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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/18/2025 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement are being considered by the examiner.
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(s) 1-9 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 1 recites the limitation "the first angular contact roller bearing and the second angular contact roller bearing are substantially not axially prestressed" in lines 28-29. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim as the term “substantially” is a term of degree for which the claim does not provide an objective standard for determining the metes and bounds of the limitation. In particular, the claim does not specify the amount of axial prestress, axial force, bearing preload, axial displacement, or other measurable parameter that distinguishes a bearing assembly that is “substantially not axially prestressed” from one that is axially prestressed. Appropriate correction is advised.
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, and 4-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terasawa (US2014116172A1) in view of Scherb (DE102010050706A1), Hoffmann (DE102016214353A1), and Dahlke (DE3304358A1).
Claim 1
Taresawa teaches: A rolling bearing assembly for an electrically operable drive train of a motor vehicle (railway vehicle; see para. 0001), comprising a shaft (9) which is rotatably mounted by means of a first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side) and a second angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 opposite traction motor side),
the first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side) comprising a first inner race (inner race 6 on traction motor side), which is connected to the shaft (9) for conjoint rotation, and a first outer race (outer race 5 on traction motor side), between which first tapered rolling bodies (roller 7 on traction motor side) arranged at a first contact angle are accommodated and roll on an inner race track of the first inner race (inner race 6 on traction motor side) and an outer race track of the first outer race (outer race 5 on traction motor side),
and the second angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 opposite traction motor side) comprising a second inner race (inner race 6 opposite traction motor side), which is connected to the shaft (9) for conjoint rotation, and a second outer race (outer race 5 opposite traction motor side), between which second tapered rolling bodies (roller 7 opposite traction motor side) arranged at a second contact angle are accommodated and roll on an inner race track of the second inner race (inner race 6 opposite traction motor side) and an outer race track of the second outer race (outer race 5 opposite traction motor side),
the first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side) and the second angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 opposite traction motor side) being axially spaced apart from each other, wherein:
the first inner race (inner race 6 on traction motor side) of the first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side) and the second inner race (inner race 6 opposite traction motor side) of the second angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 opposite traction motor side) are arranged in an axially fixed manner to the shaft (9),
the first outer race (outer race 5 on traction motor side) of the first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side) is fixed axially relative to a first connecting structure (21) of the rolling bearing assembly, and
wherein the first inner race (inner race 6 on traction motor side) comprises a first inner race rim (flanges 6d, 6g on traction motor side), the second inner race (inner race 6 opposite traction motor side) comprises a second inner race rim (flanges 6d, 6g opposite traction motor side);
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Terasawa does not expressly teach:
[the rolling bodies are] cylindrical rolling bodies;
the second outer race is axially displaceable relative to a second connecting structure;
the first outer race comprises a first outer race rim; the second outer race comprises a second outer race rim,
and the first angular contact roller bearing and the second angular contact roller bearing are substantially not axially prestressed.
As for limitation II, Scherb conversely teaches a bearing arrangement comprising two angular roller bearings arranged in an O ring configuration, with separate inner and outer rings (7a-b and 5a-b respectively) and a shaft (17). Scherb notably discloses that “outer ring 5b rests against a housing shoulder, while outer ring 5a is axially displaceable in the housing bore.
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed to modify the bearing arrangement of Terasawa such that one of the outer races is axially displaceable relative to its housing/connecting structure, as taught by Scherb, to accommodate thermal expansion and dimensional changes between the shaft and housing and thereby avoid undesirable changes in bearing preload.
As for limitation I and III, Hofmann conversely teaches a bearing arrangement comprising an outer bearing ring 6 and its inner raceway 4 and outer raceway 8, which are bounded by an inner ring rim 3 and outer ring rim/bord 9. Hofman also discloses the tapered bearings may be switched for cylindrical roller bearings.
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed to employ outer race rims on the outer races of the first and second bearings in order to axially guide/retain the rolling elements of Terasawa and accommodate axial forces (see para. 0006). Furthermore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill to select a cylindrical roller bearing for a bearing assembly as it would increase the load capacity of the bearing arrangement of a crankshaft in a motor vehicle internal combustion engine (see para. 0005).
As for limitation IV, Dahlke conversely teaches an angular contact roller bearing arrangement comprising two angular contact roller bearings that may be adjusted to either a defined axial play, defined zero clearance, or defined preload (see para. 0017, and 0022).
Thus, Dahlke teaches that axial preload is an optional assembly condition rather than an inherent requirement of the two-bearing angular contact arrangement. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed that the two angular contact roller bearings of Terasawa could be assembled with substantially no axial preload, including with a defined axial play or zero clearance condition, depending upon the desired operating characteristics. Such a modification would provide the express motivation to select among the different structural bearing conditions to achieve desirable effects.
Claim 4/1
Taresawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke teaches: The rolling bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the first outer race (outer race 5 on traction motor side) rests axially on a first securing element (axial barrier formed by 21).
