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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 05/29/24 and 11/25/24 are being considered by the examiner.
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 2, 7 and 8 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 2 — UNCLEAR RECITATION OF “A CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR” AFTER CLAIM 1 ALREADY RECITES A CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR
Claim 2 recites “further comprising a continuous conveyor having one of: separate traction means for each of the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section; or a single traction means for both the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section.”
The claim is indefinite because claim 1 already recites “a continuous conveyor of the parking conveyor having a traction means,” and claim 2 does not make clear whether the later-recited “a continuous conveyor” is the same continuous conveyor recited in claim 1 or an additional continuous conveyor. This ambiguity materially affects the scope of the claim because the alternatives in claim 2 define whether the first and second longitudinal parking track sections are served by separate traction means or by a single traction means. As written, it is unclear whether claim 2 further limits the continuous conveyor of claim 1 or adds a separate conveyor structure to the parking storage facility.
Suggested clarification: amend claim 2 to recite, for example, “wherein the continuous conveyor comprises one of: separate traction means for each of the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section; or a single traction means for both the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section.” Alternatively, if an additional conveyor is intended, the claim should expressly identify the additional conveyor and its relationship to the continuous conveyor of claim 1.
CLAIM 7 — LACK OF ANTECEDENT BASIS FOR “THE SECOND PARKING TRACK LONGITUDINAL SECTION”
Claim 7 recites in the preamble “a second longitudinal parking track section.” However, the reducing step later recites “reducing the tire conveying speed of the tire conveyor in a second overlap region from the first parking track curve section to the second parking track longitudinal section and decelerating the cableway vehicle.”
There is insufficient antecedent basis for “the second parking track longitudinal section.” The claim previously introduces “a second longitudinal parking track section,” not “a second parking track longitudinal section.” Although the phrase appears likely intended to refer to the previously recited second longitudinal parking track section, the terminology is inconsistent and creates uncertainty as to whether the claimed second overlap region extends to the same previously recited section or to a different section.
Suggested clarification: amend “the second parking track longitudinal section” to “the second longitudinal parking track section.”
CLAIM 7 — INCONSISTENT SINGULAR/PLURAL RECITATION OF “THE AT LEAST ONE PUSHER DOGS”
Claim 7 recites “engaging the cableway vehicle with at least one of a plurality of pusher dogs on the traction means and entraining the cableway vehicle in the conveying direction with the at least one pusher dogs.”
The phrase “the at least one pusher dogs” is indefinite because it combines the singular expression “at least one” with the plural noun phrase “pusher dogs,” creating uncertainty as to whether the entraining step requires a single pusher dog, multiple pusher dogs, or merely one or more of the plurality. The earlier portion of the same limitation recites “at least one of a plurality of pusher dogs,” but the later phrase does not maintain the same grammatical structure.
Suggested clarification: amend the phrase to “with the at least one pusher dog” or “with the at least one of the plurality of pusher dogs.”
CLAIM 8 — UNCLEAR ALTERNATIVE METHOD STEPS AND UNCLEAR MEANING OF “ITS OWN TRACTION MEANS”
Claim 8 recites “at least one of the steps of” moving the cableway vehicle in the first and second longitudinal parking track sections “in each case by a continuous conveyor comprising its own traction means for the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section,” and moving the cableway vehicle in the same sections “by a continuous conveyor with the same traction means for the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section.”
The first alternative is indefinite because the phrase “in each case by a continuous conveyor comprising its own traction means for the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section” does not clearly identify what has “its own traction means.” It is unclear whether each longitudinal parking track section has its own continuous conveyor and its own traction means, whether one continuous conveyor has a traction means for both sections, or whether each of multiple continuous conveyors has a respective traction means. This ambiguity is material because the claim appears intended to distinguish between separate traction means and a single traction means.
The use of “at least one of the steps of” also creates uncertainty because the two listed steps appear to describe mutually exclusive arrangements for the same first and second longitudinal parking track sections: one arrangement using separate/own traction means and another arrangement using the same traction means. If the claim is intended to cover either alternative, it should recite “one of” the alternatives or otherwise make clear whether both alternatives may be performed and how both can coexist in the same method.
Suggested clarification: amend claim 8 to recite, for example, “wherein the cableway vehicle is moved in the first longitudinal parking track section and in the second longitudinal parking track section by one of: a respective continuous conveyor for each longitudinal parking track section, each respective continuous conveyor comprising a respective traction means; or a continuous conveyor comprising a single traction means for both the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section.”
REFERENCES USED
Reference 1: U.S. Patent No. 4,785,738 to Mollet, “Detachable gondola lift or chair-lift.”
Reference 2: U.S. Patent No. 4,699,064 to Tarassoff, “Device for driving cars or chairs of a gondola-lift or chair-lift in stations.”
