner transmission surface of the inner ring, for the purpose of providing a durable, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, thermally stable, low friction material.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN PETER MASINICK whose telephone number is (571)270-3060. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8a-5p EST.
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/JONATHAN P MASINICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
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