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 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 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) 1,2,9,17,19,20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Qiao(CN 209306218 U).
Regarding claim 1 Qiao discloses, A refuse vehicle(page 2 para 3), comprising: a chassis; a body(10) supported by the chassis and defining a collection chamber(pg 3 para 6) configured to store refuse therein, the body including a bottom wall(30; fig 7) and a sub-frame assembly(fig 7), the sub-frame assembly including: a pair of frame rails coupled to the bottom wall and extending in a longitudinal direction along the bottom wall; and a plurality of cross-members engaged with the bottom wall, the plurality of cross-members extending in a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, each of the plurality of cross-members extending through the pair of frame rails, the plurality of cross-members each having a uniform cross-sectional shape along their entire length(fig 7).
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Regarding claim 2 Qiao discloses, wherein at least one of the plurality of cross-members at a single longitudinal position includes a pair of identical sections arranged in a diametrically opposed pair on either side of the pair of frame rails(fig 7).
Regarding claim 9 Qiao discloses, an arm lug assembly(fig 11) configured to secure an actuator(241) to the body, the body further comprising a container sidewall(see fig below) extending along a lateral edge of the bottom wall, the container sidewall including: a plurality of vertical beams spaced apart along the longitudinal direction; and a support beam that extends at an angle between a longitudinal end of the container sidewall and the arm lug assembly.
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Regarding claim 17 Qiao discloses, a refuse vehicle(page 2 para 3), comprising: a chassis; a body(10) supported by the chassis and defining a collection chamber(pg 3 para 6 configured to store refuse therein, the body including a bottom wall(fig 7) and a container sidewall(see fig above) extending along a lateral edge of the bottom wall; and an arm lug assembly(fig 11) configured to secure an actuator(24) to the body, the container sidewall including: a plurality of vertical beams(see fig above) spaced apart along a longitudinal direction; and a support beam that extends at an angle between a longitudinal end of the container sidewall and the arm lug assembly(see fig above).
Regarding claim 19 Qiao discloses, wherein the angle is taken relative to a longitudinal reference line extending through the body between opposing ends of the body(fig 6 above).
Regarding claim 20 Qiao discloses, wherein the support beam is coupled to an end of the plurality of vertical beams(fig 6).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiao(CN 209306218 U) in view of Calliari (US 10556622 B1).
Regarding claim 3 Qiao does not disclose a beam comprising a rectangular shaped channel. However, Calliari discloses a frame rails(fig 2e) comprising a beam(202) defining a rectangular-shaped channel(fig 1, the beam 3 can be seen having a rectangular shaped channel that extends in the longitudinal direction) that extends in the longitudinal direction between opposing ends of the beam, the channel of each of the pair of frame rails facing inwardly toward a center of the body(fig 2e).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the beam of Qiao such that it comprises channels of Calliari to provide additional space within the vehicle to mount components and accommodate crossbars.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiao(CN 209306218 U) and Calliari (US 10556622 B1) in view of Li (CN 114655311 A).
Regarding claim 4 the combination of Qiao and Calliari does not disclose a bracket however Li discloses, wherein the sub-frame assembly(fig 1) further includes at least one bracket(4) configured to couple a respective one of the plurality of cross-members to at least one frame rail of the pair of frame rails, the bracket disposed within the channel of the at least one frame rail, the bracket engaged with a longitudinal face of the respective one of the plurality of cross-members(fig 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Qiao and Calliari such that it comprises brackets to provide extra reinforcement to the beam and crossbar.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiao(CN 209306218 U)
Regarding claim 5 Qiao does not disclose a plurality of slots. However, openings for intersecting beams are common and well known. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the frame rails of Qiao such that they comprise openings to provide space for the installation of intersecting crossbeams.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6-8,18 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.
Claims 10-16 are allowed.
Regarding claim 10 the closest prior art on record is Lin (CN 209306218 U). However Lin does not disclose a combination of a refuse vehicle, comprising: a chassis; a body supported by the chassis and defining a collection chamber configured to store refuse therein; and an arm lug assembly configured to secure an actuator to the body, the arm lug assembly comprising: a first plate including a first lug portion; a second plate including a second lug portion, the second plate spaced laterally apart from the first plate; a cross-member extending through the first plate to the second plate; a first coupling member coupled to the first plate and the cross-member and extending at a first angle away from the cross-member; and a second coupling member coupled to the cross-member opposite the first coupling member, the second coupling member arranged symmetrically with the first coupling member.
Conclusion
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SHAMS . DHANANI
Examiner
Art Unit 3614
/PAUL N DICKSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614