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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on December 18, 2025 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 1, line 16, “disposed on a second side of the base plate” should read “disposed on the second side of the base plate” for clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the same side" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 1 recites limitations for a first side and a second side of the base plate as well as “a side of the guide body”. The auxiliary guide component according to claim 1 includes a bias guide wheel and an adjusting member as well as a supporting wheel. It is not clear if all of the components of the auxiliary guide component are on the same side of the base plate or the guide body and how that relates to the position of the stall protection device.
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.
Claims 1, 4, 8-11, 14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 104773632 A (Gao) in view of CN 108502666 A (Lai et al.) further in view of CN 20481227 U (Liu et al.) and further in view of US 20060175151 A1 (Perez).
Regarding claim 1, Gao teaches:
A modular lifting apparatus, comprising:
a vehicle body assembly comprising a vehicle body (frame 5, power and guide box 9, figure 1) and a pedal component (pedal 8) connected to the vehicle body; and
a drive control assembly (4, 10, 11, and motor/battery/speed reducer) disposed on the vehicle body and comprising a control component (4), a drive component (10, motor), and an auxiliary guide component (11), the control component being connected to the drive component (control box 4 controls movement of gears 10),
wherein the drive component and the auxiliary guide component are used for cooperating with a guide body (2) to allow the vehicle body to move in an extension direction of the guide body,
wherein the vehicle body comprises a base plate (5) having a first side (backside (not shown) of 5 connected to 9, figure 4) and a second side (front side of 5 shown in figure 4), and a box (9) mounted on the first side of the base plate, the drive control assembly is disposed in the box (“low voltage direct current electric motor, speed reducer and storage battery in the power shell and guide box 9,” page 3, lines 31-32 of the attached machine translation, the electric motor that moves the gears 10 is inside the box 9 and the shaft extends out of the box to turn the gears),
wherein the drive component comprises a rotary drive member (motor) and a drive gear (10), the rotary drive member is disposed within the box (motor is in box 9), an output end (drive shaft, not shown) of the rotary drive member extends through the box and is connected to the drive gear disposed on a second side of the base plate, and the drive gear is configured to engage the guide body during operation (10 engages 2 during operation, figure 4).
Gao does not teach:
the output end of the rotary drive member extends through the box and the base plate in sequence,
the pedal component being foldably connected to the vehicle body,
wherein the auxiliary guide component further comprises a bias guide wheel and an adjusting member disposed on a side of the guide body opposite to the drive gear, wherein the adjusting member comprises a telescopic spring that presses the bias wheel against the guide body toward the drive gear during operation so that the drive gear maintains engagement with the guide body, and
wherein the auxiliary guide component further comprises a supporting wheel, the supporting wheel is in rolling connection with the guide body and, during operation, the pedal component is in a unfold state and carries a load, the pedal component is supported by the supporting wheel so that the load on the pedal component is transferred to the guide body via the supporting wheel.
However, Lai et al. teach:
A modular lifting apparatus with a rotary drive member that penetrates through a base plate (mounting frame 2, figure 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the drive shaft of the motor of Gao to pass through the base plate as taught by Lai et al. with a reasonable expectation of success to provide additional support to the part of the box holding the motor where stress from the torque of the motor will be concentrated.
Gao and Lai et al. do not teach:
the pedal component being foldably connected to the vehicle body,
wherein the auxiliary guide component further comprises a bias guide wheel and an adjusting member disposed on a side of the guide body opposite to the drive gear, wherein the adjusting member comprises a telescopic spring that presses the bias wheel against the guide body toward the drive gear during operation so that the drive gear maintains engagement with the guide body, and
wherein the auxiliary guide component further comprises a supporting wheel, the supporting wheel is in rolling connection with the guide body and, during operation, the pedal component is in a unfold state and carries a load, the pedal component is supported by the supporting wheel so that the load on the pedal component is transferred to the guide body via the supporting wheel.
