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
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) 12-13, 20, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xu et al. (CN 2597438 Y). Xu discloses an elevator system (fig. 2) including an elevator car (1,5,6) movable in an elevator shaft, a support means (11) being attached to the elevator car at a suspension point (interface between 11 and 6) arranged at the elevator car, the elevator system comprising:
Re claim 12, a buffer (fig. 2 shows the spring buffer below 6) attached to the elevator car and adapted to temporarily support the elevator car relative to a shaft floor of the elevator shaft during any buffer travel (by inspection of fig. 2, the buffer would absorb impact with the shaft floor if the car lowers to the bottom); the buffer being connected to the support means at the suspension point (fig. 2), the elevator car being suspended on the buffer by the support means (fig. 2); and the buffer including a body (spring body shown in fig. 2) configured as a damping element damping vibrations transmitted to the elevator car by the support means (the elastic spring would inherently absorb the vibration).
Re claim 13, wherein the buffer body has a hollow-cylindrical form with a hollow space (fig. 2 shows the cylindrical buffer spring with a hollow interior for receiving 11), and the support means, or a support means connecting piece connected to the support means, is guided through the hollow space of the buffer body (fig. 2).
Re claim 20, a suspension point (interface between 11 and 6) arranged at the elevator car and adapted to attach the support means to the elevator car; a buffer (fig. 2 shows the spring buffer below 6) attached to the elevator car and adapted to temporarily support the elevator car relative to a shaft floor of the elevator shaft during any buffer travel (by inspection of fig. 2, the buffer would absorb impact with the shaft floor if the car lowers to the bottom), wherein the buffer is adapted to connect to the support means at the suspension point (fig. 2) and the elevator car is suspended on the buffer by the support means (fig. 2); and the buffer including a body (spring body shown in fig. 2) configured as a damping element damping vibrations transmitted to the elevator car by the support means when the buffer is connected to the support means (the elastic spring would inherently absorb the vibration).
Re claim 22, a method for operating an elevator system (fig. 2), the elevator system including an elevator car (1,5,6) movable in an elevator shaft and being attached to a support means (11) at a suspension point (interface between 11 and 6), the method comprising the steps of: attaching a buffer (fig. 2 shows the spring buffer below 6) to the elevator car in a position to contact and temporarily support the elevator car relative to a shaft floor of the elevator shaft during any buffer travel (by inspection of fig. 2, the buffer would absorb impact with the shaft floor if the car lowers to the bottom); connecting the buffer to the support means at the suspension point (fig. 2), the elevator car being suspended on the buffer by the support means (fig. 2); and providing the buffer with a body (spring body shown in fig. 2) configured as a damping element damping vibrations transmitted to the elevator car by the support means (the elastic spring would inherently absorb the vibration).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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(s) 14 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (CN 2597438 Y) in view of Shinozuka (US 7,815,410 B2). Xu discloses the elevator system (as cited above):
Re claim 21, wherein the buffer body has a hollow-cylindrical form with a hollow space (fig. 2 shows the cylindrical buffer spring with a hollow interior for receiving 11).
Xu does not disclose:
Re claim 14, an end part fixed to a free end of the support means, the end part directly or indirectly abutting the buffer body.
Re claim 21, a support means connecting piece, connected to the support means is guided through the hollow space of the buffer body.
However, Shinozuka discloses an elevator system (fig. 1) comprising:
Re claim 14, an end part (60) fixed to a free end of the support means (40), the end part directly or indirectly abutting the buffer body (fig. 5 shows 60 abutting the buffer body 63).
Re claim 21, a support means connecting piece (60), connected to the support means is guided through the hollow space of the buffer body (fig. 5).
Regarding claim 14, it would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ an end part, as taught by Shinozuka, to effectively serve as an interface for attaching the support means to the buffer.
Regarding claim 21, it would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ a support means connecting piece, as taught by Shinozuka, to effectively serve as an interface for attaching the support means to the buffer.
Claim(s) 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (CN 2597438 Y) in view of Rice (US 6,502,883 B2). Xu discloses the elevator system (as cited above). Xu does not disclose:
Re claim 15, wherein the buffer includes an impact element adapted to contact the shaft floor.
Re claim 16, wherein the impact element is made of a metallic material.
Re claim 17, wherein the support means is fastened to the impact element.
Re claim 18, wherein the impact element has a central indentation complementary to a hollow space in the buffer body.
However, Rice teaches a buffer assembly (fig. 1):
Re claim 15, wherein the buffer (80) includes an impact element (32,60) adapted to contact the shaft floor (disclosed by Xu).
Re claim 16, wherein the impact element is made of a metallic material (col 3 ln 12-14).
Re claim 17, wherein the support means is fastened to the impact element (Xu support means 11 would be fastened at Rice’s 32 when taught).
Re claim 18, wherein the impact element has a central indentation (66) complementary to a hollow space in the buffer body (fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ an impact element, as taught by Rice, to better interface with the buffer and provides a stronger impact surface.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (CN 2597438 Y). Xu discloses the elevator system (as cited above):
Re claim 19, wherein the support means includes belts (Examiner takes Official Notice that a belt support means are known in the art).
Examiner takes Official Notice that using a belt as a support means is known in the art. It would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ a belt are they are widely available in the market. The larger profile of the belt provides additional friction with the drive pulley.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/19/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On pages 6-10 of the Remarks, Applicant argue the prior arts do not disclose the newly added limitation in the claims. There is no disclosure in Xu that the buffer, positioned on the lower surface of the balance beam 6, is connected to the cable 11 or that the elevator car is suspended on the buffer by the cable 11. Xu does not disclose whatever is below the balance beam 6 can impact the shaft floor. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Xu fig. 2 a buffer depicted as zig-zag lines to represent a coil spring, see annotated figure below. The connecting piece is shown as a vertical extension that extends through and below the hollow-cylindrical body of the spring buffer. The connecting piece is longitudinally aligned with the cable 11 and serves as a connection interface between the cable 11 and the buffer spring. Xu’s car is construed as elements 1, 5, and 6. Xu beam 6 would be equivalent to Applicant’s support structure 9 of the instant invention. By inspection of fig. 2, the car is mechanically mounted to the top surface of the buffer spring via the bottom surface of beam 6, the bottom surface of the buffer spring is mechanically mounted to the connecting piece, and the connecting piece is mechanically connected to the cable 11. The connecting piece is the lowest point that moves with the underling load support, therefore would be the first to impact the shaft floor, or other obstacles thereon, if the load support is lowered to the bottom.
On pages 8-9, Applicant argues Xu does not describe whatever is below the balance beam 6 as a spring body. If it is, the spring body would be compressed by the weight of the suspended component. Vibrations in the cable would be transmitted through the balance beam 6 to the elevator car 5 without passing through the buffer. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Xu shows a buffer depicted as zig-zag lines to represent a coil spring, see annotated figure below. The coil spring is shown to be in an expanded state due to the spacings between the zig-zag lines. Xu’s car is construed as elements 1, 5, and 6. Xu beam 6 would be equivalent to Applicant’s support structure 9 of the instant invention. Based on the mechanical connections described above, vibration from the cable would be absorbed by the spring buffer.
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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 MINH D TRUONG whose telephone number is (571)270-3014. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anna Momper can be reached at (571) 270-5788. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Minh Truong/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654