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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 93,94,97-107 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Uyunuk et al.(US110875663).
[claim 93] Uyunuk teaches a payload-receiving fixture, comprising: a fixture frame(200) having a first receiving surface(inner surface of 300) formed therein that is configured to receive a first structure of a payload(fig 1) and secure a portion of the first structure between the first receiving surface and a second receiving surface; and a carriage(210) having a first plurality of wheels(left wheels fig 2) associated therewith, the fixture frame being coupled to the carriage, wherein the carriage extends vertically away from the first plurality of wheels and is configured to bear weight of the payload and distribute vertical forces from the payload to at least some wheels of the first plurality of wheels(fig 2).
[claim 94] wherein the first plurality of wheels are arranged in a linear configuration(fig 2).
[claim 97] wherein the carriage further comprises a second plurality of wheels(right side wheels in fig 2) associated therewith, the second plurality of wheels being disposed parallel to the first plurality of wheels such that the first plurality of wheels and the second plurality of wheels are configured to be disposed on opposed sides of a midplane(fig 2).
[claim 98] wherein the carriage further comprises a carriage frame(210), the carriage frame having a first linear portion(A in annotated figure 2 below) coupled to the first plurality of wheels and a second linear portion(B in annotated figure 2 below) coupled to the second plurality of wheels, the first linear portion being disposed parallel to the second linear portion.
[claim 99] further comprising at least one transverse support beam(C in annotated figure 2 below) coupled to each of the first linear portion of the carriage frame and the second linear portion of the carriage frame, the support beam extending substantially perpendicular to each of the first and second linear portions of the carriage frame.
[claim 100] wherein each of the first and second linear portions of the carriage frame includes a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end being opposite of the forward end(fig 2), and wherein the at least one support beam is disposed between the respective forward and rearward ends of the first and second linear portions of the carriage frame(fig 2).
[claim 101] wherein the at least one support beam comprises one crossbeam(fig 2).
[claim 102] wherein the at least one support beam comprises a first support beam(C in annotated figure 2 below) and a second support beam(D in annotated figure 2 below), and wherein the first support beam and the second support beam are spaced apart from each other(fig 2).
[claim 103] wherein the carriage further comprises; a third plurality of wheels(other left side wheels in fig 2) disposed in a linear configuration with the first plurality of wheels and coupled to the first linear portion of the carriage frame, and a fourth plurality of wheels(other right side wheels in fig 2) disposed in a linear configuration with the second plurality of wheels and coupled to the second linear potion of the carriage frame such that the third plurality of wheels and the fourth plurality of wheels are configured to be disposed on opposed sides of the midplane, a first carriage brace(A in annotated figure 2 below) coupling the first plurality of wheels and the third plurality of wheels; and a second carriage brace(B in annotated figure 2 below) coupling the second plurality of wheels and the fourth plurality of wheels, the second carriage brace being parallel to the first carriage brace such that the first and second carriage braces are disposed on opposed sides of the midplane(fig 2), wherein the fixture frame is coupled to the first and second linear portions of the carriage frame(fig 2).
[claim 104] further comprising at least one support beam(C in annotated figure 2 below) coupled to at least one of the first linear portion of the carriage frame or the first carriage brace and to at least one of the second linear portion of the carriage frame or the second carriage brace, the at least one support beam extending substantially perpendicular to each of the first and second linear portions of the carriage frame.
[claim 105] wherein each of the first and second linear portions of the carriage frame includes a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end being opposite of the forward end, and wherein the at least one support beam is disposed between the respective forward and rearward ends of the first and second linear portions of the carriage frame(fig 2).
[claim 106] wherein the at least on support beam comprises one crossbeam(fig 2).
[claim 107] wherein the at least one support beam comprises a first support beam(C in annotated figure 2 below) and a second support beam(D in annotated figure 2 below), and wherein the first support beam and the second support beam are spaced apart from each other(fig 2).
[claim 108] wherein each of the first and second linear portions of the carriage frame includes a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end being opposite of the forward end, wherein each of the first and second carriage braces includes a forward end and a reward end, the rearward end being opposite of the forward end, wherein the first support beam(C in annotated figure 2 below) is coupled to at least one of the forward end of the first linear portion or the forward end of the first carriage brace and to at least one of the forward end of the second linear portion or the forward end of the second carriage brace, and wherein the second support beam is coupled to at least one of the rearward end of the first linear portion or the rearward end of the first carriage brace and to at least one of the rearward end of the second linear portion or the rearward end of the second carriage brace(fig 2).
PNG
media_image1.png
633
676
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 95,96,109-119 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uyunuk et al. as applied to claims 93 above, and further in view of Petry(US4081157).
[claim 95] Uyunuk teaches a payload-receiving fixture as detailed above, however Uyunuk may not teach that the first plurality of wheels includes a first set of wheels held together via a first whiffle tree and a second set of wheels held together via a second whiffle tree, and wherein the first whiffle tree is arranged at the forward end of the carriage and the second whiffle tree is arranged at the rearward end of the carriage.