However, Liu et al. teach:
A modular lifting apparatus with the pedal component (16) being foldably connected to the vehicle body (10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the pedal of Gao foldable as taught by Liu et al. to provide space for the operator to navigate around the lifting apparatus in an emergency, Liu et al. paragraph [0030], lines 9-11, “foldable pedal 6 normally used for loading the material, under the emergency situation can be folded upwards, providing a secure channel for the operator.”
Gao, Lai et al., and Liu et al. do not teach:
The auxiliary guide component comprising a bias guide wheel and a supporting wheel.
However, Perez teaches:
A lifting apparatus that moves along a guide body with an auxiliary guide component (30), and
wherein the auxiliary guide component further comprises a bias guide wheel (36, figure 6) and an adjusting member (44) disposed on a side of the guide body opposite to the drive gear (36 is disposed on a side of rail 26 opposite another roller 36, and would be disposed opposite drive gear 10 of Gao in the combination), wherein the adjusting member comprises a telescopic spring (spring 44) that presses the bias wheel against the guide body toward the drive gear during operation so that the drive gear maintains engagement with the guide body (44 presses 36 downward toward guide rail 26 to maintain engagement), and
wherein the auxiliary guide component further comprises a supporting wheel (82, figure 6), the supporting wheel is in rolling connection with the guide body (tip of rail 26).
And the resulting combination of Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al., and Perez teaches:
and, during operation, the pedal component (8, Gao) is in a unfold state and carries a load (Liu et al.), the pedal component is supported by the supporting wheel (82, Perez) so that the load on the pedal component is transferred to the guide body via the supporting wheel (any load on the pedal produces a moment that urges the lifting apparatus to rotate relative to the guide body, the load would be transferred to roller 82 due to the perpendicular position of roller 82 relative to the guide wheels).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to bias the auxiliary guide component of Gao as taught by Perez to exert a constant force against the guide and prevent disengagement of the drive gear. Paragraph [0026] of Perez, lines 1-8, “As the roller mount 34 pivots about the shaft 42 responsive to the force of biasing member 44, the roller axes 38 move according to the arrow 46… and, therefore, into engagement with the oppositely facing surfaces of the guide rail nose portion 26.” It further would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a supporting wheel perpendicular to the other guide wheels as taught by Perez with the lifting apparatus taught by Gao, Lai et al., and Liu et al. to prevent lateral movement of the lifting apparatus. Perez, paragraph [0043], lines 1-3, “The roller 82 facilitates preventing lateral movement of the roller guide device 30, and therefore the cab 22”.
Regarding claim 4, Gao further teaches:
wherein the base plate is provided with a mounting platform (mounting platform, annotated figure 2), the mounting platform is perpendicular to a surface of the base plate (vertical face of 5), and the box is removably connected to the mounting platform (via fasteners shown in figures 2 and 4).
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Figure 2 of Gao, annotated by the Examiner
Regarding claim 8, Gao further teaches:
wherein the drive control assembly further comprises a power supply module (battery), the control component (control box 4) and the drive component (gears 10) are each electrically connected to the power supply module, and the power supply module comprises a rechargeable battery (the battery is rechargeable with “a charging mechanism”, claim 9) or a switching power supply.
Regarding claim 9, Lai et al. further teach:
wherein the vehicle body assembly further comprises a handrail component (23) the handrail component is removably connected to the vehicle body (23 is capable of being removed form body 2), the handrail component comprises a first handle (22) and a second handle (233), and a handrail bar (handrail bar, annotated figure 9) is movably connected between the first handle and the second handle (the handrail bar is movable relative to handle 233 that is rotatable, page 6 of the attached machine translation, third paragraph, “manual throttle 233, for respectively controlling the power component 4 the rotating direction, rotating acceleration and deceleration to rotate.” Lines 4-5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a rotatable handle as taught by Lai et al. in the lifting apparatus of Gao to allow control of the lift without releasing the handle for safety of the operator.