Claim 5/4/1
Taresawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke teaches: The rolling bearing assembly according to claim 4, wherein:
the first securing element (axial barrier formed by 21) is fixed axially relative to the first connecting structure (21).
Claim 6/1
Taresawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke teaches: The rolling bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein:
the second outer race is positioned with axial play (with modification of Dahlke) relative to a second securing element (axial barrier formed by 22).
Claim 7/6/1
Taresawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke teaches: The rolling bearing assembly according to claim 6, wherein:
the second securing element (axial barrier formed by 22) is fixed axially relative to the second connecting structure (22).
Claim 8/1
Taresawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke teaches: The rolling bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein:
the first cylindrical rolling bodies (roller 7 on traction motor side) and/or the second cylindrical rolling bodies (roller 7 opposite traction motor side) are designed as cylindrical rollers or as tapered rollers.
Claim 9/1
Taresawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke teaches: The rolling bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein:
the first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side) and the second angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 opposite traction motor side) are arranged in an O-configuration (by way of revolving around shaft 9 as viewed from the axial direction).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terasawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke in view of Hubert (DE102019133155A1).
Claim 2
Taresawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke teaches: The rolling bearing assembly according to claim 1, but does not expressly disclose: wherein: a spacer sleeve is arranged axially between the first inner race and the second inner race on the shaft, on which the first inner race and the second inner race rest.
Hubert conversely teaches a multi-row rolling bearing arrangement having first and second bearing inner rings 7, 8 that are axially spaced, and further teaches a second axial spacer sleeve 13 engaging the first and second bearing inner rings 7, 8 (see para. 0041-0042).
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed to provide Terasawa’s bearing assembly with the spacer sleeve of Hubert between the first and second inner race to maintain the desired axial spacing and provide a preassembled bearing arrangement, thereby providing a known structural arrangement for positioning and retaining the inner bearing rings. Furthermore, it would be advantageous in order to maintain the desired axial spacing and facilitate positioning/retention of the inner bearing rings.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terasawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke in view of Dizlek (US2010061672A1).
Claim 3/1
Taresawa as modified by Scherb, Hoffmann, and Dahlke teaches: The rolling bearing assembly according to claim 1, but does not expressly teach: wherein: the first outer race is arranged with play in a radial direction relative to the first connecting structure and/or the second outer race is arranged with play in a radial direction relative to the second connecting structure.
Dizlek conversely teaches a bearing assembly supporting a shaft 18 in a housing 22 wherein an outer ring of an angular contact bearing 4 has an external diameter smaller than the corresponding diameter of the housing, thereby providing a defined radial clearance between the outer ring and housing. Dizlek further teaches that the radial clearance permits radial displacement of the angular contact bearing for constraint free centering under load (see 0017).
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed to provide at least one of the outer races of Terasawa’s bearing assembly with such radial clearance relative to its associated connecting structure to permit radial displacement and constraint free centering of the bearing under load, thereby reducing undesirable radial force transmission through the bearing.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terasawa in view of Dirk (WO2022073560A1).
Claim 10
Taresawa teaches: An electrically operable drive train of a motor vehicle (railway vehicle; see para. 0001), comprising an electric machine (20a, 20b) and a transmission assembly (Fig. 1) coupled to the electric machine (20a, 20b), the electric machine (20a, 20b), but does not expressly disclose: the electric machine as comprising a stator and a rotor arranged to be rotatable relative to the stator, the rotor and/or a shaft of the transmission assembly being mounted by means of a rolling bearing assembly according to claim 1.
Dirk conversely teaches an electrical machine for a motor vehicle drive having a stator 4 and a rotor 8 connected for conjoint rotation to a connection shaft 7, wherein the connection shaft is supported by a rolling bearing assembly 9. Dirk further teaches that the rolling bearing assembly may comprise two axially adjacent rolling bearings and may be configured as angular contact or tapered roller bearings.
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed to incorporate a similar stator/rotor and bearing supported rotor shaft arrangement of Dirk into Terasawa’s electrically driven vehicle drivetrain to provide the traction motor with the disclosed bearing supported rotor/shaft arrangement and thereby provide stable radial and axial support of the rotor relative to the stator.
Claim(s) 11 and 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terasawa in view of Scherb.
