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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are currently pending in this application.
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) 1-4, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by HOCHMAYR (2015/0267792).
Regarding Claim 1, HOCHMAYR teaches A continuously variable transmission including: a driven clutch (88); a drive clutch (80) operably coupled to the driven clutch (88), the drive clutch (80) including a stationary sheave (82), a moveable sheave (83) positioned adjacent to the stationary sheave (82) along a common axis of defined by a shaft (100) and operable to translate axially relative to the stationary sheave (82), and a load member (130); a belt (86) extending between the drive clutch (80) and the driven clutch (88); and an actuator (94)(92)(124)(93)(98) coupled to the moveable sheave (83) of the drive clutch (80), the actuator operable to apply a force to the moveable sheave in a direction substantially along or parallel to the common axis.
Regarding Claim 2, HOCHMAYR teaches wherein the actuator is a pneumatic actuator [0085].
Regarding Claim 3, HOCHMAYR teaches wherein the actuator (94)(92)(124)(93)(98) is coupled to the to the shaft (100).
Regarding Claim 4, HOCHMAYR teaches further comprising a spider nut (90), wherein the actuator includes a piston (94) operably coupled to the spider nut (90) and a cylinder (124) coupled to the moveable sheave (83). The cylinder is coupled to the movable sheave through the shaft 100.
Regarding Claim 9, HOCHMAYR teaches A vehicle comprising: a frame (16) and defining an operator area; a plurality of ground engaging members (26)(65) configured to support the frame (16); a powertrain assembly supported by the frame (16), the powertrain assembly including: an engine (24) operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members; and a continuously variable transmission (40) driven by the engine (24), the continuously variable transmission (40) including: a driven clutch (88); a drive clutch (80) operably coupled to the driven clutch (88), the drive clutch (80) including a stationary sheave (82), a moveable sheave (83) positioned adjacent to the stationary sheave (82) along a common axis of defined by a shaft (100) and operable to translate axially relative to the stationary sheave (82), and a load member (130); a belt (86) extending between the drive clutch and the driven clutch; and an actuator (94)(92)(124)(93)(98) coupled to the moveable sheave of the drive clutch, the actuator operable to apply a force to the moveable sheave in a direction substantially along or parallel to the common axis.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8, 10-20 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 prior art does not teach or suggest wherein a chamber is defined between the piston and the moveable sheave with the other elements in Claim 5.
The prior art does not teach or suggest wherein the continuously variable transmission includes: a spider nut coupled to the shaft; a piston of the actuator coupled to the spider nut, wherein the piston is fixedly positioned relative to the shaft; a cylinder of the actuator coupled to the moveable sheave, wherein the cylinder is axially moveable relative to the shaft, and wherein a chamber is defined by the cylinder between the piston and the moveable sheave; and a nozzle of the actuator coupled to the piston and fluidly coupled to the chamber with the other elements in Claim 10.
The prior art does not teach or suggest wherein the continuously variable transmission includes: a spider nut coupled to the shaft; a piston of the actuator coupled to the spider nut, wherein the piston is fixedly positioned relative to the shaft; a cylinder of the actuator coupled to the moveable sheave, wherein the cylinder is axially moveable relative to the shaft, and wherein a chamber is defined between only the piston and cylinder; and a nozzle of the actuator coupled to the piston and fluidly coupled to the chamber with the other elements in Claim 19.
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 HENRY Y LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-7018. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MICHAEL MANSEN can be reached at 5712726608. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HENRY Y. LIU
Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/HENRY Y LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654