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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 2, the word “central” is grammatically unclear, “rear axle assembly, a moving device and an electric control device; central” (emphasis added by the examiner). The examiner suggests deleting the word “central”.
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 9, and dependent claims 10-16, are 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 9 recites the limitation, "said mobile device" in line 11 in the limitation “said buffering mechanism is operatively connected to said main board body and said mobile device”.
There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Did applicant intend to claim “said moving device”? in the same manner as Claim 1, lines 12 and 13, in the limitation, “said buffering mechanism is operatively connected to said main board body and said moving device”?
For purposes of examination, Claim 9 has been examined to read “said buffering mechanism is operatively connected to said main board body and said moving device”.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 9, as best understood, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0206949 issued to Murphy.
Regarding Claim 1, Murphy teaches in Figures 1-21 and respective portions of the specification of an electric skateboard (300), comprising a main board body (305), a front axle assembly (right side of Figure 12; see detail in Figure 15), a rear axle assembly (left side of Figure 12), a moving device (motor 160, 360 shown in Figures 1 and 12-15) and an electric control device (electric controller disclosed in paragraph [0085]);
wherein, said main board body (305) has a front end and a rear end (see Figure 12),
said front axle assembly is arranged at said front end, said rear axle assembly is arranged at said rear end (see Figure 12),
said electric control device is electrically connected (see at least paragraph [0029]) with said front axle assembly and said rear axle assembly (see at least paragraph [0085]), and said moving device supports and moves said skateboard; and
wherein, said front axle assembly comprises a front support component (330), and said front support (330) component forms a rotatable connection (with bracket 345; see at least paragraph [0088]) with said main board body (305); and
wherein, said rear axle assembly comprises a driving device (sprockets 365, 370 and drive belt 372), a rear support component (330) and at least one buffering mechanism (suspension 420 includes spring and shock absorbers 450 that stabilize the skateboard), wherein said main board body (305) is rotatably connected (with bracket 345; see at least paragraph [0088] which disclose each end of the board has a support frame 320) to said rear support component (330), and said buffering mechanism is operatively connected (see Figures 12 and 13 which shows the buffering mechanism 420 is operatively coupled to the main body 305) to said main board body (305) and said moving device (160), and provides buffering (the spring and damper provide buffering by restoring the board to a neutral position, see at least paragraph [0065]) for a movement of said skateboard when said skateboard is in a moving state.
Regarding Claim 9, Murphy teaches a main board body (305),
a front axle assembly (right side of Figure 12; see detail in Figure 15), a rear axle assembly (left side of Figure 12; see detail in Figure 15),
a moving device (motor 160, 360 shown in Figures 1 and 12-15) and an electric control device (electric controller disclosed in paragraph [0085]);
wherein, said main board body (305) has a front end and a rear end, said front axle assembly is arranged at said front end (see Figures 1 and 12-25),
said rear axle assembly is arranged at said rear end (see Figures 1 and 12-25), said electric control device is electrically connected (see at least paragraph [0029]) with said front axle assembly and said rear axle assembly, and said moving device (160, 360) supports and moves said skateboard; and
wherein, said front axle assembly comprises a front support component (330) and at least one buffering mechanism (suspension 420 includes spring and shock absorbers 450 that stabilize the skateboard), wherein said front support component (330) is rotatably connected with said main board body (305), and said buffering mechanism (420,450) is operatively connected (see Figures 12 and 13 which shows the buffering mechanism 420 is operatively coupled to the main body 305) to said main board body (305) and said moving device (160, 360), and provides buffering (the spring and damper provide buffering by restoring the board to a neutral position, see at least paragraph [0065]) for a movement of said skateboard when said skateboard is in a moving state; and
wherein, said rear axle assembly comprises a driving device (sprockets 365, 370 and drive belt 372) and a rear support component (330), and said main board body (305) is rotatably connected (with bracket 345; see at least paragraph [0088]) to said rear support component (330).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-8 and 10-16 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, and to obviate and 35 USC 112 rejections.
Claims 17-20 allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the primary reason for the allowance of Claim 17 is the inclusion of: a buffering mechanism for an electric skateboard that includes a damper assembly and a restorer assembly, where the damper assembly is provided with a damper push rod and a damper shell that can slide on the damper push rod; and the restorer assembly incudes a restorer fixing assembly and at least one elastic member; where two ends of the elastic member are pressed against two ends of the restorer fixing component, the movable support component is operatively connected with the damper assembly and the restorer assembly, and the damper assembly includes at least one damping adjusting device which is arranged on said damper shell and can change a damping size of said damper assembly, in combination with the other elements recited, not found in the prior art of record.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN L SWENSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5572. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (9-5).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Shriver can be reached at (303) 297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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BRIAN SWENSON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3618
/BRIAN L SWENSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613
Prosecution Insights