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Figure 9 of Lai et al. annotated by the Examiner
Regarding claim 10, Gao further teaches:
wherein the pedal component (8) comprises a stepping portion (left side of pedal 8, figure 2) and a mounting portion (right side of pedal, figure 2), and the stepping portion is connected to the vehicle body by means of the mounting portion (figure 2 shows the mounting portion, right side of pedal 8 connected by bolts or fasteners).
Regarding claim 11, Gao further teaches:
wherein the auxiliary guide component comprises at least one pair of guide wheels (guide wheels 11) that abut against the guide body (each guide wheel 11 is shown in contact with a respective side face of track 2, figure 4) during operation.
Regarding claim 14, Gao further teaches:
wherein the auxiliary guide component further comprises a pair guide hook wheels (guide device 12, figure 4) that are located on two sides of the guide body (left and right sides of track 2, figure 4) during operation.
Regarding claim 16, Liu et al. further teach:
wherein the vehicle body is provided with a stall protection device (stall protection device 11, figure 1), and the stall protection device is located on the same side as the auxiliary guide component (stall protection device 11 is on the side of the vehicle body that is nearest the guide body, along with all of the rollers/guide components).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a stall protection device on the vehicle body of Gao as taught by Liu et al. for safety of the operator in case of an emergency stall condition “protector 11 is connected with the safety of the workers, mounted on the slide rial 2 prevent the operator from falling accident, stalling protection device 11 is connected with the vehicle body 5 mounted on the slide rail 2, prevent the vehicle and personnel has accidents,” paragraph [0030] of Liu et al., lines 7-9.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 104773632 A (Gao) in view of CN 108502666 A (Lai et al.) further in view of CN 20481227 U (Liu et al.) further in view of US 20060175151 A1 (Perez) as applied to claim 11, and further in view of CN 111532943 A (Duan).
Regarding claim 12, Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez teach:
The modular lifting apparatus according to claim 11.
Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez do not teach:
wherein each of the guide wheels have an eccentric shaft.
However, Duan teaches:
A lifting apparatus that travels along a guide member (vertical rail 11, figure 8) with guide wheels (concentric wheels 1242, 1243, figure 9),
wherein each of the guide wheels (1242, 1243) have of an eccentric shaft (eccentric shaft 1242, figure 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to mount the guide wheels of Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez with an eccentric shaft, as taught by Duan, with a reasonable expectation of success to modify the distance between the guide wheels and customize the fit of the wheels on the guide member. The eccentric shaft taught by Duan allows the guide wheels to be moved closer or farther apart resulting in greater or lesser force on the guide member as desired by the operator.
Claims 5-6 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 104773632 A (Gao) in view of CN 108502666 A (Lai et al.) further in view of CN 20481227 U (Liu et al.) and further in view of US 20060175151 A1 (Perez) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of US 9834944 B2 (Maurer et al.).
Regarding claim 5, Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez teach:
The modular lifting apparatus according to claim 4.
Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez do not teach:
wherein a plurality of positioning pins are provided on one side face of the box facing the mounting platform, a corresponding number of positioning holes are provided in one side of the mounting platform facing the box to receive the plurality of positioning pins.
However, Maurer et al. teach:
A lifting apparatus,
wherein positioning pins (cam-like pins 41, figure 5) are provided on one side face (bottom side face) of the box (motor component 15) facing the mounting platform (platform 5, figure 6), a corresponding number of positioning holes (not shown) are provided in one side of the mounting platform (5) facing the box to receive the plurality of positioning pins (“Cam-like pins 41 are provided for connecting the driving motor to the main housing or the electronic housing or for the connecting or the platform.” Col. 5, lines 45-47, the corresponding holes are an inherent component of the assembly).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use pins as taught by Maurer et al. to connect the box and mounting platform of Gao with a reasonable expectation of success to cheaply and efficiently combine the components.
Regarding claim 6, Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez teach:
The modular lifting apparatus according to claim 4.
Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez do not teach:
wherein casters are disposed at a bottom of the box.