Reference 3: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0305773 to Agnoff, “Slip clutch and roller conveyor incorporating same.”
Reference 4: U.S. Patent No. 3,338,026 to Billi, “Packaging machines.”
Reference 5: U.S. Patent No. 3,894,629 to Wakabayashi, “Conveyor.”
Reference 6: U.S. Patent No. 3,523,504 to Jones, “Power and free conveyor.”
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.
Claims 1, 2, and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2, and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2, and further in view of Reference 4.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 4, and further in view of Reference 5.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 4, and further in view of Reference 6.
────────────────────────
CLAIM 1
A parking storage facility for cableway vehicles with a meander-shaped parking track for accommodating cableway vehicles, wherein the parking track has at least a first longitudinal parking track section and a second longitudinal parking track section arranged at a distance from one another and wherein the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section are connected to each other via a first parking track curve section, wherein a cableway vehicle can be moved along the parking track in a conveying direction by means of a parking conveyor, comprising: a continuous conveyor of the parking conveyor having a traction means circulating in the conveying direction at a given continuous conveying speed; a plurality of pusher dogs configured on the traction means, wherein the continuous conveyor is configured to move the cableway vehicle in the conveying direction with at least one of the plurality of pusher dogs and at the continuous conveying speed along the first and second longitudinal parking track sections; a tire conveyor of the parking conveyor in the first parking track curve section, wherein the tire conveyor has a plurality of driven tires arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction and wherein the tire conveyor is configured to move the cableway vehicle in the conveying direction with the driven tires and at a tire conveying speed along the first parking track curve section; wherein the continuous conveyor and the tire conveyor overlap in a first overlap region from the first longitudinal parking track section to the parking track curve section and in a second overlap region from the parking track curve section to the second longitudinal parking track section; wherein the tire conveying speed of the tire conveyor increases in the first overlap region to accelerate the cableway vehicle and, wherein, engagement of the at least one pusher dog with the cableway vehicle is concurrently released; wherein the tire conveying speed of the tire conveyor decreases in the second overlap region to decelerate the cableway vehicle and, wherein at the same time, at least one of the plurality of pusher dogs comes into engagement with the cableway vehicle.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2.
Analysis
Reference 1 discloses a parking storage facility for cableway vehicles. Reference 1 shows a cableway terminal 12 associated with an aerial rope 10 and cableway vehicles/cars 14. The cars 14 include hanger arms 20, carriages 22, and detachable grips 24, and the cars 14 are guided through the station and storage/parking region on transfer rail 40 and parking rails 44. The parking rails 44 are arranged as a storage path for receiving multiple cableway vehicles 14.
Reference 1 discloses a meander-shaped parking track for accommodating cableway vehicles. In particular, Reference 1 shows parking rails 44 having multiple substantially parallel straight sections 56 arranged at a distance from one another and connected by curved sections 58, 60. The repeated straight sections 56 and curved turnaround sections 58, 60 provide the claimed meander-shaped parking track. A first one of the straight sections 56 corresponds to the claimed first longitudinal parking track section, a second spaced straight section 56 corresponds to the claimed second longitudinal parking track section, and one of the curved sections 58 or 60 corresponds to the claimed first parking track curve section connecting the two longitudinal parking track sections.
Reference 1 discloses that the cableway vehicle 14 can be moved along the parking rails 44 in a conveying direction by a parking conveyor. The parking conveyor of Reference 1 includes chains 62, 64, 66 arranged along the parking rails 44. The chains 62, 64, 66 carry drive pins 68, 70, 72 that engage the cableway vehicles 14 and move them through the parking/storage path.
Reference 1 discloses a continuous conveyor of the parking conveyor having a traction means circulating in the conveying direction at a given continuous conveying speed. The chain 62 constitutes the claimed traction means, and the chain 62 circulates along the straight parking rail sections 56. The chain 62 moves at a straight-section conveying speed established by the drive arrangement including cogwheels 74, 76, spindle 78, and motor 80. Thus, the chain 62 corresponds to the claimed continuous conveyor having a circulating traction means.
Reference 1 discloses a plurality of pusher dogs configured on the traction means. The drive pins 68 on chain 62 correspond to pusher dogs because the pins 68 are carried by the traction means and engage the cableway vehicles 14 to move the vehicles along the parking rails 44. The drive pins 68 are provided at intervals on chain 62 and move the cars 14 along the straight sections 56. Thus, the chain 62 with drive pins 68 is configured to move a cableway vehicle 14 in the conveying direction with at least one drive pin 68 at the straight-section conveying speed along the first and second longitudinal parking track sections 56.
