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) 1-6, 11-14 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keys (U.S. Patent No. 2,848,123) in view of Worton (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0341455).
With respect to Claim 1, Keys, Figures 1-19, teaches a spool transporter comprising:
a vehicle comprising a cab A and a frame C with front 21 and rear 22 wheels operatively coupled to the frame C;
at least two spool retaining devices (See Figure 7) coupled to a top surface of the frame C, wherein each spool retaining device (See Figure 7) is configured to retain a spool/reel E wound with and retaining cable; and
a loader 30,31,70 coupled to the top surface of the frame for loading spools/reels onto the at least two spool retaining devices (See Figure 7).
Keys teaches all the elements of the spool transporter except for
wherein each spool retaining device comprises a rotatable base that rotates a bottom frame with respect to the frame and includes a locking mechanism that releasably locks the bottom frame in various rotated positions to orient the spools/reels in a desired position for payout.
However, Worton, Figures 1-7, teaches
wherein each spool retaining device 200 comprises a rotatable base 250 (See Figure 6) that rotates a bottom frame (See Figure 5) with respect to the frame and includes a locking mechanism 400 that releasably locks the bottom frame in various rotated positions to orient the spools/reels in a desired position for payout.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Keys with a rotatable base including a locking mechanism, as taught by Worton, so that the spools may be rotated and locked into any position facing the project.
With respect to Claim 2, Keys further teaches wherein the loader 30,31,70 comprises a knuckle boom or a boom.
With respect to Claim 3, Keys further teaches wherein the loader 30,31,70 comprises stabilizing legs 29 that operate maintain the loader stable when loading spools/reels.
With respect to Claim 17, Keys, Figures 1-19, teaches a spool transporter comprising:
a vehicle comprising a cab A and a frame C with front 21 and rear 22 wheels operatively coupled to the frame C; and
at least two spool retaining devices (See Figure 7) coupled to a top surface of the frame C, wherein each spool retaining device (See Figure 7) is configured to retain a spool/reel E wound with and retaining cable.
Keys teaches all the elements of the spool transporter except for
wherein each spool retaining device comprises a rotatable base that rotates a bottom frame with respect to the frame and includes a locking mechanism that releasably locks the bottom frame in various rotated positions to orient the spools/reels in a desired position for payout.
However, Worton, Figures 1-7, teaches
wherein each spool retaining device 200 comprises a rotatable base 251 that rotates a bottom frame with respect to the frame and includes a locking mechanism 400 that releasably locks the bottom frame (See Figure 5) in various rotated positions to orient the spools/reels in a desired position for payout.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Keys with a rotatable base including a locking mechanism, as taught by Worton, so that the spools may be rotated and locked into any position facing the project.
With respect to Claims 4 and 18, Worton further teaches
the rotatable base 250 (See Figure 6) coupled to the top surface (See Figure 5) of the frame of the vehicle;
the bottom frame (See Figure 5) coupled to the rotatable base 250 (See Figure 6); and
two spool supports 200 coupled to and extending perpendicular from the bottom frame, wherein the two spool supports are separated a distance sufficient to receive an axle 230 extending through the spool/reel.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Keys with a rotatable base, as taught by Worton, for the purpose of allowing a user to rotate and lock the spools into any position facing the project.
With respect to Claim 5, Worton further teaches wherein each spool retaining device 240 retains the spool/reel in a condition that allows for payout of cable wound on the spool/reel.
With respect to Claim 6, Worton further teaches wherein each spool retaining device 240 retains the spool/reel in a fixed position to inhibit payout of the cable.
With respect to Claims 7 and 19, Worton further teaches wherein the base 250 (See Figure 6) is a rotatable base to make each spool retaining device rotatable.
With respect to Claims 11-14, the method described in these claims would inherently result from the use of the spool transporter of Keys in view of Worton as advanced above.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keys in view of Worton as applied to Claims 1-6, 11-14 and 17-19 above, and further in view of Garceau (U.S. Patent No. 10,427,654).
With respect to Claim 8, Keys in view of Worton are advanced above.
Keys in view of Worton teach all the elements of the transporter except for leveling components to level the frame when the vehicle is on an incline.
However, Garceau, Figures 1-16 and Column 10, lines 45-51, teaches the use of jacks in order to level a frame.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Keys in view of Worton with leveling components, as taught by Garceau, for the purpose of maximizing stability through the use of one or more pistons by counteracting any weather forces in addition to providing stability upon an uneven surface, such as an incline or decline.
Claim(s) 9-10, 15-16, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keys in view of Worton as applied to Claims 1-7 above, and further in view of Paull (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0398875).
With respect to Claims 9-10 and 20, Keys in view of Worton are advanced above.
Keys in view of Worton teach all the elements of the transport except for wherein the front and rear wheels are configured to perform a crabwalk maneuver.
However, Paull, Figures 1-9, and Paragraph [0017], lines 16-17, teaches that a vehicle known to perform crabwalk maneuvers.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Keys in view of Worton with the ability for their vehicle to perform a crabwalk maneuver, as taught by Paull, for the purpose of allowing the vehicle to maneuver out of positions such as when stuck in the mud or any bad situation.
With respect to Claims 15, the method described in these claims would inherently result from the use of the spool transporter of Keys in view of Worton and Paull as advanced above.
With respect to Claims 16 and 20, Keys further teaches the method and apparatus wherein the front and rear wheels are configured to perform a U-turn maneuver.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
The new grounds of rejection were necessitated by applicant's amendment, e.g., the requirement for “a locking mechanism”, Claims 1 and 17, line 7, and Claim 11, line 12.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM ARAUZ RIVERA whose telephone number is (571)272-6953. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM MDT.
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/WILLIAM A. RIVERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654