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 § 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 3, 6, and 7 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.
Regarding claim 3, line 4, it is not clear how the composited axis can be oriented “substantially vertical”. The “composite axis” is defined in claim 1 as comprising a yaw movement component and a roll movement component, whereas, a “vertical axis” has only a yaw movement component.
In claim 5, “a resultant force direction of a tension…” should be -the resultant force direction of a tension…- to avoid double inclusion of the terms.
In claim 6, line 3, it is not clear what applicant means by “the articulation assembly is connected to tensioning assembly”, when the tensioning assembly is a component of the articulation assembly.
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) 1-8, 11, 13, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Merrifield (USPN 4,405,026).
Regarding claim 1, Merrifield teaches an articulation assembly (Figures 1 and 3) for an axle 38 of a wheel assembly 40 of a track system (L) of a vehicle (V) (col. 3, lines 4-6), the articulation assembly comprising: a composite movement component 34, 36, configured to connect the axle of the wheel assembly to a frame of the track system (wheel assembly 40 is connected to the frame of vehicle V at bracket 12), and configured to permit the axle of the wheel assembly to move relative to the frame as a composite movement having a composite axis (axis 23 as seen in Figure 1; pivotal movement of wheel 40 is also shown in Figure 3), the composite axis extending along a longitudinal centre plane of the track system (see Figure 3), and the composite movement comprising a yaw movement component and a roll movement component such that when the axle of the wheel assembly moves relative to the frame (see axis 23 in Figure 1), the composite movement comprises the roll movement and the yaw movement occurring simultaneously.
Regarding claim 2, Merrifield shows the composite axis is angularly off-set by a first acute angle from a portion of a transverse axis of the track system which is above a horizontal axis, the horizontal axis being transverse with the composite axis at the longitudinal centre plane (Figure 1 shows the axis 23 offset by about 15 degrees relative to the transverse/vertical axis).
Regarding claim 3, the composite axis is oriented to be: angled forwardly with respect to the frame; angled rearwardly with respect to the frame; or substantially vertical (Figure 1 shows the composite axis angled forwardly).
Regarding claims 4 and 5, the composite axis is substantially transverse/perpendicular to a resultant force direction of a tension in an endless track of the track system (Figure 1 shows the wheel 40 on a swing arm 16 that pivots at 14 and is tensioned by a shock absorber; the shock absorber is illustrated but unnumbered and extends from the frame V toward the rear and upwardly at an angle that is perpendicular to the composite axis 23).
Regarding claim 6, the articulation assembly further comprises a tensioning assembly configured to resiliently bias the wheel assembly away from the frame and towards an endless track of the track system, wherein the articulation assembly is connected to the tensioning assembly (Figure 1 shows the swing arm 16 pivotally connected to the frame V at 14 and having a shock absorber, unnumbered, that biases the swing arm into tension, as is well known).
Regarding claim 7, Merrifield teaches that the articulation assembly (kingpins 36, 38) is disposed on the axle 38, or is disposed between the axle and the tensioning assembly.
Regarding claim 8, Merrifield teaches a tensioning assembly (pivotal connection 14 of swing arm 16 and unnumbered shock absorber form a tensioning assembly for wheel 40) configured to resiliently bias the wheel assembly 40 away from the frame V and towards an endless track L of the track system, wherein the articulation assembly is connected to the frame (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 11, Merrifield teaches the composite movement component comprises a pivot joint (pivot joints 36,38) or a ball joint.
Regarding claim 13, Merrifield teaches the wheel assembly comprises two wheels 42, 44 (Figure 2, for example), spaced from one another and connected to the axle 38, and wherein the two wheels are configured to contact respective portions on an inner surface of the endless track. (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 14, Merrifield teaches that the wheel assembly comprises an idler wheel assembly 40 or a support wheel assembly.
Claim(s) 1-5, 10-16, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by GB 210,146 to Roadless Traction, Limited (hereafter referred to as RTL).
Regarding claim 1, RTL teaches an articulation assembly for an axle of a wheel assembly (pivotable rollers) of a track system (d) of a vehicle (endless track vehicle; Figure 3 or 9; page 1, lines 10-11), the articulation assembly comprising: a composite movement component (dual pivot universal joint for roller j’ in Figure 9; ball joint, Figures 11 and 12; page 4, lines 119-122) configured to connect the axle of the wheel assembly (rollers j, o”, or n”) to a frame (b of g”) of the track system, and configured to permit the axle of the wheel assembly to move relative to the frame as a composite movement having a composite axis, the composite axis extending along a longitudinal center plane of the track system, and the composite movement comprising a yaw movement component and a roll movement component such that when the axle of the wheel assembly moves relative to the frame, the composite movement comprises the roll movement and the yaw movement occurring simultaneously (for example, ball joint ”is centered along the longitudinal centerline of the track system, Figure 12, and allows the rollers n” and o” a composite movement about a vertical steering axis/transverse axis and about a longitudinal/yaw axis; page 4, line 119 through page 5, line 3).
Regarding claim 2, RTL teaches the composite axis is angularly off-set by a first acute angle from a portion of a transverse axis of the track system which is above a horizontal axis, the horizontal axis being transverse with the composite axis at the longitudinal centre plane (the universal axis allows for composite movement about several axes on the longitudinal center plane, including at least one axis that forms an acute axis with the transverse/vertical steering axis).
Regarding claim 3, RTL teaches the composite axis is oriented to be: angled forwardly with respect to the frame; angled rearwardly with respect to the frame; or substantially vertical.
