Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2025-08-22)

CLAIMS:
LISTING OF CLAIMS:

The following Listing of Claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application.

1\. (Currently Amended) A power transmission device for a vehicle, comprising:
a housing that accommodates a power transmission mechanism; and
a control valve configured to control a pressure of oil supplied to the power transmission mechanism, wherein the power transmission mechanism includes an input shaft, an intermediate shaft, and an output shaft,
the housing defines an insertion hole for a charging pipe,
the output shaft is located farther toward a rear of \[\[a\]\] the vehicle than the input shaft,
the intermediate shaft is located above the output shaft,
the control valve is arranged upright on a vehicle front side of the input shaft, the housing is provided with a recessed portion that is recessed inwardly in a region of the housing below the intermediate shaft and further toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft, \[\[and\]\] the insertion hole is provided in a bottom section of the recessed portion when viewed from above,
the intermediate shaft is located farther toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft, and
the insertion hole is provided in a location where a straight line along an opening direction of the insertion hole intersects a straight line connecting the intermediate shaft and the output shaft below the output shaft.

2\. (Currently Amended) The power transmission device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotating body provided coaxially with the output shaft and involved in transmission of rotation between the output shaft \[\[in\]\] and the intermediate shaft, and

a cover covering one side of the rotating body in an axial direction of the output shaft,
wherein when viewed from a radial direction of the output shaft, the insertion hole is provided in a positional relationship overlapping with the cover.

3\. (Currently Amended) The power transmission device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the intermediate shaft is located farther toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft, and
the insertion hole is provided in a location where a straight line along an opening direction of the insertion hole intersects a straight line connecting the intermediate shaft \[\[in\]\] and the output shaft below the output shaft.

4\. (Previously Presented) The power transmission device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rotating body includes a differential case, and a final gear fixed to an outer circumference of the differential case,
the intermediate shaft has a transmission gear which meshes with the final gear, and an idler gear involved in transmission of rotation with another intermediate gear,
in an axial direction of the intermediate shaft, the idler gear is located to one side of where the cover is located seen from the transmission gear, and
as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the insertion hole is provided in a positional relationship overlapping the idler gear.

5\. (Previously Presented) The power transmission device as claimed in claim 4, wherein as viewed from the axial direction of the output shaft, the recessed portion is provided with a first wall section on an idler gear side, and
as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, a bottom edge of the first wall section is located below a bottom edge of the idler gear.

Reply to Office Action of April 30, 2025

6\. (Currently Amended) The power transmission device as claimed in claim 4, wherein as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the recessed portion is provided with a second wall section on \[\[the\]\] a final gear side adjacent to the one side of the rotating body covered by the cover.

7\. (Currently Amended) The power transmission device as claimed in claim 4, wherein as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the cover has a first cover section covering a side of the final gear facing the differential case on the one side of the rotating body, and a second cover section covering a lower outer circumference of the differential case.

8\. (Currently Amended) \[\[The\]\] A power transmission device for a vehicle, comprising: a housing that accommodates a power transmission mechanism; and
a control valve configured to control a pressure of oil supplied to the power transmission mechanism, wherein the power transmission mechanism includes an input shaft, an intermediate shaft, and an output shaft,
the housing defines an insertion hole for a charging pipe,
the output shaft is located farther toward a rear of the vehicle than the input shaft,
the intermediate shaft is located above the output shaft,
the control valve is arranged upright on a vehicle front side of the input shaft, the housing is provided with a recessed portion that is recessed inwardly in a region of the housing below the intermediate shaft and further toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft,
the insertion hole is provided in a bottom section of the recessed portion when viewed from above,
the housing has a case accommodating the power transmission mechanism, and

Amendment dated July 23, 2025 Reply to Office Action of April 30, 2025 a torque converter cover covering an opening of the case facing a torque converter, and the recessed portion is provided to the torque converter cover.

9\. (Previously Presented) The power transmission device as claimed in claim 8, wherein as viewed from an axial direction of the output shaft, the recessed portion is provided in a positional relationship overlapping with the case.

