DETAILED ACTION
The following is a first action on the merits of application serial no. 19/103019 filed 2/11/2025.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 2/11/25 and 1/29/26 has been considered.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
-On pages 3-4, paragraph [0010], the abbreviated figures in brackets (i.e., [FIG.1]) should be deleted due to the presence of the unbracket abbreviated figures (i.e., FIG. 1).
-The title of the invention is not descriptive, the use of the term "Unit" as a title doesn't seem to technically, accurately describe the invention. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following titles are suggested: "Transmission Unit", "Power Transmission Mechanism, "Power Transmission Unit", etc. The title change may result in a slightly longer title, but the loss in brevity of title will be more than offset by the gain in its informative value in heading, classifying, searching, etc., see MPEP 606.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 7-13 are 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 7 recites the limitation, “A unit comprising: an input element; an output element; and a gear device including a first rotational part, a second rotational part, a third rotational part, and a fourth rotational part arranged in this order on an alignment chart, ………. the gear device includes a first planetary gear mechanism including a first rotational element, a second rotational element, and a third rotational element, the second rotational element being disposed between the first rotational element and the third rotational element on the alignment chart, and a second planetary gear mechanism including a fourth rotational element, a fifth rotational element, and a sixth rotational element, the fifth rotational element being disposed between the fourth rotational element and the sixth rotational element on the alignment chart,…….”. The alignment chart limitations are indefinite because the recited elements are not themselves arranged on a chart. An alignment chart is not a defined element such that it is clear what is required of a chart to meet the claim limitation of “an alignment chart”, and it is not clear what characteristics or features of the unit are being described by the unit’s elements being in a specified order on the chart. The chart itself is merely a graphical presentation or conceptual diagram illustrating the rotational speed relationship between the gearing and not a physical structural component of the gearing.
-Claims 7, 11, 12 and 13 recite the term “implemented”, based on the general definition of the term, please clarify how applicant is interpreting the term in claims, i.e., “the first rotational part is implemented (is term referring to something like “operated, formed, etc.) by the third rotational element”.
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.
Claim(s) 7-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Elsner 4497219 in view of Atarashi 20170225676. As to claim 7, Elsner discloses a unit (Figure 4) comprising: an input element (20); an output element (30); and a gear device including a first rotational part (via T2), a second rotational part (via H2, H1), a third rotational part (via T1), and a fourth rotational part (via S2, S1) arranged on an alignment chart (Figures 1-3 and 7-9), wherein the input element is connectable to the first rotational part (20 to T2 via K3) and connectable to the second rotational part (20 to H2, H1 via K3, K4), the output element is connected to the third rotational part (via T1), the fourth rotational part is switchable between a rotating state and a non-rotating state (via S2, S1 to B2), the gear device includes a first planetary gear mechanism (P2) including a first rotational element (S2), a second rotational element (H2), and a third rotational element (T2), and a second planetary gear mechanism (P1) including a fourth rotational element (S1), a fifth rotational element (T1), and a sixth rotational element (H1), the first rotational part is implemented by the third rotational element (T2), the second rotational part is implemented by coupling (via K3, K4; column 6, lines 25-26) the second rotational element which is a first ring gear (H2) and the sixth rotational element which is a second ring gear (H1), the third rotational part is implemented by the fifth rotational element (T1), and the fourth rotational part is implemented by coupling the first rotational element which is a first sun gear (S2) and the fourth rotational element which is a second sun gear (S1). However, Elsner doesn't disclose the first, second, third and fourth rotational parts in this order on alignment chart and the second rotational element being disposed between the first rotational element and the third rotational element on the alignment chart and the fifth rotational element being disposed between the fourth rotational element and the sixth rotational element on the alignment chart as recited.
