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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-4, 6-8, and 11-13 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Scarth (US 20200001907).
In regards to claim 1, Scarth discloses a conveyance cart (200, see fig. 2a) capable of traveling with a conveyed object placed on the conveyance cart (bin or another container or object placed on 220, see para. 0043), the conveyance cart (200) comprising: a traveling portion (230) configured to travel along a traveling surface (the ground or the mother cart (see fig. 1a,1b, 2a, 2b)); and an engaging portion (216, 218a,b, 227a,b) configured to be engaged with an engaged portion (120, 128a,b, 129a,b, 1221,b, 124a-d, 125a-d, 126a,b see fig. 1a, 8) protruding from the traveling surface by movement in a cart forward direction, wherein the engaging portion includes a first engaging portion (216, 227a,b) and a second engaging portion (218a, 218b) , which are disposed on a bottom portion of a cart body (220, see fig. 2b) so as to be shifted from each other in a vehicle width direction orthogonal to the cart forward direction and are configured to be individually engaged with the corresponding engaged portion (the engaging portions are spaced apart from each other in the width direction orthogonal to the cart traveling forward onto the mother cart and individually engage with different engaged portions of a mother cart).
In regards to claim 2, Scarth discloses wherein the traveling portion (230) is disposed to be shifted from the second engaging portion (218a, 218b) in the cart forward direction, and is disposed to be shifted in the vehicle width direction from the second engaging portion (218a, 218b) disposed to be shifted in a cart backward direction (see wheels 230c,d).
In regards to claim 3, Scarth discloses wherein the traveling portion (230) is disposed to be shifted from the first engaging portion (216, 227a and 227b together) in the cart forward direction, and is disposed to be shifted in the vehicle width direction from the first engaging portion (216, and 227a,227b together) disposed to be shifted in a cart backward direction (see wheels 230a, 230b).
In regards to claim 4, Scarth discloses wherein at least one of the first engaging portion (216, 227a&227b together) or the second engaging portion includes a locking mechanism (latch 170) configured to be releasably locked to the corresponding engaged portion (120) (see para. 0048-49 locking with 216).
In regards to claim 6, Scarth discloses wherein a pair of the first engaging portions (16, 227) and a pair of the second engaging (218 a, 218b) portions are provided in the vehicle width direction, and the pair of first engaging portions (see 227a,227b) are disposed to be shifted from the pair of second engaging portions (218) in the cart forward direction (see fig. 2b), and an arrangement interval between the pair of first engaging portions is smaller than an arrangement interval between the pair of second engaging portions (see fig.2b, 216, and 227a, 227b are found closer together on the interior of the cart and 218 are found closer to the edges therefore having a larger arrangement interval).
In regards to claim 7, Scarth discloses wherein the traveling portion (230) is a traveling wheel (castor wheels) including a pair of rear wheels (230a,230b) provided in the vehicle width direction and a pair of front wheels (230c, 230d) provided in the vehicle width direction at positions shifted from the pair of rear wheels in the cart forward direction, and the pair of first engaging portions (216 and 227a, 227b together) are disposed to be shifted from the pair of front wheels (230c,230d) in the cart forward direction and inward in the vehicle width direction, and the pair of second engaging portions (218a, 218b) are disposed to be shifted from the pair of rear wheels (230a, 230b) in a cart backward direction and outward in the vehicle width direction (see fig. 2b).
In regards to claim 8, Scarth discloses wherein the pair of first engaging portions (216, 227a, 227b) do not include the locking mechanism (120), and the pair of second engaging portions (218a, 218b) include the locking mechanism (130) (see para. 0049, the second locking mechanism 130 including locking bar 180 which blocks the pegs 218a, 218b from disengaging with the engaged parts 129a, 129, and 131 which is described herein as the pair of second engaging portions, and the locking bar prevents the cart 200 from moving when the first locking mechanism becomes disengaged).
In regards to claim 11, Scarth discloses wherein the traveling portion (230) is a traveling wheel (castor wheels) including a pair of rear wheels (230a,b) provided in the vehicle width direction and a pair of front wheels (230c,d) provided in the vehicle width direction at positions shifted from the pair of rear wheels in the cart forward direction (See fig. 2b).
In regards to claim 12, Scarth discloses conveyance cart (see fig. 2a, 2b, cart 200) that engages with a plurality of engaged portions (120, 128a,b, 129a,b, 1221,b, 124a-d, 125a-d, 126a,b see fig. 1a, 8) provided on two rails (123a, 123b, on the base frame 110) provided on a traveling surface (100, see fig. 1b), the conveyance cart (200) comprising: a cart body (220); a traveling portion (230) provided on a bottom portion of the cart body (220, see fig. 2b) and configured to move the conveyance cart (200) along the traveling surface; and a plurality of engaging portions (216, 218a, 218b, 227a, 227b) provided on the bottom portion of the cart body (220) and configured to engage with the plurality of engaged portions (120, 128a,b, 129a,b, 1221,b, 124a-d, 125a-d, 126a,b see fig. 1a, 8) by movement in a first direction (into the slots 217, see fig. 1a), wherein the plurality of engaging portions (216, 218a, 218b, 227a, 227b) includes a plurality of first engaging portions (216, 227a, 227b) that engage with a plurality of first engaged portions (120, and 126a, 126b) provided on a first rail (110) disposed on a front side in the first direction among the two rails (see fig. 1a), and a plurality of second engaging portions (218a, 218b) that engage with a plurality of second engaged portions (129a, 129b, see fig. 8) provided on a second rail (123a, 123b) disposed on a rear side in the first direction among the two rails (see fig. 1a, 8), and the plurality of first engaging portions (216, 227a, 227b) is disposed to be shifted from the plurality of second engaging portions (218) in a second direction (left and right direction) intersecting the first direction (direction of arrows into the slots 217) and parallel to the bottom portion (see engaging portion 216 parallel to the bottom portion of the cart body 220).