Reference 1 discloses moving the cableway vehicles faster through the curved parking track sections than through the straight parking track sections. Specifically, the straight sections 56 are driven by chain 62 with pins 68, while the curved sections 58, 60 are driven by chains 64, 66 with pins 70, 72. Cogwheel 76 is larger than cogwheel 74, and the chains 64, 66 are therefore driven at a higher speed than chain 62. Reference 1 thereby teaches the functional purpose of the claimed speed transition: the vehicles 14 are moved slowly and close together along the straight storage sections 56 to increase storage density, and are moved faster through the curved sections 58, 60 to increase spacing and avoid interference during turning.
Reference 1 does not expressly show the curved-section conveyor as a tire conveyor in the primary embodiment, but Reference 1 teaches that the chain drive may be replaced by a train of pneumatic tire wheels. Reference 2 expressly discloses the claimed tire conveyor structure in a directly analogous cableway station vehicle-drive context. Reference 2 discloses cableway vehicles/chairs 18 having a hanger arm 20, carriage 22, detachable grip 24, and drive plate 36. Reference 2 further discloses friction drive sheaves 38 fitted with tires and arranged one after another along the vehicle path to engage the drive plate 36 and drive the vehicle. Reference 2 also discloses friction drive sheaves 60 arranged in the region of a semicircular end section 46 of rail 40 adjacent drive wheel 52 and drive pins 56. The sheaves 38, 60 correspond to the claimed driven tires arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction.
It would have been obvious to implement the curve-section drive of Reference 1 using the tire/friction sheave drive structure of Reference 2. Reference 1 already teaches the need to drive the cableway vehicles 14 at a higher speed in curved parking track sections 58, 60 than in straight parking track sections 56. Reference 2 teaches a known cableway station drive system in which tire/friction drive sheaves 38, 60 arranged one behind another drive a cableway vehicle by engaging drive plate 36. Substituting the tire/sheave drive of Reference 2 for the curve chains 64, 66 of Reference 1 would merely use a known cableway vehicle tire-drive mechanism to perform the same function of moving the vehicle through a cableway station curve.
Reference 2 also teaches the claimed overlap concept. Reference 2 discloses a drive wheel 52 having drive pins 56 for positive engagement and also discloses friction drive sheaves 60 arranged over a sector in the region of the drive wheel 52. In that sector, both the positive pin-drive structure and the tire/friction sheave drive structure are arranged to act at the transition/takeover area. Reference 2 further teaches that the friction drive sheaves 60 operate at a speed selected relative to the drive wheel 52 so that a vehicle that is ahead or behind the desired position is taken over or corrected by the appropriate drive element. Thus, Reference 2 teaches the use of an overlap or transition region where a tire drive and a positive pusher/pin drive cooperate to transfer vehicle control.
In the combined system, the first overlap region extends from a straight section 56 driven by chain 62 and pins 68 into the curve section 58 or 60 driven by tire/friction sheaves corresponding to sheaves 38, 60. In the first overlap region, the tire conveying speed is increased from the straight-section conveying speed toward the higher curve-section speed taught by Reference 1, thereby accelerating the cableway vehicle relative to chain 62. As the vehicle is accelerated ahead of the continuous conveyor pins 68, engagement of the pin/pusher dog 68 with the cableway vehicle is released. This release is the predictable result of the tire conveyor taking over the vehicle at a higher speed, as taught by the speed-differential arrangement of Reference 1 and the tire/pin takeover arrangement of Reference 2.
Similarly, in the second overlap region from the curve section 58 or 60 back to the next straight section 56, the tire conveying speed is decreased from the higher curve speed toward the lower straight-section conveying speed of chain 62. This decelerates the cableway vehicle so that one of the pusher dogs/pins 68 on the chain 62 can come back into engagement with the vehicle. Reference 2 teaches the same type of controlled takeover between tire/friction sheaves 60 and drive pins 56, and Reference 1 teaches that the vehicle must transition between a higher-speed curve conveyor and a lower-speed straight conveyor. The claimed deceleration and concurrent reengagement are therefore the predictable result of applying the tire/pin transition teaching of Reference 2 to the speed-differentiated parking track of Reference 1.
Accordingly, Reference 1 teaches the cableway parking facility, meander-shaped parking track, longitudinal parking sections, curve section, continuous chain conveyor, pusher dogs/pins, and speed difference between straight and curved parking sections. Reference 2 teaches the use of driven tires/friction sheaves arranged one behind another in cableway station transition/curve regions, and teaches cooperative overlap/takeover between friction sheaves and positive drive pins. The combination teaches or renders obvious every limitation of claim 1.
