DETAILED ACTION
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
Claims 17 – 20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/17/26.
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1 – 16 in the reply filed on 6/17/26 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4, 7 – 9, 12, 15, and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 9 recites the limitation “a respective wheel” which should be changed to “a respective wheel of the pair of wheels”.
Claim 1, line 10 recites the limitation “a respective end” which should be changed to “the respective end”.
Claim 1, line 11 recites the limitation “a respective axle of a respective wheel” which should be changed to “the respective axle of the respective wheel”.
Claim 4, lines 3 – 4 recites the limitation “a respective side member” which should be changed to “the respective side member”.
Claim 4, lines 6 – 7 recites the limitation “at least one of side members pivots about a respective pivot point” which should be changed to “at least one of the side members pivots about the respective pivot point”.
Claim 7, line 4 recites the limitation “a respective side member and a respective wheel” which should be changed to “the respective side member and the respective wheel”.
Claim 8, line 3 recites the limitation “a respective pivot point” which should be changed to “the respective pivot point”.
Claim 9, line 14 recites the limitation “a respective wheel” which should be changed to “a respective wheel of the pair of wheels”.
Claim 9, line 15 recites the limitation “a respective end” which should be changed to “the respective end”.
Claim 9, line 16 recites the limitation “a respective axle of a respective wheel” which should be changed to “the respective axle of the respective wheel”.
Claim 12, lines 3 – 4 recites the limitation “a respective side member” which should be changed to “the respective side member”.
Claim 12, lines 6 – 7 recites the limitation “at least one of side members pivots about a respective pivot point” which should be changed to “at least one of the side members pivots about the respective pivot point”.
Claim 15, line 4 recites the limitation “a respective side member and a respective wheel” which should be changed to “the respective side member and the respective wheel”.
Claim 16, line 3 recites the limitation “a respective pivot point” which should be changed to “the respective pivot point”.
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.
Claims 7, 8, 15, and 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 7 recites the limitation "the pair of wires" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8, line 1 recites the limitation “the wire”. However, it is unclear as to which wire is being positively recited since claim 7, lines 2 – 3 recites “pair of wires including a strained wire and a loose wire”.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the pair of wires" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16, lines 1 – 2 recites the limitation “the wire”. However, it is unclear as to which wire is being positively recited since claim 15, lines 2 – 3 recites “pair of wires including a strained wire and a loose wire”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 – 6 and 9 – 14 allowed.
Claims 7, 8, 15, and 16 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fails to disclose a wire having a pair of ends; a pair of pivot points; a pair of wheels including an outer surface having a magnetic component and configured to move adjacent to a surface of a structure; a pair of side members, each side member coupled to a respective end of the wire, and each side member is coupled to a respective axle of the respective wheel; and each side member is pivotally coupled to a respective one of the pivot points; wherein, responsive to a device moving the wire away from the surface of the structure in a first movement, the pair of side members pivot about the respective pivot points to pivot the respective axle and a portion of the outer surface of one of the pair of wheels pivots away from the surface of the structure; and wherein, responsive to the device moving the wire away from the surface of the structure in a second movement, the device overcomes a reduced magnetic adhesion and detaches at least one of the pair of wheels from the surface of the structure.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US-11679875 – comprising a magnetic crawler comprising a chassis; magnetic wheels; and docking adapter;
US-20210300138 – comprising an autonomous vehicle comprising a body; suspensions; and surface contacting elements;
CN-111867742 – comprising a robot comprising wheels; a main body; suspension pivot mechanisms; and camber-angle pivot mechanisms; and
US-20200174478 – comprising a UAV and a crawler.
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/JACOB D KNUTSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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