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 § 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, 2, 4, 6, 8-12, 15 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipates by CHAE at el. (US 11,833,903).
Regarding claim 1, CHAE discloses a drive assembly for a work machine, comprising: an energy machine (MG2); a rotational speed compensating device (DF); a first power output (ES); and a magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) connected to the energy machine (MG2) via a drive shaft (PS), the magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) being arranged to adjust the rotational speed of one or more of the first power output (ES) or the rotational speed compensating device (DF).
Regarding claim 2, CHAE discloses the epicyclic gear set (CMG) is inserted into the power flow between the energy machine (MG2) and the first power output (ES).
Regarding claim 4, CHAE discloses the rotational speed compensating device (DF) is connected on the driven side to a first and second final driven shaft for driving ground-engaging means.
Regarding claim 6, CHAE discloses the energy machine (MG2) has an axis of rotation aligned coaxially with and parallel to the drive shaft (PS).
Regarding claim 8, CHAE discloses an axis of rotation the energy machine (MG2) and an axis of rotation of the epicyclic gear set (CMG) are arranged coaxially with and parallel to one another.
Regarding claim 9, CHAE discloses the epicyclic gear set (CMG) has an internal rotor (IR), an external rotor (OR), and an interposed magnetic modulation ring (PP).
Regarding claim 10, CHAE discloses the internal rotor of the epicyclic gear set (CMG) is designed as a drive side and the modulation ring is designed as a driven side.
Regarding claim 11, CHAE discloses the energy machine (MG2) is connected to the internal rotor of the epicyclic gear set (CMG) via the drive shaft (PS).
Regarding claim 12, CHAE discloses the first power output (ES) is connected on the drive side to the modulation ring.
Regarding claim 15, CHAE discloses an axle for a work machine including a drive assembly, comprising: an energy machine (MG2); a rotational speed compensating device (DF); a first power output (ES); and a magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) connected to the energy machine (MG2) via a drive shaft (PS), the magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) being arranged to adjust the rotational speed of one or more of the first power output (ES) or the rotational speed compensating device (DF).
Regarding claim 16, CHAE discloses a work machine including an axle having a drive assembly, comprising: an energy machine (MG2); a rotational speed compensating device (DF); a first power output (ES); and a magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) connected to the energy machine (MG2) via a drive shaft (PS), the magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) being arranged to adjust the rotational speed of one or more of the first power output (ES) or the rotational speed compensating device (DF).
Claim(s) 1 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CHAE at el. (US 11,833,903).
Regarding claim 1, CHAE discloses a drive assembly for a work machine, comprising: an energy machine (E); a rotational speed compensating device (DF); a first power output (IN); and a magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) connected to the energy machine (E) via a drive shaft (ES), the magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) being arranged to adjust the rotational speed of one or more of the first power output (IN) or the rotational speed compensating device (DF).
Regarding claim 3, CHAE discloses the epicyclic gear set (CMG) is inserted into the power flow between the energy machine (MG1) and the rotational speed compensating device.
Claim(s) 1, 9 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CHAE at el. (US 11,833,903).
Regarding claim 1, CHAE discloses a drive assembly for a work machine, comprising: an energy machine (MG2); a rotational speed compensating device (DF); a first power output (ES); and a magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) connected to the energy machine (MG2) via a drive shaft (PS), the magnetic-electric epicyclic gear set (CMG) being arranged to adjust the rotational speed of one or more of the first power output (ES) or the rotational speed compensating device (DF).
Regarding claim 9, CHAE discloses the epicyclic gear set (CMG) has an internal rotor (IR), an external rotor (OR), and an interposed magnetic modulation ring (PP).
Regarding claim 14, CHAE discloses the external rotor (OR) is driven electrically via a control unit such that the first power output (ES) and the drive shaft (ES) rotate at a specifiable rotational speed.
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) 5, 7, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHAE at el. (US 11,833,903).
Regarding claim 5, CHAE discloses the drive shaft. But does not show or specifically disclose the drive shaft being designed as a hollow shaft.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to design the drive shaft as a hollow shaft as it is well known in the art to have shafts of transmission assemblies be hollow to be used as a passage for oil or other fluid to be used for cooling or lubrication or transmission parts such as gears, clutches, bearing, etc.
Regarding claim 7, CHAE discloses one of the energy machine or the epicyclic gear set is connected to the first power output.
CHAE does not disclose the connection being via an angular 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 drive assembly of CHAE such that one of the energy machine or the epicyclic gear set is connected via an angular gear set to the first power output to allow for better packaging, weight distribution, or ease of maintenance, as the rearrangement of parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. And the use of bevel gears to change the orientation of transmission components is well known in the art.
Regarding claim 13, CHAE discloses the rotational speed compensating device (DF) is connected to the modulation ring (PP).
CHAE does not disclose the rotational speed compensating device is connected on the drive side to the modulation ring.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the drive assembly of CHAE such that the rotational speed compensating device is connected on the drive side to the modulation ring to allow for better packaging, weight distribution, or ease of maintenance, as the rearrangement of parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art.
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.
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/DEREK D KNIGHT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655