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 .
This is the first action on the merits of application 18/727,890. Claims 1-7 are currently pending.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 3586192 A (Goodacre).
Regarding claim 1, Goodacre discloses:
A lifting device (figure 1) comprising:
- a base support (base support, annotated figure 1) configured to be arranged on a horizontal plane (floor shown in figure 1) and a column (9) fixed on said base support in such a way that it is arranged perpendicular to said horizontal plane,
- a trolley (10) which can slide vertically on said column designed to engage with a load (on forks 16) to be lifted, said trolley comprising a first lower portion (lower portion, annotated figure 2) and a second upper portion (upper portion, annotated figure 2), said first portion and said second portion comprising respective rollers (11) engaging in respective tracks (within mast 9, figure 2) made in said column, said trolley also comprising a reticular structure (14, 15, 18, 30, 32) for connecting said first lower portion and second upper portion, said reticular structure comprising tie rods (18, 30) and struts (14, 15, 32); characterised in that said tie rods and struts are connected to said first lower portion and said second upper portion by respective hinges (20, 33, 34), said hinges being of the type with at least one degree of freedom.
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Figure 1 of Goodacre, annotated by the Examiner
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Figure 2 of Goodacre, annotated by the Examiner
Regarding claim 2, Goodacre further discloses:
wherein said hinges comprise spherical joints (33, 34 are spherical joints).
Regarding claim 3, Goodacre further discloses:
wherein said first lower portion comprises a respective pair of rollers (rollers 11 are present in pairs, col. 2 line 2).
Regarding claim 4, Goodacre further discloses:
wherein said second upper portion comprises a respective pair of rollers (11).
Regarding claim 5, Goodacre further discloses:
wherein said trolley comprises on one end (front end) thereof an engagement means (16) with said load to be lifted.
Regarding claim 6, Goodacre further discloses:
wherein said reticular structure is of the lattice type (the horizontal and vertical crossing bars of 14, 15, 18, 30, and 32 create a lattice type structure).
Regarding claim 7, Goodacre further discloses:
wherein said base support comprises wheels (wheels, annotated figure 1) designed to allow the movement of said device on said plane.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-3070190-A, US-4034855-A, US-5147171-A, US-5586620-A, US-6390763-B1, US-20140246273-A1, US-20220402738-A1, and WO-2006009532-A1 are cited to show lifting devices with base supports, vertical columns, and carriages/trolleys with strut structure and/or hinges.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHELLE M MUDWILDER whose telephone number is (571)272-6068. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11:00 am - 7:30 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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/M.M.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ANNA M MOMPER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654