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 .
Status of Claims
This office action is in response to the amendments/remarks filed on 01/21/2026. Claims 1-7, 9-12, 14-23 are pending; claim 1 and 9-10, 12 and 17 has been amended; claims 8, 13 are canceled.
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.
Claim 17 is 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 17 recites "wherein the second planet carrier is rotationally connectable to a stationary member of the transmission arrangement via the first clutch”. It is unclear because claim 12 defines "the crawler unit being drivingly connectable between the first planetary gear set and the output shaft by a first clutch, which corresponds to clutch 445; however, clutch 445 does not rotationally connect second planet carrier 452 to stationary member 459 as required by claim 17.
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, 6, 9-11, 18-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HAO (CN 209414526 U cited from IDS) in view of DEMPEL (US 2021/0162852)
Claim 1: HAO discloses a transmission arrangement (Fig.1) for a vehicle (¶[0002]), the transmission arrangement (fig.1) comprising:
a first input shaft (12) drivingly connectable to a first electric traction motor (9),
the first input shaft (12) comprising a first input shaft gear (8) rotationally fixed to the first input shaft (1),
a second input shaft (3) drivingly connectable to a second electric traction motor (1), the second input shaft (3) comprising a second input shaft gear wheel (see annotated Fig below) rotationally fixed to the second input shaft (3),
a transmission shaft (10) drivingly connectable to a pair of wheels of the vehicle (see ¶[0050] “The input shaft 12 is connected to the differential through a flange, and the power is ultimately transmitted to the wheels through the differential.”), the transmission shaft (10) comprising a transmission gear wheel (7) rotationally fixed to the transmission shaft (10), the transmission gear wheel (7) being arranged in meshing engagement with the first input shaft gear wheel (8), and
a countershaft (4) comprising a first countershaft gear wheel (6) arranged in meshing engagement with the transmission gear wheel (7), and a second countershaft gear wheel (see annotated Fig below) arranged in meshing engagement with second input shaft gear wheel (see annotated Fig below), wherein the second input shaft (3) is drivingly connectable to the transmission shaft (10) via the countershaft (4).
HAO does not disclose wherein the transmission arrangement further comprises a first planetary gear set comprising a first sun gear, a first ring gear and a first planet carrier carrying a first set of planet years, the first set of planet gears being in meshing engagement with the first ring gear and the first sun gear, wherein the first sun gear and the first ring gear are individually rotationally connectable to the transmission shaft, and wherein the first planet carrier is rotationally connected to an output shaft.
DEMPEL teaches wherein the transmission arrangement (100; Fig.1) further comprises a first planetary gear set (5) comprising a first sun gear (first sun gear, see ¶[0037]), a first ring gear (e.g. internal gear, see ¶[0037]) and a first planet carrier (planetary carrier, see ¶[0037]) carrying a first set of planet gears (first planets, see ¶[0037]), the first set of planet gears (first planets, see ¶[0037]) being in meshing engagement with the first ring gear (e.g. internal gear) and the first sun gear (first sun gear; see ¶[0037]), wherein the first sun gear (first sun gear; ¶[0037]) and the first ring gear (e.g. internal gear) are individually rotationally connectable (via se1 and se3) to a transmission shaft (10), and wherein the first planet carrier (planetary carrier, ¶[0037]) is rotationally connected to an output shaft ( 11).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a first planetary gearset (5-DEMPEL) comprising a first sun gear, a first ring gear and a first planet carrier carrying a first set of planet gears, the first set of planet gears being in meshing engagement with the first ring gear and the first sun gear, wherein the first sun gear and the first ring gear are rotationally connectable to the transmission shaft, and wherein the first planet carrier is rotationally connected to an output shaft as taught by DEMPEL in the transmission arrangement of HAO for the purpose of optimizing performance and efficiency for various driving conditions.
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Claim 2: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the transmission arrangement of claim 1, wherein the transmission arrangement further comprises a countershaft clutch (5-HAO) arranged to selectively drivingly connect the second input shaft (3 -HAO) to the transmission shaft (10-HAO).
Claim 3: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the transmission arrangement of claim 2, wherein the countershaft clutch (5) is arranged to selectively rotationally connect the second countershaft gear wheel (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1) to the countershaft (4) ( when 5 shifts to the right, it connects countershaft gear and when 5 disengages, the second countershaft gear rotate freely).
Claim 6: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the transmission arrangement of claim 2, wherein the countershaft clutch (5) is arranged to selectively rotationally connect the first countershaft gear wheel (6) to the countershaft (5) (when 5 disengages, it allows gear 6 to rotate freely relative to shaft 4; and when 5 shifts to the right, it connects 6 and shaft 4 so they rotate together).
Claim 9: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the transmission arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first sun gear (first sun-DEMPEL, ¶[0037]) of the first planetary gear set (5-DEMPEL) is rotationally connectable to the transmission shaft (10) by a second clutch (SE1) of the transmission arrangement.
Claim 10: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the transmission arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first ring gear (e.g. internal gear, ¶[0037]) of the first planetary gear set (5-DEMPEL) is rotationally connectable to the transmission shaft (10) by a third clutch (SE3-DEMPEL) of the transmission arrangement.
Claim 11: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the transmission arrangement of claim 10, wherein the first ring (e.g. internal gear, ¶[0037]) gear of the first planetary gear set (5-DEMPEL) is rotationally connectable to a stationary member (“In particular a brake, is set up to release or to brake the internal gear of the double planetary transmission 5, in particular by the brake connecting the internal gear to a fixed point or, for example, supporting it the housing (not shown) of the transmission 100”; see ¶[0037]) via the third clutch (SE3-DEMPEL).
