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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “first set of clutch elements is associated with the first gear set and located at the electric motor proximal side” (claim 12), and “selecting both the reduction stage and the selected gear set is achieved by movement of a single clutch element of the split transmission assembly,” (claim 16) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-14 and 16-20 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.
Regarding claim 1, lines 9-10 recite “configured to support a second gear set and a third gear set of the split transmission assemblyplurality of gear sets.” This appears to be a typo, for the purposes of examination the Examiner will assume the claim should read -- configured to support a second gear set and a third gear set of the plurality of gear sets of the split transmission assembly--. Appropriate correction to the claims should be made.
Regarding claim 6, line 3 recites “shifting between adjacent gears in the at least three ratios”. It is unclear to the Examiner as to what gears are being referred, and how they are “adjacent” to one another.
Regarding claim 12, lines 2-3 recite “the first set of clutch elements is associated with the first gear set and located at the electric motor proximal side”. This does not appear to be shown in he drawing, and adequately described in the Specification to determine how the elements of the invention would be arranged to satisfy this limitation.
Regarding claim 14, line 1 recites “a width of the electric motor distal side”. It is unclear to the Examiner what direction is the “width” direction. Clarification is requested.
Regarding claim 16, lines 1-2 recite “selecting both the reduction stage and the selected gear set is achieved by movement of a single clutch element of the split transmission assembly.” This arrangement is not shown in the drawings, and is not described in the Specification.
Regarding claim 17, line 1 recites “an electric motor proximal side”. This appears to be an instance of double inclusion with the same limitation found in line 3 of the same claim.
Regarding claim 18, line 1 recites “an electric motor”. This appears to be an instance of double inclusion with the same limitation recited in line 3 of claim 17.
Regarding claim 19, lines 2-3 recite “the transmission assembly includes at least six clutch elements, movement of which facilitates selecting between the at least three gear ratios.” As disclosed, the transmission assembly has two clutch elements that are movable. Each of the clutch elements is able to be in one of three positions, make for a total of 6 possible positions. It is requested that Applicant amend the claim to reflect the invention as disclosed in the Specification and Drawings.
Claim Interpretation
Claims 19 and 20 refer to a neutral state of the transmission as a ratio. While this is not standard convention when discussing the ratios of a transmission, it is noted that within this application, a transmission ratio can include neutral.
Claims 6, 11, 12, 16, and 19 recite the limitation “clutch elements”. It appears that this term is used in a way that is not consistent with standard practice. While the term “clutch elements” is commonly used to disclose individual mechanisms that are used to engage and disengage various rotatable elements of the transmission with other transmission elements, Applicant uses the term to disclose the possible positions of the clutch. This is the interpretation that the Examiner will use throughout this rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 5-8, 11, 13-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by GHATTI et al. (US 11,002,352 B2).
Regarding claim 1, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses a split transmission assembly configured for use with an e-axle assembly that is configured to house the split transmission assembly and configured to connect to an electric motor (22) at a housing of the split transmission assembly, the split transmission assembly comprising: a plurality of gear sets (30, 190/150, 192/152, 194/154) that are operatively connected to each other; wherein the housing of the split transmission assembly includes: an electric motor proximal side (left of differential (220) in Fig. 2) configured to interface with the electric motor (22) and house a first gear set (30) of the plurality of gear sets; an electric motor distal side (right of differential (220) in Fig. 2) that is arranged opposite to the electric motor proximal side and configured to support a second gear set (190/150) and a third gear set (192/152) of plurality of gear sets; and a differential section (220) arranged between the electric motor proximal and distal sides, the differential section being configured to receive at least one axle (118) of the e-axle assembly, and wherein the first gear set is a multistage reduction gear set (col. 10, liens 34-37) that is configured to cooperate with the second and third gear sets to provide at least three ratios (a first gear, a second gear, and a neutral) that are distinct from each other.
Regarding claim 5, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses a shifting assembly (240) that is configured to cause the multistage reduction gear set (30) to cooperate with the second and third gear sets to provide the at least three ratios that are distinct from each other.
Regarding claim 6, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses the shifting assembly (240) is configured to shift the transmission between the at least three ratios using a plurality of clutch elements (242), and wherein shifting between adjacent gears in the at least three ratios is achievable via a single clutch movement in the plurality of clutch elements.
Regarding claim 7, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses the at least three ratios include a first ratio, a second ratio, and a third ratio, and wherein the first ratio is about double the second ratio, and wherein the second ratio is about double the third ratio.
Regarding claim 8, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses the at least three ratios further includes multiple neutral positions (when the clutches are in their disengaged positions).
Regarding claim 11, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses the plurality of clutch elements is located on the electric motor distal side (right of the differential (220).