OFFICE ACTION:
DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 Notice of Allowance is in response to the amendment filed on July 23rd, 2025 for application no. 18/847,007 filed on September 13th, 2024. Claims 1-9 are pending. In the present amendment, claims 1-3 and 6-8 are amended.
Response to Arguments
The Applicant's arguments filed July 23rd, 2025 are in response to the Office Action mailed April 30th, 2025. The Applicant's arguments have been fully considered.
Response to Claim Objections
Regarding Claim 1, Applicant’s amendment addresses a minor informality previously indicated in the latest Office Action. As such, the claim objection is withdrawn.
Response to Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Regarding Claims 2-3 and 6-7, Applicant’s amendment has clarified the invention. As such, the relevant 112(b) rejections previously indicated in the latest Office Action are withdrawn.
Response to Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 and/or 103
Regarding Claim 1, Applicant has recited features that distinguish from those taught by the prior art of record. See allowable subject matter set forth below.
Regarding Claim 8, Examiner acknowledges the allowable subject matter of claim 8 has now been drafted as an independent claim including the base limitations of claim 1. As such, Applicant has recited features that distinguish from those taught by the prior art of record. See allowable subject matter set forth below.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 are allowed.
The following is an Examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding Claim 1, none of the prior art discloses or renders obvious a power transmission device having the combination of features recited in claim 1. The closest prior art of Miyazaki (DE 10 2019 218 976) discloses a power transmission device (Figs. 3-4, 4) comprising a housing (5), a control valve (41), an input shaft (11), an intermediate shaft (35), and an output shaft (24L); the output shaft (24L) is located farther toward a rear of a vehicle than the input shaft (11; see Fig. 4); the intermediate shaft (35) is located above the output shaft (24L); the control valve (41) is arranged upright on a vehicle front side of the input shaft (11; see Fig. 4); the housing (5) is provided with a recessed portion (Examiner Fig. 1, RP) that is recessed inwardly (between reinforcing ribs seen in Examiner Fig. 1) in a region of the housing (5) below the intermediate shaft (35) and further toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft (24L; see Examiner Fig. 1), but fails to disclose “the insertion hole is provided in a bottom section of the recessed portion when viewed from above, the intermediate shaft is located farther toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft, and the insertion hole is provided in a location where a straight line along an opening direction of the insertion hole intersects a straight line connecting the intermediate shaft and the output shaft below the output shaft”, and there is no motivation to continue modifying the housing taught by Miyazaki absent impermissible hindsight.
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Examiner Fig. 1 – Fig. 4 of Miyazaki
Regarding Claim 8, none of the prior art discloses or renders obvious a power transmission device having the combination of features recited in claim 8. The closest prior art of Miyazaki (DE 10 2019 218 976) discloses a power transmission device (Figs. 3-4, 4) comprising a housing (5), a control valve (41), an input shaft (11), an intermediate shaft (35), and an output shaft (24L); the output shaft (24L) is located farther toward a rear of a vehicle than the input shaft (11; see Fig. 4); the intermediate shaft (35) is located above the output shaft (24L); the control valve (41) is arranged upright on a vehicle front side of the input shaft (11; see Fig. 4); the housing (5) is provided with a recessed portion (Examiner Fig. 1, RP) that is recessed inwardly (between reinforcing ribs seen in Examiner Fig. 1) in a region of the housing (5) below the intermediate shaft (35) and further toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft (24L; see Examiner Fig. 1), but fails to disclose “the insertion hole is provided in a bottom section of the recessed portion when viewed from above, the housing has a case accommodating the power transmission mechanism and a torque converter cover covering an opening of the case facing a torque converter, and the recessed portion is provided to the torque converter cover”, and there is no motivation to continue modifying the housing taught by Miyazaki absent impermissible hindsight.
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”.
