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
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.
Claim(s) 17-24, 27 and 30-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Muller US 2015/0026979.
PNG
media_image1.png
434
460
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Muller discloses an assembly (Fig. 4) comprising a machine comprising a first element (10) coupled to a second element (29), the machine being connected to a chassis (30) which comprises a guide interface (36, 54) for guiding the second element in translation relative to the first element in a direction of uncoupling, the guide interface comprising a first guide track (36) and a second guide track (36), wherein the guide interface and the guide tracks, are permanently connected to the chassis (30).
As for claims 18 and 19, Muller discloses wherein a first straight line normal to the first track (36) considered in a first plane orthogonal to the direction of uncoupling forms, with the chassis, a first angle comprised between ten and eighty degrees. Muller discloses wherein tracks 36 is oriented at a 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock angle which correlate to 120º and 240º respectively (see ¶0031). Thus, a straight line extending normal to the first and second tracks (36) considered in a first plane orthogonal to the direction of uncoupling forms, with the chassis, a first and a second angle comprised between ten and eighty degrees (Muller, 120º-90º=30º / 270º-240º=30º).
PNG
media_image2.png
275
277
media_image2.png
Greyscale
As for claim 20, Muller discloses wherein a first straight line normal to the first track and a second straight line normal to the second track considered in a first plane orthogonal to the direction of uncoupling intersect at a first point (imaginary orthogonal line intersecting between the orientations of the tracks 36).
As for claim 21, Muller discloses wherein a third angle formed by the first straight line and the second straight line is comprised between twenty and one hundred and sixty degrees (Muller, 120º).
As for claim 22, Muller discloses wherein the first point belongs to a third straight line (imaginary centerline, see fig. 1) substantially parallel to the direction of uncoupling and which passes through a center of gravity of the second element.
As for claim 23, Muller discloses wherein the first point is located on an axis of rotation of a rotating shaft (23) of the first element or of the second element (see Fig. 1).
As for claim 24, Muller discloses wherein the guide interface comprises at least one first roller (42).
As for claim 27, Muller discloses wherein the guide interface comprises at least one first slide pad (roller pads, 42).
As for claim 30, Muller discloses wherein the guide interface (36) is removably connected to the chassis or to the second element (¶0044, fastening of tracks).
As for claim 31, Muller discloses wherein with the machine being a rotating machine, the first element is a driven element (turbine) and the second element (motor) is a driving element (¶0002 and ¶0037).
As for claim 32, Muller discloses a method of assembling or separating the first element (10) and second element (29) of an assembly of claim 17, the method comprising a step of modifying the relative alignment of the first element and second element by adjusting the position of the guide interface along the direction of uncoupling and/or along the normal to the guide track or guide tracks (see Figs. 2-4, claim 4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 25-26 and 28-29 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYRONE V HALL JR whose telephone number is (571)270-5948. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 7:30am-3:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Carter can be reached at (571) 272-4475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TYRONE V HALL JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
Prosecution Insights