Motivation to Combine
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to modify the parking storage facility of Reference 1 by replacing or supplementing the curve chains 64, 66 with the tire/friction drive sheaves 38, 60 of Reference 2, because Reference 1 expressly requires a higher-speed drive through curved parking sections 58, 60 to increase vehicle spacing, while Reference 2 provides a known cableway station tire-drive arrangement for moving detachable cableway vehicles through curved and transition regions. The modification would have predictably improved transfer between the lower-speed chain conveyor 62 and the higher-speed curve conveyor by using tire sheaves to accelerate, guide, and decelerate the vehicle smoothly, while permitting positive pins 68 to release and reengage at the transition regions. The motivation is to obtain smooth speed transition, reduce abrupt loading on the vehicle/carriage, maintain compact spacing on straight storage sections, and maintain greater clearance in the curve sections.
────────────────────────
CLAIM 2
The parking storage facility according to claim 1, further comprising a continuous conveyor having one of: separate traction means for each of the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section; or a single traction means for both the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2.
Analysis
Claim 2 depends from claim 1. The analysis of claim 1 is incorporated herein.
Reference 1 discloses the claimed alternative of a single traction means for both the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section. In Reference 1, chain 62 is disclosed as the straight-section conveyor for straight parking sections 56. Reference 1 further teaches that the same chain 62 may extend along two straight sections 56 or along all straight sections 56. Thus, where the first and second longitudinal parking track sections are two straight sections 56, the same chain 62 constitutes a single traction means for both sections.
Reference 1 also makes clear that the parking conveyor can be implemented with multiple chains depending on layout requirements. Chains 62, 64, 66 are shown as separate traction elements for different parts of the parking track, and the straight-section drive may be arranged using chain or chains 62. Therefore, even if claim 2 is read to require the separate-traction-means alternative, providing separate traction means for separate straight sections 56 would have been an obvious implementation choice for a meander-shaped storage layout where the separated straight sections are distant from one another, require separate tensioning, or are more conveniently driven by separate chain loops.
Reference 2 is relied upon as set forth for claim 1 for the tire conveyor and transition/overlap features. Reference 2 does not detract from the chain arrangement taught by Reference 1.
Motivation to Combine
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to configure the continuous conveyor of the Reference 1 and Reference 2 combination with either a single chain 62 serving multiple straight sections 56 or separate chain loops for respective straight sections 56. Reference 1 expressly recognizes a common chain 62 for multiple straight sections and also uses separate conveyor elements for different track portions. The choice between a common traction means and separate traction means would have been a predictable design selection based on track length, chain tension, maintenance access, synchronization, and packaging constraints in a meander-shaped parking storage facility.
────────────────────────
CLAIM 3
The parking storage facility according to claim 1, further comprising a slip clutch configured to drive at least one tire of the tire conveyor in at least one of the second overlap region and the first overlap region.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2, and further in view of Reference 3.
Analysis
Claim 3 depends from claim 1. The analysis of claim 1 is incorporated herein.
The combination of Reference 1 and Reference 2 teaches the parking storage facility with a tire conveyor in the curve section and overlap regions between the tire conveyor and the continuous chain conveyor. Reference 2 discloses friction drive sheaves 38, 60 fitted with tires and arranged to drive the drive plate 36 of a cableway vehicle. In the modified parking track of Reference 1, at least one of these tire/friction sheaves would be positioned in the first or second overlap region to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle during transition between chain 62 and the tire conveyor.
Reference 3 teaches a slip clutch used in a driven roller conveyor. Reference 3 discloses slip clutch assembly 10 including pulley 12, steel disc 14, magnets 16, retainer plate 20, shaft 22, and bolt 24. Reference 3 further discloses driven rollers 70, 72, 74, 76 connected by belts 80, 82, 84 and driven by gear motor 92. The slip clutch assembly 10 permits pulley 12 to drive shaft 22 and the associated roller during normal operation, while allowing relative slip when the roller experiences resistance above a predetermined level. Thus, Reference 3 teaches a slip clutch configured to drive a conveyor roller or wheel while limiting transmitted torque.
It would have been obvious to provide the tire/friction sheaves 38, 60 of Reference 2, as used in the parking track of Reference 1, with a slip clutch of the type taught by Reference 3. The claimed “tire” of the tire conveyor is functionally a driven roller/wheel engaging a vehicle drive plate. Reference 3 teaches a slip clutch for driving a conveyor roller/wheel while allowing slip under excessive resistance. Applying such a clutch to at least one tire/friction sheave in the first or second overlap region would allow the tire to drive the vehicle during normal acceleration/deceleration while limiting torque during speed mismatch, vehicle misalignment, or simultaneous pusher/tire contact.
