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 .
Status of Claims
This office action is in response to the amendments/remarks filed on . Claims 1-20 are pending; claims 1, 4, 8-9, 11, 15 have been amended.
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 12-15 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 12 recites “a fifth engagement part is disposed on an outer diameter portion of the first carrier”. It is unclear whether the recited “a fifth engagement part” refers to the same “fifth engagement part” as recited in claim 1 or distinct engagement structure or a portion of another element of the planetary gearset . additionally, it is unclear whether recited “an outer diameter portion of the first carrier” corresponds to the same outer diameter portion of the first carrier previously recited or distinct portion of the outer diameter of the first carrier.
Claims 13-15 are also rejected due to their dependency from claim 12.
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) 1-3, 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BECK (US 20220355663 A1) in view of TAKADA (US 20190299766 A1)
Claim 1: BECK discloses A power train device (100, Fig.10) for an electric vehicle (¶[0120]), the power train device comprising:
a first planetary gear set (P33) comprising a first sun gear (SO33) coupled to an input shaft (14) connected to a drive motor (e.g. drive motor-not shown, see ¶[0122]), a first ring gear (HO33) surrounding the first sun gear (SO33), a first planet gear (e.g. pinion gear) configured to engage with the first sun gear (SO33) and the first ring gear (HO33) between the first sun gear (SO33) and the first ring gear (HO33), and a first carrier (PT33) configured to support the first planet gear (e.g. pinion gear) so that the first planet gear (e.g. pinion gear) is rotatable;
and a sleeve (SE) having an inner-diameter portion having a first engagement part (see annotated Fig below) thereon, the first engagement part (see annotated Fig below) being configured to engage with a third engagement part (see annotated Fig below) disposed on an outer-diameter portion of the first ring gear, the first engagement part (see annotated Fig below) further being configured to move along an axial direction (e.g. shift axially, see ¶[0122]) of the input shaft (14) while engaging with the third engagement part (see annotated Fig below) toward a casing (GG) to implement a first shift operation for a first speed range (e.g. first gear ratio stage, see ¶[0122]) 1
BECK does not disclose a fifth engagement part is disposed on an outer-diameter portion of the first carrier.
TAKADA teaches a transmission (Fig.1-2) having a first planetary gearset (15) with a fifth engagement part (17c) is disposed on an outer-diameter portion of a first carrier (15c).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to swapping connection of sun and carrier such that fifth engagement part is disposed on outer diameter of carrier and sun is directly connected to another sun of second planetary gearset as obvious matter of design choice. Substituting one known equivalent for another involves only routine skill in the art, and upon making the modification, one of ordinary skill in the art would arrive at predictable results, and having sleeve engages with the ring and carrier would produce the same gear ratio as sleeve engages the ring and sun. As the result, the device of BECK would still function/operate the same as before. Such modification would allow for greater design flexibility by providing a different spatial arrangement for the clutch.
According the final structure of BECK would switch connection of sun and carrier such that fifth engagement part is disposed on outer diameter of carrier and sun is directly connected to another sun of second planetary gearset.
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Claim 2: BECK as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 1, further comprising: a second planetary gear set (P1. Note: ¶[0121]: “The transmission G is the embodiment as per FIG. 3”) comprising a second sun gear (SO1) connected in power to the first carrier (PT1), a second ring gear (HO1) surrounding the second sun gear (SO1), a second planet gear (e.g. planet gears of P1, see Fig.14) configured to engage with the second sun gear (SO1) and the second ring gear (HO1) between the second sun gear (SO1) and the second ring gear (HO1), and a second carrier (PT1) configured to support the second planet gear (e.g. planet gears of P1, see Fig.14) so that the second planet gear is rotatable; and
a third planetary gear set (P2) comprising a third ring gear (HO2) surrounding the second ring gear (HO1), a third planet gear (e.g. planet gears of P2, see Fig.14. note: “embodiment of the transmission G as per FIG. 3 in a sectional view”, see ¶[0127]) configured to engage with the second ring gear (HO1) and the third ring gear (HO2) between the second ring gear (HO1) and the third ring gear(HO2), and a third carrier (PT2) configured to support the third planet gear (e.g. planet gears of P2, see Fig.14) so that the third planet gear is rotatable.
