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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 06/19/2026 have been fully considered, but they are not persuasive.
The amendments and cancellations are noted. Examination will proceed on claims 1-3, and 13-18.
Regarding claim 1, Applicant argues that Huang’s spring (512) provides only radial force for shock absorption rather than axial force to prevent gaps between components. This argument is not persuasive. Huang discloses a coil spring (512) disposed coaxially on rod (511). By definition, a coil spring will exert an axial restoring force when compressed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-3 and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over previously cited Huang (US 20060156573 A1) "Huang" in view of previously cited Kao Lin (US 20080148591 A1) "Kao Lin" and Thomas et al. (WO 2024226894) “Thomas”.
Regarding claim 1, Huang discloses a measuring wheel (Fig. 2) having a body having a handle (Fig. 2; 23); a wheel fork (Fig. 2; 7); and an operating shaft (Fig. 2; 2) having two ends respectively connected to the handle (Fig. 2; 23) and the wheel fork (Fig. 2; 7); a distance wheel (Fig. 2; 4) rotatably disposed on the wheel fork (Fig. 2; 7) of the body; a measuring module (Fig. 2; 3) disposed in the handle (Fig. 2; 23) of the body; an upper transmission group (Fig. 2; 51h, 51g) disposed in the handle (Fig. 2; 23) of the body, connected to the measuring module (Fig. 2; 3), and having an upper engaging gear (Fig. 2; 51h); a lower transmission group (Fig. 2; 51a-51f) disposed in the wheel fork (Fig. 2; 7) of the body, connected to the distance wheel (Fig. 2; 4), and having a lower engaging gear (Fig. 2; 51f); and a linking group (Fig. 2; 53) disposed in the operating shaft (Fig. 2; 2) of the body and having a linking shaft (Fig. 2; 53c-53d) disposed in the operating shaft (Fig. 2; 2); an upper connecting element (Fig. 2; 51g) connected to and synchronously rotated with the linking shaft (Fig. 2; 53c-53d), and engaging with the upper engaging gear (Fig. 2; 51h); a lower connecting element (Fig. 2; 51d) connected to and synchronously rotated with the linking shaft (Fig. 2; 53c-53d), and engaging with the lower engaging gear (51f); wherein the operating shaft (Fig. 2; 2) has an upper pipe (Fig. 3; 21); and a lower pipe (Fig. 3; 22) swingably connected to the upper pipe (Fig. 3; 21); the linking shaft (Fig. 2; 53) has two shaft tubes (Fig. 2; 53c and 53d) respectively disposed in the upper pipe (Fig. 3; 21) and the lower pipe (Fig. 3; 22) to detachably connect with each other, to synchronously rotate with each other, and each one of the two shaft tubes (Fig. 2; 53c and 53d) ; and two connectors (Fig. 3; 52a and 52b) respectively connected to the two shaft tubes (Fig. 3; 21 and 22), and each one of the two connectors (Fig. 3; 52a and 52b) has an engaging end (Fig. 4; teeth of 52a and 52b), and the engaging ends (Fig. 4; teeth of 52a and 52b) of the two connectors (Fig. 3; 52a and 52b) engaging with each other; and an inserting end (Fig. 4; hub of 52a and 52b), the inserting ends of the two connectors (Fig. 3; 52a and 52b) respectively inserted into and abutted against the two shaft tubes (Fig. 2; 53c and 53d) of the linking shaft (Fig. 2; 53).
Huang does not disclose:
an elastic element
a polygonal cross section, nor a cross section corresponding to the polygonal cross section
Kao Lin teaches 1) an elastic element (Fig. 3; 512).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use Kao Lin’s elastic element between Huang’s linking shaft and upper connecting element to push Huang’s linking shaft and abut against Huang’s lower connecting element, better preventing gear displacement and improving transmission accuracy.
Thomas teaches 2) a polygonal cross section (Fig. 9; 154, see also detailed description of Fig. 10), and a cross section (Fig. 10; 210) corresponding to the polygonal cross section (Fig. 9; 154).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have Huang’s linking shafts shaped with a polygonal cross-section, as taught by Thomas, preventing Huang’s two connectors from rotating relative to Huang’s two shaft tubes and improving measurement accuracy.