Regarding claim 13, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses one or more cross shafts (142) that operatively connect the first gear set (30) to the second gear set (190/150).
Regarding claim 14, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses a width of the electric motor distal side is about equal to a width of the electric motor proximal side.
Regarding claim 15, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses a method of operating an e-axle assembly (Fig. 2), the method comprising: selecting a reduction stage of a multistage reduction gear set (30, col. 10, lines 34-37 disclose providing more than two gears for the set) in a split transmission assembly to provide a selected reduction stage, the split transmission assembly being longitudinally split across the e-axle assembly (gear set 30 on left, and additional gear sets on left of the differential 220); and selecting, correspondingly to the selected reduction stage, a selected gear set (190/150) from a plurality of selectable gear sets (190/150, 192/152, 194/154) in the split transmission assembly to cause the selected reduction stage to cooperate with the selected gear set to provide one ratio of at least three ratios that are distinct from each other.
Regarding claim 16, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses selecting both the reduction stage and the selected gear set is achieved by movement of a single clutch element (240) of the split transmission assembly.
Regarding claim 17, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses e-axle assembly, comprising: an e-axle housing designed to house internal components of the e-axle assembly and configured to connect to an electric motor at an electric motor proximal side of the e-axle housing; a split transmission assembly that is configured to operatively mount to the electric motor for powering the transmission assembly, the split transmission assembly comprising: a multistage reduction gear set arranged proximate an electric motor proximal side of the e-axle housing; andtwo more gear sets arranged proximate an electric motor distal side of the axle housing; a shifting assembly that is configured to shift between gears of the transmission assembly; and a differential assembly that operatively connects to the split transmission assembly so as to transmit torque from the split transmission assembly to an axle of the e-axle assembly; wherein a first gear set of the one or more gear sets is the multistage reduction gear set that is arranged at the electric motor proximal side and is configured to cooperate with the two more gear sets arranged at the electric motor distal side to together provide at least three distinct ratios.
Regarding claim 18, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses an electric motor that is operatively attached to the transmission assembly.
Regarding claim 19, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses the at least three ratios includes four ratios of which three ratios are selectable, and wherein the transmission assembly includes at least six clutch elements, movement of which facilitates selecting between the at least three ratios.
Regarding claim 20, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses the four ratios includes first, second, third, and fourth ratios, wherein the first ratio is greater than the second ratio and the second ratio is greater than the third ratio, and wherein the fourth ratio operates as a second neutral between the second and third ratios.
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) 2-4, 9, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GHATTI et al. (US 11,002,352 B2) and further in view of LIU et al. (US 10,189,351 B2).
Regarding claim 2, as best understood by the Examiner, GHATTI discloses the multistage reduction gear set, but does not disclose it being a double reduction gear set.
LIU teaches a transmission assembly (Fig. 12) having a multistage reduction gear set (among shafts I, II, and III) that is a double reduction gear set.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the transmission of GHATTI such that the multistage reduction gear would be a double reduction gear, as taught by LIU, to provide greater reduction ratios as disclosed in GHATTI, column 11, lines 1-13.
Regarding claim 3, as best understood by the examiner, the combination of GHATTI-LIU discloses a shifting assembly that is configured to cause the first, second, and third gear sets to cooperate, wherein the multistage reduction gear set includes a compound idler gear.
Regarding claim 4, as best understood by the examiner, the combination of GHATTI-LIU discloses the compound idler gear has first (1) and second idler gears (q’), the first idler gear being outboard of the second idler gear and having a smaller diameter than the second idler gear.
Regarding claim 9, as best understood by the examiner, the combination of GHATTI-LIU discloses each of the first and second ratios is achievable with the multistage reduction gear set in a first reduction stage and the third ratio is achievable with the multistage reduction gear set in a second reduction stage that is different from the first reduction stage.
Regarding claim 10, as best understood by the examiner, the combination of GHATTI-LIU discloses the first ratio is achievable with the multistage reduction gear set in the first reduction stage and cooperating with the second gear set, the second ratio is achievable with the multistage reduction gear set in the first reduction stage and cooperating with the third gear set, and the third ratio is achievable with the multistage reduction gear set in the second reduction stage and cooperating with the third gear set.
Regarding claim 12, as best understood by the examiner, the combination of GHATTI-LIU discloses the plurality of clutch elements includes first and second sets of clutch elements, and wherein the first set of clutch elements is associated with the first gear set and located at the electric motor proximal side, and the second set of clutch elements is associated with at least one of the second and third gear sets and is located on the electric motor distal side.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEREK D. KNIGHT whose telephone number is (571)272-7951. The examiner can normally be reached Telework: From 5:30am-1:30pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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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/DEREK D KNIGHT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
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