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 19/233,349 filed on 06/10/2025. Claims 1-18 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/10/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
¶[0105] of USPGPUB describes “the recesses 50 recessed in the first direction D1 from the surface 43D2 of the first clutch center 41 located in the second direction D2”; however, as shown in Fig.2 surface 43d2 is located in first direction D1. Thereof, the specification is inconsistent with the drawings.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for “the open end of the first pressure structure is provided with a first oil passage through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure is guidable to the clearance”, does not reasonably provide enablement for “a portion of the clutch center adjacent to the open end of the first pressure structure is provided with a first oil passage through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure is guidable to the clearance”. The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the invention commensurate in scope with these claims.
Claim 1 recites “the open end of the first pressure structure or a portion of the clutch center adjacent to the open end of the first pressure structure is provided with a first oil passage through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure is guidable to the clearance.” The recitation lacks corresponding enabling disclosure in view of Wands factors: 1-amount of direction provided by the inventor: the specification does not provide guidance on how to achieve “a portion of the clutch center adjacent to the open end of the first pressure structure is provided with a first oil passage through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure is guidable to the clearance”. 2-Working example: only working provided (Fig.1-16) all incorporate the first cut out/first oil passage at the open end of first pressure structure. There no working examples of how the oil inside the first pressure structure could be guided to a passage located solely on the adjacent clutch center. 3-Quantity of experimentation: to practice the full scope of claim 1, a person of ordinary skill in the art would be required to design and test alternative oil flow paths within a closed pressure structure without guidance from the specification. Such experimentation would be undue experimentation, as it would require extensive testing, prototyping, design.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
Claim 10 recites “the first oil passage includes a recess recessed in the first direction from a surface of the clutch center located in the second direction; and the recess is located in the first direction relative to the open end.” The recitation lacks corresponding enabling disclosure in view of Wands factors: 1-amount of direction provided by the inventor: the specification describes recess 50 is the first oil passage, see ¶[0048], the specification provides no guidance for implementing a broader oil passage structure that includes a recess as a sub feature. 2-Working example: the specification includes working examples only of recesses that function as oil passages. There are no examples of recess as part of the oil passage. 3-state of the prior art: the prior art does not teach general principle that would allow a person of ordinary skill in the art to design alternative oil passage structures that merely include a recess while still guiding oil as claimed.
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, 16-17 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 1 recites “the open end of the first pressure structure or a portion of the clutch center adjacent to the open end of the first pressure structure is provided with a first oil passage through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure is guidable to the clearance.” Since the limitation of this claim is “or” clause, it creates two standalone scenarios 1-“the open end (71T) of the first pressure structure (71) is provided with a first oil passage (71H) through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure (71) is guidable to the clearance (95)” (see ¶[0096]-[0097] and Fig.1-2) and 2-“a portion of the clutch center (41) adjacent to the open end (71T) of the first pressure structure (71) is provided with a first oil passage (50) through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure (71) is guidable to the clearance (95)” (see ¶[0048], and Fig.1-2) . However, it is unclear in the second scenario how the oil inside the first pressure structure (71) structurally could be guided to a passage located solely on the adjacent clutch center.
Claim 3 recites “the first oil passage includes first oil passages”. The language is internally inconsistent and lacks clear structural meaning, it’s unclear whether “first oil passage” refers to a single structural passage or a collective of multiple passages assembly together. The claim does not clearly define the relationship between a singular “first oil passage” and plural “first oil passages”.
Claim 4 recites “wherein the second pressure structure includes a second oil passage through which clutch oil that has been guided to the clearance”. From ¶[0064] and [077], Fig.1 of the specification and drawing does not disclose or depict the second oil passage (81h) is not in fluid communication with clearance 95. Instead the oil flow as shown in F2, from inside of first pressure structure 71 out of cutout 71h directly out second cutout 81h. This oil bypasses the clearance. It does not enter the radial gap then exit. Thereof, it is unclear how the second oil passage would guide oil to the clearance as claimed.
Claim 6 recites “the second oil passage includes a plurality of second oil passages”. The language is internally inconsistent and lacks clear structural meaning, it’s unclear whether “second oil passage” refers to a single structural passage or a collective of multiple passages assembly together. The claim does not clearly define the relationship between a singular “second oil passage” and “plurality of second oil passages”.
Claim 10 recites “ wherein assuming that a direction in which the pressure assembly moves toward the clutch center is a first direction and a direction in which the pressure assembly moves away from the clutch center is a second direction, the first oil passage includes a recess recessed in the first direction from a surface of the clutch center located in the second direction; and the recess is located in the first direction relative to the open end.” As claim 1 recites “a portion of the clutch center adjacent to the open end of the first pressure structure is provided with a first oil passage through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure is guidable to the clearance.” which defines recess 50 is first oil passage itself also see ¶[0048] of USPGPUB version; wherein claim 10 redundantly states “first oil passage includes a recess” implying that recess is only a part of the first oil passage rather than passage itself. As a result, it is unclear the structure of first oil passage, whether “first oil passage” refers to recess 50 alone, a combination of multiple features. Furthermore, “a surface of the clutch center” is unclear since the clutch center assembly includes a first clutch center 41 and second clutch center 51 as shown in Fig.1, 3 and 5. This clutch center assembly has multiplicity of surfaces that satisfy the directional description of the claimed recess location is ambiguous. Thereof, it is unclear which physical surface of which clutch center is required by the claim.
