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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of the restriction requirement in the reply filed on 6/5/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Claims 14-20 are not drawn to a method. Claims 14-20 are no longer withdrawn.
Claims 12, 13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 6/5/2026.
DETAILED ACTION
This is the first action on the merits for application 18/597802. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in this application. Claims 1-11, 14-20 are under examination.
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, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by CHIKARAISHI (2005/0133297).
Regarding Claim 1, CHIKARAISHI teaches an apparatus, comprising: a drive pulley (37), a driven pulley (39), and a transmission belt (41), wherein the drive pulley (37) is connected to the driven pulley (39) by using the transmission belt (41), and an axis of the drive pulley is configured to rotate around a first axis (Cf).
Regarding Claim 14, CHIKARAISHI teaches a vehicle, comprising an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a drive pulley (37), a driven pulley (39), and a transmission belt (41), the drive pulley (37) is connected to the driven pulley (39) by using the transmission belt (41), and an axis of the drive pulley is configured to rotate around a first axis (Cf).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-11, 14-20 are 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.
further comprising: an adjustment pin, wherein an axis of the adjustment pin coincides with the first axis; and a tension pulley, wherein the tension pulley is disposed on the adjustment pin, and an outer circumferential surface of the tension pulley abuts against the transmission belt with the other elements in Claims 2 and 15.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HENRY Y LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-7018. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30 ET.
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HENRY Y. LIU
Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/HENRY Y LIU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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