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 .
Double Patenting
Double Patenting was considered by this the parent application and was filed first. Therefore Double patenting would not apply with respect to the instant application. Later applications such as 18/281,557 will be addressed when examined after this application.
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.
Claim(s) 1- is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Hanlon 2006/0180403 A1.
Hanlon discloses the claimed invention as recited in the claims and shown below:
A lifting apparatus 100 that raises and lowers a lifting platform by vertically extending and retracting a pair of right and left X-shaped arms with a drive device ,the drive device comprising: an electric actuator Par.0029 Fig,9 with 121 being an electric motor and claim 15 recites an electric motor; a movable part 117 that is driven and moved by the electric actuator; a first link member 1000 having one end that is rotatably coupled to the movable part; a second link member 2000 having one end that is rotatably coupled to the pair of right 3000 and left 4000 X-shaped arms and having another end that is rotatably coupled to another end of the first link member via a shaft member 5000; and a guide member having a guide part 112 for guiding the shaft member that moves with movement of the movable part, wherein the drive device is constructed to vertically extend and retract the pair of right and left X-shaped arms via the first link member and the second link member along with movement of the movable part.
PNG
media_image1.png
906
874
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
678
730
media_image2.png
Greyscale
2. The lifting apparatus according to The lifting apparatus according to wherein each of the pair of X-shaped arms is formed by an inner arm and an outer arm that cross each other in the shape of the letter "X" in side view ( See FIG.2 which shows this other side) and that are coupled to each other in such a manner that these arms can mutually rotate, wherein the pair of right and left X-shaped arms are constructed to have an end of the right inner arm and an end of the left inner arm or an end of the right outer arm and an end of the left outer arm rotatably attached near both ends of a coupling shaft that extends laterally, wherein the one end of the second link member is rotatably coupled to the couplingshaft, andwherein the drive device is constructed to extend the pair of right and left X-shaped arms ( See FIG.2 which shows this other side) upward by raising the coupling shaft via the first link member and the second link member along with movement of the movable part, and to retract the pair of right and left X- shaped arms downward by lowering the coupling shaft via the first link member and the second link member along with movement of the movable part.
3. The lifting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable part moves linearly and longitudinally. This is the natural function of the device
4. The lifting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the guide part is formed such that the shaft member is first moved horizontally or diagonally downward and is next moved diagonally upward as the movable part is moved in a direction that raises the lifting platform. The shaft part moves horizontally.
5. The lifting apparatus according to The lifting apparatus according to wherein the electric actuator includes an electric motor Par.0029 Fig,9 with 121 being an electric motor and claim 15 recites an electric motor, a linear motion shaft 116 that is rotated by the electric motor via a speed reduction mechanism(See par.0027 reducing and controlling 161 speed), and a linear motion nut that moves in an axial direction of the linear motion shaft along with the rotation of the linear motion shaft, and wherein the movable part is integrally formed with the linear motion nut 117.
6. The lifting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of right and left X-shaped arms are provided in a plurality of stages and are vertically stacked one on another. See the side-by-side pair of arms in Fig.2
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The 892 form discloses prior art being made of record.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEE D WILSON whose telephone number is (571)272-4499. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 6;30-4;30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, BRIAN KELLER can be reached at 571-272-8548. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
LEE D. WILSON
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
Ldw
/LEE D WILSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723 October 24, 2025