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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: for better claim construction and consistency throughout the claims the examiner suggests the following amendment:
Claim 1, lines 22-27: -- of the corresponding ladder racks and a portion of the solar panel forms a positive angle in relation to the crossbars of the corresponding ladder racks, or the solar panel may pivot at the first pivot points and be secured into a desired position by the one or more struts such that the solar panel forms a positive angle with the crossbars of the corresponding ladder racks.— Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, line 10, the term “may be” is indefinite. The term “may be” is unclear if it is a requirement of the claim or not. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 10, how does the “a ladder rack” relate to the two or more ladder racks previously claimed in line 2 of the claim? Is the ladder rack in line 10 one of the ladder racks that were previously claimed in line 2 of the claim? Or is the applicant claiming a new ladder rack in line 10 that is separate from the ladder racks that were previously claimed in line 2 of the claim? Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 10, how does the “one or more saddle mounts” relate to the one or more saddle mounts previously claimed in line 7 of the claim? Is the one or more saddle mounts in line 10 one of the one or more saddle mounts that were previously claimed in line 7 of the claim? Or is the applicant claiming a new one or more saddle mounts in line 10 that is separate from the one or more saddle mounts that were previously claimed in line 7 of the claim? Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 11, the term “may be” is indefinite. The term “may be” is unclear if it is a requirement of the claim or not. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 11, how does the “an adjacent ladder rack” relate to the two or more ladder racks previously claimed in line 2 of the claim? Is the an adjacent ladder rack in line 11 one of the ladder racks that were previously claimed in line 2 of the claim? Or is the applicant claiming a new adjacent ladder rack in line 11 that is separate from the ladder racks that were previously claimed in line 2 of the claim? Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 12, how does the “one or more saddle mounts” relate to the one or more saddle mounts previously claimed in line 7 of the claim? Is the one or more saddle mounts in line 12 one of the one or more saddle mounts that were previously claimed in line 7 of the claim? Or is the applicant claiming a new one or more saddle mounts in line 12 that is separate from the one or more saddle mounts that were previously claimed in line 7 of the claim? Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 13, the term “may be” is indefinite. The term “may be” is unclear if it is a requirement of the claim or not. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 14, the term “may be” is indefinite. The term “may be” is unclear if it is a requirement of the claim or not. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 16, the term “a solar panel” is unclear as to if the applicant is only claiming 1 solar panel or if the applicant intends to claim more than 1 solar panel (see claim 4 which claims two solar panels). If the applicant claims at least one solar panel in claim 1 the claim will make since if only one pivot bracket is being claimed or if more than one pivot bracket is being claimed in claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 16, the term “may be” is indefinite. The term “may be” is unclear if it is a requirement of the claim or not. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 17, the term “may be positioned to” is indefinite. The term “may be” is unclear if it is a requirement of the claim or not. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 20, the term “may pivot” is indefinite. The term “may” is unclear if it is a requirement of the claim or not. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 1, line 24, the term “may pivot” is indefinite. The term “may” is unclear if it is a requirement of the claim or not. Appropriate correction is required.
The examiner suggests the following amendments for claim 1:
Claim 1: -- A solar mount comprising:
two or more ladder racks wherein each ladder rack is comprised of two feet, two vertical bars, and one crossbar, wherein the feet of the ladder racks are configured to be secured to a surface;
one or more cables configured to connect to and provide support to the two or more ladder racks;
one or more pivoting brackets each comprised of one or more saddle mounts, a front lower swing arm, a rear lower swing arm, a front upper swing arm, a rear upper swing arm, a support bar, and one or more struts, wherein the front lower swing arm is secured to a corresponding ladder rack from the ladder racks by corresponding one or more saddle mounts from the one or more saddle mounts, wherein the rear lower swing arm is secured to an adjacent corresponding ladder rack from the ladder racks by corresponding one or more saddle mounts from the one or more saddle mounts, wherein the front upper swing arm is secured to the front lower swing arm at a first front locking pivot point and a second front locking pivot point and the rear upper swing arm is secured to the rear lower swing arm at a first rear locking pivot point and at a second rear locking pivot point, wherein at least one solar panel is secured to the front and rear upper swing arms, wherein the support bar s from the front upper swing arm to the rear upper swing arm and is configured to provide support to the at least one solar panel, and
wherein the at least one solar panel [[may]] is configured to pivot at the second pivot points and be secured into a desired position by the one or more struts such that a portion of the at least one solar panel forms a negative angle in relation to the crossbars of the corresponding ladder racks and a portion of the at least one solar panel forms a positive angle in relation to the crossbars of the corresponding ladder racks, or the at least one solar panel [[may]] is configured to pivot at the first pivot points and be secured into a desired position by the one or more struts such that the at least one solar panel forms a positive angle with the crossbars of the corresponding ladder racks.—Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 2, “the solar mount” is unclear and confusing as to which “solar mount” the applicant is referring to since “one or more solar mounts” was previously claimed in line 7 of claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the roof" in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
The examiner suggests the following amendments for claim 2:
Claim 2: --The solar mount of Claim 1, wherein [[the]] each solar mount is configured to be secured to [[the]] a roof of a vehicle.—Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the tensioning" in line 3 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
The examiner suggests the following amendments for claim 3:
Claim 3: --The solar mount of Claim 1, further comprising one or more tensioning nuts connected in line with the one or more cables and configured to allow for [[the]] tensioning or loosening of the one or more cables.—Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 4, line 1, how does the “two pivoting brackets” relate to the one or more pivoting brackets previously claimed in line 7 of claim 1? Are the “two pivoting brackets” in claim 2 a part of the “one or more pivoting brackets” that were previously claimed in line 7 of claim 1? Or is the applicant claiming new pivoting brackets in claim 2 that are separate from the one or more pivoting brackets that were previously claimed in line 7 of claim 1? Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 4, line 1, the term “may” is indefinite. The term “may” is unclear if it is a requirement of the claim or not. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the same two ladder racks" in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 4, line 2, how does the “solar panels” claimed in lines 2 and 3 of claim 4 relate to the “a solar panel” previously claimed in claim 1? How one solar panel (claimed in claim 1) be two solar panels (claimed in claim 4)? Appropriate correction is required.
The examiner suggests the following amendments for claim 4:
Claim 4: -- The solar mount of Claim 1, wherein two pivoting brackets
[[may]] each secures a corresponding solar panel from the at least one solar panel on the corresponding ladder racks such that an alley way is formed between the [[two]] corresponding solar panels.—Appropriate correction is required.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEVIN K BARNETT whose telephone number is (571)270-1159. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11am-7:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Liu can be reached at 571-272-8227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DEVIN K BARNETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
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