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 § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention. Claim 9 recites that the speed change mechanism is a motor. However, there is no working example of this arrangement. Instead, all of the embodiments illustrate gears as the speed change mechanism. It is unclear how a motor would be used in place of a gear transmission in this location both an input and an output. There is little guidance from the inventor as to how this would be implemented in the same location as the gears.
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) 1-3 and 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Clark et al. (CN 113137462A; hereinafter “Clark”).
Claim 1
Clark discloses a power transmission system, comprising:
an engine (necessarily present to the input shaft by multiple descriptions of engine braking, and division of this power into the two paths, the engine speed, etc.);
a deceleration mechanism (210-214), comprising a first power output portion (at gears creating i1 and/or i2) and a second power output portion (at gears creating i3 and/or i4 and/or gear meshing with i3 gear), wherein the engine (input to 1) is drivingly connected to the deceleration mechanism; and
a speed adjustment mechanism (two planetary gearsets that include 48 and 49; see annotated FIG. 1 below) comprising a first power input portion, a second power input portion, and a third power output portion, wherein the first power input portion is selectively connected to or disconnected from the first power output portion (via the gear state of the deceleration mechanism and the associated clutches and brakes), the second power input portion is selectively connected to or disconnected from the second power output portion (via the gear state of the deceleration mechanism and the associated clutches and brakes), and the third power output portion is drivingly connected to a to-be-driven structure (33 and 34),
wherein: the power transmission system is configured to operate in one of a first diverged state (FIG. 3), a second diverged state (FIG. 8 but with C5 disengaged), and a converged state (FIG. 8); when the power transmission system is in the first diverged state, the first power input portion is connected to the first power output portion, and the second power input portion is disconnected from the second power output portion; when the power transmission system is in the second diverged state, the first power input portion is disconnected from the first power output portion, and the second power input portion is connected to the second power output portion; and when the power transmission system is in the converged state, the first power input portion is connected to the first power output portion, and the second power input portion is connected to the second power output portion.
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Third power input portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Second power input portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (First power input portion)][AltContent: textbox (Second output portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (First output portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Speed adjustment mechanism)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
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Alternatively, the first output portion and second output portion could be switched in interpretation and likewise the first power input portion and second power input portion could be switched interpretation.
Claim 2
Clark discloses wherein: the speed adjustment mechanism comprises a gear speed adjustment structure (see e.g., FIG. 1).
Claim 3
Clark discloses wherein: the deceleration mechanism comprises a gear deceleration structure (see e.g., FIG. 1).
Claim 5
Under the alternative interpretation in the rejection of claim 1, Clark discloses a speed change mechanism (gear creating i4 and/or B4); and a power disconnection mechanism (C5 and B3) configured to operate in one of a power-connected state (C5 engaged; B3 disengaged) and a power-disconnected state (C5 disengaged; B3 engaged), wherein: the speed change mechanism is arranged between the first power input portion (gear forming i3) and the first power output portion, and the power disconnection mechanism (C5 and B3) is arranged between the second power input portion (gear creating i1) and the second power output portion (see annotated FIG. 1); or the speed change mechanism is arranged between the second power input portion and the second power output portion, and the power disconnection mechanism is arranged between the first power input portion and the first power output portion.
Claim 6
Clark discloses wherein: the power disconnection (C5 and B3) mechanism comprises a clutch (C5) and a brake (B3); when the power disconnection mechanism is in the power-connected state (C5 engaged and B3 disengaged), the clutch (C5) is engaged with the first power output portion or the second power output portion, and the brake (B3) releases braking; and when the power disconnection mechanism is in the power-disconnected state (C5 disengaged and B3 engaged), the clutch (C5) is disengaged from the first power output portion or the second power output portion, and the brake (B3) performs braking.
Claim 7
Clark discloses wherein: the speed change mechanism is a multi-gear structure (gears forming i3 and i4, wherein input portion of gear meshing with i3 gear) and has a multi-gear speed adjustment state and a neutral braking state (when B4 is disengaged no power is transmitted), and when the speed change mechanism is in the multi-gear speed adjustment state, the speed change mechanism is configured to decelerate the first power output portion or the second power output portion (when B4 is engaged).
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) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clark in view of US 2023/0258172 (hereinafter “ ‘172”).
Claim 11
Clark does not disclose the type of engine and thus does not disclose wherein the engine comprises one of a single-shaft turbine engine, a double-shaft turbine engine, a triple-shaft turbine engine, a reciprocal engine, or an electric motor. However, the drive source being these options is well known. For example, ‘172 discloses that a drive source engine could be a turbine, an electric motor, or a reciprocating engine (see paragraph [0024]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified Clark so that the engine was a either an electric motor or a reciprocating engine to yield predictable results. In this case, the electric motor would provide overall improved energy efficiency and lower emission whereas the reciprocating engine would provide fast refueling and better energy storage density via fuel instead of a massive battery.
Claim(s) 1, 12, 18, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhong et al. (US 2022/0298906; hereinafter “Zhong”) in view of Clark.
Claims 1 and 12
Zhong discloses a turbine fracturing device, comprising: a power source (electric motor engine 12A or “diesel engine”) connected to an implement (11A or “fracturing plunger pump”) to be driven via a transmission (“transmission” or “transmission device” or 8B) and a carrier (“carrier frame”), wherein the power transmission system is mounted on the carrier (see paragraph [0086] and FIGS. 7 and 8; see also paragraph [0176).