Atarashi et al discloses a unit having a gear device including multiple rotational parts formed by multiple planetary gear mechanism components arranged on alignment charts (Figures, 2, 7 and 9) and describes that it is well known in the art to have the rotary elements arranged in the charts varied depending on how the chart is drawn in which the structure of the unit is the same regardless of how the chart is drawn ([0026]).
It would have been an obvious design choice to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the first, second, third and fourth rotational parts in order on alignment chart in Elsner as well as have the second rotational element disposed between the first and third elements and the fifth element disposed between the fourth and sixth elements on alignment chart in Elsner in view of what is taught by Atarashi to provide additional gear ratios and rotational speed
connection arrangements based on the transmission structure disclosed in Figure 4 in Elsner which increases operating efficiency of gear arrangement for different speed and torque applications.
As to claim 8, Elsner discloses further comprising: a first engagement element (K4); a second engagement element (K3); and a third engagement element (B2), wherein one side of the first engagement element is connected to the input element (as shown in Figure 4, K4 is coupled to 20), the other side of the first engagement element is connected to the second rotational part (K4 is coupled to H2), one side of the second engagement element is connected to the input element (K3 is coupled to 20), the other side of the second engagement element is connected to the first rotational part (K3 is coupled to T2), one side of the third engagement element is connected to the fourth rotational part (B2 is coupled to S1, S2), and the other side of the third engagement element is fixed (B2 is coupled to housing).
As to claim 9, Elsner discloses wherein each of the first to third engagement elements is disposed axially outward of the gear device (Figure 6 discloses an embodiment showing that it is well known in the art to dispose engagement elements axially outside gearing).
As to claim 10, Elsner discloses wherein the one side of the first engagement element is connected to the input element via a first connection member passing through an inner peripheral side of the gear device (K4 is connected to 20 via section between K3 and K4), and the other side of the first engagement element is connected to the second rotational part via a second connection member passing through the inner peripheral side of the gear device (portion of K4 connected to H2).
As to claim 11, Elsner discloses wherein three gear positions are implemented by changing two elements to be engaged among the first to third engagement elements (column 4, line 46 to column 5, line 12).
As to claim 12, Elsner discloses wherein the one side of the first engagement element and the one side of the second engagement element are implemented as an integrated component (K3 and K4 share common outer periphery).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 2016118218 (with machine translation) in view of Atarashi 20170225676. As to claim 7, JP discloses a unit (Figure 3) comprising: an input element (10); an output element (11); and a gear device including a first rotational part (via C1), a second rotational part (via R1, R2), a third rotational part (via C2), and a fourth rotational part (via S1, S2) arranged on an alignment chart (Figures 4A, 4B), wherein the input element is connectable to the first rotational part (10 to C1) and connectable to the second rotational part (via R1 meshing with PG12 carried by C1 which is directly connected to 10), the output element is connected to the third rotational part (via C2), the fourth rotational part is switchable between a rotating state and a non-rotating state (via S1, S2 to BR1), the gear device includes a first planetary gear mechanism including a first rotational element (S1), a second rotational element (R1), and a third rotational element (C1), the second rotational element being disposed between the first rotational element and the third rotational element on the alignment chart (as shown in Figure 4 where R1 is shown between C1 and S1) and a second planetary gear mechanism including a fourth rotational element (S2), a fifth rotational element (C2), and a sixth rotational element (R2), the fifth rotational element being disposed between the fourth rotational element and the sixth rotational element on the alignment chart (as shown in Figure 4 where C2 is shown between S2 and R2), the first rotational part is implemented by the third rotational element (C1), the second rotational part is implemented by coupling the second rotational element which is a first ring gear (R1) and the sixth rotational element which is a second ring gear (R2), the third rotational part is implemented by the fifth rotational element (C2), and the fourth rotational part is implemented by coupling (via CL1) the first rotational element which is a first sun gear (S1) and the fourth rotational element which is a second sun gear (S2). However, JP doesn't disclose the first, second, third and fourth rotational parts in this order on alignment chart as recited.
