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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 12 is 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.
Regarding claim 12, the limitation “door frame type bracket” is not understood. Applicant’s disclosure in at least [0029]), [0075] defines “door frame structure” and “door frame bracket” as “having high stability and is easy to install” or “preferable stability and supporting performance “. There does not appear to be any unique structure associated with “door frame structure” or “door frame bracket” and only that it has high stability. It is unclear of “door frame” refers to a grade in strength or a physical door or door frame structure. The limitation “door frame type bracket” has been given little patentable weight.
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)(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.
Claims 1, 6, 7, 9, and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Long (CN 210212116)
Regarding claim 1, Long discloses a positioning apparatus (3/4) for a mobile apparatus (fig 1, 1), used for non-manually fixing the mobile apparatus at a preset place, the positioning apparatus comprising: a locking rod (3) arranged on the mobile apparatus (fig 1), the locking rod being provided with an accommodating region (5); a bracket (4) arranged at the preset place (fig 1, at least at 2); and a locking block (fig 2, at least 6) arranged on the bracket and having a first end that is capable of moving vertically in a gravity direction (fig 3 wherein 6 moves in a direction normal to 3); wherein the locking block is configured to: when the mobile apparatus moves toward the bracket in a horizontal direction (at least axial direction of 3), the first end of the locking block is pushed by the locking rod to move upward (at least at rounded hemispherical structure 10), and when the locking rod moves to a preset position, the first end of the locking block falls into the accommodating region (5, fig 2) of the locking rod under the action of gravity to lock the locking rod (at least wherein a gravity force in addition to spring 9 allow 6 to fall in to 5, translation p. 3, last paragraph, wherein the mobile pushing motor seat 1 so that the lever 3 forward, and thereby inserted into the jack. when the end thereof contacts the locking block 6 so that its end jacking locking block 6 rises in the slot so as to continue to the inserting rod is inserted in the jack, when the lever 3 of the lock groove 5 reaches the locking block 6, locking block 6 under the action of the spring 9 falls, to make it fall in the slot, so as to enter the locking groove 5, a limiting plate 8 corner is greater than the slot through hole, for limiting the locking block 6, locking lever 3 is locked, when it needs to unlock, upwards pulling the pull rod 7, limiting to make it drive under 8 rises so as to extrude the spring 9, so that the locking block 6 from the lock groove 5, at which time the motor seat 1 pulling the lock bar 3 from the slot).
Regarding claim 6, Long discloses wherein the locking rod (3) has a first end in an axial direction, and the first end of the locking rod is provided with a slope (hemispherical structure 10); and the locking rod (3) is configured such that when moving toward the bracket in the horizontal direction (x), the slope on the first end of the locking rod is in contact with the locking block (6), so as to push the first end of the locking block to move upward in the gravity direction (translation p. 4, paragraph 2 , wherein the lever 3 the front end is semi-spherical structure 10, locking block 6 end matched with it is an arc-shaped structure, to lock the motor seat 1, so that the latching lever 3 forward by pushing the motor seat 1, and through the hemispherical structure 10 locking block 6, so as to make it perform the lifting.).
Regarding claim 7, Long discloses wherein the accommodating region (5) is arranged at one end of the locking rod (3) close to the bracket (figs 1-2).
Regarding claim 9, Long discloses wherein the positioning apparatus further comprises: an operating apparatus (9/7) arranged on the bracket (4) and configured to perform a preset operation on the mobile apparatus (1) according to a positional relationship between the locking rod and the locking block (fig 1, at least into and out of locking position and under the force of 9).
Regarding claim 12, Long discloses wherein the bracket is a door frame type bracket (4). Element (4) has been interpreted as a “door frame type” as defined by Applicant wherein “door frame type” has been defined as “having high stability and is easy to install” or “preferable stability and supporting performance “(Applicant disclosure [0029]), [0075]).
Regarding claim 13, Long discloses wherein the mobile apparatus is a transport vehicle (fig 1, “motor seat” 1 has been interpreted as a transport vehicles that at least transports a load along a track with wheels 11).
Regarding claim 14, Long discloses wherein the transport vehicle further comprises: a guide mechanism (along a track with wheels 11), the guide mechanism being used for guiding the transport vehicle to move toward the bracket (4) in the horizontal direction (fig 1, shown before engagement).
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.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Long (CN 210212116) in view of Wirtz et al. (US-6279224).
Regarding claim 15, Long discloses wherein a platform 1 can be fast connected and separated with the fixed platform (4) but lacks a battery assembly/production line.
Wirtz teaches a battery assembly line with several stations (fig 2, 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize a lockable mobile apparatus of Long in any number of environments of an assembly line, for example as taught by Wirtz, where movement from workstation to workstation is necessary at least in order to provide a lockable position with a fast connecting/detachment relationship with the station.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 8, and 1-11 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES K HSIAO whose telephone number is (571)272-6259. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5, Monday-Friday.
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/J.K.H/Examiner, Art Unit 3616
/Robert A. Siconolfi/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3616
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