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.
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Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harnois (3,857,430) in view of Giacona et al. (7,500,503 “Giacona”).
Harnois meets all of the limitations of claims 1 and 12, i.e., a process and its associated method of a lifting system operably associable with a tire changing machine having a rotable wheel holder 1 and an arm, the arm 9 having an implement 12 disposed at a distal end thereof, the lifting system comprising:
first and second selectively extendable actuators 47, 47 configured for placement below the rotatable wheel holder of the tire changing machine Fig. 2;
wherein Fig. 2, except or
a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second actuators, controller configured to:
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extend the first actuator 160 such that at least a portion of the tire is lifted relative to the wheel and the implement of the tire changing machine e.g., 80 may selectively engage at least a portion of the tire.
Giancana teaches a tire machine with a lifting system 160, 164 cooperating 06:63 with a tire pusher 130, and a controller 60 operably connects with sensing devices 126, 128 for positioning the implement 104, and further teaches that pusher 130 may be operated manually or may be operably communicated with the controller 06:41.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective date of the invention, to modify the invention of Harnois with a controller as taught by Giancana to enhance the operation to automatically control the movements and the sequences of elements, e.g., actuators 47.
Regarding claims 2 and 13, PA (prior art, Harnois modified by Giacona) meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 1 or the method of claim 12, wherein:
the controller 60 (modified by Giancana) is configured to extend the second actuator such that at least a portion of the tire is lifted relative to the wheel.
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Regarding claims 3 and 14, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 2 or the method of claim 13, wherein:
the portion of the tire @53 the first actuator is configured to engage is substantially diametrically opposite of the portion of the tire the second actuator is configured to engage @53LF.
Regarding claim 4, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 2, wherein:
the controller 60 is configured to extend the second actuator such that at least a portion of the tire is lifted relative to the wheel before extending the first actuator at least capable of.
Regarding claims 5 and 15, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 4 or the method of claim 12, wherein:
the controller 60 is configured to retract the second actuator movements of the pushing rods 51 such that the second actuator no longer engages the tire after the implement of the tire changing machine engages at least a portion of the tire.
Regarding claims 6 and 16, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the PA meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 4 or the method of claim 12, wherein:
the implement 12, Fig. 5 is configured to decouple at least a portion of the tire from the wheel while the first actuator is extended such that at least a portion of the tire is lifted relative to the wheel bead breaker.
Regarding claims 7 and 17, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the PA meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 1 or the method of claim 12, further comprising:
one or more sensors 122, 124, 126, 128 (modified by Giancana) communicatively coupled to the controller, the one or more sensors configured to at least detect a position of a one of the first and second actuators relative to the tire and/or wheel sensors and controller controlling the operation.
Regarding claims 8 and 18, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 1 or the method of claim 12, further comprising:
one or more sensors 122, 124, 126, 128 communicatively coupled to the controller, the one or more sensors configured to at least detect a position of the implement relative to the tire and/or wheel.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the PA meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 1 or the method of claim 12, wherein:
when the lifting system is operably associated with the tire changing machine, the first actuator 47 is substantially colinear to the implement 12, Fig. 5 Harnois.
Regarding claim 10, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 1, wherein:
when the lifting system is operably associated with the tire changing machine, the first and second actuators 47 are mounted to a chassis 6 of the tire changing machine.
Regarding claim 11, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the lifting system of Claim 1, wherein:
when the lifting system 47 is operably associated with the tire changing machine, the first and second actuators are mounted to a substantially flat surface 43 or 49 separate from the tire changing machine Fig. 3.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not relied upon at this time, are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Poulin, West et al., Wells and Schmidt are cited to show related inventions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HADI SHAKERI whose telephone number is (571)272-4495. The fax phone number for forwarding unofficial documents for discussion purposes only is (571) 273-4495. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Keller can be reached on 571 272 8548. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Hadi Shakeri/
September 18, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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