Atarashi et al discloses a unit having a gear device including multiple rotational parts formed by multiple planetary gear mechanism components arranged on alignment charts (Figures, 2, 7 and 9) and describes that it is well known in the art to have the rotary elements arranged in the charts varied depending on how the chart is drawn in which the structure of the unit is the same regardless of how the chart is drawn ([0026]).
It would have been an obvious design choice to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the first, second, third and fourth rotational parts in order on alignment chart in JP as well as have the second rotational element disposed between the first and third elements and the fifth element disposed between the fourth and sixth elements on alignment chart in JP in view of what is taught by Atarashi to provide additional gear ratios and rotational speed
connection arrangements based on the transmission structure disclosed in Figure 3 in JP which increases operating efficiency of gear arrangement for different speed and torque applications.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 2005133907 (with machine translation) in view of Atarashi 20170225676. JP discloses a unit comprising: an input element (IN); an output element (OUT; RE3 considered output from MG2); and a gear device including a first rotational part (via R2), a second rotational part (via CA1, CA2), a third rotational part (via R1), and a fourth rotational part (via S1, S2) arranged on an alignment chart, wherein the input element is connectable to the first rotational part (via R2) and connectable to the second rotational part (via CA2 carrying P2 which meshes with R2 which is directly connected to IN), the output element is connected to the third rotational part (via output from MG2 via RE3 connected to R1), the fourth rotational part is switchable between a rotating state and a non-rotating state (via S1, S2 coupled to B1), the gear device includes a first planetary gear mechanism including a first rotational element (S2), a second rotational element (CA2), and a third rotational element (R2), the second rotational element being disposed between the first rotational element and the third rotational element on the alignment chart (as shown in Figure 8 in which CA2 is shown between S2 and R2), and a second planetary gear mechanism including a fourth rotational element (S1), a fifth rotational element (R1), and a sixth rotational element (CA1), the first rotational part is implemented by the third rotational element (R2), the second rotational part is implemented by coupling the second rotational element which is a first carrier (CA2) and the sixth rotational element which is a second carrier (CA1), the third rotational part is implemented by the fifth rotational element (R1), and the fourth rotational part is implemented by coupling the first rotational element which is a first sun gear (S2) and the fourth rotational element which is a second sun gear (S1). However, JP doesn't disclose the first, second, third and fourth rotational parts in this order on alignment chart and the fifth rotational element being disposed between the fourth rotational element and the sixth rotational element on the alignment chart as recited.
Atarashi et al discloses a unit having a gear device including multiple rotational parts formed by multiple planetary gear mechanism components arranged on alignment charts (Figures, 2, 7 and 9) and describes that it is well known in the art to have the rotary elements arranged in the charts varied depending on how the chart is drawn in which the structure of the unit is the same regardless of how the chart is drawn ([0026]).
It would have been an obvious design choice to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the first, second, third and fourth rotational parts in order on alignment chart in JP as well as have the fifth element disposed between the fourth and sixth elements on alignment chart in JP in view of what is taught by Atarashi to provide additional gear ratios and rotational speed
connection arrangements based on the transmission structure disclosed in Figure 7 in JP which increases operating efficiency of gear arrangement for different speed and torque applications.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
-Iwanaka et al 20070275805 (Figures 20 and 25-27) discloses a planetary gear unit that meets the limitations of claim 13 in combination with what is taught in Atarashi.
-Takami et al (Figure 7E) discloses a planetary gear unit that meets the limitations of claim 7 in combination with what is taught in Atarashi.
-The PCT written opinion as filed and all other corresponding international office actions have been reviewed. The examiner agrees that some of the prior art cited in those actions meet the structural gearing limitations as recited, however the art lacks any mention of alignment charts.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TISHA D LEWIS whose telephone number is (571)272-7093. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8:30am to 5:00pm.
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Tdl
/TISHA D LEWIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619 September 29, 2026
