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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I and Species I for figs. 1, 10-18, and claims 1-9 and 21-31 in the reply filed on 7/15/2026 is acknowledged. However, claim 9 claims for “the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member comprise outriggers separate from tractive elements of the lift vehicle”, which is pertaining to fig. 20 for outriggers 2000 separate from axle arms 104 based on paras. 0041, 0165, and 0174. Therefore, claim 9 has been withdrawn.
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.
Claims 8 and 26-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, regards as the invention.
Claim 8 claims for a footprint of the lift vehicle but there are multiple meanings for footprint. The specification in para. 0136 defines that the footprint may be defined to indicate an overall width in a direction of the lift vehicle 100 between tractive elements 116. However, claim 8 depends upon claim 1 and the tractive elements are introduced in claim 4. Claim 8 has a lack of antecedent basis if this is the definition the claim is applying. For the purpose of examination, the Examiner interprets the claim to define footprint as the one defined by the specification or any other applicable definition.
Claims 26 and 27 have a similar problem. In claim 26, the footprint is introduced before the tractive elements in claim 26, such that it is unclear if the footprint is based on the tractive elements or not.
Dependent claims 28-31 fail to solve the deficiency.
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, 6-8, 21-23, 27-28, and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mao et al. (CN 114572910), hereinafter Mao.
Regarding claim 1, Mao teaches of (fig. 1) a lift vehicle (folding arm type aerial work vehicle), comprising:
a chassis (beam 9);
a lift apparatus (folding boom comprising of an upper arm 2, an upper arm rotating shaft 3, a lower arm 4, a lower arm angle sensor 5, a lower arm rotating shaft 6) configured to raise or lower an implement or platform (abstract, raises and lowers the working hopper 1 as seen in figs. 1-2);
a first extendable stabilizing member (left side horizontal leg 11) configured to extend and retract from a first side of the chassis (p. 6, left side horizontal leg full extension mechanism 10 extends and retracts the first extendable stabilizing member 11 from a first side of the chassis);
a second extendable stabilizing member (right horizontal leg 14) configured to extend and retract from a second side of the chassis (p. 6, right horizontal leg full extension mechanism 13 extends and retracts the second extendable stabilizing member 14 from a second side of the chassis); and
a controller (controller 12) configured to:
determine an amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member (fig. 4, p. 6, left side horizontal leg full extension detection mechanism 10 and the right side horizontal leg full extension detection mechanism 13 are connected with the controller 12, obtaining the left side horizontal leg 11 and the right side horizontal leg 14 extending state by the controller 12);
determine a reach envelope for both the first side and the second side of the chassis based on the amount of extension or retraction (p. 2, the working range in the state of the current horizontal supporting legs is set in the control system), the controller configured to decrease a size of the reach envelope with respect to reduced amounts of extension or retraction (claim 1, p. 9, operation range control is limited by the controller depending on the fully extended or reduced amounts of extension or retraction of the first and second extendable stabilizing member 11, 14); and
in response to a user input to operate the lift apparatus, operate the lift apparatus according to the user input and restrict movement of the implement or platform beyond a boundary of the reach envelope (p. 3, in response to the operation of the work vehicle by the user and the extension of the extendable stabilizing members, the controller applies limiting logic and restrict movement of the implement or platform beyond a boundary of the reach envelope).
Regarding claim 2, Mao teaches of claim 1, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the reach envelope as a full capacity reach envelope in response to the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member being fully deployed (p. 3, the operation range control method and determination of its reach envelope is in response to the first and second extendable stabilizing members 11, 14 being fully deployed or not).
Regarding claim 3, Mao teaches of claim 1, and further comprising a first sensor configured to measure the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and a second sensor configured to measure the amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member,
wherein the controller is configured to determine the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member based on sensor feedback from the first sensor and the second sensor (p.6-8, left side horizontal leg full extension detection mechanism 10 and right horizontal leg full extension detecting mechanism 13 measure amounts of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member 11 and second extendable stabilizing member 14. These mechanisms 10, 13 are detected by the controller 12. Examiner notes that measurement of if the extension is fully extended or not are measuring at least 0% and 100% extension or retraction, which reads upon “the amount of extension or retraction” of the claim).
