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 .
This is the first action on the merits of application 18/959,857. Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the second elevator safety device with a free end of the spring assembly being a lower end facing towards the floor of the hoistway of claim 12 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 6, “a second of side of the guide member” contains an extra “of”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-2, 5-7, 9-11, 13-15, 17-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 4538706 A (Applicant’s cited prior art, Koppensteiner) in view of US 20200354192 A1 (Sotoca et al.).
Regarding claim 1, Koppensteiner teaches:
An elevator safety device comprising:
a housing (1) attachable to an elevator car or to an elevator counterweight (abstract, lines 1-2) of an elevator system, the housing comprising a passage (2) that allows a guide member (3) to pass through;
a brake shoe (4) attached to the housing and located on a first side (right, figure 1) of the guide member passing through the passage;
a spring assembly (10) arranged on a second of side (left, figure 1) of the guide member passing through the passage and comprising at least one leaf spring (12), the spring assembly having a fixed end (bottom end), which is fixed to the housing (at pivot mount 13); and
a roller (8);
wherein the spring assembly extends at an angle with respect to the guide member (10 is angled relative to 3), defining a tapered region between the guide member and the spring assembly, wherein the opposite free end of the spring assembly (the opposite end being free is taught by Sotoca, see below) is arranged closer to the guide member than the fixed end of the spring assembly (top end of 10 is closer to 3 than bottom end of 10);
wherein the roller is, at least in an activated condition of the elevator safety device, located within said tapered region defined by the spring assembly and the guide member (figure 1); and
wherein the roller is movable along the spring assembly towards the opposite free end of the spring assembly into a wedged condition between the spring assembly and the guide member (indicated by dashed lines showing roller 8 in the wedged condition, figure 1).
Koppensteiner does not teach:
and an opposite free end, which is not fixed to the housing.
However, Sotoca et al. teach:
An elevator safety device with a leaf spring assembly (6, 11) with a fixed end (9), and
and an opposite free end (10), which is not fixed to the housing (2, 4).
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 leaf springs of Koppensteiner with free ends as taught by Sotoca et al. for space saving. Sotoca et al. teach, “…the mount points of the first ends 9 of both the first cantilever spring 6 and the second cantilever spring 7 are vertically spaced from the safety brake 5 due to the cantilever form of the springs 6, 7. Thus the mount points of the cantilever springs 6, 7 do not interfere with the movement of the safety brake 5 and they do not add to the overall space required for the floating safety brake arrangement. This is particularly advantageous in compact elevators where there is very little width available between flanges 4 of the upright structure 2.” Paragraph [0035] in its entirety. In the safety device of Koppensteiner freeing the upper end of the spring negates the need for the pivot mount 14 reducing the space necessary for the leaf springs.
Regarding claim 2, Koppensteiner further teaches:
wherein a portion of the spring assembly adjacent to the opposite free end (top end) of the spring assembly (10) is configured for being bent away from the guide member by the roller, when or as the roller moves towards the opposite free end of the spring assembly (bent portion of 10 is shown by dashed lines in figure 1, corresponding to the wedged condition of roller 8, also indicated by dashed lines).
Regarding claim 5, Koppensteiner further teaches:
further comprising a fixture (13), which fixes the fixed end (bottom end) of the spring assembly to the housing.
Regarding claim 6, Koppensteiner further teaches:
wherein the fixture is provided by
and/or
formed integrally with a portion of the housing (13 is provided by the housing 1).
Regarding claim 7, Koppensteiner further teaches:
wherein the at least one leaf spring (10) comprises a plurality of leaf springs (11, 12).
Regarding claim 9, Koppensteiner further teaches:
wherein a groove (15) is formed within a surface of the spring assembly facing the guide member, and wherein a collar (9) is formed on a peripheral surface of the roller (8), and wherein said collar is received within said groove to guide a movement of the roller along the spring assembly (figure 2).
Regarding claim 10, Koppensteiner further teaches:
including a stopper (16), which is located in a vicinity of the opposite free end of the spring assembly, and which is configured for preventing the roller from moving beyond the opposite free end of the spring assembly.
Regarding claim 11, Koppensteiner teaches:
An elevator car or elevator counterweight (“elevator car or counterweight” abstract, lines 1-2) comprising:
at least one elevator safety device that comprises:
a housing (1) attachable to an elevator car or to an elevator counterweight (abstract, lines 1-2) of an elevator system, the housing comprising a passage (2) that allows a guide member (3) to pass through;
a brake shoe (4) attached to the housing and located on a first side (right, figure 1) of the guide member passing through the passage;
a spring assembly (10) arranged on a second of side (left, figure 1) of the guide member passing through the passage and comprising at least one leaf spring (12), the spring assembly having a fixed end (bottom end), which is fixed to the housing (at pivot mount 13); and
a roller (8);
wherein the spring assembly extends at an angle with respect to the guide member (10 is angled relative to 3), defining a tapered region between the guide member and the spring assembly, wherein the opposite free end of the spring assembly (the opposite end being free is taught by Sotoca, see below) is arranged closer to the guide member than the fixed end of the spring assembly (top end of 10 is closer to 3 than bottom end of 10);
wherein the roller is, at least in an activated condition of the elevator safety device, located within said tapered region defined by the spring assembly and the guide member (figure 1); and
wherein the roller is movable along the spring assembly towards the opposite free end of the spring assembly into a wedged condition between the spring assembly and the guide member (indicated by dashed lines showing roller 8 in the wedged condition, figure 1).