In regards to claim 13, Scarth discloses wherein in the second direction (left and right direction, following the length of 110), an interval between the plurality of first engaging portions (between 227a, 227b) is smaller than an interval of the traveling portions (230b, 230d), and an interval between the plurality of second engaging portions (218a, b) is larger than the interval of the traveling portions (230b, 230d), (see fig. 2b, the first engaging portions 227 are found on the inside of the wheels 230 b, and 230d, and the second engaging portions 218 are found outside of the wheels 230d, 230b)
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 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scarth as applied above, and further in view of Iellimo (US 10589929).
In regards to claim 9, Scarth teaches an engagement guide that protrudes from the bottom of the traveling surface engaged with the bottom of the cart (see 122a, 122b and 126a, 126b), but fails to teach an engagement guide that protrudes from the bottom portion of the cart body and configured to guide, by abutment with the engaged portion in the vehicle width direction, the engaged portion such that the engaged portion does not disengage from a position directly below the cart body in the vehicle width direction. Iellimo teaches a transportation cart similar to that of Scarth wherein the cart (see fig. 8) includes an engagement guide (820) that protrudes from the bottom portion of the cart body (800) and configured to guide, by abutment with the engaged portion (forklift fork) in the vehicle width direction, the engaged portion (forklift fork) such that the engaged portion (fork lift fork) does not disengage from a position directly below the cart body in the vehicle width direction (see fig. 8, see col. 7 lines 46-col 8 line 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified Scarth with the engagement guides Iellimo teaches for engaging a transport support and prevent the cart from moving or slipping sideways as Iellimo recites (col. 7 lines 47-50). In combination, it would have been obvious to configure Scarth's engagement guide structure as a bottom protruding guide along an outside edge to improve alignment and secure engagement during docking so as to best align with engaged portions 122a,b of Scarth.
In regards to claim 10, Scarth and Iellimo in combination teach wherein a pair of the first engaging portions (216, 227a&b) and a pair of the second engaging portions (218a, 218b) are provided in the vehicle width direction (see fig. 2a,b), the traveling portion (230) is a traveling wheel (castor wheels) including a pair of rear wheels (230a,230b) provided in the vehicle width direction and a pair of front wheels (230c, 230d) provided in the vehicle width direction at positions shifted from the pair of rear wheels in the cart forward direction, and the pair of first engaging portions (216 and 227a, 227b together) are disposed to be shifted from the pair of front wheels (230c,230d) in the cart forward direction and inward in the vehicle width direction, and the pair of second engaging portions (218a, 218b) are disposed to be shifted from the pair of rear wheels in a cart backward direction and outward in the vehicle width direction (see fig. 2b), and the engagement guide (as Iellimo taught, guides 820) is configured to guide, by abutment with the engaged portion (129a, 129b see fig. 8) with which the pair of second engaging portions (218a,b) are engaged from an outer side in the vehicle width direction (the engagement guide is placed along an outside edge to improvement alignment and prevent slipping in the vehicle width direction), the engaged portion (129a, 129) with which the pair of second engaging portions (218a, 218b) are engaged such that the engaged portion (129a, 129b) does not disengage from the position directly below the cart body in the vehicle width direction (the engaged portions are holes that the engaging portion is inserted into, therein preventing disengagement from the position below the cart body).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest related prior art, Scarth teaches a conveyance cart with an engaging and engaged portions as claimed but fails to disclose wherein the engaged portion to which the locking mechanism is locked has a structure as recited wherein the engaged portion has an upper portion and framed side portion forming a three way frame shape... and Scarth fails to teach or suggest a locking guide configured to guide the locking mechanism to a position directly facing the frame upper portion, in regards to claim 5. And regarding claim 14, Scarth the closest related prior art teaches the second engagement portion are located outside of the wheel base and the first engagement portions are located on the inside of the wheels and therefore fails to teach wherein in the second direction, an interval between the plurality of second engaging portions is smaller than an interval of the traveling portions, and an interval between the plurality of first engaging portions is larger than the interval of the traveling portions.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 for a list of prior art that teach cart engagement similar to that claimed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAITLIN ANNE MILLER whose telephone number is (571)272-4356. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00am-5:00pm (est).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason Shanske can be reached at (571) 270-5985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.A.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614
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