Claim 3: BECK as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 2, wherein the first planetary gear set (BECK: P33), the second planetary gear set (BECK: P1), and the third planetary gear set (BECK: P2) are mounted in the casing (BECK: GG).
Claim 12: BECK as modified by Takada discloses a fifth engagement part (17c-Takada) is disposed on an outer-diameter portion of the first carrier (BECK: PT33) and a fourth engagement (G1) part is disposed in the casing.
Claim 13: BECK as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 12, wherein during the first shift operation (first shifting position, ¶0122[), the sleeve (SE) is configured to move in a first shift direction (left side), such that the first engagement part (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1) engages with the fourth engagement part (G1) while engaging with the third engagement part (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1).
Claim 14: BECK as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 13, wherein during the second shift operation (second shifting position, ¶[0122]), the sleeve (SE) is configured to move in a second shift direction (e.g. right side), such that the first engagement part (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1) engages with the fifth engagement part (17c-TAKADA) while engaging with the third engagement part (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1).
Claim 15. BECK as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 13, wherein the first (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1), fourth (G1), and fifth engagement parts (17c-TAKADA) have spline teeth of internal gears.
Claim 16: BECK as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 2, wherein the second planet gear (e.g. planet gears of P1) includes a plurality of second planet gears (as shown in Fig.14) and the third planet gear (e.g. planet gears of P2) includes a plurality of third planet gears (see Fig.14),
BECK as modified by Takada does not disclose wherein a number of the plurality of second planet gears exceeds a number of the plurality of third planet gears.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to duplicate pinion gears in the second planetary gear set for the purpose of reducing stress and wear, delivering more torque to the output, reducing backlash, vibration and noise. Also, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
As the modified device would have eight pinion gears in the second planetary gear set which exceeds a number (e.g. 6 planet gears) of the plurality of third planet gears.
Claim 17: BECK as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 2, wherein the second planet gear (e.g. planet of P1) includes six second planet gears (as the modified device of Beck would include more than 6 planet gears) arranged along an outer-diameter portion of the second sun gear (SO1), and wherein the third planet gear (e.g. planet of P2) includes five third planet gears (as shown in Fig.14: there are more than 5 planet gears) arranged along an outer-diameter portion of the second ring gear (HO1).
Claim 18: BECK as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 3, wherein the third carrier (BECK: PT2) is fixed to the casing (BECK: GG).
Claim 19: BECK as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 2, wherein the second carrier (PT1) is configured to transmit power transmitted to the second carrier (PT1) to one side axle shaft (left axle shaft) via an inter-shaft (11), and wherein the third ring gear (HO2) is configured to transmit power transmitted to the third ring gear (HO2) to another side axle shaft (e.g. right axle shaft).
Claim 20: Beck as modified by Takada discloses the power train device of claim 2, further comprising, wherein the sleeve (SE) is movable in a first shift direction toward the casing (GG) to implement the first shift operation (e.g. first gear ratio stage, see ¶[0122]) or a second shift direction toward the first carrier to implement the second shift operation. Furthermore, TAKADA teaches a controller (26) operated shift mechanism (18) within a transmission (see ¶[0043])
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include controller operated shifting mechanism as taught by TAKADA in the system of BECK in order to enhance drivability with smoother and automatic shifts, improve efficiency through optimization shift points.
Claim(s) 4-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BECK (US 20220355663 A1) and TAKADA (US 20190299766 A1) in view of Hohn (US 11892063 B2)
Claim 4: BECK as modified by TAKADA does not disclose wherein a second engagement part is disposed on an outer-diameter portion of the sleeve.
Hohn teaches a transmission (abstract) having a locking device (2; Fig.3) with a sleeve (18; Fig.3) includes a first engagement part (see annotated Fig below); a second engagement part (e.g. gearing on external side, see col.13 lines 56-57) is disposed on an outer-diameter portion of the sleeve (18)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to replace the sleeve along with spline of housing from the modified device of BECK with the sleeve and housing includes splines as taught by Hohn for the purpose of having a compact clutch design by reducing axial space.
Accordingly, the final structure of the modified BECK device would replace the sleeve along with spline of housing GG with the sleeve and housing includes splines 19 as taught by Hohn.