Regarding claim 6, Mao teaches of claim 1, and wherein the reach envelope is configured to maintain a tipping moment of the lift vehicle less than a threshold amount at all positions of the implement or platform within the reach envelope (p. 6-8, prevents tipping of the lift vehicle by restricting movement to be less than the threshold working range of all positions of the working hopper 1).
Regarding claim 7, Mao teaches of claim 1, and wherein the reach envelope is a predetermined envelope selected from a database based on the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member (p. 6-8, based on the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member, the reach envelope is predetermined from a database of safe limits to keep the lift vehicle operable and prevents tipping of the lift vehicle).
Regarding claim 8, Mao teaches of claim 1, and wherein the controller is configured to determine a footprint of the lift vehicle based on the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member and determine the reach envelope based on the footprint (as best understood by 112b rejection, footprint can be defined as “range of operation (as of a service)” or “the area on a surface covered by something” by Merriam-Webster; pp. 6-8, the footprint of the vehicle is determined based on the extension and retraction of the first and second extendable stabilizing members to determine the reach envelope and limiting ranges based on the footprint).
Regarding claim 21, Mao teaches of (fig. 1) a lift vehicle (folding arm type aerial work vehicle), comprising:
a chassis (beam 9);
a lift apparatus (folding boom comprising of an upper arm 2, an upper arm rotating shaft 3, a lower arm 4, a lower arm angle sensor 5, a lower arm rotating shaft 6) configured to raise or lower an implement or platform (abstract, raises and lowers the working hopper 1 as seen in figs. 1-2);
a first extendable stabilizing member (left side horizontal leg 11) configured to extend and retract from a first side of the chassis (p. 6, left side horizontal leg full extension mechanism 10 extends and retracts the first extendable stabilizing member 11 from a first side of the chassis);
a second extendable stabilizing member (right horizontal leg 14) configured to extend and retract from a second side of the chassis (p. 6, right horizontal leg full extension mechanism 13 extends and retracts the second extendable stabilizing member 14 from a second side of the chassis); and
a controller (controller 12) configured to:
determine an amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and an amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member (fig. 4, p. 6, left side horizontal leg full extension detection mechanism 10 and the right side horizontal leg full extension detection mechanism 13 are connected with the controller 12 obtaining the left side horizontal leg 11 and the right side horizontal leg 14 extending state by the controller 12);
determine a first reach envelope for the first side of the chassis based on the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and a second reach envelope for the second side of the chassis based on the amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member (p. 2, the working range in the state of the current horizontal supporting legs is set in the control system; pp. 6-8, limiting logics are applied based on the amount of extension or retraction of the first and second extendable stabilizing members such that first, second, or more reach envelopes are determined);
operate the lift apparatus to restrict movement of the implement or the platform outside of a boundary of the first reach envelope in response to a command to move the lift apparatus beyond the boundary of the first reach envelope; and operate the lift apparatus to restrict movement of the implement or the platform outside of a boundary of the second reach envelope in response to a command to move the lift apparatus beyond the boundary of the second reach envelope (pp. 3, 6-8, in response to the operation of the work vehicle by the user and the extension of the extendable stabilizing members, the controller applies limiting logic and restrict movement of the implement or platform beyond a boundary of the reach envelope so that the vehicle does not tip or be in danger).
Regarding claim 22, Mao teaches of claim 21, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the first reach envelope or the second reach envelope as a full capacity reach envelope in response to the first extendable stabilizing member or the second extendable stabilizing member being fully deployed (p. 3, the operation range control method and determination of its reach envelope is in response to the first and second extendable stabilizing members 11, 14 being fully deployed or not).
