DETAILED ACTION
This is the First Office Action in response to the above identified patent
application filed on June 19, 2026.
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 § 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 13 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 13, the limitation “the first transmission nut” lacks proper antecedent basis.
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, 5-11, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Roman (USP 4,573,566).
Roman teaches a drive shaft assembly (capable of demultiplexing) extending along a drive axis driven by a power source (12), comprising: a transmission nut (40); a powering element (56,58,70,71) to transmit rotation to the transmission nut around the drive axis; a leading element (22) to make the transmission nut travel along the drive axis; and a guiding element (36 or 58) to perform linear translation of the transmission nut relative to the drive axis without rotation, wherein both the powering element (71) and the leading element (22) are both powered by said power source (12) driving the drive axis.
Claim 5, Roman teaches the powering element (58) and the guiding element (58) are a same, single powering-and-guiding structure.
Claim 6, Roman teaches a leading structure (threads), comprising the leading element, the leading structure being different and distinct from the powering-and-guiding structure.
Claim 7, Roman teaches the leading structure comprises a leadscrew centered on the drive axis and the powering-and-guiding structure (58) is eccentric relative to the drive axis.
Claim 8, Roman teaches a powering, leading and guiding structure comprising the powering element, the leading element, and the guiding element.
Claim 9, Roman teaches the powering, leading and guiding structure comprises a linear-guide leadscrew (22) being eccentric with respect to the drive axis.
Claim 10, Roman teaches a second transmission nut (32), wherein the transmission nuts are movable along the drive axis.
Claim 11, Roman teaches the transmission nut (40) comprises at least one of a motor (12) and a clutch mechanism (30); interface structures (such as 44,60) contacting the powering element, interface structures (50) contacting the guiding element, and an interface structure (such as balls of the ball nut) contacting the leading element.
Claim 13, Roman teaches a demultiplexing section (periphery of 22) and a non-demultiplexing section (26), wherein the transmission nut is adapted to travel only over the demultiplexing section.
Claim(s) 14, 16, 19, 21, 26-27, 31, and 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Thery (USP 6,978,692).
Referring to Figure 11, Thery teaches mechanical demultiplexer comprising: a frame (transmission housing, such as 62); a drive shaft (12), motorized by a power source, coupled to the frame and extending along a drive axis defining a longitudinal direction; a first transmission nut (66) mounted to the drive shaft; and a plurality of output modules (gears associated with transmission speeds 1-6) coupled (via bearings) to the frame along the drive shaft, with the drive shaft being engageable to the output modules through the first transmission nut (via 24), wherein the mechanical demultiplexer is adapted to engage selectively and individually a number of the output modules to the drive shaft, resulting in the drive shaft powering the number of engaged output modules.
Claim 16: Thery teaches the drive shaft comprises a demultiplexing section (along 28) and a non-demultiplexing section (such as 58), wherein the first transmission nut is adapted to travel only over the demultiplexing section.
Claim 19: Thery teaches any number from none to all of the plurality of output modules can be engaged individually.
Claim 21: Thery teaches the first transmission nut comprises an outer surface having a non-cylindrical shape interfacing with the output module.
Claim 26: Thery teaches the drive shaft comprises two sections coupled to the power source that extend in two distinct directions (left and right).
Claim 27: Thery teaches the power source is a single motor (or engine) motorizing the drive shaft.
Claim 31: Referring to the embodiment of Figure 2, Thery teaches a method of operating a mechanical demultiplexer, comprising: a) providing a mechanical demultiplexer having a demultiplexing drive shaft assembly (supporting gears 22, known as 12) and a drive axis (coaxial with 12), b) setting the mechanical demultiplexer in a first state in which a transmission nut is drivable to travel along the drive axis: c) driving the transmission nut (by rotating the screw 28) along the drive axis between i) a first position in which the transmission nut is distant and disengaged from a first output module (left module 22), and ii) a second position in which the transmission nut is engaged to the first output module (left module 22); and d) setting the mechanical demultiplexer in a second state in which the demultiplexing drive shaft (12) assembly drives the transmission nut (via the planetary transmission 58) to rotate along with the drive shaft without traveling longitudinally along the drive axis, thereby powering the first output module.
Claim 32: Referring to the embodiment of Figure 2, Thery teaches the method or e) setting the mechanical demultiplexer in the first state; f) driving the first transmission nut between i) the second position, and ii) a third position in which the transmission nut is engaged to a second output module (associated with another gear 22); and g) setting the mechanical demultiplexer in the second state thereby powering solely the second output module.
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) 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thery (USP 6,978,692), as applied to the claims above.
Thery teaches a single controller (32) to control the demultiplexer, but does not teach two mechanical demultiplexers. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed device to configure a transmission with two demultiplexers, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 12, 15, 17-18, 20, 22-28 and 30 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not tech the demultiplexer of claims 1 and 14, including: the powering element and the leading element are a same, single powering-and-leading structure (claims 2-4); both the powering element and the leading element are both powered by said power source driving the drive axis (claim 15); having two transmission nuts (claim 17); the plurality of output modules can be engaged simultaneously (claims 18 and 20); a first one of the output modules comprises at least a first rotor and at least a first stator (claims 22-28); and the output modules of at least one of the two mechanical demultiplexers are able to engage the output modules of the other one of the two mechanical demultiplexers (claim 30).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Note the device of Buetemeister (USP 4,291,586) having a both a screw and a nut driven by a single power source.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM C JOYCE whose telephone number is (571)272-7107. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached at 571-270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM C JOYCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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