Petry teaches another payload-receiving fixture, with a plurality of wheel assemblies(47) supported by whiffle trees(37) allowing for more uniform distribution of forces on the wheels(see ABS). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date to use first and second whiffle trees to support the first and second plurality of wheels, respectively, as this would allow for more uniform distribution of forces as taught by Petry.
[claim 96] when arranged as above, further comprising a flexible coupling(pivotable whiffle tree) that couples the first plurality of wheels to a carriage frame(210) of the carriage.
[claim 109] When arranged as above, Uyunuk teaches a payload-receiving fixture, comprising: a fixture frame(200) configured to receive a first structure of a payload(in 300); a first whiffle tree(37, Petry) having a first plurality of wheels(left side wheels in fig 2) associated therewith, the first whiffle tree being associated with the fixture frame; a second whiffle tree(37 Petry) having a second plurality of wheels(right side wheels in fig 2) associated therewith, the second whiffle tree being associated with the fixture frame and spaced apart from and parallel to the first whiffle tree such that the first whiffle tree and the second whiffle tree, and thus the first plurality of wheels and the second plurality of wheels, are configured to be disposed on opposed sides of a midplane(fig 2); and at least one support beam(C in annotated figure 2 above) coupled to the first whiffle tree and the second whiffle tree, the at least one support beam extending substantially perpendicular to each of the first and second whiffle trees, wherein the first and second whiffle trees are configured to substantially uniformly distribute vertical forces from the payload to the first and second pluralities of wheels, respectively.
[claim 110] wherein the first plurality of wheels is arranged in a linear configuration(fig 2), wherein the second plurality of wheels is arranged in a linear configuration(fig 2), and wherein the at least one support beam is disposed at a substantially central location along a length of each of the first plurality of wheels and the second plurality of wheels(fig 2).
[claim 111] further comprising: a first linear frame structure(A in annotated figure 2 above) coupled to the first plurality of wheels; and a second linear frame structure(B in annotated figure 2 above) coupled to the second plurality of wheels, the first linear frame structure being disposed parallel to the second linear frame structure(fig 2), wherein the at least one support beam comprises a crossbeam coupled to each of the first and second linear frame structures(fig 2), wherein the substantially central location along a length of each of the first plurality of wheels and the second plurality of wheels at which the crossbeam is disposed is a substantially central location along a length of each of the first and second linear frame structures(fig 2).
[claim 112] wherein the first linear frame structure and the second linear frame structure form at least a portion of a carriage(210).
[claim 113] wherein the first linear frame structure is a first linear brace(A in annotated figure 2 above) and the second linear frame structure is a second linear brace(B in annotated figure 2 above).
[claim 114,119] when arranged as above, Uyunuk further teaches a third whiffle tree(37 Petry) having a third plurality of wheels(other left side wheels in fig 2) associated therewith, the third whiffle tree being associated with the fixture frame and disposed in a linear configuration with the first whiffle tree; a fourth whiffle tree(37 Petry) having a fourth plurality of wheels(other right side wheels in fig 2) associated therewith, the fourth whiffle tree being associated with the fixture frame and disposed in a linear configuration with the second whiffle tree such that third whiffle tree and the fourth whiffle tree, and thus the third plurality of wheels and the fourth plurality of wheels, are configured to be disposed on opposed sides of the midplane(fig 2), wherein the third and fourth whiffle trees are configured to substantially uniformly distribute vertical forces from the payload to the third and fourth pluralities of wheels, respectively, wherein the first linear brace couples the first whiffle tree and the third whiffle tree, and thus the first plurality of wheels and the third plurality of wheels, and wherein the second linear brace couples the second whiffle tree and the fourth whiffle tree, and thus the second plurality of wheels and the fourth plurality of wheels.
[claim 115] wherein the first plurality of wheels is arranged in a linear configuration, wherein the second plurality of wheels is arranged in a linear configuration(fig 2), wherein the at least one support beam comprises a first support beam(C in annotated figure 2 above) and a second support beam(D in annotated figure 2 above), and wherein the first support beam and the second support beam are spaced apart from each other along a length of the first plurality of wheels and along a length of the second plurality of wheels(fig 2).
[claim 116] further comprising: a first linear frame structure(A in annotated figure 2 above) coupled to the first plurality of wheels, the first linear frame structure including a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end being opposite of the forward end; and a second linear frame structure(B in annotated figure 2 above) coupled to the second plurality of wheels, the second linear frame structure including a forward end and a rearward end, the rearward end being opposite of the forward end, and the first linear frame structure being disposed parallel to the second linear frame structure(fig 2), wherein the first support beam is coupled to the forward end of the first linear frame structure and to the forward end of the second linear frame structure, and wherein the second support beam is coupled to the rearward end of the first linear frame structure and to the rearward end of the second linear frame structure(fig 2).
[claim 117] wherein the first linear frame structure and the second linear frame structure form at least a portion of a carriage(210).
[claim 118] wherein the first linear frame structure is a first linear brace and the second linear frame structure is a second linear brace(fig 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US20220178351, US20210071644, US11027412, US9809308, US9732726, US9358996, US9004843, US8342491, US7591621, US4787788.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY H DUCKWORTH whose telephone number is (571)272-2304. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 5712724979. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BRADLEY DUCKWORTH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632
Prosecution Insights