Regarding claim 23, Mao teaches of claim 21, and further comprising a first sensor configured to measure the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and a second sensor configured to measure the amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member,
wherein the controller is configured to determine the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member based on sensor feedback from the first sensor and the second sensor (p.6-8, left side horizontal leg full extension detection mechanism 10 and right horizontal leg full extension detecting mechanism 13 measure amounts of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member 11 and second extendable stabilizing member 14. These mechanisms 10, 13 are detected by the controller 12. Examiner notes that measurement of if the extension is fully extended or not are measuring at least 0% and 100% extension or retraction, which reads upon “the amount of extension or retraction” of the claim).
Regarding claim 27, Mao teaches of (fig. 1) a lift vehicle (folding arm type aerial work vehicle), comprising:
a chassis (beam 9);
a lift apparatus (folding boom comprising of an upper arm 2, an upper arm rotating shaft 3, a lower arm 4, a lower arm angle sensor 5, a lower arm rotating shaft 6) configured to raise or lower an implement or platform (abstract, raises and lowers the working hopper 1 as seen in figs. 1-2);
a first extendable stabilizing member (left side horizontal leg 11) configured to extend and retract from a first side of the chassis (p. 6, left side horizontal leg full extension mechanism 10 extends and retracts the first extendable stabilizing member 11 from a first side of the chassis);
a second extendable stabilizing member (right horizontal leg 14) configured to extend and retract from a second side of the chassis (p. 6, right horizontal leg full extension mechanism 13 extends and retracts the second extendable stabilizing member 14 from a second side of the chassis);
a first sensor configured to measure an amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member (p.6-8, left side horizontal leg full extension detection mechanism 10 measure an amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member 11);
a second sensor configured to measure an amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member (right horizontal leg full extension detecting mechanism 13 measure an amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member 14); and
a controller (controller 12) configured to:
receive sensor feedback from the first sensor and the second sensor indicative of the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member (These mechanisms 10, 13 are detected by the controller 12. Examiner notes that measurement of if the extension is fully extended or not are measuring at least 0% and 100% extension or retraction, which reads upon “the amount of extension or retraction” of the claim);
determine a footprint of the lift vehicle based on the sensor feedback (as best understood by 112b rejection, footprint can be defined as “range of operation (as of a service)” or “the area on a surface covered by something” by Merriam-Webster; pp. 6-8, the footprint of the vehicle is based on the extension and retraction of the first and second extendable stabilizing members to determine the reach envelope and limiting ranges based on the footprint);
select a reach envelope from a database based on the determined footprint, the reach envelope configured to maintain a tipping moment of the lift vehicle less than a threshold amount at all positions of the implement or platform within the reach envelope (p. 6-8, based on the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member, or also known as the footprint of the first and second extendable stabilizing members, the reach envelope is predetermined from a database of safe limits to keep the lift vehicle less than a threshold amount at all positions of the implement or platform 1 and prevents tipping of the lift vehicle); and
operate the lift apparatus to restrict movement of the implement or platform outside a boundary of the selected reach envelope (p. 3, the controller applies limiting logic and restrict movement of the implement or platform beyond a boundary of the reach envelope).
Regarding claim 28, Mao teaches of claim 27, and wherein the controller is configured to select the reach envelope as a full capacity reach envelope in response to the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member being fully deployed (p. 3, the operation range control method and determination of its reach envelope is in response to the first and second extendable stabilizing members 11, 14 being fully deployed or not).
Regarding claim 30, Mao teaches of claim 27, and wherein the database comprises a plurality of predetermined reach envelopes corresponding to different footprint configurations of the lift vehicle (p. 6-8, different predetermined reach envelopes depending the footprint based on the extension and retraction of the first and second extendable stabilizing members).
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.
Claims 4, 24, 26, and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao in view of Boroni et al. (US 20230192464), hereinafter Boroni.
Regarding claims 4, 24, and 31, Mao teaches of claims 1, 21, and 27, respectively, but does not appear to teach of wherein the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member comprise tractive elements configured to engage a ground surface.