Regarding claims 4 and 5, the composite axis is substantially transverse/perpendicular to a resultant force direction of a tension in an endless track of the track system (seen in Figure 6, the resultant tension force from the track d is transverse to the roll axis of the roller j within housing l).
Regarding claim 10, the composite movement component comprises at least one member of interconnecting members associated with the axle and the frame respectively, the interconnecting members being moveable relative to each other in at least two degrees of freedom to permit the composite movement (Figure 9 shows a roller h” having a transverse/yaw/vertical pivot and a longitudinal/roll pivot for two degrees of freedom; page 4, lines 112-115).
Regarding claim 11, RTL teaches the composite movement component comprises a pivot joint or a ball joint (pivot joints in Figures 6 and 9, for example, and ball joint in Figures 11 and 12).
Regarding claim 12, RTL teaches at least one stopper for delimiting the composite movement (Figure 6 shows the housing l to have internal structures that limit pivotal movement of the roller j).
Regarding claim 13, the wheel assembly comprises two wheels, spaced from one another and connected to the axle (for example, j” in Figure 10, h” in Figure 10, or o” in Figures 11 and 12), and wherein the two wheels are configured to contact respective portions on an inner surface of the endless track c”.
Regarding claim 14, RTL teaches the wheel assembly comprises an idler wheel assembly or a support wheel assembly (idling support wheels shown in the Figures.
Regarding claim 15, RTL teaches an articulation assembly for an axle of a wheel assembly of a track system of a vehicle, the articulation assembly comprising: a composite movement component configured to connect the axle of the wheel assembly to a frame of the track system, and configured to permit the axle of the wheel assembly to move relative to the frame as a composite movement having a composite axis, the composite axis extending along a longitudinal centre plane of the track system, as discussed above, the composite movement having at least two degrees of freedom (a steering pivot axis and a roll pivot axis, shown as two pivots for roller h” in Figure 9 and as a universal joint having multiple degrees of freedom, in Figures 11 and 12).
Regarding claim 16, RTL teaches the at least two degrees of freedom comprise a roll movement component and a yaw movement component (for example, page 4, lines 119 through page 5, line 3).
Regarding claim 18, RTL teaches a wheel assembly for a track system for a vehicle, the wheel assembly comprising an axle supporting wheels (Figure 10 shows wheels h” on a common axle), and an articulation assembly configured to connect the axle to a frame g” of the track system and to permit a composite movement, the articulation assembly as defined above.
Regarding claim 19, RTL teaches a track system for a vehicle, the track system comprising: a frame g”; at least one wheel assembly h” having an axle supporting wheels (seen in Figure 10); an endless track c” supported by the wheels; an articulation assembly configured to connect the axle to a frame of the track system and to permit a composite movement with a composite axis, the articulation assembly as defined above.
Regarding claim 20, RTL teaches an articulation assembly for an axle of a wheel assembly of a track system of a vehicle, the wheel assembly comprising an endless track supported by wheels, the articulation assembly comprising: a composite movement component configured to connect the axle of the wheel assembly to a frame of the track system, and configured to permit the axle of the wheel assembly to move relative to the frame as a composite movement having a composite axis, the composite axis extending along a longitudinal centre plane of the track system, as discussed above, the composite movement comprising a yaw movement component (about a vertical/transverse/steering axis) and a roll movement component (about a longitudinal axis; page 4, lines 119-125) such that when the axle of the wheel assembly moves relative to the frame, the composite movement is configured to evenly distribute a stress within the endless track when the endless track is contact with uneven ground.
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(s) 6, 8, 9, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roadless Traction, Limited (RTL) in view of Pohjola (USPN 4,051,914).
Regarding claim 6 and 8, RTL lacks a tensioning assembly configured to resiliently bias the wheel assembly away from the frame and towards an endless track of the track system, wherein the articulation assembly is connected to the tensioning assembly.
Pohjola teaches an articulation assembly for a wheel assembly 11 of a track 20 having a movement component (telescoping arm 13, 13a, 13b, and pivotal connection 14) connecting the wheel axle to a frame 10 of the track system. A tensioning assembly 25 is configured to resiliently bias the wheel assembly 11 away from the frame 10 and towards an endless track 20 of the track system, wherein the articulation assembly 14 is connected to the tensioning assembly 13, 25 (col. 4, lines 45-51).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the articulation assembly of RTL with a tensioning assembly configured to resiliently bias the wheel assembly away from the frame and towards an endless track of the track system, wherein the articulation assembly is connected to the tensioning assembly, as taught by Pohjola, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to maintain adequate tension in the track assembly.
Regarding claim 9, the combination includes the articulation assembly being disposed between the tensioning assembly and the frame, or is positioned between first and second portions of the frame (Pahjola teaches positioning the articulation assembly 14 between the tensioning assembly 13, 25, and the frame 10).
Regarding claim 17, the combination comprises a tensioning assembly, as discussed above, and the at least two degrees of freedom comprising three degrees of freedom (RTL teaches ball joint l”, m”; page 4, lines 119-122, which allow for three degrees of freedom).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jean, Stanek, Sauvageau, Trask, Vik, Pellerin, Roth, and Aubin-Marchand teach support or idler wheels movably supported on a track frame.
CN111661183 shows a track assembly with wheels pivotably mounted with two degrees of freedom to a track frame.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anne Marie M. Boehler whose telephone number is (571)272-6641. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8-5pm.
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/ANNE MARIE M BOEHLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/ab/
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