Motivation to Combine
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to one of ordinary skill in the conveyor-drive art to include the slip clutch assembly 10 of Reference 3 in the drive train of at least one tire/friction sheave 38, 60 of Reference 2 as applied to the parking storage facility of Reference 1. The overlap regions involve controlled transfer between a positive pusher/pin drive and a tire/friction drive, and therefore may experience temporary speed differences or competing drive forces. A slip clutch would predictably reduce excessive torque, prevent damage to the tire, drive plate 36, hanger/carriage components, chain pins 68, and vehicle, and allow smooth takeover without stopping the parking conveyor. The motivation is torque limiting, jam protection, wear reduction, and smoother transition in the overlap regions.
────────────────────────
CLAIM 4
The parking storage facility according to claim 1, wherein the pusher dog is U-shaped with two protruding legs, whereby an engagement region is formed between the legs in an entrainment position and wherein a portion of the cableway vehicle comes to rest in the engagement region during operation of the parking storage facility in order to bring the pusher dog into engagement with the cableway vehicle.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2, and further in view of Reference 4.
Analysis
Claim 4 depends from claim 1. The analysis of claim 1 is incorporated herein.
Reference 1 discloses pusher dogs in the form of drive pins 68 on chain 62, and those pins 68 engage cableway vehicles 14 to move them along the straight parking sections 56. Reference 1 therefore teaches the use of chain-carried pusher elements on a traction means to entrain cableway vehicles. Reference 1 does not expressly show the pusher dog as U-shaped with two protruding legs.
Reference 4 teaches a forked pusher structure carried by an endless conveyor. Reference 4 discloses two endless parallel chains 10, cross bars 13 extending between the chains, and forked pusher elements 14 pivoted to the cross bars 13. Each pusher element 14 includes two forks that project beyond guide track 12 through slots 17 when the pusher element 14 is in the raised article-engaging position. The two forks of pusher element 14 define a fork-shaped or U-shaped engaging structure capable of contacting and moving article 6 along guide track 12. Reference 4 also discloses that the pusher element 14 is moved between inactive and active positions by control limb 114 and guide roller 15.
It would have been obvious to replace the simple pins 68 of Reference 1 with a forked or U-shaped pusher dog as taught by Reference 4. In the combined parking storage facility, the forked pusher element would be mounted on chain 62 in place of or as a modified form of pin 68. The two protruding legs/forks would define an engagement region between them, and a portion of the cableway vehicle 14, such as a portion of the hanger arm 20, carriage 22, grip 24 region, or an attached drive plate/entrainment portion, would be received in that engagement region to bring the pusher dog into engagement with the cableway vehicle. This is a predictable structural adaptation of a known forked conveyor pusher for positively entraining a conveyed article.
Reference 2 further supports the modification because Reference 2 discloses cableway vehicles with a drive plate 36 specifically configured for engagement by station drive elements such as friction sheaves 38, 60 and drive pins 56. Thus, the combined references teach that cableway vehicles commonly include a portion configured for station-drive engagement, and it would have been predictable to capture such a portion between two fork legs rather than pushing it with a single pin.
Motivation to Combine
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to modify the drive pins 68 of Reference 1 into U-shaped/forked pusher dogs having two protruding legs as taught by Reference 4 in order to provide more secure, guided, and repeatable engagement with the cableway vehicle during storage movement. A U-shaped pusher dog would help capture the vehicle engagement portion between two legs, reduce side slip relative to a single pin, improve alignment at the transition into and out of the tire conveyor overlap regions, and provide a predictable positive entrainment interface for the chain conveyor 62. The motivation is stable engagement, improved positional control, and reduced risk of missed engagement during release and reengagement at the overlap regions.
────────────────────────
CLAIM 5
The parking storage facility according to claim 4, further comprising a roller rotatably mounted at the free axial end of at least one protruding leg.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 4, and further in view of Reference 5.
Analysis
Claim 5 depends from claim 4. The analysis of claims 1 and 4 is incorporated herein.
The combination of Reference 1, Reference 2, and Reference 4 teaches the parking storage facility having pusher dogs on chain 62 modified to be U-shaped/forked pusher dogs with two protruding legs. Reference 4 further teaches a pusher element 14 having a guide roller 15 carried by control limb 114 so that the pusher element can be guided into or out of engagement.
Reference 5 teaches the use of rollers on pusher/engagement elements of chain conveyors to reduce friction and assist engagement/disengagement. Reference 5 discloses drive chains 18, 19 with pushers 35 mounted by pivot 34. Pusher 35 includes upper projection 35a for engaging article P and lower projection 35b carrying roller 38 on pin 39 at its lower end. Reference 5 also discloses a tilting lever 41 having upper projection 41a carrying roller 44 on pin 45. The rollers 38, 44 are positioned at end regions of the pusher/lever projections to cooperate with cams or rails and facilitate controlled movement of the pusher between engaged and disengaged positions.
