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 § 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.
Claims 1, 3, 6, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang et al. (CN114394553A; as cited by Applicant).
With respect to claim 1, Fang et al. disclose a multidirectional driving industrial handling vehicle (Fig 1), comprising a vehicle frame (1), wherein two load-bearing wheels (2) with a steering function (second to last paragraph of page 4 of attached translation) are symmetrically arranged on a first side of the vehicle frame and adjacent to a front of the vehicle frame (Figs 1 and 3), and a drive wheel (3) with driving and steering functions (second paragraph of page 5 of attached translation) is arranged on a second side of the vehicle frame and adjacent to a rear of the vehicle frame (Fig 3); each of the two load-bearing wheels is rotatably arranged on a first rotary support member (6) through a pin (4) and a wheel frame (5), and the first rotary support member is rotatably arranged on the vehicle frame (last paragraph of page 4 of attached translation); the vehicle frame is provided with a first steering motor (8) configured to drive each of the two load-bearing wheels to rotate, and a main shaft of the first steering motor is connected to an input end of a first reduction gearbox (10)(last paragraph of page 4 of attached translation); and an output end of the first reduction gearbox is provided with a pinion (11)(last paragraph of page 4 of attached translation); the pinion is engaged with a rack wheel (13) on the first rotary support member (via chains 12); and the drive wheel (3) is arranged on an output end of a gearbox (16), and an input end of the gearbox is provided with a drive motor (19) for driving the drive wheel to rotate; the gearbox is connected to a second rotary support member (17), and the second rotary support member is rotatably arranged on a rotatable plate (14) on the vehicle frame; the rotatable plate is provided with a second steering motor (21) configured to drive the drive wheel to rotate, a speed reducer of the second steering motor (21) is provided with a steering pinion (22)(second paragraph of page 5 of attached translation), and the steering pinion is engaged with a steering rack (18) wheel on the second rotary support member.
Fang et al. do not disclose that the first reduction gearbox is mounted on the vehicle frame through a mounting plate; the pinion and rack wheel are tapered, wherein the tapered rack wheel is integrated with an outer ring of the first rotary support member; the gearbox that the drive wheel is arranged on is a second reduction gearbox; the second rotary support member is rotatably arranged on a fixed plate on the vehicle frame; and a main shaft of the second steering motor is provided with a steering pinion. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was filed to mount the first reduction gearbox on the frame through a mounting plate, since it was old and well known in the art to use mounting plates as a secure means for mounting vehicle components to the frame. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was filed to use tapered pinions and rack wheels, since tapered pinions and rack wheels are old and well known for offering precise backlash adjustment without replacing parts and creating unique, angled shaft alignments. It would have been obvious to integrate the rack wheel an outer ring of the first rotary support member, since it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in two pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. it would have been obvious to use a reduction gearbox with the drive wheel as well in order to trade high motor speed for massive rotational force, which allows the drive motor to effortlessly move thousands of pounds of payload, climb steep warehouse ramps, and accelerate smoothly without stalling or overheating. It would have been obvious to use a fixed plate to arrange the second rotary support on the frame rather than a rotary plate, since it was old and well known to substitute a fixed frame for controlling desired suspension characteristics or reducing the cost and/or number of parts. Finally, it would have been obvious to provide the main shaft of the second steering motor with the steering pinion rather than a speed reducer, since such an arrangement is old and well known in the art in order to eliminate mechanical backlash, reduce weight and space requirements, and create a more responsive steering feel.
With respect to claim 3, wherein two drive wheels are symmetrically arranged about a rear axis of the vehicle frame, and form a four-fulcrum structure with the two load-bearing wheels in the front of the vehicle frame (Fig 9).
With respect to claim 6, further comprising a mast liftably arranged on the vehicle frame, wherein the mast is connected to a lifting cylinder on the vehicle frame, the lifting cylinder is communicated with a hydraulic assembly on the vehicle frame, and a lower end of the mast is connected to a fork frame (third to last paragraph on page 6 of attached translation of Fang et al.).
With respect to claim 7, Fang et al. disclose wherein a battery is arranged inside the vehicle for supplying power to the multi-directional driving industrial handling vehicle (third to last paragraph on page 6 of attached translation of Fang et al.) but do not disclose that it is a lithium battery and is arranged inside the vehicle frame. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was filed to use a lithium battery, since using lithium batteries was old and well known in the art since they provide a longer lifespan and less maintenance than lead-acid alternatives.
Claim(s) 2, 4, and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang et al. in view of Li et al. (TWI753563B).
With respect to claim 2, Fang et al. disclose the claimed invention discussed above but do not disclose wherein one drive wheel is arranged on a rear axis of the vehicle frame, and forms a three-fulcrum structure with the two load-bearing wheels in the front of the vehicle frame. Li et al., however, disclose a vehicle with a three-fulcrum structure with the two load-bearing wheels in the front of the vehicle frame with a drive wheel arranged on the rear axis (Fig 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was filed to modify the invention of Fang et al. in view of the teachings of Li et al. to have a three-fulcrum structure, since it was old and well known in the art to have forklift with a three-fulcrum structure, since it was old and well knows to have a three wheel structure instead of four, and the vehicle would be expected to yield nothing but predictable results, namely, the vehicle could pivot with the tightest possible turning radius while weight and cost is reduced by having less wheel assemblies.
With respect to claim 4, further comprising a mast liftably arranged on the vehicle frame, wherein the mast is connected to a lifting cylinder on the vehicle frame, the lifting cylinder is communicated with a hydraulic assembly on the vehicle frame, and a lower end of the mast is connected to a fork frame (third to last paragraph on page 6 of attached translation of Fang et al.).
With respect to claim 5, Fang et al. disclose wherein a battery is arranged inside the vehicle for supplying power to the multi-directional driving industrial handling vehicle (third to last paragraph on page 6 of attached translation of Fang et al.) but do not disclose that it is a lithium battery and is arranged inside the vehicle frame. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was filed to use a lithium battery, since using lithium batteries was old and well known in the art since they provide a longer lifespan and less maintenance than lead-acid alternatives.
Conclusion
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DREW BROWN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
/DREW J BROWN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
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