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKSIn the April 30, 2025 Office Action, claim 1 was objected to, claims 2-7 were rejected as being indefinite, and claims 1 and 2 were rejected in view of prior art. Claims 3-5 were indicated as allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) and rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claims 8 and 9 were indicated as containing allowable subject matter. Regarding Claims 6-7, it was indicated that a determination of allowability would be considered after Applicant's response to the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).No other objections or rejections were made in the Office Action.Status of Claims andAmendments In response to the April 30, 2025 Office Action, Applicant has amended independent claim 1 to incorporate the allowable subject matter of original claim 3. Applicant has also rewritten claim 8 in independent form to accept the allowable subject matter. Applicant wishes to thank Examiner Taylor for this indication of allowable subject matter and the thorough examination of this application. Thus, claims 1-9 are pending, with claims 1 and 8 being the only independent claims. Reexamination and reconsideration of the pending claims are respectfully requested in view of the above amendments and the following comments.Claim Objections On page 2 of the Office Action, claim 1 was objected to because of the informalities.In response, Applicant has amended claim 1 as suggested in the Office Action. Withdrawal of the objections is respectfully requested.Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. §112 On pages 3 to 4 of the Office Action, claims 2-7 were rejected under 35 U.S.C.§112(b). In response, Applicant has amended claims 2, 3, 6 and 7 to clarify claims 2-7.Specifically, Applicant has amended claims 2 and 3 as suggested in the Office Action.Claim 6 has been amended to clarify that "as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the recessed portion is provided with a second wall section on [[the]] a final gear side adjacent to the one side of the rotating body covered by the cover." Claim 7 has been amended to clarify that "as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the cover has a first cover section covering a side of the final gear facing the differential case on the one side of the rotating body, and a second cover section covering a lower outer circumference of the differential case." Applicant believes that the claims now comply with 35 U.S.C. §112(b). Withdrawal of the rejections is respectfully requested.Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 103 On pages 4 to 7 of the Office Action, claims 1 and 2 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.§103 as being unpatentable over Miyazaki (DE 10 2019 218 976), in view of Chen (CN 214 775 204). In response, Applicant has amended independent claim 1 to incorporate the allowable subject matter of original claim 3. Thus, Applicant believes independent claim 1 is now allowable over the prior art of record.Moreover, Applicant believes that dependent claim 2 is also allowable over the prior art of record in that it depends from independent claim 1, and therefore is allowable for the reasons stated above. Also, dependent claim 2 is further allowable because it includes additional limitations. Thus, Applicant believes that since the prior art of record does not disclose or suggest the invention as set forth in independent claim 1, the prior art of record also fails to disclose or suggest the invention as set forth in dependent claim 2.Therefore, Applicant respectfully requests that this rejection be withdrawn in view of the above comments and amendments.Allowable Subject Matter On pages 7 and 8 of the Office Action, claims 3-5 were indicated as allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) and rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Regarding claims 6 and 7, the Office Action indicated that a determination of allowability would be considered after Applicant's response to the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). Claims 8 and 9 were indicated as allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.Applicant wishes to thank Examiner Taylor for this indication of allowable subject matter and the thorough examination of this application. In response, Applicant has amended independent claim 1 to incorporate the allowable subject matter of original claim 3, and rewritten claim 8 in independent form. Thus, independent claims 1 and 8 are believed to be allowable.Prior Art Citation In the Office Action, additional prior art references were made of record. Applicant believes that these references do not render the claimed invention obvious.*
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*In view of the foregoing amendment and comments, Applicant respectfully asserts that claims 1-9 are now in condition for allowance. Reexamination and reconsideration of the pending claims are respectfully requested.Respectfully submitted, /Nomugi Tomovori/ Nomugi Tomoyori Reg. No. 59,784 GLOBAL IP COUNSELORS, LLP1233 Twentieth Street, NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 (202)-293-0444 Dated:


CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref APP-18_847007: Claims:
A power transmission device for a vehicle, comprising: a housing that accommodates a power transmission mechanism; and a control valve configured to control a pressure of oil supplied to the power transmission mechanism, wherein the power transmission mechanism includes an input shaft, an intermediate shaft, and an output shaft, the housing defines an insertion hole for a charging pipe, the output shaft is located farther toward a rear of the vehicle than the input shaft, the intermediate shaft is located above the output shaft, the control valve is arranged upright on a vehicle front side of the input shaft, the housing is provided with a recessed portion that is recessed inwardly in a region of the housing below the intermediate shaft and further toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft, the insertion hole is provided in a bottom section of the recessed portion when viewed from above, the intermediate shaft is located farther toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft, and the insertion hole is provided in a location where a straight line along an opening direction of the insertion hole intersects a straight line connecting the intermediate shaft and the output shaft below the output shaft.
a housing that accommodates a power transmission mechanism; and
a control valve configured to control a pressure of oil supplied to the power transmission mechanism, wherein
the power transmission mechanism includes an input shaft, an intermediate shaft, and an output shaft,
the housing defines an insertion hole for a charging pipe,
the output shaft is located farther toward a rear of the vehicle than the input shaft,
the intermediate shaft is located above the output shaft,
the control valve is arranged upright on a vehicle front side of the input shaft,
the housing is provided with a recessed portion that is recessed inwardly in a region of the housing below the intermediate shaft and further toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft,
the insertion hole is provided in a bottom section of the recessed portion when viewed from above,
the intermediate shaft is located farther toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft, and
the insertion hole is provided in a location where a straight line along an opening direction of the insertion hole intersects a straight line connecting the intermediate shaft and the output shaft below the output shaft.
The power transmission device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotating body provided coaxially with the output shaft and involved in transmission of rotation between the output shaft and the intermediate shaft, and a cover covering one side of the rotating body in an axial direction of the output shaft, wherein when viewed from a radial direction of the output shaft, the insertion hole is provided in a positional relationship overlapping with the cover.
a rotating body provided coaxially with the output shaft and involved in transmission of rotation between the output shaft and the intermediate shaft, and
a cover covering one side of the rotating body in an axial direction of the output shaft,
wherein when viewed from a radial direction of the output shaft, the insertion hole is provided in a positional relationship overlapping with the cover.
The power transmission device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rotating body includes a differential case, and a final gear fixed to an outer circumference of the differential case, the intermediate shaft has a transmission gear which meshes with the final gear, and an idler gear involved in transmission of rotation with another intermediate gear, in an axial direction of the intermediate shaft, the idler gear is located to one side of where the cover is located seen from the transmission gear, and as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the insertion hole is provided in a positional relationship overlapping the idler gear.
the rotating body includes a differential case, and a final gear fixed to an outer circumference of the differential case,
the intermediate shaft has a transmission gear which meshes with the final gear, and an idler gear involved in transmission of rotation with another intermediate gear,
in an axial direction of the intermediate shaft, the idler gear is located to one side of where the cover is located seen from the transmission gear, and
as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the insertion hole is provided in a positional relationship overlapping the idler gear.
The power transmission device as claimed in claim 3, wherein as viewed from the axial direction of the output shaft, the recessed portion is provided with a first wall section on an idler gear side, and as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, a bottom edge of the first wall section is located below a bottom edge of the idler gear.
as viewed from the axial direction of the output shaft, the recessed portion is provided with a first wall section on an idler gear side, and
as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, a bottom edge of the first wall section is located below a bottom edge of the idler gear.
The power transmission device as claimed in claim 3, wherein as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the recessed portion is provided with a second wall section on a final gear side adjacent to the one side of the rotating body covered by the cover.
as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the recessed portion is provided with a second wall section on a final gear side adjacent to the one side of the rotating body covered by the cover.
The power transmission device as claimed in claim 3, wherein as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the cover has a first cover section covering a side of the final gear facing the differential case on the one side of the rotating body, and a second cover section covering a lower outer circumference of the differential case.
as viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the cover has a first cover section covering a side of the final gear facing the differential case on the one side of the rotating body, and a second cover section covering a lower outer circumference of the differential case.
A power transmission device for a vehicle, comprising: a housing that accommodates a power transmission mechanism; and a control valve configured to control a pressure of oil supplied to the power transmission mechanism, wherein the power transmission mechanism includes an input shaft, an intermediate shaft, and an output shaft, the housing defines an insertion hole for a charging pipe, the output shaft is located farther toward a rear of the vehicle than the input shaft, the intermediate shaft is located above the output shaft, the control valve is arranged upright on a vehicle front side of the input shaft, the housing is provided with a recessed portion that is recessed inwardly in a region of the housing below the intermediate shaft and further toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft, the insertion hole is provided in a bottom section of the recessed portion when viewed from above, the housing has a case accommodating the power transmission mechanism, and a torque converter cover covering an opening of the case facing a torque converter, and the recessed portion is provided to the torque converter cover.
the housing has a case accommodating the power transmission mechanism, and a torque converter cover covering an opening of the case facing a torque converter, and
a case accommodating the power transmission mechanism, and
a torque converter cover covering an opening of the case facing a torque converter, and
facing a torque converter, and
the recessed portion is provided to the torque converter cover.
The power transmission device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the intermediate shaft is located farther toward the rear of the vehicle than the output shaft, and the insertion hole is provided in a location where a straight line along an opening direction of the insertion hole intersects a straight line connecting the intermediate shaft and the output shaft below the output shaft.
The power transmission device as claimed in claim 7, wherein as viewed from an axial direction of the output shaft, the recessed portion is provided in a positional relationship overlapping with the case.
as viewed from an axial direction of the output shaft, the recessed portion is provided in a positional relationship overlapping with the case.