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.
Claims 1-6 and 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Garer et al. (US 2009/0256125 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Garner et al. discloses a crane (see Abstract generally) comprising: a traveling vehicle body (Para. 0001) that travels with a motor driven by a power supply unit; and a first cooling system (12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20 & 21) that cools a lower electric device (4), wherein the first cooling system includes a plurality of cooling devices (20) dispersedly arranged on the traveling vehicle body, connected in parallel to each other (Figs. 4 & 5), and configured to cool a fluid flowing through a circuit (13, 14) of the first cooling system
Regarding claim 2, Garner et al. discloses the crane according to claim 1. Wherein the fluid branches on an upstream side of the plurality of cooling devices, flow into the plurality of cooling devices (20), is cooled, and then joins and circulates (Fig. 4; Para. 0038).
Regarding claim 3, Garner et al. discloses the crane according to claim 1. Garner et al. further discloses wherein each of the plurality of cooling devices is disposed to face obliquely upward to guide air in the cooling device upward (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 4, Garner et al. discloses the crane according to claim 3. Garner et al. further discloses wherein the first cooling system further includes an air vent tank provided above the plurality of cooling devices and connected to the plurality of cooling devices (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5, Garner et al. discloses the crane according to claim 1. Garner et al. further discloses wherein the plurality of cooling devices includes a right-side cooling device and a left-side cooling device, the right-side cooling device discharges air sucked up from below to obliquely upward to right, and the left-side cooling device discharges air sucked up from below to obliquely upward to left (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 6, Garner et al. discloses the crane according to claim 1. Garner et al. further discloses comprising a second cooling system that is a cooling system independent of the first cooling system and cools the power supply unit, wherein the plurality of cooling devices is dispersedly arranged on left and right sides of the power supply unit, and the second cooling system is disposed above the power supply unit (Figs. 2 & 4; Para. 0035).
Regarding claim 8, Garner et al. discloses the crane according to claim 1. Garner et al. further discloses wherein the first cooling system includes a first cooling circuit and a second cooling circuit provided in parallel, and the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit cool the lower electric devices different from each other (Para. 0038; Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 9, Garner et al. discloses the crane according to claim 8. Garner et al. further discloses wherein the first cooling circuit is a circuit for cooling the lower electric device related to traveling of the crane, and the second cooling circuit is a circuit for cooling the lower electric device related to an operation of the crane (Para. 0038; Fig. 4).
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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Garner et al.
Regarding claim 7, Garner et al. discloses the crane according to claim 1. Garner et al. further discloses the claimed invention except for the plurality of cooling devices is arranged in a line in a left-right direction at a rear end of the traveling vehicle body. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to have include wherein the plurality of cooling devices is arranged in a line in a left-right direction at a rear end of the traveling vehicle body, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70. The purpose would be to accommodate the packaging constraints of the vehicle.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HILARY LYNN JOHNS whose telephone number is (313)446-4852. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:30.
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/HILARY L JOHNS/Examiner, Art Unit 3613
/JAMES A SHRIVER II/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3613
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