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 Objections
Claim(s) 14 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 14, “… the pushing part” should read “wherein, the pushing part”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable by Renz (DE 102009002765 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fixed portion (7) that includes a housing (8) configured to house a profile of the formwork panel; a moving portion coupled to the fixed portion, the moving portion (2) being pivotable between a locking position and a release position, in the locking position the moving portion retains the profile housed in the housing of the fixed portion, in the release position the profile can be introduced into or extracted from the housing of the fixed portion; and a pushing part (35) pivotably coupled to the fixed portion and including a handling portion (37) coupled to a pushing portion, the pushing part being configured to cause the pushing portion to push against the release area of the moving portion when the handling portion is pulled to cause the moving portion to transition from the locking position to the release position (see Fig. 1a)
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Regarding claim 2, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pulling element (3) coupled to the handling portion of the pushing part.
Regarding claim 3, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pulling element is flexible (Para. 0010).
Regarding claim 4, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pulling element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of a cord, a cable, a strap and a chain (Para. 0010).
Regarding claim 5, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first shaft (5) extends through a part of the fixed portion and a part of the moving portion, the moving portion being pivotable with respect to the fixed part by means of the first shaft.
Regarding claim 6, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second shaft (36) extends through a part of the pushing part and a part of the fixed portion, the pushing part being pivotable with respect to the fixed portion by means of the second shaft.
Regarding claim 7, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 5, wherein a second shaft (36) extends through a part of the pushing part and a part of the fixed portion, the pushing part being pivotable with respect to the fixed portion by means of the second shaft.
Regarding claim 8, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pushing portion is a cam (35).
Regarding claim 9, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pushing portion is a cam (35).
Regarding claim 10, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 6, wherein the handling portion is located on a first side of the second shaft and the pushing portion is located on a second side of the shaft opposite the first side of the second shaft (see Fig. 1b).
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Regarding claim 11, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moving portion includes a locking surface (20) that pushes against the profile of the formwork when the moving portion is in the locking position.
Regarding claim 12, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 5, wherein the moving portion comprises a shackle configured to be coupled to a sling, the shackle being arranged with respect to the first shaft such that upon a lifting force being applied to the shackle, the moving portion is forced towards the locking position (see Fig. 1a).
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Regarding claim 13, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed portion includes a first side plate (12) and a second side (12) plate facing and coupled to one another, the moving portion being arranged between the first and second side plates.
Regarding claim 14, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pushing part is coupled to a face of one of the first and second side plates (see Fig. 1b).
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Regarding claim 15, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of the first and second side plates includes a hook (7) configured to being housed in a channel of the profile of the formwork panel when the profile is arranged housed in the housing of the fixed portion.
Regarding claim 16, Renz discloses the lifting hook as claimed in claim 1, comprising a coil spring (40) biasing the moving portion towards the locking position.
Regarding claim 17, Renz discloses a method of lifting by the means of the lifting hook as claimed in claim 1, comprising a profile of the formwork panel into the housing (8) of the fixed part (7) while the moving part (2) is in the released position with the handling portion (37) of the pushing part (35) being pulled; securing the profile of the formwork panel inside the housing by releasing the handling portion of the part to cause the moving part to transition to the locked position; lifting the lifting hook by means of a crane to cause the formwork panel to assume a lifted position; and moving the formwork panel from a first location to a second location using the crane; extracting the formwork panel from the housing of the fixed part upon the formwork panel being in the second location by pulling on the handling part of the pushing part to cause the moving part to assume the release position (see Fig. 1a, 2a and 2b below for the method as claimed).
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Regarding claim 18, Renz discloses a method of lifting by the means of the lifting hook as claimed in claim 17, wherein a flexible pulling element is coupled to the handling portion of the pushing part, the pulling on the handling part be achieved by a pulling on the flexible pulling element (Para. 0010).
Regarding claim 19, Renz discloses a method of lifting by the means of the lifting hook as claimed in claim 18, wherein the lifting hook is configured such that a weight of the formwork panel, while the lifting hook is being lifted, assists in maintaining the moving part in the locking position (Para. 0001-0002).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REHMAN A QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)272-6262. The examiner can normally be reached 7am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gene Crawford can be reached at (571) 272-6911. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/REHMAN A QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651