DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chin-Yao (US20030020622).
1. An intelligent ladder, comprising:
a ladder frame (Fig. 1);
at least one pressure sensor (see annotated Fig. 9 below), wherein the at least one pressure sensor is installed at a bottom of the ladder frame (see annotated Fig. 9 below and e.g., [0025]: “the sensing means 2 is equipped in each ladder foot”), and the at least one pressure sensor is configured to detect a load condition of the ladder frame ([0026]: “enabling the sensor 6 to detect a change of pressure”); and
a display module (Fig. 3, 4), wherein the display module is connected to the at least one pressure sensor electrically ([0028]: “monitoring function through built-in interconnection wiring”) or by using a wireless signal, and the display module is configured to display the load condition of the ladder frame ([0028]: “The alarm 4 may be a buzzer, and electronic strobe light (flasher), or other equivalents”);
wherein an installation groove (see annotated Fig. 9 above) is disposed at the bottom of the ladder frame, the at least one pressure sensor is embedded in the installation groove (see annotated Fig. 9 above), and a contact member is installed below the installation groove and covers the installation groove and the at least one pressure sensor in the installation groove (see annotated Fig. 9 above).
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2: The intelligent ladder according to claim 1, wherein the intelligent ladder further comprises at least one force-bearing member (see annotated Fig. 9 above), the at least one force-bearing member is installed at the bottom of the ladder frame, the at least one force-bearing member is configured to contact the ground (see e.g., Fig. 3), and the at least one force-bearing member presses against the at least one pressure sensor (via the load bearing abutment post shown in annotated Fig. 9 above).
3. The intelligent ladder according to claim 2, wherein the force-bearing member comprises a contact member (see annotated Fig. 9 above) and a load-bearing abutment post (see annotated Fig. 9 above), the contact member is installed at the bottom of the ladder frame (see annotated Fig. 9 above), the contact member is configured to contact the ground (see e.g., Fig. 3), the contact member is elastically deformable (see e.g., [0027]: “Each base 7 wears a foot mat 8 which is snugly enclosing the ladder foot 82 with a collar 81 so that the ladder is able to vary its height as the loading of the ladder changes”), the load-bearing abutment post is inserted into the contact member (see annotated Fig. 9 above), the load-bearing abutment post presses against a bottom of the at least one pressure sensor (see annotated Fig. 9 above), and the load-bearing abutment post is capable of fluctuating up and down with elastic deformation of the contact member ([0032]: “the sensing means 2 may be a lever type in a third embodiment (FIG. 9)”, thus when the contact member deforms the load bearing abutment post fluctuates up and down with elastic deformation to actuate the lever type sensor).
5: The intelligent ladder according to claim 3, wherein a first connection part (see annotated Fig. 9 above) is disposed at the bottom of the ladder frame, a second connection part is disposed on a peripheral side of the contact member, and the first connection part and the second connection part are fixedly connected by using a bolt ([0026]: “screw combined to the ladder foot 82 through tapped holes 51, 52 at both sides thereof”).
6. The intelligent ladder according to claim 3, wherein a contact boss is disposed at a bottom of the contact member, a bottom surface of the contact boss is designed in an arc shape, and the load-bearing abutment post extends to be distributed in the contact boss (see annotated Fig. 9 above).
7: The intelligent ladder according to claim 1, wherein a sounding unit is further disposed on the display module ([0028]: “The alarm 4 may be a buzzer, and electronic strobe light (flasher), or other equivalents”).
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8: The intelligent ladder according to claim 1, wherein at least three support legs are disposed at the bottom of the ladder frame, and the pressure sensor is installed at a bottom of any support leg (see e.g., Fig. 1 and [0025]: “the sensing means 2 is equipped in each ladder foot”).
9: The intelligent ladder according to claim 8, wherein a quantity of pressure sensors is the same as a quantity of support legs, and the pressure sensor is installed at the bottom of each support leg (see e.g., Fig. 1 and [0025]: “the sensing means 2 is equipped in each ladder foot”).
10: The intelligent ladder according to claim 4, wherein the display module is detachably installed on the ladder frame (see Fig. 3 and [0028]: “The alarm 4 may be a buzzer, and electronic strobe light (flasher), or other equivalents”), a wire passing channel is disposed inside the ladder frame (see e.g., [0026]: “concealed in each ladder foot” and also [[0026]: “through built-in interconnection wiring”), the wire passing channel extends downward from a top of the ladder frame and is connected to the installation groove (see Fig. 3), the pressure sensor is electrically connected to the display module by using a wire, and the wire passes through the wire passing channel (see Fig. 3).