However, Maurer et al. teach:
wherein casters (wheels 81, 82, figure 10c) are disposed at a bottom of the box (guide part 3, figure 10c).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to attach casters to the bottom of the box of Gao as taught by Maurer et al. with a reasonable expectation of success for ease of transport of the lifting apparatus, as noted by Maurer et al., figure 10c, “clip-on wheels for even simpler transport”.
Regarding claim 20, Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al., Perez, and Maurer et al. further teach:
A lifting system, comprising a guide body and the modular lifting apparatus according to claim 1, the guide body (rail like profile 7, figure 2a, Maurer et al.) being attached to a surface of a building or a surface of a tower (“a fastening clamp 9 is provided on the profile 7, by means of which the profile or guide member is fixedly arranged on the tower.” Col. 4, lines 30-32).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide fastening clamps to attach the guide body of Gao to a surface of the tower, as taught by Maurer et al., with a reasonable expectation of success to allow for the lifting operation to occur at a desired location without the need for a ladder.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 104773632 A (Gao) in view of CN 108502666 A (Lai et al.) further in view of CN 20481227 U (Liu et al.) and further in view of US 20060175151 A1 (Perez) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of US 20220240497 A1 (Price).
Regarding claim 17, Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez teach:
The modular lifting apparatus according to any claim of claims 1 to 15.
Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez do not teach:
wherein auxiliary stepping members are movably connected to two sides of the vehicle body, so that the auxiliary stepping members are switched between a folded state and an unfolded state.
However, Price teaches:
An extendable stand with a movable platform, and
auxiliary stepping members (foldable platforms 174, figure 1) are switched between a folded state and an unfolded state (figure 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to mount foldable stepping members on sides of the vehicle body of Gao, as taught by Price, with a reasonable expectation of success to extend the range of workers when the lifting apparatus is in a stationary position.
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 104773632 A (Gao) in view of CN 108502666 A (Lai et al.) further in view of CN 20481227 U (Liu et al.) and further in view of US 20060175151 A1 (Perez) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of JP H0812219 A (Iida et al., Applicant’s cited prior art).
Regarding claim 18, Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez teach:
The modular lifting apparatus according to claim 1.
Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez do not teach:
Regarding claim 18, Iida et al. further teach:
wherein the control component comprises a control switch (operation unit 3, abnormal stop button 19) configured to control upward movement, downward movement and decelerated operation of the modular lifting apparatus, emergency stop operation (button 19) and switching a control mode of the modular lifting apparatus (“the ground worker operates the transmitter or the switch of the operation unit to raise the elevator. When the elevator reaches a predetermined position, it is stopped by wireless operation from the transmitter, and the operator waits for the ascending tower to receive the package. When lowering it, the ground operator wirelessly or the tower operator who received the luggage operated the switch of the operating unit.” Page 8, lines 20-24 of the machine translation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a control switch that controls multiple movement operations on the lifting apparatus of Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez teach, as taught by Iida et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for improved control over the lifting apparatus by the on-board operator.
Regarding claim 19, Iida et al. further teach:
wherein the control component comprises at least one of a buzzer, an antenna (antenna 17, figure 1), and a trigger switch.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include an antenna on the lifting apparatus taught by Gao, Lai et al., Liu et al. and Perez, as taught by Iida et al., to allow for signal transmission between the lifting apparatus and a remote device that lets an operator communicate with the apparatus from another location.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 18, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. On page 8 of the Remarks, Applicant notes the limitations added to claim 1 that are expanded upon limitations previously found in now cancelled dependent claim 15. Applicant further discusses on pages 9-10 the guide wheels 11 of Gao and argues that the guide wheels of Gao do not meet the limitations of the supporting wheel as recited. This argument is rendered moot by the current rejection that relies upon Perez to teach the limitations of the auxiliary guide component including the supporting wheel.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHELLE M MUDWILDER whose telephone number is (571)272-6068. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11:00 am - 7:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ROBERT HODGE can be reached at (571)272-2097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.M.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ROBERT W HODGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654