DETAILED ACTION
In response to remarks filed on 5 February 2026
Status of Claims
Claims 1-10 and 12-15 are pending;
Claims 1 and 6 are currently amended;
Claims 2-5 and 7-15 were previously presented;
Claim 11 is cancelled;
Claims 1-10 and 12-15 are rejected herein.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 5 February 2026 have been fully considered. The new limitations still read on the reference as they have been reinterpreted in view of the new limitations. Terms like “portion”, “actuator”, “unit” are broad and the claims do not provide specific structural features for these elements. Therefore, parts can be grouped together as one element due to the lack of specific structural features. A “portion”, “actuator”, “unit”, “base”, “canopy” can have a wide array of shapes, parts and forms.
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.
Claims 1, 3-10, 12, 13 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Piezcyk et al (Germany Patent Publication No. 10348099).
As to Claim 1, Pieczyk discloses a roof support unit (1) for a mining machine, particularly for a longwall mining system, comprising a support canopy (3) which is supported on a base (2) via at least one damper unit (15) and at least one actuator (4 and 16 grouped together) configured to move the support canopy (3) relative to the base (2), wherein the damper unit (15) is interposed between the support canopy (3) and the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together) or between the base and the actuator;
Wherein the damper unit (15) has a first end portion (Portion of 15 connected to actuator [4 and 16]) and a second end portion (Portion of 15 connected to support canopy 3) opposite the first end portion;
Wherein the first end portion of the damper unit (15) is directly connected to the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together) and the second end portion of the damper unit is directly connected to either the support canopy (3) or the base.
As to Claim 3, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together) is configured to raise or lower the support canopy (3) relative to the base (2).
As to Claim 4, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together) is at least one of a linear actuator and hydraulic actuator (4 and 16 grouped together).
As to Claim 5, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the damper unit (15) is configured to transmit a support force between the support canopy (3) and the base (2) for maintaining or changing a position of the support canopy (3) relative to the base (2) during operation.
As to Claim 6, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the support canopy (3) is structurally connected to the base (2) via the damper unit (15).
As to Claim 7, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the damper unit (15) is configured to allow movement of the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together) relative to the support canopy (3) or the base (2).
As to Claim 8, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the damper unit (15) is configured to dampen movement of the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together) relative to the support canopy (3) or the base (2).
As to Claim 9, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the damper unit (15) is configured to dampen movement of the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together) relative to the support canopy (3) or the base (2) in a retracting or extending movement direction of the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together).
As to Claim 10, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the damper unit (15) is mounted to an end section of the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together).
As to Claim 12, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the damper unit (15) comprises a compression element (15) configured to convert motion energy of the actuator (4 and 16 grouped together) into potential energy or heat.
As to Claim 13, Pieczyk discloses the invention of Claim 12 (Refer to Claim 12 discussion). Pieczyk also discloses wherein the compression element (15) comprises or is a solid compression element (Springs are made of a solid material).
As to Claim 15, Pieczyk discloses the longwall mining system comprising at least one roof support unit (1) according to Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion).
Claims 1-10, 12, 13 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang (China Patent Publication No. 208816159).
As to Claim 1, Zhang discloses a roof support unit (Figure 1) for a mining machine, particularly for a longwall mining system, comprising a support canopy (4) which is supported on a base (8) via at least one damper unit (10) and at least one actuator (11) configured to move the support canopy (4) relative to the base (8);
Wherein the damper unit (10) has a first end portion (1003) and a second end portion (1012) opposite the first end portion;
Wherein the first end portion (1003) of the damper unit (10) is directly connected to the actuator (11) and the second end portion (1012) of the damper unit is directly connected to either the support canopy or the base (8).
As to Claim 2, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the damper unit (10) and the actuator (11) are connected in line between the support canopy (4) and the base (8).
As to Claim 3, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the actuator (11) is configured to raise or lower the support canopy (4) relative to the base (8).
As to Claim 4, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the actuator (11) is at least one of a linear actuator and hydraulic actuator.
As to Claim 5, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the damper unit (10) is configured to transmit a support force between the support canopy (4) and the base (8) for maintaining or changing a position of the support canopy (4) relative to the base (8) during operation.
As to Claim 6, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the support canopy (4) is structurally connected to the base (8) via the damper unit (10).
As to Claim 7, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the damper unit (10) is configured to allow movement of the actuator (11) relative to the support canopy (4) or the base (8).
As to Claim 8, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the damper unit (10) is configured to dampen movement of the actuator (11) relative to the support canopy (4) or the base (8).
As to Claim 9, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the damper unit (10) is configured to dampen movement of the actuator (11) relative to the support canopy (4) or the base (8) in a retracting or extending movement direction of the actuator (11).
As to Claim 10, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the damper unit (10) is mounted to an end section of the actuator (11).
As to Claim 12, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the damper unit (10) comprises a compression element (1008, 1009) configured to convert motion energy of the actuator (11) into potential energy or heat.
As to Claim 13, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 12 (Refer to Claim 12 discussion). Zhang also discloses wherein the compression element (1008, 1009) comprises or is a solid compression element (Springs are made of a solid material).
As to Claim 15, Zhang discloses the longwall mining system comprising at least one roof support unit (Figure 1) according to Claim 1 (Refer to Claim 1 discussion).
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.
Claim 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (China Patent Publication No. 208816159) in view of Lu et al (China Patent Publication No. 111365048).
As to Claim 14, Zhang discloses the invention of Claim 12 (Refer to Claim 12 discussion). However, Zhang is silent about wherein the compression element comprises or is a compression fluid. Lu discloses an actuator (1) with a damper unit (5) at the end thereof, the damper unit comprising a compression element that comprises a compression fluid (5g). Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to make the compression element comprise a compression fluid since the substitution of one known element for another would have yielded the same result of dampening impacts.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN J TOLEDO-DURAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday: 10:00AM to 6:00PM EST.
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/EDWIN J TOLEDO-DURAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
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