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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 2 and 13-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention and species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/10/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim 30 and 31 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 30 recites annular rings that do not form a full circle and are formed by a plurality of spaced apart segments. However, claim 30 depends from claim 29 which recites continuous, seamless rings. Claims 29 and 30 appear to recite different embodiments and the elements are inconsistent with each other.
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, 3-5, 9-12, 21-23, and 26-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meyer (PGPub 2014/0001823) in view of McRae (USPGPub 2010/0072813).
Regarding claim 1, Meyer teaches an idler 28 (Figure 9B; para. [0120]-[0122]) for a tracked machine, comprising: a unitary hub 192;a substantially unitary disk-shaped web 194 separate from, coupled to, and centered on the hub (Figure 9C), the disk-shaped web extending radially outward from the hub to an outer cylindrical edge 200 and comprising a generally flat plate with an inner annular surface, an outer annular surface, the cylindrical outer edge and a cylindrical inner edge (Figures 9B,. 9C, para [0122];
Meyer lacks an outer rim arranged proximate the outer cylindrical edge and extending laterally relative to the disk-shaped web, wherein, the outer rim comprises a raised portion flanked by a pair of lower ledges, the raised portion and the pair of lower ledges having a cross-sectional profile configured for engagement by a link assembly of a track system.
McRae teaches a rear track idler 16 formed by a hub 23, 123 (seen in Figures 7-9, 12, and 16) connected to what appears to be a disc shaped portion 16 having a large diameter cylindrical central edge 16c (as seen in Figure 7, between smaller diameter rims 37) flanked by lower ledges (rims 437 having wear plates 450) that form an outer rim. In the embodiment of Figures 16 and 17, the central cylindrical edge (unnumbered) together with portions 460 of annular rings (annular rings formed by rims 437 and wear plates 450, in Figure 16) form the raised portion and other portions 455b of the annular rings form the lower ledges (see Figure 16).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form annular rings as segmented ledges that extend to the larger diameter edge of the web portion, as taught with respect to Figure 16 of McRae, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to center the idler and reinforce the track engaging portions of the idler and to facilitate replacement of the wear portion of the ledges.
Regarding claim 3, in Meyer and in the embodiment of Figure 8 of McRae, the outer cylindrical edge of alone, forms the raised portion and annular rings are arranged radially inward from the outer cylindrical edge to form the lower ledges.
Regarding claim 4, the outer cylindrical edge together with portions of annular rings form the raised portion and other portions of the annular rings form the lower ledges (taught by the embodiment of Figure 16 of McRae).
Regarding claim 5, the annular rings have an L-shaped cross-section (see Figures 15a and 17 of McRae).
Regarding claim 9, McRae teaches that the pair of lower ledges are segmented along a circumference of the idler (McRae, Figures 12 and 16).
Regarding claim 10, Meyers teaches a track system comprising: a drive sprocket 26 at a first end; the idler 28 at an opposite second end; and a track 24 arranged to encircle the drive sprocket and the idler (see Meyer, Figure 3A).
Regarding claim 11, the track system of Meyer comprises a link assembly 48 configured to guide the track along the idler (para [0081]).
Regarding claim 12, Meyer teaches a work machine 10 (figure 2) comprising: a body 16; a power source (para [0081], “external power source”, not shown); an implement 18 for performing work.
Regarding claim 21, Meyer shows a ground engaging rim that is the same thickness as the web. The combination of Meyer with the embodiment of Figures 7-9 of McRae would have a ventral rim of the same width as the web.
Regarding claim 22, McRae shows the annular rings (rings on opposite sides of the central ring, that have a width substantially equal to the thickness of the web (McRae, Figure 16).
Regarding claim 23, the annular rings of McRae are continuous seamless rings.
Regarding claim 26, the L-shaped cross-section comprises a substantially rectangular leg portion and an upturned lip arranged alongside the web (McRae, Figure 15a and 17).
Regarding claim 27, the width of the rectangular portion is equal to a thickness of the web (McRae, Figure 16).
Regarding claim 28, the thickness of the upturned lip of the two annular rings together with the thickness of the web comprises a width of the raised portion (McRae, Figure 16).
Regarding claim 29, the annular rings of McRae are continuous seamless rings.
Claim(s) 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meyer and McRae as applied to claims 1, above, and further in view of Brazier Brazier (USPN 8,783,795).
Regarding claim 6, the combination lacks a plurality of gussets configured to brace the lower ledges.
Brazier teaches a track wheel 80 (Figure 6) having a disk portion 92 a rim 96 extending laterally from the disk portion forming ledges, and a plurality of gussets 100 configured to brace the ledges (col. 6, lines 51-58; gussets 100 “support the band pieces 96 to the disk pieces 92 to stabilize the disk and band pieces 92 and 96”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a plurality of gussets to brace the lower ledges, as taught with respect to Figure 6 of Brazier, in order to reinforce the central web and ledges.
Regarding claim 7, Brazier teaches the gussets 100 are secured to an inner or outer surface of the disk-shaped web (outer surface of web 92) and to a radially inward surface of the outer rim (see Brazier, Figure 6).
Regarding claim 8, Brazier teaches providing at least 4 gussets (see Brazier, Figure 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 24 and 25 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3-12, 21-23, 26-31 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anne Marie M. Boehler whose telephone number is (571)272-6641. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8-5pm.
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/ANNE MARIE M BOEHLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/ab/
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