DETAILED ACTION
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
Claims 6-16, and 20-24 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim cannot depend from any other multiple dependent claim. See MPEP § 608.01(n). Accordingly, the claims 6-16, and 20-24 have not been further treated on the merits.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rauch (US 4,572,698).
Claim 1: Rauch provides an assembly (10, Fig. 1), comprising: a rotating shaft (12) having a tapered end portion (18, Col. 2 lines 60-61); a hub adapter including a first mounting portion comprising a tapered opening (hub adapter, hub assembly 20, including a firs mounting portion having a tapered opening, that receives shaft 12, Fig.1; “The hub assembly engaging portion 18 of shaft 12 is tapered to match a corresponding taper of the shaft engaging surface 22” Col. 2 line 67- Col. 3 line 1); and a second mounting portion extending from the first mounting portion and configured to receive a drive member (any portion of hub assembly 20, including the external surfaces, may be considered a second mounting portion configured to receive a drive member, Fig. 1), wherein the tapered opening is configured to be inserted onto and engaged with the tapered end portion of the rotating shaft (the hub assembly engaging portion 18 of shaft 12 is tapered to match a corresponding taper of the shaft engaging surface 11; Col. 2 line 67- Col. 3 line 1); and an adapter fastener structure to secure the hub adapter to the rotating shaft (adapter fastener nuts 14, Fig. 1; Col. 2 lines 61-64).
Claim 2: Rauch provides the fastener structure comprises: a threaded stub on the tapered end portion of the rotating shaft, wherein the threaded stub extends through the opening of the hub adapter (threaded stub, shaft terminal 16, extends through surface 22 of hub 20 Fig. 1); and a threaded nut installed on the threaded stud (threaded nut 14 on terminal 16, Fig. 1; Col. 2 lines 61-64).
Claim 3: Rauch provides a first adapter alignment structure on the hub adapter (keyway 24, Fig. 1); and a second adapter alignment structure on the rotating shaft (pin 32, Fig. 1-3), wherein the first adapter alignment structure (24) and the second adapter alignment structure (32) cooperate to enable a predetermined registration of the hub adapter on the rotating shaft (keyway 24 and pin 32, located in key 30, cooperate to register the hub 20 and shaft 12; Col. 3 lines 41-46).
Claim 4: Rauch provides the first adapter alignment structure includes a keyway (24); and the second adapter alignment structure includes a pin (32) receivable by the keyway (keyway 24 and pin 32, located in key 30, cooperate to register the hub 20 and shaft 12; Col. 3 lines 41-46; Fig. 1-3).
Claim 5: Rauch provides the first adapter alignment structure includes a first alignment opening extending through a portion of the hub adapter and into the tapered opening (keyway 24 constitutes a first alignment opening, Fig. 1); the second adapter alignment structure includes a second alignment opening extending into the tapered end portion of the rotating shaft (second alignment opening, bore 34, in shaft 12, Fig. 2), wherein the first and second adapter alignment openings can be aligned (keyway 24 and bore 34 are aligned Fig. 1-3); and the assembly further includes a pin extending between the first alignment opening and the second alignment opening (pin 32 extends between keyway 24 and bore 34, Fig 1-3).
Claim(s) 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Feller (US 3,061,342).
Claim 17: Feller provides a pump assembly (Col. 1 lines 9-11), comprising: a pump including a rotating drive shaft having a tapered end portion (Col. 1 lines 9-11, tapered drive shaft 11, Fig. 1-2); a first alignment structure on the drive shaft (square machined portion 17, Fig. 1); a hub adapter including a first mounting portion comprising a tapered opening and a second mounting portion extending from the first mounting portion and configured to receive a drive member (hub adapter, hub 13, and pressure plate 22, with hub 13 being the first mounting portion with a tapered opening 19, and pressure plate 22 being the second mounting portion and which is capable of receiving a drive member, Fig. 1-2), wherein the tapered opening is configured to be inserted onto and engaged with the tapered end portion of the rotating shaft (opening 19 engages drive shaft 11, Fig. 2); a second alignment structure on the hub adapter (opening 24 of pressure plate 22, Fig. 1), wherein the first alignment structure and the second alignment structure cooperate to enable a predetermined registration of the hub adapter on the rotating shaft (squared machine portion 17 cooperates with opening 24, Fig. 1-2); and a fastener structure to secure the hub adapter to the rotating shaft (fastener nut 29, Fig. 1-2).
Claim 18: Feller provides the first alignment structure includes a pin (squared machine portion 17, threaded portion 16 and grease fitting 18 constituted a pin, Fig. 1); and the second alignment structure includes a keyway receivable by the pin (square opening 24 constitutes a keyway, Fig. 1).
Claim 19: Feller provides including a registration structure on the hub adapter to enable a predetermined registration of a drive member to the hub adapter (the entire hub structure of hub 13 and pressure plate 22 constitutes a registration structure capable of registering with a drive member, Fig. 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Amanda J Kreiling whose telephone number is (571)272-6091. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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/Amanda Kreiling/ Examiner, Art Unit 3726 1/7/26
/JASON L VAUGHAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726
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