It would have been obvious to provide at least one free axial end of the forked/U-shaped pusher dog leg of the Reference 1 and Reference 4 combination with a roller as taught by Reference 5. In the modified structure, the roller would be rotatably mounted at the free end of one of the two protruding legs of the U-shaped pusher dog. The roller would roll against the cableway vehicle engagement portion, guide surface, or cam surface during entry into and exit from engagement, thereby reducing sliding friction and wear.
Motivation to Combine
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to add a roller at the free end of at least one protruding leg of the U-shaped pusher dog because Reference 5 teaches that rollers 38, 44 on pusher-related projections facilitate smooth engagement, disengagement, and cam/guide interaction in a chain conveyor. Applying this roller feature to the U-shaped pusher dog of the Reference 1/Reference 4 combination would predictably reduce frictional contact with the cableway vehicle portion, reduce wear on the pusher dog and vehicle engagement surface, reduce jamming during takeover in the overlap regions, and improve reliability of pusher-dog release and reengagement.
────────────────────────
CLAIM 6
The parking storage facility according to claim 4, wherein at least one protruding leg is rotatably mounted on an end of the leg opposite the axial free end and further comprising a spring element on the pusher dog configured to hold the rotatably mounted leg in the entrainment position.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 4, and further in view of Reference 6.
Analysis
Claim 6 depends from claim 4. The analysis of claims 1 and 4 is incorporated herein.
The combination of Reference 1, Reference 2, and Reference 4 teaches the parking storage facility having a chain-carried U-shaped/forked pusher dog for engaging a portion of the cableway vehicle. Reference 4 teaches that pusher element 14 may be pivoted to cross bar 13 and moved between active and inactive positions with guide roller 15 and guide 16. Reference 4 therefore teaches the general concept of a movable pusher element whose operative position is controlled during conveyor operation.
Reference 6 teaches a spring-biased pivotal pusher dog structure in a power-and-free conveyor. Reference 6 discloses an endless propelling chain 14 carrying pusher units 44. Each pusher unit 44 includes a hold back dog 45 and pusher dog 46. The dogs 45, 46 are secured to shaft 58, and shaft 58 is pivotally carried in bushings 56. Reference 6 further discloses leaf spring 60 acting through cam 59 to resiliently oppose movement of the dogs from their normal operative position. The pusher dog 46 can pivot to a released position when interacting with carrier driving dog 38, releasing dog 40, or stop member 90, and can return to its normal operative position.
It would have been obvious to apply the spring-biased pivotal dog teaching of Reference 6 to the forked/U-shaped pusher dog of claim 4. In the modified arrangement, at least one protruding leg of the U-shaped pusher dog would be rotatably mounted at the end opposite its free axial end, corresponding to a base pivot such as shaft 58 or an equivalent pivot. A spring element corresponding to leaf spring 60 would hold the rotatably mounted leg in the entrainment position during normal movement of the cableway vehicle, while permitting the leg to yield or rotate when a vehicle portion is misaligned or when release is required.
Motivation to Combine
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to make at least one leg of the U-shaped pusher dog rotatable and spring-biased toward the entrainment position because Reference 6 teaches that spring-biased pivotal pusher dogs reduce jamming and allow controlled release while returning the dog to an operative position. Applying that teaching to the pusher dog of the Reference 1/Reference 4 combination would predictably improve reliability at the first and second overlap regions, where the vehicle is accelerated away from a pusher dog and later decelerated for reengagement. The motivation is to permit resilient yielding during misalignment or speed mismatch, avoid damage to the cableway vehicle and pusher dog, and ensure automatic return of the leg to the entrainment position for subsequent engagement.
────────────────────────
CLAIM 7
A method for storing a cableway vehicle in a parking storage facility for cableway vehicles with a meander-shaped parking track for accommodating cableway vehicles, wherein, for storing, the cableway vehicle is moved with a parking conveyor in a conveying direction along the parking track with at least a first longitudinal parking track section and a second longitudinal parking track section, which are connected to each other via a first parking track curve section, comprising the steps of: moving the cableway vehicle along the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section by a continuous conveyor of the parking conveyor with a traction means circulating at a continuous conveying speed; engaging the cableway vehicle with at least one of a plurality of pusher dogs on the traction means and entraining the cableway vehicle in the conveying direction with the at least one pusher dogs; moving the cableway vehicle in the conveying direction along the first parking track curve section with a tire conveyor of the parking conveyor having a plurality of driven tires configured one behind the other in the conveying direction and driven at a tire conveying speed; increasing the tire conveying speed of the tire conveyor in a first overlap region from the first longitudinal parking track section to the first parking track curve section and accelerating the cableway vehicle relative to the continuous conveying speed; concurrently releasing the engagement of the at least one pusher dog on the cableway vehicle; reducing the tire conveying speed of the tire conveyor in a second overlap region from the first parking track curve section to the second parking track longitudinal section and decelerating the cableway vehicle; and concurrently bringing at least one of the plurality of pusher dogs into engagement with the cableway vehicle.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2.
