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 .
This is the first action on the merits of application 18/809,949. Claims 1-15 are currently pending.
Drawings
Figure 1 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: lines 1-2 the limitation “the bushing hole” has not been previously introduced in the line of dependency. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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 and 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 8454037 B2 (Waltz et al.).
Regarding claim 1, Waltz et al. disclose:
A load wheel mounting structure for a reach type forklift truck (figure 1), which is used to mount a load wheel (144) on a pair of reach legs (30) that extend forward of the reach type forklift truck, the load wheel mounting structure comprising:
a wheel assembly (128, figure 8) including the load wheel (144) which is rotatably mounted; and
an outer frame (136) that holds the wheel assembly, wherein, after the wheel assembly is inserted downward from the top of the outer frame, the wheel assembly is assembled to the outer frame by a first bolt (174) that is inserted from a side (upper side of assembly 128).
Regarding claim 10, Waltz et al. further disclose:
wherein a stopper (185) is formed on an inner face of the outer frame (136) to stop the wheel assembly (128) from moving down when inserted to be held in the outer frame.
Regarding claim 11, Waltz et al. further disclose:
wherein the outer frame includes two side frames (136a, 136b) that are disposed in parallel to each other, and the stopper (185) is formed on an inner face of each of the two side frames.
Regarding claim 12, Waltz et al. further disclose:
wherein the stopper is slanted downward (each 185 slants downward from a center of the mount for assembly 128 toward the front and back of frame 136).
Regarding claim 13, Waltz et al. further disclose:
wherein the wheel assembly includes two side plates (142a, 142b) between which the load wheel is interposed, and the wheel assembly is stopped from moving down as the two side plates get stuck at the stopper (col. 9, lines 60-64).
Regarding claim 14, Waltz et al. further disclose:
wherein the outer frame includes two side frames (136a, 136b) that are disposed in parallel to each other and a front frame (187) that is disposed at the front (187 is disposed at the front portion of 136) of the outer frame and connected to the two side frames, wherein a nut portion (threaded aperture 172) which a second bolt (the other of the bolts 174) is screwed to and penetrates is fixed onto an inner face of the front frame.
Regarding claim 15, Waltz et al. further disclose:
wherein, as the second bolt (174) turns in one direction (direction that threads 174 into 172) and protrudes downward, the end of a threaded portion (shown in figure 8) of the second bolt is supported on the ground (by transfer of the load from 136 to assembly 128, col. 8, lines 35-37), whereby the wheel assembly and the outer frame are lifted upward (threading 174 into 172 initially lifts wheel assembly 128 then outer frame 136 as the load is transferred to the wheel assembly).
Claims 1-2 and 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 3814456 A (Bryntse, Applicant’s cited prior art).
Regarding claim 1, Bryntse discloses:
A load wheel mounting structure for a reach type forklift truck (figure 1), which is used to mount a load wheel (17) on a pair of reach legs (7) that extend forward of the reach type forklift truck, the load wheel mounting structure comprising:
a wheel assembly (15-18) including the load wheel which is rotatably mounted; and
an outer frame (14) that holds the wheel assembly, wherein, after the wheel assembly is inserted downward from the top of the outer frame, the wheel assembly is assembled to the outer frame by a first bolt (15) that is inserted from a side (either side of plates 16).
Regarding claim 2, Bryntse further discloses:
wherein the wheel assembly includes two side plates (16), the load wheel is positioned between the two side plates, and the two side plates each have a plate hole (figure 3) through which the first bolt penetrates.
Regarding claim 4, Bryntse further discloses:
wherein the outer frame (14) includes two side frames (upper and lower legs of 14 as shown in figure 3) that are disposed in parallel to each other.
Regarding claim 5, Bryntse further discloses:
wherein the two side frames each have a frame hole through which the first bolt penetrates (shown by dashed lines in figure 3, 15 extends through each plate of 14).
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 3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 3814456 A (Bryntse) in view of US 8454037 B2 (Waltz et al.).
Regarding claim 3, Bryntse teaches:
The load wheel mounting structure of claim 2.