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Claim 5: BECK as modified by Takada and Hohn discloses the power train device of claim 4, wherein during the first shift operation, the sleeve (18-Hohn) is configured to move in a first shift direction (left side), such that the second engagement part (e.g. gearing on external side on 18, Hohn) engages with a fourth engagement part (19, Hohn) in the casing (G-Hohn) while the first engagement part (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 4) engages with the third engagement part (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1).
Claim 6: BECK as modified by Takada and Hohn discloses the power train device of claim 5, wherein during the second shift operation, the sleeve (18-Hohn) is configured to move in a second shift direction (right side), such that the first engagement part (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 4) engages with the fifth engagement part (17c, TAKADA) while engaging with the third engagement part (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1), and the second engagement part (e.g. gearing on external side on 18, Hohn) disengages from the fourth engagement part (19, Hohn).
Claim 7: BECK as modified by Takada and Hohn discloses the power train device of claim 5, wherein the first engagement part (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 4) and the third (see annotated Fig below rejection of claim 1) and fifth engagement parts (17c, TAKADA) have first spline teeth of internal gears, and the second engagement part (e.g. gearing on external side of 18, Hohn) and the fourth engagement part (19, Hohn) have second spline teeth of internal gears.
Response to Amendment/Argument
The previous rejection under 35 USC 112 (b) have been withdrawn in light of the amendment to the claims 11 and 15.
The previous rejections of claims 8-11 under 35 USC §103 have been withdrawn in light of incorporating the allowable subject matter renders the claims allowable.
Applicant's arguments with respect to the rejections of claims 1-3, 18-19 under 35 USC 102 have been withdrawn in light of the amendment to independent claim 1.
With respect to the rejections under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive for the following reasons:
1-Applicant argued “FIG. 2 of Takada, as shown above, fails to disclose the location of the rotatable sleeve 17c. Also, the rest of Takada is completely silent with regards to the location of the rotatable sleeve 17c. For example, paragraphs [0036] and [0037] of Takada, reproduced below for the Examiner's convenience, which are the only paragraphs in Takada that describe the rotatable sleeve 17c, fail to describe the location of the rotatable sleeve 17c, as they merely mention that the rotatable sleeve 17c is "connected to the carrier 15C" or a "part of the carrier 15C."
In response to the argument above, examiner respectfully disagrees, under BRI, the phrase “a part of carrier 15C” as described from ¶[0036] of Takada implies that rotatable sleeve 17c is structurally integrated with or attached to carrier. In mechanical standpoint, a sleeve that is “part of” rotating carrier would necessarily be mounted on its outer diameter portion to allow engagement with a shift sleeve moving axially. If the sleeve were mounted on the inner diameter or elsewhere, it would not functionally serve as part of the dog clutch arrangement as described in Takada.
From ¶[0037] of Takada, for the shift sleeve (17a) to engage with sleeve (17c), the rotatable sleeve must be axially aligned with the ring gear and the shift sleeve. The only mechanically feasible location for the rotatable sleeve (17c) is on the outer diameter portion of the carrier, adjacent to the ring gear. Any other place would not allow axial engagement with the shift sleeve.
Further, Fig.2 of Takada illustrates the carrier (15c) and adjacent rotatable sleeve (17c) in axial alignment with the ring gear (15r). A person of ordinary skill in the art would understand from this Fig.2 and description ¶[0036]-[0037] that rotatable sleeve is mounted on the carrier’s outer diameter portion.
Additionally, applicant’s owned disclosed embodiment (Fig.1) depicts (ir5) identified by applicant as “fifth engagement part” as being on the outer diameter of the carrier and configured to engage a sleeve in a manner functionally and structurally indistinguishable from Takada’s rotatable sleeve (17c).
Accordingly, Takada teaches a “fifth engagement part” (17c) that is disposed on outer diameter portion of carrier (15c) as required by claim 1. When combined with Beck as applied in the rejected, the cited references render obvious all of the limitation of claim 1. Thereof, the rejections under 35 USC 103 are maintained.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-11 are allowed.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lillian T Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)270-5404. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm.
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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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/LILLIAN T NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3655A
/ERNESTO A SUAREZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3655
1 The strikeout limitation is “or” limitation; thus the prior art does not require to satisfy the strikeout limitation to be applicable.