Analysis
Reference 1 discloses a method for storing cableway vehicles 14 in a parking storage facility. The cableway vehicles 14 are transferred from the cableway line into terminal 12 and moved along parking rails 44. The parking rails 44 include straight sections 56 arranged at a distance from one another and curved sections 58, 60 connecting the straight sections 56, thereby providing a meander-shaped storage path for accommodating multiple cableway vehicles.
Reference 1 discloses moving the cableway vehicle along first and second longitudinal parking track sections by a continuous conveyor having a circulating traction means. Chain 62 circulates along straight sections 56 and carries drive pins 68. Chain 62 moves the cableway vehicles 14 along the straight sections 56 at a continuous straight-section conveying speed. Thus, the step of moving the cableway vehicle along the first and second longitudinal parking track sections by a continuous conveyor with a traction means circulating at a continuous conveying speed is taught by chain 62, pins 68, and straight sections 56.
Reference 1 discloses engaging the cableway vehicle with at least one of a plurality of pusher dogs on the traction means and entraining the vehicle in the conveying direction. The drive pins 68 on chain 62 engage the cableway vehicles 14 and move them along the straight sections 56. The pins 68 therefore correspond to the claimed pusher dogs, and their engagement with the vehicles 14 corresponds to entraining the vehicles in the conveying direction.
Reference 1 discloses moving the cableway vehicle along the first parking track curve section at a higher speed than on the straight sections. Curved sections 58, 60 are driven by chains 64, 66 having pins 70, 72. Cogwheels 74, 76, spindle 78, and motor 80 establish different speeds such that the curve chains 64, 66 move faster than straight chain 62. This teaches the claimed operation of accelerating the cableway vehicle relative to the continuous conveying speed when the vehicle transitions from a straight section 56 into a curved section 58 or 60.
Reference 2 teaches the tire conveyor portion of the claimed method. Reference 2 discloses cableway vehicles/chairs 18 driven in a cableway station by friction drive sheaves 38 fitted with tires engaging drive plate 36. Reference 2 also discloses friction drive sheaves 60 arranged one behind another in the region of semicircular section 46 and drive wheel 52. These sheaves 38, 60 teach moving a cableway vehicle in a conveying direction with a tire conveyor having a plurality of driven tires arranged one behind another and driven at a tire conveying speed.
In the combined method, the curve chains 64, 66 of Reference 1 are replaced or supplemented by the tire/friction sheaves 38, 60 of Reference 2. The tire conveying speed is increased in the first overlap region from the straight section 56 to the curve section 58 or 60 so that the cableway vehicle is accelerated relative to chain 62. Because the tire conveyor takes over at a speed greater than the straight chain 62, the engagement of the pusher dog/pin 68 with the vehicle is concurrently released.
Reference 2 teaches such transition control because friction sheaves 60 cooperate with drive wheel 52 and pins 56 in a transition region, and their relative speeds are selected to correct position and permit transfer between the friction drive and pin drive. Applying this teaching to Reference 1 provides a first overlap region where the tire conveyor takes over from pins 68 and a second overlap region where pins 68 take over from the tire conveyor.
The combined references also teach reducing the tire conveying speed in the second overlap region from the first parking track curve section to the second longitudinal parking track section and decelerating the cableway vehicle. Reference 1 teaches that the vehicle must return from the faster curve speed of chains 64, 66 to the lower straight-section speed of chain 62. Reference 2 teaches controlled drive transfer between tire/friction sheaves 60 and positive drive pins 56. Therefore, it would have been obvious to reduce tire conveying speed as the vehicle exits the curve section 58 or 60 so that the vehicle decelerates and a pin/pusher dog 68 on chain 62 can concurrently come into engagement with the vehicle.
Accordingly, the method steps of claim 7 are taught or rendered obvious by the combined operation of Reference 1 and Reference 2.
Motivation to Combine
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to perform the storing method of Reference 1 using the tire/friction drive sheaves 38, 60 of Reference 2 in the curve and transition regions because the method of Reference 1 requires speed transition between compact, low-speed straight storage sections 56 and higher-speed curved sections 58, 60, while Reference 2 provides a known cableway station method for transferring vehicle drive between friction tires and positive drive pins. The motivation is to store vehicles compactly along the straight sections, accelerate them through the curve to maintain turning clearance, and use friction/tire transition zones to release and reengage pusher dogs smoothly without abrupt mechanical impacts.
