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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1, 2, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ni et al (CN 2186110 Y) in view of Jadhav (US 10,823,428).
Ni et al disclose a door assembly comprising: an upper door assembly (6) comprising an upper door exterior surface (exterior surface of 6, see Fig 1), the upper door exterior surface (exterior surface of 6, see Fig 1) being configured to support a journal actuator assembly (20) and the upper door assembly (6) being configured to pivot with a journal (8b) having a grinding roller (13b) mounted thereon (see Fig 6), the upper door assembly (6) is pivoted away from the grinding mill (see Fig 1).
Ni et al do not disclose a lower door positioned below the upper door assembly; and a hinge assembly pivotally connected to the upper door assembly and the lower door, wherein the upper door assembly and the lower door are pivotable together between a closed position and an open position, wherein when in the closed position, the upper door assembly abuts the lower door, and wherein the lower door is pivoted relative to the upper door assembly.
Jadhav teaches the use of a split door assembly having a lower door (172) positioned below the upper door assembly (170); and a hinge assembly (26) pivotally connected to the upper door assembly (170) and the lower door (172), wherein the upper door assembly (170) and the lower door (172) are pivotable together between a closed position (see Fig 11) and an open position (see Fig 10), wherein when in the closed position (see Fig 11), the upper door assembly (170) abuts the lower door (172), and wherein when in the open position (see Fig 10), and the lower door (172) is pivoted relative to the upper door assembly (170).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the assembly of Ni et al in order to provide easier access for maintenance.
Re claim 2, Jadhav teaches the use of the hinge assembly (26) comprises: a linkage arm (178) extending from a first pivotal connector (42) to a mounting portion (40) that is secured to the lower door (172); and an upper door bracket (160) secured to the upper door assembly (170) and having a second pivotal connector (42) extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the first pivotal connector (42) is configured to pivot with the second pivotal connector (42) at a pivot axis (see Fig 10).
Re claim 11, Ni et al disclose when the upper door assembly (170) is in a maximum open position, the journal is substantially vertical (see Fig 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10 are 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 12 and 13 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
CN 111822104 grinding mill
US 20170312753 grinding mill
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/VICKY A JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617