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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ha Wook Wan KR 10-2308816 B1 in view of Muenggyu KR 10-2010016 B1
Regarding claim 1, Ha Wook Wan teaches, A control device (remote control unit 130, figures 1-3, 6 and 7) for an electric motor that outputs a control command for changing a direction of the electric motor provided with a handle (see figures 1-3 6 and 7, where it can be seen that a remote control is placed on a mobility unit 110), and starting, stopping, and decelerating the electric motor, the control device comprising: an enclosure (remote control body 131, paragraph 71) having a curved outer surface on a lower side, the enclosure being attachable to and detachable from an outer surface of the handle (see paragraph 72) ; the driving signal output unit configured to output at least one of a starting command and a speed control command of the electric motor (see paragraphs 86-89, where the speed is controlled based on the command from the remote-control unit) .
Ha Wook Wan is silent on specifically teaching: a driving signal output unit protruding from a side portion of the enclosure
However, Muenggyu is in the same field of art and teach: a driving signal output unit protruding from a side portion of the enclosure (see operating unit 240, paragraph 37 and figure 2).
In view of Muenggyu’s teachings, it would’ve been obvious to one with the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, with the apparatus as taught by Ha Wook Wan to include; a driving signal output unit protruding from a side portion of the enclosure, for the purpose of providing a design variant.
Regarding claim 2, Ha Wook Wan teaches, the control device of claim 1, wherein the driving signal output unit is a push button (see operation button 132, paragraphs 71-73).
Ha Wook Wan teaches is silent on specifically teaching: wherein the driving signal output unit is a push button that protrudes from the side portion of the enclosure.
However, Muenggyu is in the same field of art and teach: wherein the driving signal output unit is a push button that protrudes from the side portion of the enclosure (see operating unit 240, paragraph 37 and figure 2).
In view of Muenggyu’s teachings, it would’ve been obvious to one with the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, with the apparatus as taught by Ha Wook Wan to include; wherein the driving signal output unit is a push button that protrudes from the side portion of the enclosure, for the purpose of providing a design variant.
Regarding claim 3, Ha Wook Wan teaches, The control device of claim 1, further comprising: a steering signal output unit configured to output a steering control command for the electric motor (see operation button 132 which controls the speed and steering of the vehicle as seen in paragraphs 73, 86 and 87).
Ha Wook Wan is silent on specifically teaching: and a stop signal output unit configured to output an emergency stop command.
However, Muenggyu is in the same field of art and teach: and a stop signal output unit configured to output an emergency stop command (see operating unit 240, paragraph 37 and figure 2).
In view of Muenggyu’s teachings, it would’ve been obvious to one with the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, with the apparatus as taught by Ha Wook Wan to include; and a stop signal output unit configured to output an emergency stop command , for the purpose of providing security measures.
Regarding claim 4, Ha Wook Wan teaches, the control device of claim 3, wherein the enclosure includes a horizontal portion that extends horizontally, a vertical portion that extends vertically downward, and a curved portion whose lower side is bent into a shape in close contact with an outer surface of the handle between the horizontal portion and the vertical portion (see figures 3 and 7, where the remote-control unit is depicted).
Regarding claim 5, Ha Wook Wan teaches, The control device of claim 4, wherein the steering signal output unit is of a lever type and is installed on one surface of the vertical portion (see paragraphs 73 86-87).
Ha Wook Wan is silent on specifically teaching: steering signal output unit is of a lever type
However, Muenggyu is in the same field of art and teach: steering signal output unit is of a lever type (see operating unit 240, paragraph 37).
In view of Muenggyu’s teachings, it would’ve been obvious to one with the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, with the apparatus as taught by Ha Wook Wan to include; a stop signal output unit configured to output an emergency stop command, for the purpose of design variant.
Regarding claim 6, Ha Wook Wan teaches, the control device of claim 4, wherein the stop signal output unit is the push button that protrudes from one surface of a first block protruding from an opposite side of the enclosure (see paragraph 37 and figure 2).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ha Wook Wan KR 10-2308816 B1 in view of Muenggyu KR 10-2010016 B1 and further in view of Tsuchiya JP 09-262366
Regarding claim 7, Ha Wook Wan teaches, the control device of claim 4, wherein the enclosure further includes: an insertion groove that faces inward on the opposite side of the vertical portion (see remote control fastener 134 is positioned below the remote-control body and is inserted and fasteners when the body 101 and the operating support bar 127 installed – see paragraph 75 and 76 and figures 3 and 7).
Ha Wook Wan is silent on specifically teaching: a first communication port that communicates with the insertion groove and is cut toward the horizontal portion; a second communication port that is cut on one surface facing the first communication port in a second block protruding downward from a lower surface of the horizontal portion; and a third communication port that is cut from a lower surface of the second block.
However, Tsuchiya is in the same field of art and teach: : a first communication port that communicates with the insertion groove and is cut toward the horizontal portion; a second communication port that is cut on one surface facing the first communication port in a second block protruding downward from a lower surface of the horizontal portion; and a third communication port that is cut from a lower surface of the second block (see device body 13 is provided with a fixing hole into which a fixing band 15 for fixing the device body 13 and controller body 3 is inserted and fastened, see paragraphs 13-14 and figures 2-3 and 5)
In view of Tsuchiya’s teachings, it would’ve been obvious to one with the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, with the apparatus as taught by Ha Wook Wan to include; : a first communication port that communicates with the insertion groove and is cut toward the horizontal portion; a second communication port that is cut on one surface facing the first communication port in a second block protruding downward from a lower surface of the horizontal portion; and a third communication port that is cut from a lower surface of the second block, for the purpose of design variant.
Conclusion
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/ZOHEB S IMTIAZ/Primary Examiner , Art Unit 2846