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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the reference character 100 in Abstract, should be deleted or amended. Reference character 100 defines the vehicle wheel mounting assembly and not the vehicular component, which is part of the vehicular wheel mounting assembly 100, e.g., 112 clearly shown in the approved drawings, Figs. 8-14.
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.
Claims 19-21 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.
Claims 19 and 21, each recites the limitation "…, the apparatus being in accordance with claim 1" in the last line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is noted that process claims as recited in each claim 19 and 21, fail to provide a reference to any apparatus. Applicant may wish to amend by providing a positive step of, -- utilizing the apparatus in accordance with claim 1--.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 are allowed.
Claims 19-21, as best understood would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: art of record considered as a whole, alone or in combination, neither anticipates nor renders obvious a vehicle component handling apparatus comprising a height adjustable support, an arm assembly rotatably connected to a support structure, the arm assembly having opposing ends extendable in the longitudinal direction and a mounting bracket attached to each end and being configured to hold a respective one of the component parts during movement of the ends of the arm assembly, together in combination with the rest of the limitations as recited in claim 1.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record are considered of interest to applicant’s disclosure. Grengs, Hedley et al. and Cotton are cited to show related vehicle handling apparatus that are configured for gripping opposite sides of the same component.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HADI SHAKERI whose telephone number is (571)272-4495. The fax phone number for forwarding unofficial documents for discussion purposes only is (571) 273-4495. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F.
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/Hadi Shakeri/
December 27, 2025 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723