Zhong does not disclose the same power transmission system according to claim 1. However, Clark discloses the system of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified Zhong to have replaced the known generic transmission of Zhong with the known specific transmission of Clark to yield predictable results and in this case would allow for better efficiency using multiple gear ratios.
Claim 18
Zhong discloses wherein the carrier is a semi-trailer structure (see paragraph [0202]).
Claim 19
Zhong discloses wherein the engine of the power transmission system comprises a single-shaft turbine engine, a double-shaft turbine engine, a triple-shaft turbine engine, a reciprocal engine, or an electric motor (the engine in Zhong is disclosed as, for example, an electric motor engine 12A or “diesel engine”).
Claim(s) 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhong et al. in view of Clark, and further in view of Clark et al. (US 11,506,039; hereinafter “Clark ‘039”).
Claim 13
Zhong does not disclose a muffling compartment, arranged on the carrier and comprising a muffling cavity, wherein the engine of the power transmission system is arranged in the muffling cavity. However, Zhang ‘039 discloses a muffler (20) including a muffling compartment (11), arranged on the carrier and comprising a muffling cavity (110), wherein the engine (12) of the power transmission system is arranged in the muffling cavity (see column 6, lines 5-7), the muffler compartment (11) including an air inlet and air output. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified Zhong to include a muffler including for example the muffling compartment within which the engine is disposed in order to reduce noise.
Claim 14
Zhong as modified to include the muffler compartment includes an air inlet compartment body (Zhang ‘039, 18 and 19), arranged on the carrier, wherein an inlet (Zhang ‘039, 18) of the air inlet compartment body is configured to admit air, and an outlet (Zhang ‘039, 19) of the air inlet compartment body is in communication with an air inlet of the engine (see Zhang ‘039, column 9, line 58 to column 10 line 4).
Claim 15
Zhong as modified to include the muffler compartment includes a muffler (201, 202 and/or 203), arranged on the carrier, wherein a muffler inlet (203a or inlet of 201 or 202) of the muffler is in communication with an exhaust port of the engine, and wherein the muffler is configured to muffle a gas discharged through the exhaust port of the engine (see e.g., column 10, lines 26-32).
Claim 16
Zhong does not disclose a fire-fighting system. However, Zhang ‘039 discloses a fire-fighting system (17), wherein at least a part of the fire-fighting system is arranged in the muffling cavity (see column 14, lines 56-64). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified Zhong to have further included a fire-fighting system in order to reduce the damage from a fire.
Claim 17
Zhong discloses an auxiliary power system (see paragraph [0226], disclosing an auxiliary transformer which can power an auxiliary electrical device such as a lubrication system) arranged on the carrier and comprising at least one of: a load component lubrication driving component; a lubricant cooling driving component (“lubrication motor”); a ventilation driving component arranged in the muffling cavity; an air path system driving component; a control system driving component; or an air compressor, wherein the engine (12A or “diesel engine”) of the power transmission system is configured to drive the auxiliary power system to operate.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 8, and 10 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.
With reference to claim 4, the prior art does not disclose or render obvious a power transmission system comprising the combination of features as recited including “wherein the speed adjustment mechanism comprises: a first planetary gear structure, comprising a first sun gear, a plurality of first planet gears, and a first ring gear, which are sequentially meshed, and further comprising a first planet gear carrier rotatably arranged, wherein the plurality of first planet gears are all connected to the first ring gear; a speed adjustment gear, wherein the speed adjustment gear is meshed with an outer periphery of the first ring gear; a first power input shaft arranged on the speed adjustment gear and forming the first power input portion; a second power input shaft arranged on the first sun gear and forming the second power input portion; and a third power output shaft arranged on the first ring gear and forming the third power output portion.” The prior art odes not disclose e the same combination of specific gears and interrelationships therebetween, and cannot be modified in the middle of the transmission in order to satisfy this combination without a complete redesign.
With reference to claim 8, the prior art does not disclose or render obvious a power transmission system comprising the combination of features as recited including “wherein the deceleration mechanism comprises: a second planetary gear structure, comprising a second sun gear, a plurality of second planet gears, and a second ring gear, which are sequentially meshed, and further comprising a second planet gear carrier fixedly arranged, wherein the plurality of second planet gears is all connected to the second planet gear carrier; a parallel-axis gear structure, comprising a first parallel-axis gear and a second parallel-axis gear that are meshed and fitted with each other; a first power output shaft, wherein the second ring gear is connected to the first parallel-axis gear by the first power output shaft to drive the first parallel-axis gear to rotate, and the first power output shaft forms the first power output portion; and a second power output shaft, wherein the second power output shaft is arranged on the second parallel-axis gear and forms the second power output portion.” The prior art odes not disclose e the same combination of specific gears and interrelationships therebetween, and cannot be modified in the middle of the transmission in order to satisfy this combination without a complete redesign.
With reference to claim 10, the prior art does not disclose or render obvious a power transmission system comprising the combination of features as recited including “wherein the to-be-driven structure comprises: a deceleration module, wherein the third power output portion is drivingly connected to a power input end of the deceleration module; and a plunger pump, wherein a power output end of the deceleration module is drivingly connected to the plunger pump to drive the plunger pump to operate.” The prior art does not include the combination of the multiple outputs connected as recited to the deceleration mechanism and speed adjustment mechanism, as well as the separate deceleration module. The deceleration module is interpreted consistent with the specification as a transmission that decelerates the speed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2006/0245934 discloses a power source that powers a pump via a transmission and clutch.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STACEY A FLUHART whose telephone number is (571)270-1851. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 9AM-7PM.
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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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/STACEY A FLUHART/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
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