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 .
This is the Final Office Action on the merits of Application No. 18/705697, filed on 04/29/2024. Claims 1-7 are still pending in the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent No. 9,561,935 to Perala (henceforth referred to as Perala).
Regarding claims 1-3 and 5, Perala discloses a construction elevator (i.e. Fig. 1a) comprising:
a compensating rope reel (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 1c) around a compensating rope (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 1c) is wound;
a rising/lowering unit (i.e. Fig. 1c, ref. 1) around which the compensating rope drawn out from the compensating rope real is wound, the rising/lowering unit being configured to rise and lower (i.e. Fig. 1a, up and down arrow next to ref. 1) in a hoistway (i.e. Fig. 1c, ref. S) of a building structure;
a pulley (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 1c) that is disposed between the compensating rope reel and the rising/lowering unit along the compensating rope and around which the compensating rope drawn out from the compensating rope reel is wound;
at least one or more first rope-gripping devices (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 1c) that releasably grip the compensating rope on a side of the compensating rope reel with respect to the pulley; and
at least one or more second rope-gripping devices (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 1c) that releasably grip the compensating rope on a side of the rising/lowering unit with respect to the pulley, wherein
the pulley is movably supported along a rising/lowering direction of the rising, lowering unit (i.e. Fig. 1a, pulley also moves along up and down direction along with ref. 1).
Further comprising: a machine room unit (i.e. Fig. 1a, ref. 3 and 7) provided with a hoisting machine (i.e. Fig. 1a, ref. 4) that raises and lowers the rising/lowering unit; and a lifting machine (i.e. Fig. 1c, ref. 20) that supports the machine room unit in a manner such that the machine room unit can be lifted.
Wherein the pulley is lifted independently of the machine room unit (i.e. Fig. 1c, pully and ref. 1 is lifted by ref. 4 and can move up and down relative to ref. 3).
Wherein the machine room unit is divided into a plurality of machine rooms (i.e. Fig. 1a-1c, ref. 3 and 7 are two independent machine units).
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Regarding claim 7, Perala discloses a method of extending a compensating rope of a construction elevator (i.e. Fig. 1a-1c) including: a compensating-rope reel (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 1c) around which a compensating rope (i.e. Make up of Fig. 1c) is wound; a rising/lowering unit (i.e. Fig. 1c, ref. 1) around which the compensating rope drawn out from the compensating rope reel is wound, the rising lowering unit being configured to rise and lower in a hoistway (i.e. Fig. 1c, ref. S) of a building structure; a pulley (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 1c) that is disposed between the compensating rope reel and the rising/lowering unit along the compensating rope and around which the compensating rope drawn out from the compensating rope reel is wound; a first rope gripping device (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 1c) that releasably grips the compensating rope on a side of the compensating rope reel with respect to the pulley; and a second rope gripping device (i.e. Mark up of Fig. 1c) that releasably grips the compensating rope on a side of the rising/lowering unit with respect to the pulley, the method comprising:
a step of gripping the compensating rope by the second rope gripping device (i.e. Fig. 1b, second gripping device is darkened meaning activated);
a step of releasing gripping of the compensating rope by the first rope gripping device (i.e. Fig. 1c, first gripping device is white meaning deactivated);
raising the pulley to a predetermined height (i.e. Fig. 1c, pulley is raised upward) along a rising/lowering direction of the rising/lowering unit, and drawing out the compensating rope from the compensating rope reel (i.e. given);
a step of, after raising the pulley to the predetermined height, gripping the compensating rope by the first rope gripping device and releasing gripping of the compensating rope by the second rope gripping device (i.e. Fig. 1a, first gripping device is darkened and the second gripping device is white); and
a step of raising a machine room unit provided with the second rope gripping device to a predetermined height (i.e. Fig. 1a-1c, ref. 3 and 7 are raised upward).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 6 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/02/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
To summarize, Applicant argues on page 7, line 3-page 8, line 15 that Perala does not teach a compensating rope for adjusting weight balance of an elevator and that the objective of the inventions are different. This argument is not persuasive because it is an intended use argument. Perala teaches all the structural limitations of claims 1-3, 5 and 7 and thus the rejection is maintained.
To summarize, Applicant argues on page 8, line 16-24 that Perala teaches compensating rope is not essential for the operation of the invention. This argument is not persuasive because although Perala teaches the compensating rope is optional, it does not teach away from the use of compensating rope and thus the rejection is maintained.
To summarize, Applicant argues on page 8, line 25-page 9, line 3 that Perala does not teach a first and a second rope gripping device nor teach a movable pulley supported on the car. This argument is not persuasive because the mark up of Fig. 1c show the movable pulley attached to the car and the first and second gripping devices on the compensating rope along the compensating rope reel. Therefore, the rejection is maintained.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIEM M TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7825. The examiner can normally be reached M 9-5, W-F 10-2.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Mansen can be reached at 571-272-6608. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DIEM M TRAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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