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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 10/28/2025 has been entered.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Martin, US PGPub 2021/0024331 in view of Wang et al., CN 116040440.
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Regarding claim 1, Martin discloses a method for online replacement of an elevator sheave liner (64), the method comprising steps of: A. rotating an elevator sheave (30) provided with a liner (64) comprising a plurality of assemblable sections (40A-D) such that at least one section to be replaced (one quadrant 40A-D) in the liner (64) is rotated to an operating area (see fig 1 – region not in contact with 26), wherein the section to be replaced (as described above) is not engaged with an elevator rope (26) provided on the elevator sheave (30) when in the operating area (as described above); B. detaching the section to be replaced (as described above) from the elevator sheave (30), and installing a replacement section (see [0037]) for replacing the section to be replaced onto the elevator sheave (30); and C. repeating steps A and B until all or part of sections to be replaced in the liner are replaced (see [0036]-[0038]). Martin does not specify the joint seam comprises one of the specified shapes.
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Wang et al. teaches a similar replaceable elevator sheave where a joint seam between adjacent section of the sleave lines (31,34) is constructed in the shape of a step (see fig 3). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the step shaped seam described by Wang et al. to the system disclosed by Martin in order to improve the connection between the adjacent liners and enhance the sheave durability. Martin in view of Wang et al. therefore discloses the claimed invention but does not specify that the joint seam is in the shape of an arc or oblique line. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the shape of the joint seam as specified since the examiner takes Official Notice of the equivalence of shaped seams for their use in the sheave liner art and the selection of any of these known equivalents would be within the level of ordinary skill in the art. One having ordinary skill in the art would be motived to construct an arc or angled lined joint seam in order to improve the connection between the sheave and liner in a manner that allows for ease of liner exchange. If it is applicants position that these seam shapes are not obvious variants applicant is encouraged to state so on record.
Regarding claim 2, Martin in view of Wang et al. discloses the method for online replacement of an elevator sheave liner (64) according to claim 1, wherein the section to be replaced (as described above) is installed in a groove (32,36) arranged circumferentially (see fig 2-5) on the elevator sheave (30) and has an extending portion (see fig 2 – end containing 46 extends beyond sheave 30) extending radially outward beyond the groove (as described above), and in step B the section to be replaced (as described above) is detached from the groove (as described above) for being disassembled from the elevator sheave (30) by applying a force (overcoming elastic resistance of 46) to the extending portion (as described above).
Regarding claim 3, Martin in view of Wang et al. discloses the method for online replacement of an elevator sheave liner (64) according to claim 1, wherein in step B the replacement section (as described above) is installed in a groove (32,36) arranged circumferentially (see fig 2-5) on the elevator sheave (30), a first end (left side in fig 5) of the replacement section (as described above) abuts against one end of the groove (left side of 36) and a second end (right side in fig 5) of the replacement section (as described above) that is opposite (see fig 5) to the first end (as described above) abuts against the other end (see fig 5) of the groove (32,36), and the first end (as described above) and the second end (as described above) are respectively subjected to a first force (force from 26 being directed perpendicular to 32) being parallel to a radial direction (see fig 4) of the elevator sheave (30) and a second force (force applied to angled region of 60) forming an angle (see fig 5) with the radial direction (as described above) of the elevator sheave (30) after the replacement section (as described above) is installed in place.
Regarding claim 7, Martin in view of Wang et al. discloses the method for online replacement of an elevator sheave liner (64) according to claim 1, wherein the operating area (as described above) is located at a lower portion (see fig 1) of the elevator sheave (30).
Claim(s) 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Martin in view of Wang et al. in view of Lengenfelder et al., US Patent 4,571,225.
Regarding claims 4-6, Martin in view of Wang et al. discloses the method for online replacement of an elevator sheave liner (64) according to claim 1 but does not specify the fastening component.
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Lengenfelder et al. teaches a similar sheave with replaceable inserts (30) , further comprising a liner fastening component (70), wherein the fastening component (70) is configured to provide a force along a radial direction (see fig 1-3) of the elevator sheave (10) to fasten the liner (30) in place on the elevator sheave (10); wherein the fastening component (70) is installed onto the liner (30) after section replacement to fasten the liner in place on the elevator sheave (10). (claim 4)
wherein the fastening component (70) is installed in assembly portions (see four quadrants in fig 1) of the liner (30) that are arranged at the top of the plurality of assemblable sections (see fig 1-3) along a circumferential direction of the liner (30). (claim 5)
wherein the assembly portions are constructed in the shape of a groove (see fig 3), and the fastening component (70) includes a metal strip (see fig 4). (claim 6)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the fastening component described by Lengenfelder et al. in the system disclosed by Martin in view of Wang et al. in order to better secure the liner in place for high rotational speeds applications.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-7 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A RIEGELMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7956. The examiner can normally be reached 8-6 EST Monday - Friday.
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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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MICHAEL A. RIEGELMAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/MICHAEL A RIEGELMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654