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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to application 18/888,827 filed 9/18/24. Claims 1-10 are pending with claims 1 and 6 in independent form.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the dock lift" in line 5 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The examiner is interpreting “the dock lift” to mean “raisable deck”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Traylor et al. US 2022/0297773 A1.
Traylor teaches:
Re: claim 1, A ramp and coupling adapter for a portable dock lift comprising: a ramp (ramp 200) and a separate coupling adapter (ramp support 451) that interfaces between the ramp (ramp 200) and the dock lift (loading deck 300) into a use position.
Re: claim 2, A ramp and coupling adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter (ramp support 451) comprises a transverse channel and a pair of extending tubular member (attachment arm 361) extending therefrom for interfacing with complementary structure on the portable dock lift (loading deck 300).
Re: claim 3, A ramp and coupling adapter according to claim 2 further comprising a locking pin ([0072] locking pin (not shown) inserts into locking pin receiver 455) for locking the coupling adapter to the portable lift dock ([0093]).
Re: claim 4, A ramp and coupling adapter according to claim 3 wherein the ramp has a complementary cut out portion for accepting the transverse channel of the coupling adapter to link the coupling adapter to the ramp (fig. 1; [0073]).
Re: claim 5, A ramp and coupling adapter according to claim 4 wherein the ramp includes transversely extending channels and/or tubular members for accepting the tines of a fork lift ([0087]).
Re: claim 6, A portable dock comprising: a raisable deck (loading deck 300); a separate ramp (ramp 200); and a separate coupling adapter (ramp support 451) that interfaces between the ramp (ramp 200) and the dock lift (loading deck 300) into a use position.
Re: claim 7, A portable dock according to claim 6 wherein the adapter (ramp support 451) comprises a transverse channel and a pair of extending tubular member (attachment arm 361) extending therefrom for interfacing with complementary structure on the portable dock lift (loading deck 300).
Re: claim 8, A portable dock according to claim 7 further comprising a locking pin ([0072] locking pin (not shown) inserts into locking pin receiver 455) for locking the coupling adapter to the portable lift dock ([0093]).
Re: claim 9, A portable dock according to claim 8 wherein the ramp has a complementary cut out portion for accepting the transverse channel of the coupling adapter to link the coupling adapter to the ramp (fig. 1; [0073]).
Re: claim 10, A portable dock according to claim 9 wherein the ramp includes transversely extending channels and/or tubular members for accepting the tines of a fork lift ([0087]).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISTY A HAUPT whose telephone number is (571)272-8545 and email address is kristy.haupt@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Sun 5:30 AM- 10PM; Flex during day.
If all attempts to reach the examiner by telephone and email are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Lee, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-2398. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
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) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/KRISTY A HAUPT/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
KAH
Prosecution Insights