Claim 18: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the transmission arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first input shaft (12-HAO) and the second input shaft (3-HAO) are arranged in parallel with each other and arranged at radially separate positions (as shown in Fig.1 both shafts are parallel and radially separate from one another).
Claim 19: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses a driveline arrangement, comprising a first electric traction motor (9-HAO), a second electric traction motor (1-HAO), and a transmission arrangement (fig.1) according to claim 1, wherein the first electric traction motor (9) is drivingly connected to the first input shaft (12-HAO) and the second electric traction motor (1) is drivingly connected to the second input shaft (3-HAO).
Claim 20: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the driveline arrangement of claim 19, wherein the first input shaft (12-HAO) comprises a first end position (see annotated Fig below) and a second end position (see annotated Fig below) , the first input shaft gear wheel (8-HAO) being arranged in a vicinity of the first end position (see annotated Fig below) and the first electric traction motor (9) being driving connected to the first input shaft (12-HAO) at the second end position (see annotated Fig below).
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Claim 21: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the driveline arrangement of claim 19, wherein the second input shaft (3-HAO) comprises a first end position (see annotated Fig below) and a second end position (see annotated Fig below), the second input shaft gear wheel (see annnoted Fig below) being arranged in a vicinity of the first end position (see annotated Fig below) and the second electric traction motor (1) being driving connected to the second input shaft (3) at the second end position (see annotated Fig below).
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Claim 23: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses a vehicle (¶[0002]: commercial vehicle), comprising a transmission arrangement (Fig.1) according to claim 1.
Claim(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HAO (CN 209414526 U cited from IDS) in view of DEMPEL (US 2021/0162852) and further in view of Engerman (US 20200096084)
Claim 4: HAO as modified by DEMPEL does not disclose wherein the second countershaft gear wheel is supported to the countershaft by a bearing arrangement.
Engerman teaches a transmission system (100 Fig.1) having a counter shaft (142) and countershaft gearwheel (154) is supported to the countershaft (142) by a bearing arrangement (see ¶[0071] “The fourth gear 154 may rotate relative to the idler shaft 142 via at least one bearing (not depicted) disposed radially therebetween”)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include bearing arrangement as taught by Engerman between the second countershaft gearwheel and countershaft in the modified transmission arrangement of HAO for the purpose of ensuring accurate alignment and durability under high-load conditions, minimizing vibration and noise.
Claim 5: HAO as modified by DEMPEL and Engerman discloses the transmission arrangement of claim 4, wherein the bearing arrangement is a needle bearing arrangement (¶[0071]: “It is understood that the at least one bearing can be any type of bearing as desired such as a needle bearing, a roller bearing, a ball bearing, a tapered bearing, and the like”).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HAO (CN 209414526 U cited from IDS) in view of DEMPEL (US 2021/0162852) and further in view of LIU (CN115306872A)
Claim 7: HAO as modified by DEMPEL discloses the transmission arrangement of claim 1, wherein the second input shaft gear wheel (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1) and the second countershaft gear wheel (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1) form a first reduction gear stage (2-on the right side).
HAO as modified by DEMPEL does not disclose during operation of the transmission arrangement the second input shaft gear wheel rotates at higher rotational speed compared to a rotational speed of the second countershaft gear wheel.
LIU teaches a gearbox (Fig.1) having an input shaft gear wheel (6-small gear) rotates at a higher rotational speed compared to a rotational speed of a countershaft gear wheel (11-large gear) (¶[0044]: “the first gear large gear 11 and the first
gear small gear 6,.” Since gear 6 is small gear thereof, it rotates at higher rotational speed than large gear 11).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to swap second input shaft gearwheel and second countershaft gearwheel from the modified HAO’s transmission arrangement with the input shaft gear wheel (6) and counter gear wheel (11) as taught by LIU for the purpose providing high torque for acceleration, carrying heavy load.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12, 14-16 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.
Claim 17 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Amendment/Argument
The previous objection to the drawing has been withdrawn in light of the remarks on page 6.
The previous rejections of claim 13 under 35 USC 112 (a) and (b) have been withdrawn in light of cancelling claim 13.
The amendment and arguments regarding to the rejection of claim 17 under 35 USC 112 (b) have been considered but do not overcome the rejection because claim 12 defines "the crawler unit being drivingly connectable between the first planetary gear set and the output shaft by a first clutch, which corresponds to clutch 445; however, clutch 445 does not rotationally connect second planet carrier 452 to stationary member 459 as required by claim 17.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot. The present rejections are based on HAO in view of Dempel, wherein Dempel is relied upon to teach the newly added limitation (see rejections above).
Regarding the rejections of the dependent claims are maintained since applicant does not have separate arguments with respect to the dependent claims.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Dempel (US 20200180421) discloses a planetary gearset with clutches.
LECOMTE (US 20170334280) discloses wherein the transmission arrangement (Fig.1) further comprises a first planetary gear set (ET1) comprising a first sun gear (S1), a first ring gear (R1) and a first planet carrier (CS) carrying a first set of planet gears (PS1), the first set of planet gears (PS1) being in meshing engagement with the first ring gear (R1) and the first sun gear (S1), wherein the first sun gear (S1) and the first ring gear (R1) are individually rotationally connectable (via c124 or c345) to a transmission shaft (AE), and wherein the first planet carrier (SC) is rotationally connected to an output shaft (shaft that connects to RCPS).
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 Lillian T Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)270-5404. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ernesto Suarez can be reached at (571)270-5565. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERNESTO A SUAREZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3655
/LILLIAN T NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3655A
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