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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment to the claims filed on 4/24/2026 has been entered into the record. Claims 1 and 2 are amended. New claim 6 is presented.
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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Iwata (US 2018/0339858 A1).
Consider claim 1. Iwata teaches a transport cart (1) comprising: a cargo movement section (31 at right side of fig. 3) configured to place a cargo thereon and move the cargo in a horizontal first direction (right along H2) and a second direction (left along H2) opposite to the first direction; a first direction restriction portion (16 proximate center of 13 in fig. 3) provided to be movable between a restriction position (down) and a restriction release position (up) that are in an up-down relationship and configured to restrict a movement of the cargo placed on the cargo movement section in the first direction at the restriction position and allow the movement of the cargo placed on the cargo movement section in the first direction at the restriction release position (see paragraph [0040]), the first direction restriction portion provided at an end of the cargo movement section in the second direction (left along H2); and a control section (81f) configured to execute pre-restriction release processing of controlling the cargo movement section. Iwata’s control section is capable of performing the recited functional language: controlling the cargo movement section so that the cargo moves once in the second direction while maintaining a state where the first direction restriction portion is located at the restriction position before the first direction restriction portion located at the restriction position is moved to the restriction release position. Please see MPEP 2114 regarding functional limitations in apparatus claims.
Consider claim 2. Iwata teaches a wall-shaped second direction restriction portion (13) provided at a position at which the second direction restriction portion is capable of coming into contact with a surface on a second direction side of the cargo and configured to restrict the movement of the cargo in the second direction (via contact with an appropriately-shaped and -sized article, see fig. 3).
Consider claim 3. Iwata teaches a cargo pressing portion (13) provided above the cargo movement section along the first direction or the second direction.
Consider claim 4. Iwata teaches a detection section (see paragraph [0031]) configured to detect a position of the first direction restriction portion. Iwata’s control section is capable of performing the recited functional language: controlling the cargo movement section so that the cargo moves in the first direction after a signal that detected that the first direction restriction portion is located at the restriction release position is input from the detection section when the cargo is moved in the first direction. Please see MPEP 2114 regarding functional limitations in apparatus claims.
Consider claim 5. Iwata teaches that the first direction restriction portion includes a main body (body portion of 16) rotatable about a shaft in an up-down direction (see figs. 6 and 7) and an engaging portion (tine portion of 16) provided at an end part of the main body and configured to restrict the movement of the cargo in the first direction by engaging with the engaged portion when the first direction restriction portion is located at the restriction position, and is movable between the restriction position and the restriction release position by the rotation of the main body about the shaft. Iwata’s engaging portion is capable of engaging with an engaged portion on a bottom surface of the cargo. Please see MPEP 2115 regarding article worked upon by an apparatus.
Consider claim 6. Iwata teaches that the second direction restriction portion includes a groove (proximate 16 in center of 13, see fig. 3) through which the first direction restriction portion penetrates.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 4/24/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Iwata does not teach that the first direction restriction portion is provided at an end of the cargo movement section in the second direction. This argument is not persuasive. As stated in the prior art rejection above and as necessitated by Applicant’s amendment, Iwata teaches a hook 16 near the center of 13 in fig. 3 which is at an end of right conveyor 31 in the H2 direction, which meets the claim limitations.
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 JONATHAN D SNELTING whose telephone number is (571)270-7015. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30 EST.
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/JONATHAN SNELTING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3652
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