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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The first paragraph of the specification should be updated to include the patent number for parent application 18/485,597.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 –
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hodges, Jr. et al.
Hodges Jr. et al. show transferring coil springs 24 from a winding device 22 to a pocketed conveyor belt 34, 36. Before the coil spring 24 is released in a vertical orientation a lower end of the coil spring is engaged by a horizontal surface of a magnetic lift platform 80, the lift platform is moved between device 22 and conveyor belt 34, 36 and the spring 24 is pushed by a slider 96 while the spring is in a vertical orientation.
Re claim 2, the platform 80 is moved to an aligned position with conveyor 34, 36 and then the spring 24 is pushed from the platform.
Re claim 3, shown is a crank drive 90.
Re claim 4, the aligned position can be considered dead center.
Re claim 5, vertical acceleration is fully capable of being higher than gravity acceleration.
Re claim 6, the shown pushing direction is aligned with the conveyor belt.
Re claim 7, the coil spring 24 is received by the conveyor belt while in a vertical orientation.
Re claim 8, the spring is moved by the platform 80 to an aligned position with the conveyor belt and pushed therefrom.
Re claim 9, shown is a crank drive 90.
Re claim 10, as per claim 4 rejection.
Re claim 11, as per claim 5 rejection.
Re claim 12, the pushing is in a direction aligned with a conveying direction of the conveyor belt.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES R BIDWELL whose telephone number is (571)272-6910. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8 to 4.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gene Crawford, can be reached at telephone number (571)272-6911. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Examiner interviews are available via a variety of formats. See MPEP § 713.01. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/InterviewPractice.
/JAMES R BIDWELL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3651 02/26/2026
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