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 Objections
Claims 12-14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 12, line 2: the limitation “an expandable body” has been previously introduced in claim 11. 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.
Claims 1-3 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aumann (US Pub 2016/0176659).
Regarding claim 1, Aumann discloses a flight (fig 5 and 6) for a conveyor comprising:
an expandable body comprising a first panel (62, 64), a second panel (66, 68) and a linkage system (54) between the first panel and the second panel for selectively moving the second panel relative to the first panel; and
a mounting portion (16, 18) connected to the first panel for mounting the expandable body relative to the conveyor.
Regarding claim 2, Aumann also discloses the mounting portion comprises a mounting bar (50, 52) rotatably mounted in a sheath (in 6, 8).
Regarding claim 3, Aumann also discloses the sheath is mounted on a mover (6, 8) of a linear magnetic motor (10).
Regarding claim 11, Aumann also discloses a conveyor system for conveying and spacing articles, comprising:
a conveyor having a conveying surface extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end; and
a plurality of flights (62, 64, 66, 68) extending laterally over the conveying surface, each flight having an expandable body that can expand longitudinally.
Regarding claim 12, Aumann also discloses each flight comprises:
an expandable body comprising a first panel (62, 64), a second panel (66, 68) and a linkage system (54) between the first panel and the second panel for selectively moving the second panel relative to the first panel; and
a mounting portion (16, 18) connected to the first panel for mounting the expandable body relative to the conveyor.
Regarding claim 13, Aumann also discloses each mounting portion comprises a mounting bar (50, 52) rotatably mounted in a sheath (in 6, 8).
Regarding claim 14, Aumann also discloses the sheath is mounted on a mover (6, 8) of a linear magnetic motor (10).
Claims 1, 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Culpepper (US Patent 5,360,099).
Regarding claim 1, Culpepper discloses a flight for a conveyor comprising:
an expandable body (fig 1-3) comprising a first panel (23), a second panel (24) and a linkage system (25) between the first panel and the second panel for selectively moving the second panel relative to the first panel; and
a mounting portion (16) connected to the first panel for mounting the expandable body relative to the conveyor.
Regarding claim 11, Culpepper also discloses a conveyor system for conveying and spacing articles, comprising:
a conveyor (12) having a conveying surface extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end; and
a plurality of flights (fig 1) extending laterally over the conveying surface, each flight having an expandable body (23, 24, 25) that can expand longitudinally.
Regarding claim 12, Culpepper also discloses each flight comprises:
an expandable body comprising a first panel (23), a second panel (24) and a linkage system (25) between the first panel and the second panel for selectively moving the second panel relative to the first panel; and
a mounting portion (16) connected to the first panel for mounting the expandable body relative to the conveyor.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10 and 15 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/KRC/Examiner, Art Unit 3651 3/13/2026