────────────────────────
CLAIM 8
The method according to claim 7, further comprising at least one of the steps of: moving the cableway vehicle in the first longitudinal parking track section and in the second longitudinal parking track section in each case by a continuous conveyor comprising its own traction means for the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section; and moving the cableway vehicle in the first longitudinal parking track section and in the second longitudinal parking track section by a continuous conveyor with the same traction means for the first longitudinal parking track section and the second longitudinal parking track section.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2.
Analysis
Claim 8 depends from claim 7. The analysis of claim 7 is incorporated herein.
Reference 1 teaches moving cableway vehicles 14 in first and second straight longitudinal parking track sections 56 by a continuous conveyor having a traction means. The straight sections 56 are driven by chain 62 with pins 68. Reference 1 further teaches that the same chain 62 may extend along two straight sections 56 or along all straight sections 56. Thus, Reference 1 teaches the claimed method step of moving the cableway vehicle in the first and second longitudinal parking track sections by a continuous conveyor with the same traction means for both longitudinal parking track sections.
Reference 1 also supports the alternative of using separate traction means. The parking conveyor is shown with multiple chains 62, 64, 66 for different track sections, and the straight-section conveyor may be arranged as chain or chains 62. Providing a respective chain loop for each straight parking section 56 would have been an obvious variation of the same chain-drive method where individual section control, chain tension, drive packaging, or maintenance access is desired.
Reference 2 is relied upon for the tire conveyor and transition operation discussed for claim 7 and does not change the straight-section traction-means arrangement taught by Reference 1.
Motivation to Combine
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to perform the method using either the same chain 62 for multiple straight sections 56 or separate chain loops for respective straight sections 56 because Reference 1 teaches both the use of chain 62 along straight parking sections and the use of multiple driven conveyor elements in the storage path. Selecting a common traction means or separate traction means would have been a predictable implementation choice based on meander length, drive synchronization, serviceability, and desired modularity of the storage conveyor.
────────────────────────
CLAIM 9
The method according to claim 7, wherein the tire conveying speed is kept constant after the first overlap region up to the second overlap region.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2.
Analysis
Claim 9 depends from claim 7. The analysis of claim 7 is incorporated herein.
Reference 1 teaches that the cableway vehicles 14 are moved through the curved sections 58, 60 at a higher speed than through the straight sections 56. The higher-speed curve movement is provided by chains 64, 66 driven by cogwheel 76, spindle 78, and motor 80. Once a vehicle has transitioned from the slower straight chain 62 to the higher-speed curve chain 64 or 66, the vehicle is driven through the curve at the selected higher curve speed. Thus, Reference 1 teaches maintaining a substantially constant curve-section conveying speed after the incoming transition and before the outgoing transition.
In the Reference 1 and Reference 2 combination, the tire conveyor corresponding to sheaves 38, 60 replaces or supplements the curve chains 64, 66. The tire conveying speed is increased in the first overlap region to accelerate the vehicle from the speed of chain 62 to the higher curve speed. After that first overlap region, the tire conveyor would be operated at the selected higher curve speed through the main portion of the curve section 58 or 60. The tire conveying speed would then be reduced in the second overlap region to decelerate the vehicle back to the speed of the next straight-section chain 62. Therefore, the tire conveying speed is kept constant after the first overlap region up to the second overlap region.
Reference 2 supports the use of controlled tire/sheave speeds because the friction drive sheaves 38, 60 are arranged to drive the cableway vehicle by engaging drive plate 36, and the relative speed between friction sheaves 60 and drive wheel 52 is selected for controlled transfer and positioning. Applying this known controlled tire-drive operation to the curve-speed arrangement of Reference 1 renders the claimed constant-speed interval obvious.
Motivation to Combine
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to keep the tire conveying speed constant between the first and second overlap regions because Reference 1 teaches a higher, selected curve speed for the curved sections 58, 60, while the overlap regions are where the required acceleration and deceleration occur. Maintaining constant speed through the central curve region would predictably preserve vehicle spacing, avoid unnecessary additional speed changes, simplify control of the tire conveyor, and maintain the curve-clearance benefit taught by Reference 1.
CONCLUSION
U.S. Patent No. 4,563,955 was considered because it discloses cableway station friction drive wheels and transfer-chain/push-finger structure. It was not used in the rejection because Reference 2 provides a stronger and more directly applicable teaching of tire/friction drive sheaves cooperating with positive drive pins in a curved/transition region.
U.S. Patent No. 4,641,584 was considered because it relates to driving detachable cableway vehicles in stations. It was not used because its motor/control details are cumulative to Reference 2 and less directly relevant to the claimed overlap release/reengagement operation.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON C SMITH whose telephone number is (703)756-4641. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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, Joseph Morano can be reached at (571) 272-6684. 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.
/Jason C Smith/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
Prosecution Insights