Claim 12 recites “wherein assuming that a direction in which the pressure assembly moves toward the clutch center is a first direction and a direction in which the pressure assembly moves away from the clutch center is a second direction, the clearance includes an opening directed in the first direction and an opening directed in the second direction; and the open end is located in the first direction relative to the clearance.” Even though, ¶[0061] describes oil flow through clearance and refers to openings; the claim remains unclear because the limitation of claim 12 recites “an opening direct in the first direction”; “an opening directed in the second direction” without defining the structural boundaries, or reference surfaces of opening or what specific structure constitutes the claimed openings.
Claim 16 recites “the first oil passage includes a plurality of first oil passages”. The language is internally inconsistent and lacks clear structural meaning, it’s unclear whether “first oil passage” refers to a single structural passage or a collective of multiple passages assembly together. The claim does not clearly define the relationship between a singular “first oil passage” and “plurality of first oil passages”.
Claim 17 recites “the second oil passage includes a plurality of second oil passages”. The language is internally inconsistent and lacks clear structural meaning, it’s unclear whether “second oil passage” refers to a single structural passage or a collective of multiple passages assembly together. The claim does not clearly define the relationship between a singular “second oil passage” and “plurality of second oil passages”.
The dependent claims are also rejected due to their dependent from claim 1.
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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by TABINOKI (US 20190257369 A1 cited by applicant).
Claim 1: A clutch apparatus (1; Figs.6-8) to transmit a rotational driving force of an input shaft (3) to an output shaft (4) or cut off the rotational driving force, the clutch apparatus comprising:
a clutch center (10) housed in a clutch housing (7) holding input-side rotary plates (12) to be rotationally driven in response to rotational driving of the input shaft (3), the clutch center holding output-side rotary plates (11) arranged alternately with the input-side rotary plates (12), the clutch center (10) being rotationally driven together with the output shaft (4);
and a pressure assembly (120) movable toward or away from the clutch center (4) and rotatable relative to the clutch center (10) to push the input-side rotary plates (12) and the output-side rotary plates (11) (¶[0044], [0059]);
wherein the pressure assembly (120) includes:
a first pressure structure (120a);
a second pressure structure (120b) externally fitted to the first pressure structure (120a) (¶[0106]); and
a clearance (182) between an outer peripheral surface of a portion of the first pressure structure (120a) and an inner peripheral surface of the second pressure structure (120b) in a radial direction of the output shaft (4), the portion of the first pressure structure (120a) including an open end (axial end of 120a where through hole 30 opens toward the clutch center 10; see Fig.8) adjacent to the clutch center (10), the inner peripheral surface being externally fitted to the outer peripheral surface (¶[0106]);
and the open end (axial end of 120a where through hole 30 opens toward the clutch center 10; see Fig.8) of the first pressure structure (120a) 1 is provided with a first oil passage (171,132, 133, 30) through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure (120a) is guidable to the clearance (182) (¶[0105-0106]).
Claim 2: The clutch apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first oil passage (171, 132, 133, 30) includes a cut-out (171 is a cutout) 1
Claim 3: The clutch apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first oil passage (171, 132, 133, 30) includes first oil passages (132) provided in a circumferential direction of the open end (as shown in Fig.8).
Claim 4: The clutch apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second pressure structure (120b) includes a second oil passage (25c, 27) through which clutch oil that has been guided to the clearance is guidable out of the second pressure structure (120b) (for the purpose of examining, examiner interprets oil from clearance 95 flows into portion 21, then out 27 and 25c and out of structure second pressure 120b to lubricate the plates)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15 and 18 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art of record alone or in combination neither discloses nor renders obvious a clutch apparatus to transmit a rotational driving force of an input shaft to an output shaft or cut off the rotational driving force; specifically, “the first pressure structure and the second pressure structure are rotatable relative to each other in a circumferential direction; an open end of the first pressure structure adjacent to the clutch center is provided with a first oil passage through which clutch oil inside the first pressure structure is guidable out of the first pressure structure; a portion of the second pressure structure located outward of the open end of the first pressure structure in a radial direction of the output shaft is provided with a second oil passage through which clutch oil is guidable out of the second pressure structure; and when the first pressure structure and the second pressure structure rotate relative to each other in the circumferential direction, the first oil passage and the second oil passage overlap with each other as viewed in the radial direction of the output shaft.” and in combination with the remaining structure of claim 15.
Claims 16-17 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
KOBAYASHI (US 20240077116) and (US 20250327492 A1) discloses center clutch and pressure clutch.
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.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LILLIAN T NGUYEN/ Examiner, Art Unit 3655A
/STACEY A FLUHART/ Primary Examiner,Unit 3655
1 The strikeout limitation is “or” limitation; thus the prior art does not require to satisfy the strikeout limitation to be applicable.