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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 8-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 1/23/26.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because:
The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention. In this case, the abstract states, the stabilizers “limit bending of the tip adapters by way of reaching bending loads [….]” See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
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).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Campomanes (US 20170145664 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Campomanes teaches a work tool assembly comprising:
a work tool lip (Fig 4, lip 204) including an upper lip surface (Fig 4, upper surface of 204, seen) and a lower lip surface each extending rearwardly from a forward lip edge (Fig 4, lower side of 204 extends from forward lip edge 232, as seen);
a plurality of tip adapters (Fig 4, adapter 200 seen, see Para 0002 “adapters” are used in ground engaging tools, see also Fig 1, where a plurality of adapters are shown used with such a tool) arranged laterally along the forward lip edge (Para 0002 “adapters” are used in ground engaging tools, see also Fig 1, where a plurality of adapters are arranged laterally on the lip), and each including a front adapter end (Fig 4, the end which extends forward from 220), a back adapter end (Fig 4, the end which extends backward from 220), and a mounting slot receiving the forward lip edge and extending forwardly from the back adapter end (Fig 4, slot accommodating 204, see also Fig 6), and each mounting slot being defined between an upper adapter leg in contact with the upper lip surface (Fig 6, leg 212) and a lower adapter leg in contact with the lower lip surface (Fig 6, leg 216);
at least one of the upper adapter leg and the lower adapter leg in each tip adapter includes, upon opposite lateral sides thereof, a first restraint ledge and a second restraint ledge (Fig 8-9, lower adapter leg 216 has first and second ledge 226/227 on opposing lateral sides, as seen), respectively; and
a plurality of anti-bending stabilizers (Fig 8-9, member 236, Para 0038, “prevents movement or buckling of the bottom leg, reducing the stress in the leg”) each having a base attached to the work tool lip at a location laterally of one of the plurality of tip adapters (Fig 8-9, member 236 is located to the lateral side of the tip adapter, as seen base is portion 262/266 see Fig 13), and a hold-down head extending outwardly of the base (Fig 8-9, head of 236 contacting ledge 226/227; Fig 13, head indicated as contact surface 264. Hold down function by limiting movement/buckling/holding in place by welding it on the lip and at least frictional contact with the adapter, see Para 0060, see also Para 0038 “prevents movement […]”) and in contact with one of the first restraint ledge or the second restraint ledge of the respective one of the plurality of tip adapters (Fig 8-9, head as defined in contacts the ledge 226/227).
Regarding claim 2, Campomanes teaches wherein the plurality of anti-bending stabilizers are arranged in a plurality of upper pairs each coupled to the upper adapter leg of one of the plurality of tip adapters (Fig 5, pair of stabilizers 236 seen), and a plurality of lower pairs each coupled to the lower adapter leg of one of the plurality of tip adapters (Fig 9, pair of stabilizers 236 seen).
Regarding claim 3, Campomanes teaches a plurality of forward tooth tips each mounted to a respective one of the plurality of tip adapters (Fig 2, the adapter of Fig 4 used as adapter in Fig 2, 106, forward tips 108’, see also Para 0033), and a plurality of set-back tooth tips arranged laterally along the forward lip edge and in an alternating arrangement with the plurality of forward tooth tips (Fig 2, the adapter of Fig 4 used as adapter in Fig 2, 106, set-back tips 108. There is an alternating pattern, as seen).
Regarding claim 4, Campomanes teaches wherein the work tool lip includes a bucket lip having a first upturned outboard lip edge (Fig 2, left side lip of bucket), and a second upturned outboard lip edge (Fig 2, right side lip of bucket), and each of the upper lip surface and the lower lip surface extends laterally between the first upturned outboard lip edge and the second upturned outboard lip edge (Fig 2, the upper and lower surfaces as defined, and seen, extend laterally between the edges as seen).
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) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campomanes (US 20170145664 A1), in view of Sinn (US 20220154433 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Campomanes is silent on wherein each of the first restraint ledge and the second restraint ledge extends forwardly from the respective back adapter end and forms a rearward-facing contact surface, a laterally-facing contact surface, and a base contact surface, and the respective anti-bending stabilizer is in contact with each of the rearward-facing, laterally- facing, and base contact surfaces
Sinn teaches wherein each of the first restraint ledge and the second restraint ledge (Fig 7 and 10, one ledge 246, 234, and 236 seen on one side, there is a ledge on the opposing side) extends forwardly from the respective back adapter end (Fig 7, forward slope at reference numeral 236) and forms a rearward-facing contact surface (Fig 7, contact surface at 246), a laterally-facing contact surface (Fig 7, face 216), and a base contact surface (Fig 7, face at 234), and the respective anti-bending stabilizer is in contact with each of the rearward-facing, laterally- facing, and base contact surfaces (Fig 10, stabilizer 400 is in contact with each of those surfaces).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention disclosed by Campomanes by having the ledges designed in the manner as disclosed by Sinn because Sinn’s stabilizer contacting ledges as such ledge features protect stabilizers e.g. 400 from wear as material passes over when the machinery is in use (Para 0054).
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: As discussed above, Campomanes (US 20170145664 A1), in view of Sinn (US 20220154433 A1) is the best available combination of references. Claim 6 recites wherein each base contact surface is sloped laterally outward in a direction of the work tool lip. However, the base contact surface as identified does not have the required slope. While other surfaces e.g. 236 may be considered a base contact surface, it would not meet the limitation requiring contact with the stabilizer/block 400 in Sinn. Nor is it obvious, from the references available to further modify the modifying reference to have the base contact surface identified, have the missing feature. Claims 6-7 depend from claim 5.
The missing limitation is not taught by the references cited individually, or in combination. Please see discussion below for other relevant art considered by not relied upon.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Campomanes (US 20200095752 A1) teaches a shield subassembly includes a support member, a resilient member, and a shield member defining an annular perimeter that surrounds the resilient member.
Guimaraes (US 20120304508 A1) teaches a wear member assembly for a lip of an earth excavating device comprises a first wear member, a second wear member and a retaining pin. The first wear member is mounted to the lip.
Emrich (US 7299570 B2) teaches a wear assembly for attaching a wear member to a support structure that includes a wear member and a lock. The wear member includes a pair of legs to straddle the support structure, each with a hole that aligns with a hole in the support structure for receiving a lock to hold the wear member in place.
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/THEODORE N YAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3676