Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
This is a first office action on the merits for application serail number 18/895,054 filed 9/24/24. Claims 1-20 are pending. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/24/24 is mostly in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner. No copies of any documents clearly discernable or identified as the three NPL citations were found. As such, they have been lined out and not considered for failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the third sentence of paragraph [0078] incudes a typo as it begins with “he”. It appears “he” should read - - The - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
The drawings are objected to because:
At least figures 2A-2C, 3C-3E, 11A-11, 14A-14B and 16-16A are too crowded. 37 CFR 1.84 (h) call for the view to be clearly separated and 37; CFR 1.84(i) recites the views must not be on the outlines of one another; and
The references numbers and line leads should not cross or mingle with the those of other views (37 CFR 1.84( p)(3)). See at least Figs 30/30E.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 121 and 222 of paragraph [0080]. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 9-12 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.
In claim 9, the step of securing the struts to the rung plates is indefinite as claim 8 recites the struts are secured to “the rung plate” which is the “a rung plate” of claim 6. The examiner suggests changing “plates” to - - plate - -.
In claim 10, “angular” should read “angularly”.
In claim 11, there is no antecedent basis for a third rung plate.
Claims 1-8 and 13-20 are allowed.
Claims 9-12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record fails to disclose or adequately suggest providing an extendable ladder of hingedly connected rung plates with holes therethrough fan folded to lie within a foot print of a fist rung plate, disposing the ladder proximate an aircraft; extending the ladder to be longitudinally elongate; and removably suspending the ladder from the aircraft so that a person can climb into or out of the cockpit.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Note:
U.S. Patent 2,998,863 to Larson provides a suspension ladder comprised several hingedly connected sections 10 which may fold in a fanfold manner as shown in figure 6. Wall bearing members or “standoffs” 20 articulately connect the sections such that the sections themselves do not touch the wall. An upper most section includes chains 44 for attaching and suspending the ladder from a window or other elevated openings to allow a person to exits and descend to the ground. The sections are not plates with holes therethrough but rather rails 12 with rungs 14 therebetween. The rails would not fold as compact as plates.
U.S. Patent 4,613,013 to Watling which provides a suspension ladder comprised of hingedly connected generally planar plates 1 with openings 11 therein for accepting a user’s foot. A first or top plate having hooks 17 for suspending the ladder. There is no disclosure of removably suspending from a cockpit without any f the rung plates touching the fuselage of an aircraft.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT CANFIELD whose telephone number is (571)272-6840. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6, some Saturdays.
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) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Dunn can be reached at 571-272-6670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ROBERT CANFIELD
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3636
/Robert Canfield/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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