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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A (Figs. 3, 4-6) in the reply filed on April 9, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 2 and 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on April 9, 2026.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on May 9, 2025 has been considered by the Examiner.
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.
Claims 1, 3-6 and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Engerman et al. (US 11,415,208).
Engerman discloses and shows at Figs. 2, 3 and 8-10, for example, a multi-piece clutch gear assembly, comprising:
a helical gear (142); and
a clutch assembly (124) coupled to and arranged within an interior of the helical gear, wherein the helical gear is formed as a first piece and the clutch assembly is formed as a separate, second piece.
Cl. 3 – the helical gear comprises a ring (Fig. 8, item 136), a central hub (138), and a plate (134) formed as a single piece, wherein the clutch assembly is coupled to an interior surface of the ring and to an exterior surface of the central hub.
Cl. 4 – in a single clutch arrangement, the clutch assembly comprises a clutch interface positioned towards a first side of the clutch gear assembly and a central hub of the multi-piece clutch gear assembly is positioned more towards a second, opposing side of the clutch gear assembly than the clutch interface.
Cl. 5 – in a dual clutch arrangement, the clutch assembly comprises a first clutch interface (124) positioned towards a first side of the clutch gear assembly and a second clutch interface (224) positioned towards a second, opposing side of the clutch gear assembly.
Cl. 6 – the helical gear comprises a plurality of teeth at an outer surface thereof configured to mesh with another gear.
Cl. 11 – Engerman discloses and shows at Figs. 2, 3 and 8-10, for example, a clutch gear assembly, comprising:
a helical gear (142) comprising a ring (Fig. 8, item 136), a central hub (138), and a plate (134), wherein the central hub is arranged within an interior of the ring along a shared axis of rotation; and
a clutch assembly (124) comprising at least one clutch interface, wherein the clutch assembly is coupled to an interior surface of the ring and to an exterior surface of the central hub.
Cl. 12 – the central hub comprises an open passage there through, configured to receive a shaft.
Cl. 13 – the at least one clutch interface comprises a plurality of notches (not shown).
Cl. 14 – the at least one clutch interface comprises a first clutch interface at a first side of the clutch gear assembly.
Cl. 15 – the at least one clutch interface comprises a second clutch interface at a second side of the clutch gear assembly opposite the first side (and attached to helical gear 234).
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.
Claims 7-10 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Engerman as applied to claims 1 and 11.
Regarding claims 7-9, Engerman does not disclose the material makeup of the helical gar or clutch assembly. Yet, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select one of the claimed materials as it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. See Sinclair & Carroll Co. v. Interchemical Corp., 325 U.S. 327, 65 USPQ 297 and In re Leshin, 277 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960) as described in MPEP 2144.07.
Regarding claims 10 and 16, as Engerman discloses and shows the invention of claims 1 and 11, the reference is silent on how the helical gear and clutch assembly are affixed to one another. However, it would have been expected to affix one to another via one of the claimed methods absent an objective showing to the contrary.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BOBBY RUSHING, JR whose telephone number is (571)270-0501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8AM-5PM EST.
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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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/BOBBY RUSHING, JR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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