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 § 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, 2, 8 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sweda et al. US 3521845 A.
Regarding claim 1, Sweda et al. discloses a mounting device for an upper module of a vehicle (trailer chassis), the mounting device comprising: a base (laterally extending bolster 30) mounted on an under body (side frame members 20 and 22) of the vehicle (trailer chassis); a main rod (lower end of which is treaded 104) rotatably disposed on the base (laterally extending bolster 30) and having a head (enlarged lock head 106) configured to pass through a mounting bracket (conventional corner casting 180) mounted on the upper module of the vehicle (trailer chassis); and an operating lever (operating member 140) having an end portion coupled to the main rod (cylindrical shank 102), the operating lever (operating member 140) being configured to rotate the main rod (cylindrical shank 102) to couple as shown in Figures 1-6.
Regarding claim 2, Sweda et al. discloses the mounting device of claim 1, wherein, in a state in which the head (enlarged lock head 106) is coupled to the mounting bracket (conventional corner casting 180), the operating lever (operating member 140) is configured to move the main rod (cylindrical shank 102) down at a predetermined height as shown in Figures 1-6.
Regarding claim 8, Sweda et al. discloses a mounting device for an upper module of a vehicle (trailer chassis), the mounting device comprising: a base (laterally extending bolster 30) mounted on an under body (side frame members 20 and 22) of the vehicle (trailer chassis); a mounting bracket (conventional corner casting 180) mounted on the upper module of the vehicle (trailer chassis), wherein a fixing hole (central hole 188 as shown in Figure 6) having a shape of an elongated hole is disposed in the mounting bracket (conventional corner casting 180); a main rod (lower end of which is treaded 104) rotatably disposed on the base (laterally extending bolster 30) and having a head (enlarged lock head 106) disposed at an upper end portion of the main rod (lower end of which is treaded 104) to have a cross section corresponding to the fixing hole (central hole 188 as shown in Figure 6), wherein the head (enlarged lock head 106) is configured to pass through; and an operating lever (operating member 140) having an end portion coupled to the main rod (lower end of which is treaded 104), the operating lever (operating member 140) being configured to rotate the main rod (lower end of which is treaded 104) to couple as shown in Figures 1-6.
Regarding claim 13, Sweda et al. discloses a vehicle (trailer chassis) comprising: a vehicle body (inherent that trailer chassis has a vehicle body) comprising an under body (side frame members 20 and 22) and an upper module configured to be mounted on the under body (side frame members 20 and 22); a mounting bracket (conventional corner casting 180) mounted on the upper module, wherein a fixing hole (central hole 188 as shown in Figure 6) having a shape of an elongated hole is disposed in the mounting bracket (conventional corner casting 180); a base (laterally extending bolster 30) mounted on the under body; a main rod rotatably disposed on the base (laterally extending bolster 30) and having a head (enlarged lock head 106) disposed at an upper end portion of the main rod (cylindrical shank 102) to have a cross section corresponding to the fixing hole (central hole 188 as shown in Figure 6), wherein the head (enlarged lock head 106) is configured to pass through, respectively, with respect to the under body (side frame members 20 and 22); and an operating lever (operating member 140) having an end portion coupled to the main rod (cylindrical shank 102), the operating lever (operating member 140) being configured to rotate the main rod (cylindrical shank 102) to couple as shown in Figures 1-6.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-7, 9-12 and 14-20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 3, a plate coupled to a bottom surface of the base, wherein protrusions are formed on the plate at regular intervals to protrude downward at predetermined heights along a circumference; and a fastening protrusion disposed at the operating lever, wherein the fastening protrusion is configured to be caught on the protrusion to move the main rod down in the state in which the head is coupled to the mounting bracket is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, a damper configured to be inserted into the main rod and inserted and fixed between the main rod and the fixing hole while spread outward in a state in which the main rod is rotated is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Claims 10 and 11 depends from claim 9.
Regarding claims 12 and 20, wherein the main rod comprises a spring configured to elastically support the main rod and the damper in an upward direction is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Regarding claim 14, an upper flange and a lower flange disposed to extend from an upper end portion and a lower end portion of the base parallel to the ground, respectively, wherein the main rod is configured to pass through the upper flange and the lower flange is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Claims 15 and 16 depends from claim 14.
Regarding claim 17, wherein the operating lever comprises: a fastening portion coupled to the main rod, wherein the fastening portion comprises a fastening hole through which the main rod passes; and a lever vertically extending from an outer surface of the fastening portion, wherein fastening protrusions are formed at intervals along a circumference of an upper surface of the fastening portion is not taught nor is fairly suggested by the prior art of record.
Claim 18 depends from claim 17.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
All detail twist lock construction.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lori Lyjak whose telephone number is (571)272-6658. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 AM-4:30 PM (EST) Monday-Friday.
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/Lori Lyjak/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612