DETAILED ACTION
The Information Disclosure Statement filed on September 27, 2024, has been reviewed and considered by the Examiner.
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) 15, 16 and 19-34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Buckland (GB 2386355 A).
Buckland discloses a portable rail vehicle comprised of a support platform 14, to support a standing passenger and a seat 12 for the passenger to sit or lean. The trolley is supported by three wheels 3, 4 and 30 to roll on the rails 15 of the railway track, as shown in figure 3. Beneath the platform is an electric motor 11 to power the wheels of the vehicle and it is integrated with the rear wheel. Each wheel is connected to the platform by an arm as shown in figures 1 and 3. Paragraph 1 of the description states that the vehicle is collapsible and the handlebars 7 are adjustable for the rider. The handlebar and integrated controls for the vehicle are positioned at one side of the vehicle, and the platform and support arm extend laterally out at a distance from the handlebars, as shown in figures 2 and 3.
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(s) 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buckland (GB 2386355 A).
Buckland discloses the portable rail vehicle as described above. However, Buckland only shows a single motor associated with one wheel of the vehicle and does not show a motor with at least two wheels or four wheels. It would have been an obvious multiplication of parts to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the instant application, to come to the expected result to add additional motors with respective wheels on the vehicle to provide additional propulsion to the vehicle to increase speed or power up inclines. The additional motors would allow for redundancy should one motor fail.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Robert J McCarry Jr. whose telephone number is (571)272-6683. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00-3:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, S. Joseph Morano can be reached at 571-272-6684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Robert J McCarry Jr/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
RJM
September 1, 2026
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