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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PG Publication No. 2024/0017570 to Yoshimoto.
Regarding Claim 1, Yoshimoto discloses a support (see Figures 1 and 20-22) having most all the features of the instant invention including: a base 110 rotatably supporting a wheel 130,131 (see Figure 1), and a braking mechanism 140b secured by the base 110 (see Figure 1 and Figures 20-22), the braking mechanism 140b including a brake member 148 in selective engagement with the wheel 130,131, and operating member 126, and a flexible connector 142 connecting the brake member 148 to the operating member 126 (see Figure 22 and paragraphs 0091-0098), wherein the operating member 126 is movable from a first position where the brake member 148 is engaged with the wheel 130,131 to a second position where the brake member is disengaged from the wheel 130,131 (see paragraphs 0091-0098), and wherein the connector 142 moves both in a first direction and a second direction transverse to the first direction as the operating member 126 is moved between the first position and the second position (see paragraphs 0091-0098).
However, Yoshimoto does not disclose that the support is for an appliance.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the support of Yoshimoto on an appliance as an effective means of regulating and controlling the motion of wheels on an appliance for movement or transport of the appliance and stability of the appliance when movement is not intended.
Regarding Claim 2, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the wheel 130,131 includes a hub 134b surrounding an axle 133, the hub 134b having a first engagement feature 135b, and the brake member 148 has a second engagement feature 149 complementary with the first engagement feature 135b (see paragraphs 0091-0093).
Regarding Claim 3, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the first engagement feature 134b/135b is a gear and the second engagement feature 149 is defined by an inner surface having a recess shaped to receive the gear 134b/135b, the inner surface including gear teeth 149 for meshingly engaging the gear 134b/135b (see Figure 22 and paragraphs 0091-0093).
Regarding Claim 4, Yoshimoto, as modified, do not disclose that the gear is a conical shaped gear.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have designed the gear of Yoshimoto to be a conical shaped gear as a matter of design preference dependent upon the desired size and shape of the gear, its overall desired strength and rigidity, and desired space for the gear within the assembly.
Regarding Claim 5, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the brake member 148 includes a body having a first end with the recess (i.e., the recess for teeth 149) and a second opposite end secured to the connector 142 (see Figure 22), the axle 133 of the wheel 130,131 extended through the body (i.e., at least through the center of the body) from the first end toward the second end (see Figure 22).
Regarding Claim 6, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the brake member 141 includes a biasing member 144 adapted to bias the brake member 141 toward the wheel 130,131 (see the Figure 1 embodiment and paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 7, note that connector 142 is readable as a flexible band.
Regarding Claim 8, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the operating member 126 is rotatably connected to the base 110, and the brake mechanism 140b is configured to convert rotational movement of the operating member 126 to translational movement of the brake member 148 (see paragraph 0064).
Regarding Claim 9, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the brake mechanism 140b includes a linkage 25 coupled to the operating member 126, and the connector 142 is secured to the linkage 25 (see Figure 9 and paragraph 0064).
Regarding Claim 10, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the linkage 25 includes first teeth and the operating member 126 including corresponding second teeth (i.e., the teeth of pinion 24) that meshingly engage the first teeth on the linkage 25 (see paragraph 0064 and Figure 9).
Regarding Claim 11, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the base 110 is provided as part of the structure (see Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 12, Yoshimoto discloses a braking mechanism 140b for a wheeled support 100 (see Figure 1) having most all the features of the instant invention including: an operating member 126 with a first part 24/25 movable in a first direction, first and second brake members 148 (i.e., one for each wheel of the suitcase) movable in a second direction between an engaged state for braking respective first and second wheels (i.e., left and right wheels 130/131) of the support and a disengaged state, the second direction transverse to the first direction (see Figures 1 and 20-22), and first and second flexible connectors 142 (i.e., one for each wheel as shown in Figure 1), connecting the operating member 126 to the respective first and second brake members 148, wherein movement of the first part 24/25 of the operating member 126 in the first direction moves the first and second brake members 148 in the second direction between the engaged state and a disengaged state (see Figure 9 and 20-22 and paragraphs 0064 and 0091-0093).
However, Yoshimoto does not disclose that the braking mechanism for the wheeled support is for an appliance.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used the braking mechanism for the wheeled support of Yoshimoto on an appliance as an effective means of regulating and controlling the motion of wheels on an appliance for movement or transport of the appliance and stability of the appliance when movement is not intended.
Regarding Claim 13, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the first part is a linkage 25 having first teeth, the first and second connectors 142 secured to the linkage 25 (see paragraph 0064).
Regarding Claim 14, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses that the operating member 126 includes a second part 24 rotatable about an axis, the second part 24 includes second teeth that meshingly engaged the first teeth (i.e., the teeth of element 25), wherein rotation of the second part 24 moves the first part 25 in the first direction (see Figure 9 and paragraph 0064).
Regarding Claim 15, see Claim 6 above.
Regarding Claim 16, Yoshimoto, as modified, further discloses a gear 134b provided on each of the first and second wheels (i.e., left and right wheels 130/131), and each first and second brake member 148 includes an inner surface (i.e., the surface for teeth 149) defining a recess shaped to receive the gear 134b, each inner surface including gear teeth 149 which meshingly engage the gear 134b (see Figure 22 and paragraphs 0091-0093).
Regarding Claim 17, see Claim 4 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
PG Publication No. 2010/0072004 to Mival et al disclose a braking mechanism for a wheeled support similar to applicant’s.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAMELA RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-7122. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi can be reached at 571-272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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PAMELA RODRIGUEZ
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3616
/PAMELA RODRIGUEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616 07/21/26
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