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.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chabod (US10828516B2).
Regarding claim 1, Chabod discloses an arborist block (1; Figures 1-8) comprising: a front plate (3, 7) having a front plate inner surface (inside surface of plate 3, 7); a back plate (17) having a back plate inner surface (inside surface of plate 17); a sheave (2) rotatably coupled to a sheave axle (26) secured between the front plate (3, 7) and the back plate (17) and radially centered along a sheave rotational axis (central axis of sheave 2); and a plurality of sheave locks (14) situated in respective sheave lock tracks (LT; see Chabod annotated Figure 8 below) and radially extendable into a plurality of lock receiving recesses (13) in the sheave (2) to prevent rotation of the sheave (2) relative to the sheave axle (26).
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Chabod, Annotated Figure 8
Regarding claim 2, Chabod discloses a sheave lock switch (12; Figures 6-7) “indirectly” coupled to a rotatable ring drive (25) situated around the sheave axle (26; rotating handle 12 in the positive direction causes rotational movement of the cam 5, ring drive 25, and sheave 2 due to pins 8 and 10).
Regarding claim 3, Chabod discloses a plurality of drive links (15; Figure 5) coupling the ring drive (25) to the plurality of sheave locks (14), wherein each one of the plurality of drive links (15) is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of sheave locks (14).
Regarding claim 4, Chabod discloses wherein the ring drive (25) comprises a generally circular outer wall (OW; see Chabod annotated Figure 8 above) having a plurality of ramped notches (RN) formed therealong.
Regarding claim 5, Chabod discloses wherein the sheave (2) includes a sheave front wall (FW; see Chabod annotated Figure 8 below) and a sheave back wall (BW) and the plurality of lock receiving recesses (13) are spaced circumferentially and adjacent to the perimeter of the sheave front wall (FW).
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Chabod, Annotated Figure 8
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chabod in view of Chih (US9151344B2).
Regarding claims 6-7, Chabod discloses the above arborist block and further teaches wherein the front plate (7) includes a circular ring boss (raised circular barrier on plate 7; Figure 8), but fails to teach wherein the front plate includes a ring boss comprising a circular but segmented raised barrier that at least partially encircles the sheave rotational axis; wherein the ring boss includes an inner boss wall that extend perpendicularly from the front plate inner surface.
Chih teaches a similar arborist block and further teaches wherein the front plate (22) includes a ring boss (RB; see Chih annotated Figure 2 below) comprising a circular but segmented raised barrier that at least partially encircles the sheave rotational axis (central axis of sheave 66); wherein the ring boss (RB) includes an inner boss wall (IW) that extend perpendicularly from the front plate inner surface (IS). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the arborist block of Chabod to include the ring boss as taught by Chih in order to ensure and support concentricity of the ring drive and sheave components and prevent debris from entering between components.
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Chih, Annotated Figure 2
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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:
Claim 8 would be allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the entire combination of elements set forth including for disclosing wherein the plurality of drive links are arc-shaped and ride inside and are guided by the inner boss wall of the ring boss as the ring drive is rotated.
Chabod and Chih both teach a ring boss, but fail to teach wherein the plurality of drive links are arc-shaped and ride inside and are guided by the inner boss wall of the ring boss as the ring drive is rotated. Lloyd (US2216822A) teaches a similar arborist block, is the closest prior art, and further teaches wherein the locks are guided by the inner boss wall of the boss as the drive is rotated, but fails to teach wherein the plurality of drive links are arc-shaped and ride inside and are guided by the inner boss wall of the ring boss as the ring drive is rotated.
Claims 9-15 would be allowable because they are dependents of claim 8.
Claim 16 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the entire combination of elements set forth including for disclosing a front plate having a plurality of sheave lock tracks extending radially; and a plurality of drive links coupled respectively to a plurality of sheave locks positioned respectively in a plurality of sheave lock tracks.
Galloway (US5319997A) teaches an arborist block comprising: a front plate (17; Figures 1-12) having a ring boss; a back plate (17’); a sheave axle (ring boss of plates 17,17’) secured between the front plate and the back plate; a sheave (3) rotatably coupled to the sheave axle, the sheave including a plurality of lock receiving recesses (5) positioned circumferentially therearound; a translatable sheave lock switch (12) coupled to a sheave lock rod (10); a rotatable ring drive (7) coupled to the sheave lock rod (10), but fails to teach a front plate having a plurality of sheave lock tracks extending radially; and a plurality of drive links coupled respectively to a plurality of sheave locks positioned respectively in a plurality of sheave lock tracks; wherein translation of the sheave lock switch provides outward radial translation of the plurality of sheave locks into the plurality of lock receiving recesses to prevent rotation of the sheave relative to the front plate. Lloyd (US2216822A) teaches a similar arborist block and further teaches wherein translation of the sheave lock switch (24; Figures 1-5) provides outward radial translation of the plurality of sheave locks (22) into the plurality of lock receiving recesses (14) to prevent rotation of the sheave (12) relative to the front plate (21;17), but fails to teach a front plate having a plurality of sheave lock tracks extending radially; and a plurality of drive links coupled respectively to a plurality of sheave locks positioned respectively in a plurality of sheave lock tracks.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Additional references listed on form PTO-892 are cited for their relevance to the disclosed invention and demonstration of the state of the art.
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/H.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ANGELA Y ORTIZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3663
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