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 .
This communication is in response to application No. 18/310,700, filed on 5/2/2023. Claims 1-10 are currently pending and have been examined. Claims 1-9 are rejected as follows. Claim 10 is allowed.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it is not a single paragraph in narrative form within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract is currently 222 words in length and in the form of a claim. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art.
If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives.
Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps.
Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
Drawings
Replacement drawings are required because Figures 1-28 are provided in greyscale.
See MPEP 1.84 “Black and white drawings are normally required. India ink, or its equivalent that secures solid black lines, must be used for drawings”. Thus, greyscale is not permitted. “All drawings must be made by a process which will give them satisfactory reproduction characteristics. Every line, number, and letter must be durable, clean, black (except for color drawings), sufficiently dense and dark, and uniformly thick and well-defined. The weight of all lines and letters must be heavy enough to permit adequate reproduction.” Thus, greyscale is not permitted.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-9 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 1, line 6, recites “can be rigidly fixed to the loading surface” which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following “can” are required or are optional as part of the claimed invention. It is suggested to change “can be” to “is configured to be rigidly fixed to the loading surface”. For examination purposes, the claim is interpreted as at least one safety hook which is configured to be rigidly fixed to the loading surface.
Claim 6, line 3, recites the phrase "preferably by means of a release lever" which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following “preferably” are required as part of the claimed invention or not. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). It is suggested to remove “preferably” from the claim.
Claim 8, lines 3-4 and line 4, recite the limitation "the stretcher". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. A “stretcher” is not recited in claim 1. It is suggested to change “the stretcher” to “a stretcher” or to “the support frame”; or to include a recitation of a stretcher earlier in the claim.
Claim 8, lines 3 and 5, recite “of which”, line 4 recites “each of which” and line 6 recites “each” which lack a clear antecedent basis as to what is being referred to. A suggestion to clarify the claim follows: “a pair of rigid constraint bodies arranged in proximity to opposite ends of the support frame, of which ends are a head side end of a stretcher and a feet side end of the stretcher, each of which ends is configured to couple with a respective safety hook, of which is a head side safety hook and a feet side safety hook, each of the head side safety hook and the feet side safety hook being rigidly fixed to the loading surface.
Claims 2-5, 7 and 9 are also rejected by virtue of dependency as they depend from claim 1 that is rejected under 35 USC 112(b).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is allowed.
Claims 1-9 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The primary reason for indication of allowable subject matter in claims 1 and 10 is the inclusion of the additional patient support device being mounted in a releasable manner on the undercarriage wherein “the additional device comprises a load-bearing structure to which a fixing block is rigidly fixed and adapted to detachably constrain the additional device to the undercarriage” and the upper end of the rigid constraint body having “a fixing arrangement configured to be detachably engaged by the fixing block of the additional device”. Such limitations, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claim, are not disclosed or suggested by the prior art of record. The closest prior art of Chipperfield (AU 2020102735) discloses a system for loading and unloading an ambulance patient transport equipment ([0034]) onto and from a loading surface (620, Fig. 12-17) of an ambulance (Fig. 12-23). The system comprises a loading and unloading apparatus (600, Fig. 12-17) of a patient transport equipment (100, Fig. 1, 12-17) associable with the loading surface (620, Fig. 12-17), wherein the loading/unloading apparatus comprise at least one safety hook (630, Fig. 17, [0062]) which is rigidly fixed to the loading surface (620, Fig. 17); the patient transport equipment (100, Fig. 1) comprises an undercarriage (120, Fig. 1, [0035]) equipped with a support frame (110, 121, 122, Fig. 1, [0039]) and a plurality of legs (141a/b, 142a/b, Fig. 1) articulated to the support frame (110, 121, 122, Fig. 1) and equipped with rest wheels (145, Fig. 1); an additional patient support device (100 or 1200 or 1300 or 1400, Fig. 1 & 7-9) configured to be mounted on the undercarriage (120, Fig. 1); a rigid constraint body (190, 191, Fig. 1-4, [0048]) rigidly fixed to the support frame (112, Fig. 1-4) of the undercarriage (120, Fig. 1-4) and equipped with a coupling body (191, Fig. 17, [0062]) configured to be detachably coupled to the safety hook (630, Fig. 17) of the loading/unloading apparatus. However, Chipperfield does not disclose the limitations in the recitations of a fixing block and fixing arrangement as claimed to detachably constrain additional devices to the undercarriage. This allows for additional devices (i.e. gurney, bariatric stretcher, neonatal incubator) comprising the same fixing block to be selectively mounted to each undercarriage comprising a same fixing arrangement.
Claims 2-9 contain allowable subject matter by virtue of dependency as they depend from claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Menna et al (US 2023/0355454) discloses a system for loading and unloading an ambulance stretcher including patient transport equipment that uses a fixing block for selectively mounting additional devices. Menna (US Patent No. 12,440,397) and (US 2023/0115410) disclose a system for loading and unloading an ambulance stretcher including patient transport equipment with an undercarriage, support frame, legs, rest wheels and loading surface. Menna (US Patent No. 7,637,550) discloses a loading surface (55, Fig. 5) with hook (50, Fig. 5a) and coupling body (pawl 4, Fig. 5). Heneveld (US Patent No. 11,723,819) discloses a retainer hook (40, Fig. 1) fixed to the floor of a loading surface with engagement member (38, Fig. 1). Matunaga (US 2008/0001421) discloses a system for loading and unloading an ambulance stretcher having a c-shaped hook (39, 48) for fixing a stretcher (100, Fig. 1) to the cargo bed of an ambulance via coupling body (26, Fig. 1). Lambarth (US 2011/0080016) discloses a system for loading and unloading an ambulance stretcher having a safety hook (102, Fig. 3) and latch mechanism (105, Fig. 3). Bourgraf et al (US 2017/0172819) discloses removably coupling a stretcher or incubator ([0105], lines 1-8). Trimble et al (US 2024/0277535) discloses a removably coupled patient support device (114, Fig. 1) that is docked to and undocked from a trolley (Fig. 1A). Valentino (US 2013/0168987) discloses a system for loading and unloading an ambulance stretcher including patient transport equipment with an undercarriage and actuator, support frame, legs, rest wheels and loading surface. Williams et al (EP-1598042) discloses patient transport equipment that can include a stretcher (2, Fig. 1) or incubator (3, Fig. 3, [0017]) patient support device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Denise L Esquivel whose telephone number is (703)756-5825. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Thursday 7:30 am-5:00 pm, alternate Fridays 7:30 am-4:00 pm.
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, Amy Weisberg can be reached at 571-270-5500. 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.
/DLE/
/AMY R WEISBERG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3612