Bryntse does not teach:
wherein a hollow bushing is disposed between the two side plates at portions corresponding to the plate holes, and opposite ends of the bushing are fixed to inner faces of the side plates, respectively, wherein a bushing hole, which is a hollow space that extends longitudinally, is formed inside the bushing.
However, Waltz teaches:
A load wheel mounting structure, and
wherein a hollow bushing (161) is disposed between the two side plates (142a, 142b) at portions corresponding to the plate holes, and opposite ends of the bushing are fixed to inner faces of the side plates (161 are arranged fixed against inner faces of 142a, 142b), respectively, wherein a bushing hole, which is a hollow space that extends longitudinally, is formed inside the bushing.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange a bushing as taught by Waltz et al. in the load mounting structure of Bryntse with a reasonable expectation of success to reduce wear on the contact points of the shaft with the frame holes.
Regarding claim 6, Bryntse teaches:
The load wheel mounting structure of claim 5.
Bryntse does not teach:
wherein the frame holes are tapered in such a way as to become smaller in diameter inwardly from the outside of the outer frame.
However, Waltz teaches:
A load wheel mounting structure, and
wherein the frame holes (149a, 149b) are tapered in such a way as to become smaller in diameter inwardly from the outside of the outer frame (159 is the outside of holes 149a, 149b that is larger in diameter than 149a, 149b, making the diameter smaller going inwardly).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to taper the frame holes of Bryntse as taught by Waltz et al. to allow for a larger diameter head to be placed within the hole flush with the plate to prevent lateral movement of the bolt.
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 3814456 A (Bryntse) in view of US 8454037 B2 (Waltz et al.) and further in view of US 6904641 B2 (Magoto et al.).
Regarding claim 7, Bryntse and Waltz et al. teach:
The load wheel mounting structure of claim 6.
Bryntse and Waltz et al. do not teach:
wherein the first bolt has a bolt head that is tapered to correspond to the tapered frame holes.
However, Magoto et al. teach:
A load wheel mounting structure, and
wherein the first bolt (220) has a bolt head (310, 324, 322) that is tapered to correspond to the tapered frame holes.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to taper the ends of the bolt of Bryntse, in the combination with Waltz et al., as taught by Magoto et al. with a reasonable expectation of success to fit flush with the tapered holes and prevent lateral movement in conjunction with the holes.
Regarding claim 8, Bryntse, Waltz et al., and Magoto et al. further teach:
wherein the wheel assembly includes a first nut (222, 224, Magoto et al.) is coupled to a threaded portion (330) of the first bolt penetrated through the frame holes of the two side frames, wherein the first nut is tapered to correspond to the tapered frame holes (the diameter of 222 is larger and tapers to a smaller diameter at 224).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a tapered nut to secure the bolt in the wheel mounting structure of Bryntse and Waltz et al., as taught by Magoto et al., with a reasonable expectation of success to keep the bolt from slipping in the lateral direction opposite that which the tapered bolt head keeps the bolt from slipping. The bolt head and nut collectively prevent lateral movement in both directions and the mutual tapering and tapered holes keep the fasteners set within the plates so that the surface is flush and without projections.
Regarding claim 9, Bryntse, Waltz et al., and Magoto et al. further teach:
wherein the frame holes and the bushing hole are automatically aligned as the first bolt penetrates through the frame holes and the bushing hole (the frame holes 149a, 149b are aligned with the bushing hole of 161 of Waltz et al. and are likewise in alignment in the combination).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-2713179-A, US-3601423-A, US-3778080-A, US-4027771-A, US-6517307-B1, US-20050034929-A1, US-8881366-B2, US-9458001-B2, US-9714047-B1, US-10005650-B2, US-10884011-B2, US-20220315087-A1, US-11745778-B2, US-20230416064-A1, JP-2000007294-A, and GB-2511849-A are cited to show load wheel mounting structure bolted to plates for lift trucks.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHELLE M MUDWILDER whose telephone number is (571)272-6068. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11:00 am - 7:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ANNA MOMPER can be reached at (571)270-5788. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.M.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ANNA M MOMPER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654