DETAILED ACTION
In the reply filed 12/11/2025, claims 1 and 21 are amended. Claims 1-10 and 21-30 are currently 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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/11/2025 has been entered.
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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grottke (US 2020/0140021) in view of Browne (US 8,256,829).
Regarding claim 1, Grottke teaches: an apparatus comprising:
a loading part (3) for a vehicle;
a drone unit (including at least element 2) configured to apply a driving force of the vehicle (the drone unit is configured to apply driving force at least because it supports/includes drive components of the vehicle), wherein the drone unit and the loading part are connectable to each other;
a connecting unit (6) positioned on a lower side of the loading part; and
a receiving unit (5) positioned on an upper side of the drone unit and corresponding to the connecting unit;
wherein at least a part of the connecting unit is insertable into the receiving unit (Fig. 4 shows the connecting unit inserted into the receiving unit), and
wherein the inserted connecting unit is configured to change in volume at a predetermined position depending on a temperature.
Relevant elements are best shown in Figs. 2-4.
Grottke fails to disclose the connecting unit being made of a shape memory alloy.
Browne teaches a connecting unit (10) made of a shape memory alloy, the connecting unit being insertable into a receiving unit (12), wherein the inserted connecting unit is configured to change in volume at a predetermined position depending on a temperature. See Figs. 3, 5, and see column 7, line 40 through column 8, line 29. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art to provide the connecting unit from Grottke made of a shape memory alloy, as suggested by Browne; the motivation being: to ensure a snug and conforming fit between interconnecting parts when assembled.
Further, those having ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to provide the connecting unit being made of a shape memory alloy as an obvious design choice, yielding the same predictable results, as such a modification would require a mere change in materials. It has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. Also, it is common knowledge to those of ordinary skill in the art to choose a material that has sufficient strength for the intended use of the material.
Regarding claim 2, Grottke, as modified, further teaches: wherein the connecting unit comprises: an upper side pipe (6) positioned on a lower surface of the loading part; and a guide part (61) protruding from a lower surface of the upper side pipe and insertable into the receiving unit. Relevant elements are best shown in Fig. 4.
Regarding claim 3, Grottke, as modified, further teaches: wherein the receiving unit comprises: a lower side pipe (5) positioned on a lower side of the upper side pipe in a connection state; and a slot part (7) positioned in the lower side pipe and configured to receive the guide part. Relevant elements are best shown in Fig. 4.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-30 are allowed.
Claims 4-10 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.
Reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter may be found in a prior action (3/26/2025).
Response to Remarks
Applicant's arguments filed 12/11/2025 have been fully considered.
Amendments to the claims necessitated a new ground(s) of rejection. Arguments have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. Applicant's arguments were made with respect to the claims, as amended, and have been rejected/addressed as provided above. Specifically, Applicant asserts Grottke fails to teach claim 1, as amended. In the discussion of claim 1, above, Browne is relied upon for addressing the new/amended limitations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMMA K FRICK whose telephone number is (571)270-5403. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M, T, F.
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/EMMA K FRICK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613