Regarding claim 2, Huang discloses the measuring wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper connecting element (Fig. 2; 51g) has a gear portion (Fig. 2; teeth of 51g) engaging with the upper engaging gear (Fig. 2; 51h); and an engaging portion (Fig. 2; hub of 51g) coaxially connected to the gear portion (Fig. 2; teeth of 51g), the engaging portion (Fig. 2; hub of 51g) inserted into and abutted against the linking shaft (Fig. 2; 53).
Regarding claim 3, Huang discloses the measuring wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower connecting element (Fig. 2; 51d) has a gear portion (Fig. 2; teeth of 51h) engaging with the lower engaging gear (Fig. 2; 51f); and an engaging portion (Fig. 2; hub of 51f) coaxially connected to the gear portion (Fig. 2; teeth of 51h), the engaging portion (Fig. 2; hub of 51f) inserted into and abutted against the linking shaft (Fig. 2; 53).
Claims 4 to 12 are cancelled.
Regarding claim 13, Huang discloses the measuring wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper transmission group (51h, 51g) has multiple transmission gears (51h, 51g) sequentially engaging with each other; the upper engaging gear (51h) engages with one of the multiple transmission gears (51g); and the measuring module (3) has a rotating shaft (33) engaging with and synchronously rotated with another one of the multiple transmission gears.
Regarding claim 14, Huang discloses the measuring wheel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper transmission group (51h, 51g) has multiple transmission gears (51h, 51g) sequentially engaging with each other; the upper engaging gear (51h) engages with one of the multiple transmission gears (51g); and the measuring module (3) has a rotating shaft (33) engaging with and synchronously rotated with another one of the multiple transmission gears.
Regarding claim 15, Huang discloses the measuring wheel as claimed in claim 3, wherein the upper transmission group (51h, 51g) has multiple transmission gears (51h, 51g) sequentially engaging with each other; the upper engaging gear (51h) engages with one of the multiple transmission gears (51g); and the measuring module (3) has a rotating shaft (33) engaging with and synchronously rotated with another one of the multiple transmission gears.
Regarding claim 16, Huang discloses the measuring wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower transmission group (51a-51f) has an axle member (43) disposed on an axial center of the distance wheel (4) along an axial direction of the distance wheel to synchronously rotate with the distance wheel; and a transmission shaft (53a) disposed along an axial direction of the linking shaft (53c) and having a lower end (51b) engaging with the axle member and an upper end engaging with the lower engaging gear (51f); the lower engaging gear has an axial center disposed along the axial direction of the distance wheel; and the axial direction of the linking shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the distance wheel.
Regarding claim 17, Huang discloses the measuring wheel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lower transmission group (51a-51f) has an axle member (43) disposed on an axial center of the distance wheel (4) along an axial direction (Fig. 2) of the distance wheel to synchronously rotate with the distance wheel; and a transmission shaft (53a) disposed along an axial direction (Fig. 2) of the linking shaft (53c) and having a lower end (51b) engaging with the axle member and an upper end engaging with the lower engaging gear (51f); the lower engaging gear has an axial center (Fig. 2) disposed along the axial direction of the distance wheel; and the axial direction of the linking shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the distance wheel.
Regarding claim 18, Huang discloses the measuring wheel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lower transmission group (51a-51f) has an axle member (43) disposed on an axial center of the distance wheel (4) along an axial direction of the distance wheel to synchronously rotate with the distance wheel; and a transmission shaft (53a) disposed along an axial direction of the linking shaft (53c) and having a lower end (51b) engaging with the axle member and an upper end engaging with the lower engaging gear (51f); the lower engaging gear has an axial center disposed along the axial direction of the distance wheel; and the axial direction of the linking shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the distance wheel.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US20110180626 discloses a foldable extension pipe and measuring wheel unit.
US20090217542 discloses a measuring roller device.
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.
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/ANNA JOSEPHINE SAUNDERS/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/PETER J MACCHIAROLO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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