DETAILED ACTION
This is the first Office action on the merits of Application No. 19/295,876. Claims 1-4 are pending.
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 .
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: in paragraph [0011], “dual disc clutch system 10”. 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
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nosek (US Patent 3981381).
Regarding claim 1, Nosek discloses a dual disc clutch system (Fig. 1), comprising: a flywheel (Fig. 1, flywheel 14); at least one spacer ring (Fig. 1, spacer ring 59); a first clutch disc (Fig. 1, clutch disk unit 23); a floater ring (Fig. 1, intermediate plate 73); a second clutch disc (Fig. 1, clutch disk unit 22), said second clutch disc being spring-modified (springs shown in Figs. 1-2); and a pressure plate (Fig. 1, pressure plate 69) having a diaphragm spring (Fig. 1, conical spring member 72), said pressure plate releasably clamping said first clutch disc and said second clutch disc against said flywheel (shown in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Nosek discloses the dual clutch disc system of claim 1, comprising more than one spacer ring (Fig. 3, sealing rings 67 and 68 combined with spacer ring 59 constitute more than one spacer ring). Note to an alternative interpretation not applied at this time, it appears that it would be a mere duplication of parts (MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B)) to have more than one spacer ring,.
Regarding claim 3, Nosek discloses the dual clutch system of claim 1, wherein said at least one spacer ring has at least one receiving formation (Fig. 2, recess 89) thereon.
Regarding claim 4, Nosek discloses the dual clutch system of claim 3, wherein said floater ring has at least one projecting formation (Fig. 2, lugs 77) thereon, said projecting formation fitting within said receiving formation.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ziegler (US Patent Publication 20030062238) discloses a dual disc clutch and spacer (184).
Hassler (US Patent Publication 20190264754) discloses a dual disc clutch (Fig. 1).
Orlamunder (US Patent Publication 20060006040) discloses a dual disc clutch (Fig. 1).
Grabis (US Patent 5355984) discloses a dual disc clutch (Fig. 1).
Crawford (US Patent 4225025) discloses a dual disc clutch and spacers (4).
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/LORI WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655