12. Chin-Yao discloses the intelligent ladder according to claim 8, wherein the intelligent ladder further comprises at least one force-bearing member (see above annotated Fig. 9 of Chin-Yao), an installation groove is correspondingly disposed at the bottom of each of the support legs (see Fig. 6 of Chin-Yao), and the at least one force-bearing member is installed at the bottom of each of the support legs (see above annotated Fig. 9 of Chin-Yao).
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 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chin-Yao (US20030020622) in view of Baas (DE10138020).
11. Chin-Yao fails to disclose the intelligent ladder according to claim 6, wherein a diameter of the contact boss is less than a length or a width of the contact member. Baas teaches, in the context of intelligent ladders, wherein a diameter of the contact boss (16, Fig. 3) is less than a length or a width of the contact member (15, Fig. 3). It 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 to have included wherein a diameter of the contact boss is less than a length or a width of the contact member in the intelligent ladder of Chin-Yao in order to allow for interchangeable feet (see MT [0021]: “Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of the safety switching mechanism according to the invention, in which - in contrast to the one described above - the cap 15 has an edge-sealed opening on the bottom side and thus enables access to a vertically oriented thread 16 provided on the foot element 22 and directed towards the bottom 17. For example, a standard suction foot (not shown) made of rubber and equipped with a suitable threaded rod can be screwed into this thread 16, which prevents the step from slipping on the floor. Of course, all other standard feet can also be screwed into this thread”).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chin-Yao (US20030020622) in view of Heinbuch (US20190345767).
13. Chin-Yao fails to disclose the intelligent ladder according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure sensor is configured to transmit obtained load data to the display module, and the display module is configured to present the load data to a user for observation, so that the user confirms a state of the ladder frame in real time. Heinbuch teaches, in the context of intelligent ladders, wherein at least one pressure sensor (116, Fig. 1) is configured to transmit obtained load data to the display module (Fig. 3), and the display module is configured to present the load data to a user for observation, so that the user confirms a state of the ladder frame in real time ([0024]: “The load indicating component 114 comprises a plurality of foot sensors 116 and a display element 118 electrically connected to the plurality of foot sensors 116”). It 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 to have included wherein the at least one pressure sensor is configured to transmit obtained load data to the display module, and the display module is configured to present the load data to a user for observation, so that the user confirms a state of the ladder frame in real time in the intelligent ladder of Chin-Yao according to the teachings of Heinbuch in order to provide a numerical display for the user.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11 August 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant's initial argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the feature upon which applicant relies (i.e., real-time presentation of changing load data) is not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Note that Chin-Yao, per amended claim 1, does disclose wherein “the display module is configured to display the load condition of the ladder frame”, see in particular para. [0028]: “In case the ladder loading exceeds predetermined maximum allowable value of the system, the value is detected by the sensor 6 and sent to the CPU of the recording and calculation device 3 for evaluation, and the recording and calculation device 3 sends a warning signal to the alarm 4 indicating it to operate. The alarm 4 may be a buzzer, and electronic strobe light (flasher), or other equivalents”.
Applicant next argues with respect to amended claim 1 that Chin-Yao fails to disclose “that the claimed contact member 41 covers the claimed installation groove 11, and the claimed pressure sensor 2 is disposed in the claimed installation groove 11”. However, as shown in the above annotated Fig. 9 of Chin-Yao, the contact member does in fact cover the installation groove and the at least one sensor in the installation groove. Applicant states that a connecting rod 97 is required to connect the lever-type sensor to connecting member 5, however, it is unclear how Applicant’s statement is relevant to whether Chin -Yao anticipates the limitations of claim 1 at issue.
Applicant next argues with respect to dependent claim 10 that Chin Yao fails to disclose the claimed detachable display module. However, note that Chin-Yao discloses in para. [0028] that “The alarm 4 may be a buzzer, and electronic strobe light (flasher), or other equivalents”. Thus the display module of Chin-Yao is detachable to the extent that each type of alarm is interchangeable with other equivalents and also because the strobe light or flasher may become worn and thus detached and replaced. Applicant also argues here that Chin-Yao fails to disclose a wire passing channel disposed inside the ladder frame. However, as shown in Figs. 3 and annotated Fig. 9 above, the wire passing channel disclosed by Chin-Yao must be disposed inside the ladder frame in order for the wires to reach the pressure sensor, see e.g., [0026]: “concealed in each ladder foot” and also [[0026]: “through built-in interconnection wiring”.
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.
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/BAP/Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/DANIEL P CAHN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3634
