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 is the first action on the merits for application 19/208,470 filed on 05/14/2025. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/08/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Reference numbers “215” and “210” have both been used to designate “top shaft”, see ¶[0028] and [0030] of PGPUB version.
Reference number “225” and “220” have both been used to designate “bottom shaft”, see ¶[0028] and [0030] of PGPUB version.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: top shaft 215, dynamic engagement device 200, slip clutch 205, motor 240; slip clutches 210, 220, peaks 212, 222, flats 214, 224 from ¶[0028]-[0030] of PGPUB version. 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. 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 § 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) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LEONARD (US 3942337 A)
LEONARD discloses:
Claim 1: A slip-clutch system (Fig.2), comprising: a top clutch (38) having a first face (face of 38) comprising a first plurality of lobes (land of 38), each having a height (height of land);
a bottom clutch (40) having a second face (face of 40) counter facing said first face (face of 40) and comprising a second plurality of lobes (59), each having a height (height of 59); and
a washer (6) located between said top clutch (38) and said bottom clutch (40) configured to separate said first plurality of lobes (land of 38) and said second plurality of lobes (59) when said top clutch and said bottom clutch are at rest (when the clutch at rest, the spacer 6 is still between 40 and 38 and holds the bearings 7 centered).
Claim 2: The slip-clutch system of claim 1, wherein said top clutch (38) comprises a first plurality of valleys (49), each having a depth (depth of 49), on said first face (face of 38); and wherein said bottom clutch (40) comprises a second plurality of valleys (47), each having a depth (depth of 47), on said second face (face of 40).
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) 10, 12-13, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEONARD (US 3942337 A) in view of Chaterjee (US 20030136541 A1)
Claim 10: LEONARD does not disclose where said top clutch and said bottom clutch each comprise a metallic alloy.
Chaterjee teaches a clutch system (Fig.1) having a top clutch (100) and a bottom clutch (200) each comprise a metallic alloy (¶[0032]: “forming the clutches 100 and 200 from a steel containing a relatively large total amount of molybdenum and tungsten as alloying elements.”)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the top and bottom clutch (38 and 40) from LEONARD’s device to comprise a metallic alloy as taught by Chaterjee for the purpose of increasing the life of the clutches.
Claim 12: LEONARD discloses a dynamic engagement device (Fig.2) comprising:
a top clutch (38) having a first face (face of 38) comprising a first plurality of peaks (land of 38), each having a height (height of land);
a top shaft (3) attached to said top clutch (38);
a bottom clutch (40) having a second face (face of 40) counter facing said first face and comprising a second plurality of peaks (59), each having a height (height of 59);
a bottom shaft (4) attached to said bottom clutch (40);
a washer (6) having a thickness and located between said top clutch (38) and said bottom clutch (40) configured to separate said first plurality of peaks (land of 38) and said second plurality of peaks (59) when said top clutch (38) and said bottom clutch (40) are at rest (when the clutch at rest, the spacer 6 is still between 40 and 38 and holds the bearings 7 centered); and
LEONARD does not disclose a motor functionally attached to one of said top shaft and said bottom shaft.
Chaterjee teaches a slip clutch (Fig.1) having a motor (motor, ¶[0022]) functionally attached to one of a top shaft (300); where the top shaft (300) attached to a top clutch (100).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a motor (motor, ¶[0022]-Chaterjee) as taught by Chaterjee attached to top shaft (3- LEONARD) in the system of LEONARD for the purpose of providing compact power tools system with function of protecting motor and driven system from overload.
Claim 13: LEONARD as modified by Chaterjee discloses the dynamic engagement device of claim 12, wherein said top clutch (38-LEONARD) comprises a first plurality of valleys (49-LEONARD), each having a depth (depth of 49-LEONARD), on said first face (face of 38-LEONARD); and wherein said bottom clutch (40-LEONARD) comprises a second plurality of valleys (47-LEONARD), each having a depth (depth of 47-LEONARD), on said second face (face of 40-LEONARD).
Claim 19: LEONARD as modified by Chaterjee discloses the dynamic engagement device of claim 12. Furthermore, Chaterjee teaches a clutch system (Fig.1) having a top clutch (100) and a bottom clutch (200) each comprise a metallic alloy (¶[0032]: “forming the clutches 100 and 200 from a steel containing a relatively large total amount of molybdenum and tungsten as alloying elements.”)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the top and bottom clutch (38 and 40) from LEONARD’s device to comprise a metallic alloy as taught by Chaterjee for the purpose of increasing the life of the clutches.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEONARD (US 3942337 A) in view of PLIOSKA (US 20180156282 A1)
Claim 11: LEONARD does not disclose wherein said washer comprises a polymer.
PLIOSKA discloses a torque assembly (abstract) having a washer (20A) comprises a polymer (¶[0036]: “at least one of the washer 20, first washer 20A, or second washer 20B may include a compound layer 22 thereon. The compound layer 22 can include at least one polymer.”)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the washer (20A) comprises a polymer as taught by PLIOSKA in the system of LEONARD to enhance rigidity and structural support.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEONARD (US 3942337 A) in view of Chaterjee (US 20030136541 A1) and further in view of PLIOSKA (US 20180156282 A1)
Claim 20: LEONARD as modified by Chaterjee does not disclose wherein said washer comprises a polymer.
PLIOSKA discloses a torque assembly (abstract) having a washer (20A) comprises a polymer (¶[0036]: “at least one of the washer 20, first washer 20A, or second washer 20B may include a compound layer 22 thereon. The compound layer 22 can include at least one polymer.”)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the washer (20A) comprises a polymer as taught by PLIOSKA in the modified system of LEONARD to enhance rigidity and structural support.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-9, 14-18 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.
Regarding claims 3 and 13, the prior art of record alone or in combination neither discloses nor renders obvious, the slip clutch system, specifically, “first plurality of lobes are configured to mate with said second plurality of valleys”. The closest prior art as indicated above does not have the allowable limitation. Secondly, there is no reasons or disclosure from prior art that would led one skills in the art to remove the rolling elements, since removing the balls eliminate the feature that allows smooth slip and automatic re-engagement of the device.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Zhou (US 20230392679 A1) discloses transmission system having top and bottom clutch 21,51
Endo (US 20220307559 A) discloses coupling device having first and second rotating body 10, 20, and washer 40.
Conclusion
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
/STACEY A FLUHART/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655