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 § 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.
Claims 1, 2 and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiroyuki (JP 2616069) in view of Kwon et al. (KR 1020230060693).
Hiroyuki discloses and shows at Fig. 3 a vehicle drive transmission device comprising:
an input member (6) drivingly coupled to a driving force source (not shown);
an output member (16) drivingly coupled to a wheel (not shown); and
a power transmission mechanism (see Fig. 3) configured to transmit power between the input member and the output member, wherein
the power transmission mechanism includes
a first member (Fig. 1, item 35) and a second member (Fig. 1, items 12,34) disposed coaxially with each other, and
a meshing type engagement device (Fig. 1) configured to perform engagement and engagement release between the first member and the second member,
a direction along a reference axis that is an axis on which the first member and the second member are disposed is defined as an axial direction,
the engagement device includes
a first engaged portion (31) provided at the first member,
a second engaged portion (38,39) provided at the second member,
an engagement member (41) rotatable about the reference axis and configured to change, by moving in the axial direction, between a first state in which the engagement member is engaged with both of the first engaged portion and the second engaged portion and a second state in which engagement with at least one of the first engaged portion and the second engaged portion is released,
a connection member (43) that is engaged with the engagement member in a state where relative rotation about the reference axis with respect to the engagement member is allowed and relative movement in the axial direction is restricted, and
a drive mechanism (not shown, pg. 4, paragraph starting with, “A holding portion 43a…”) configured to move the engagement member in the axial direction via the connection member by driving the connection member in the axial direction, and
a speed sensor (32) configured to detect a rotational speed of the engagement member is attached to the connection member so as to move in the axial direction together with the connection member, and
a signal wire (Figs. 1-2, not labeled) extending from the speed sensor (32).
Hiroyuki does not specify a holding retaining the signal wire. Kwon discloses and shows a vehicle wiring apparatus including a holding member configured to retain a wire, wherein
the signal wire includes a curved portion formed between the ends of the wire and a fixing member (100, see Fig. 6),
the holding (see Figs. 5a,5b) member has a U-shaped cross section including a pair of guide walls that hold the curved portion therebetween from both sides in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, a coupling wall connecting the pair of guide walls to each other, and an opening located on a side opposite to the coupling wall, and
at least one of the pair of guide walls is formed with a deformable portion that is elastically expandable, upon insertion, to widen a width of the opening from a state smaller than a diameter of the signal wire to a width equal to or greater than the diameter (Abstract).
Hiroyuki allows for easy and convenient wiring assembly (Abstract) while preventing the wiring from damage. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a holding member configured to retain the signal wire, protect it from damage with easy and convenient wiring assembly.
Cl. 2 – Hiroyuki discloses and shows a case (2) accommodating the power transmission mechanism; the signal wire (Figs. 1-2, not labeled) extending from the speed sensor (32) at an end of the signal wire. Kwon discloses and shows the fixing member disposed apart from an end of the wire and configured to fix the signal wire to the vehicle, thus preventing the wire from damage.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a fixing member to the Hiroyuki device to prevent damage to the wire.
Cl. 4 – the holding member is formed to have the U-shaped cross section, but the direction is unknown. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the U-shaped cross section in any direction in accordance with MPEP 2144(VI)(C) which states, “shifting the position of the starting switch would not have modified the operation of the device” in citing In re Japiske, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Cl. 5-6 – the holding member further includes lip portions (Kwon, 111) formed by curving or bending end portions on both sides in the axial direction of each of the pair of guide walls, and the lip portion disposed on one of the pair of guide walls and the lip portion disposed on the other of the pair of guide walls are formed to be separated from each other.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the rejected claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 BOBBY RUSHING, JR whose telephone number is (571)270-0501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8AM-5PM EST.
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/BOBBY RUSHING, JR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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