Claim 11
Taresawa teaches: A rolling bearing assembly for an electrically operable drive train, comprising:
a first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side), comprising:
a first inner race (inner race 6 on traction motor side) comprising a first inner race track;
a first outer race (outer race 5 on traction motor side) comprising a first outer race track; and
a first plurality of rolling bodies (roller 7 on traction motor side) arranged to roll on the first inner race (inner race 6 on traction motor side) track and the first outer race (outer race 5 on traction motor side) track at a first contact angle;
a second angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 opposite traction motor side), axially spaced from the first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side), comprising:
a second inner race (inner race 6 opposite traction motor side) comprising a second inner race (inner race 6 opposite traction motor side) track;
a second outer race (outer race 5 opposite traction motor side) comprising a second outer race (outer race 5 opposite traction motor side) track; and
a second plurality of rolling bodies (roller 7 opposite traction motor side) arranged to roll on the second inner race (inner race 6 opposite traction motor side) track and the second outer race (outer race 5 opposite traction motor side) track at a second contact angle;
a shaft (9), rotatably mounted by the first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side) and the second angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 opposite traction motor side);
a first connecting structure (21); and
a second connecting structure (22), wherein:
the first inner race (inner race 6 on traction motor side) is axially and rotationally fixed to the shaft (9) for cojoint rotation;
the first outer race (outer race 5 on traction motor side) is axially fixed relative to the first connecting structure (21);
the second inner race (inner race 6 opposite traction motor side) is axially and rotationally fixed to the shaft (9) for cojoint rotation;
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Terasawa does not expressly teach: the second outer race is axially displaceable relative to the second connecting structure.
Scherb conversely teaches a bearing arrangement comprising two angular roller bearings arranged in an O ring configuration, with separate inner and outer rings (7a-b and 5a-b respectively) and a shaft (17). Scherb notably discloses that “outer ring 5b rests against a housing shoulder, while outer ring 5a is axially displaceable in the housing bore.
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed to modify the bearing arrangement of Terasawa such that one of the outer races is axially displaceable relative to its housing/connecting structure, as taught by Scherb, to accommodate thermal expansion and dimensional changes between the shaft and housing and thereby avoid undesirable changes in bearing preload.
Claim 14/11
Taresawa as modified by Scherb teaches: The rolling bearing assembly of claim 11, further comprising a first securing element (axial barrier formed by 21), wherein: the first securing element (axial barrier formed by 21) is axially fixed relative to the first connecting structure (21); and the first outer race (outer race 5 on traction motor side) rests axially on the first securing element (axial barrier formed by 21).
Claim 15/11
Taresawa as modified by Scherb teaches: The rolling bearing assembly of claim 11, further comprising a second securing element (axial barrier formed by 22), wherein: the second securing element (axial barrier formed by 22) is axially fixed relative to the second connecting structure (22); and the second outer race (outer race 5 opposite traction motor side) is positioned with an axial play relative to the second securing element (axial barrier formed by 22).
Claim 16/11
Taresawa as modified by Scherb teaches: The rolling bearing assembly of claim 11, wherein: the first plurality of rolling bodies (roller 7 on traction motor side) are cylindrical rollers or tapered rollers; and the second plurality of rolling bodies (roller 7 opposite traction motor side) are cylindrical rollers or tapered rollers.
Claim 17/11
Taresawa as modified by Scherb teaches: The rolling bearing assembly of claim 11, wherein:
the first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side) and the second angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 opposite traction motor side) are arranged in an O-configuration (by way of revolving around shaft 9 as viewed from the axial direction); or
the first angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 on traction motor side) and the second angular contact roller bearing (bearing 4 opposite traction motor side) are arranged in an X-configuration.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terasawa as modified by Scherb in view of Hubert.
Claim 12/11
Taresawa as modified by Scherb teaches: The rolling bearing assembly of claim 11, but does not expressly teach: further comprising a spacer sleeve arranged axially between the first inner race and the second inner race.
Hubert conversely teaches a multi-row rolling bearing arrangement having first and second bearing inner rings 7, 8 that are axially spaced, and further teaches a second axial spacer sleeve 13 engaging the first and second bearing inner rings 7, 8 (see para. 0041-0042).
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed to provide Terasawa’s bearing assembly with the spacer sleeve of Hubert between the first and second inner race to maintain the desired axial spacing and provide a preassembled bearing arrangement, thereby providing a known structural arrangement for positioning and retaining the inner bearing rings. Furthermore, it would be advantageous in order to maintain the desired axial spacing and facilitate positioning/retention of the inner bearing rings.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. .103 as being unpatentable over Terasawa as modified by Scherb in view of Dizlek.
Claim 13/11
Taresawa as modified by Scherb teaches: The rolling bearing assembly of claim 11, but does not expressly teach: wherein: there is a radial play between the first outer race and the first connecting structure; or
there is a radial play between the second outer race and the second connecting structure.
Dizlek conversely teaches a bearing assembly supporting a shaft 18 in a housing 22 wherein an outer ring of an angular contact bearing 4 has an external diameter smaller than the corresponding diameter of the housing, thereby providing a defined radial clearance between the outer ring and housing. Dizlek further teaches that the radial clearance permits radial displacement of the angular contact bearing for constraint free centering under load (see 0017).
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It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was filed to provide at least one of the outer races of Terasawa’s bearing assembly with such radial clearance relative to its associated connecting structure to permit radial displacement and constraint free centering of the bearing under load, thereby reducing undesirable radial force transmission through the bearing.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED F SECK whose telephone number is (571)272-4638. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AHMED F SECK/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/CHRISTOPHER M KOEHLER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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