Boroni teaches of (fig. 2) wherein the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member (lateral frame members at the front and rear of the base assembly 12) comprise tractive elements (tractive elements 82) configured to engage a ground surface (seen in fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mao to incorporate the teachings of Boroni of wherein the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member comprise tractive elements configured to engage a ground surface in order to have elements to help move the extendable stabilizing members themselves if need be.
Regarding claim 26, Mao teaches of claim 21, and wherein the first reach envelope and the second reach envelope are configured to maintain a tipping moment of the lift vehicle less than a threshold amount at all positions of the implement or platform within the first reach envelope and the second reach envelope (p. 6-8, prevents tipping of the lift vehicle to be less than the threshold working range of all positions of the working hopper 1);
wherein the first reach envelope and the second reach envelope are predetermined envelopes selected from a database based on the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the amount of extension or retraction of the second extendable stabilizing member (p. 6-8, based on the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member, the reach envelope is predetermined from a database of safe limits to keep the lift vehicle operable and prevents tipping of the lift vehicle);
wherein the controller is configured to determine a footprint of the lift vehicle based on the amount of extension or retraction of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member and determine the first reach envelope and the second reach envelope based on the footprint (as best understood by 112b rejection, footprint can be defined as “range of operation (as of a service)” or “the area on a surface covered by something” by Merriam-Webster; pp. 6-8, the footprint of the vehicle is based on the extension and retraction of the first and second extendable stabilizing members to determine the reach envelope and limiting ranges based on the footprint).
Mao does not appear to teach of wherein the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member comprise tractive elements of the lift vehicle.
Boroni teaches of (fig. 2) wherein the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member (lateral frame members at the front and rear of the base assembly 12) comprise tractive elements (tractive elements 82) of the lift vehicle (seen in fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mao to incorporate the teachings of Boroni of wherein the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member comprise tractive elements of the lift vehicle in order to have elements to help move the extendable stabilizing members themselves if need be.
Claims 5 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao in view of Kishi (US 5249642).
Regarding claims 5 and 25, Mao teaches of claims 1 and 21, respectively, and wherein the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member are configured to extend or retract in opposite directions from the chassis of the lift vehicle (first extendable stabilizing member 11 extends or retracts in the opposite direction of the second extendable stabilizing member 14).
Mao does not appear to teach of wherein the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member are configured in unison.
Kishi teaches of wherein the first extendable member and the second extendable member (the first and second hydraulic cylinders 109 and 118) are configured to extend or retract in unison (col. 12 lines 38-53, the first and second hydraulic cylinders 109 and 118 are elongated simultaneously).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mao to incorporate the teachings of Kishi of wherein the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member are configured in unison in order to reduce time of extending and retracting the extendable stabilizing members one at a time and to equally extend or retract the extendable stabilizing member in both directions when need be.
Claim 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao in view of Bogue (US 8505684).
Regarding claim 29, Mao teaches of claim 27, but does not appear to teach of wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise position sensors configured to detect a position of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member relative to the chassis.
Bogue teaches of wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise position sensors (fig. 5, col. 9 lines 26-42, one or more position sensors 50 located on each outrigger leg) configured to detect a position of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member relative to the chassis (the control assembly 40 receives inputs from sensors 50 that determine if each of the outrigger legs 20 is horizontally fully extended to the in-use position with respect to the base frame 12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mao to incorporate the teachings of Bogue of wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise position sensors configured to detect a position of the first extendable stabilizing member and the second extendable stabilizing member relative to the chassis in order to accurately determine the extension or retraction of the first and second extendable stabilizing members relative to the chassis and be less dependent on the operation of the actuators extending or retracting the first and second extendable stabilizing members.
Conclusion
The cited references made of record in the contemporaneously filed PTO-892 form and not relied upon in the instant office action are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, and may have one or more of the elements in Applicant’s disclosure and at least claim 1.
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/ZOE TAM TRAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 3647
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