Koppensteiner does not teach:
and an opposite free end, which is not fixed to the housing.
However, Sotoca et al. teach:
An elevator safety device with a leaf spring assembly (6, 11) with a fixed end (9), and
and an opposite free end (10), which is not fixed to the housing (2, 4).
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 leaf springs of Koppensteiner with free ends as taught by Sotoca et al. for space saving. Sotoca et al. teach, “…the mount points of the first ends 9 of both the first cantilever spring 6 and the second cantilever spring 7 are vertically spaced from the safety brake 5 due to the cantilever form of the springs 6, 7. Thus the mount points of the cantilever springs 6, 7 do not interfere with the movement of the safety brake 5 and they do not add to the overall space required for the floating safety brake arrangement. This is particularly advantageous in compact elevators where there is very little width available between flanges 4 of the upright structure 2.” Paragraph [0035] in its entirety. In the safety device of Koppensteiner freeing the upper end of the spring negates the need for the pivot mount 14 reducing the space necessary for the leaf springs.
Regarding claim 13, Koppensteiner further teaches:
An elevator system comprising:
an elevator car (“e.g., for elevator car or the counterweight in elevator system.” Col. 2, lines 24-25), which is movable along a guide member (3) between a plurality of landings (the Examiner takes Official Notice that landings are a well-known component of conventional elevator systems like the system of Koppensteiner); and wherein the elevator car is an elevator car according to claim 11.
Regarding claim 14, Koppensteiner further teaches:
further comprising an elevator counterweight (claim 1, line 4), which moves concurrently and in an opposite direction with respect to the elevator car (col. 3, line 9-11, “While this happens, the car and counterweight are smoothly slowed from the overspeed condition.” This means that the safety connected to either the car or counterweight acts to slow both the car and the counterweight and the two are connected conventionally in a manner that the counterweight moves concurrently and in an opposite direction with respect to the elevator car).
Regarding claim 15, Koppensteiner further teaches:
A method of activating an elevator safety device according to claim 1,
wherein the method includes moving the roller (8) towards the guide member (3) so that the roller is sandwiched between the guide member and the spring assembly (movement indicated from solid roller 8 to dashed line roller 8, figure 1);
the roller is moved due to frictional engagement with the guide member towards the opposite free end (top end) of the at least one leaf spring, when the elevator safety device moves along the guide member; and the roller elastically bends the opposite free end of the at least one leaf spring away from the guide member (indicated by dashed lines of 11, 12, figure 1).
Regarding claim 17, Koppensteiner further teaches:
wherein the fixture (13) accommodates the fixed end (bottom end) of the spring assembly.
Regarding claim 18, Koppensteiner further teaches:
wherein the plurality of leaf springs (11, 12) are arranged in a sandwich-structure on top of each other forming a stack of leaf springs (figure 1).
Regarding claim 20, Koppensteiner further teaches:
wherein the stopper (16) is formed by a portion of the housing (16 is formed at the tip of housing projecting downward at the top of the safety device).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 4538706 A (Applicant’s cited prior art, Koppensteiner) in view of US 20200354192 A1 (Sotoca et al.) and further in view of US 4512444 A (Koppensteiner ‘444).
Regarding claim 12, Koppensteiner and Sotoca et al. teach:
The elevator car or elevator counterweight according to claim 11, wherein:
wherein, for the first elevator safety device (figure 1), the fixed end of the spring assembly (bottom of springs 11, 12) is a lower end of the spring assembly facing towards a floor of a hoistway (the doors of the car are facing a floor of a hoistway and would be positioned on a side of the car not facing either guide rail, thus the lower end of the spring assembly of Koppensteiner faces toward a floor of the hoistway),
wherein the opposite free end (top, Sotoca et al.) of the spring assembly is an upper end of the spring assembly facing towards an upper end of the hoistway.
Koppensteiner and Sotoca et al. do not teach:
the at least one elevator safety device comprises a first elevator safety device and a second elevator safety device;
wherein, for the second elevator safety device, the opposite free end of the spring assembly is a lower end of the spring assembly facing towards the floor of the hoistway, and wherein the fixed end of the spring assembly is an upper end of the spring assembly facing towards an upper end of the hoistway.
However, Koppensteiner ‘444 teaches:
the at least one elevator safety device comprises a first elevator safety device (8) and a second elevator safety device (8’);
wherein, for the second elevator safety device, the opposite free end of the spring assembly is a lower end of the spring assembly facing towards the floor of the hoistway (in the combination with Koppensteiner and Sotoca et al. the free end is the lower end of 14), and wherein the fixed end of the spring assembly is an upper end of the spring assembly facing towards an upper end of the hoistway.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a second, oppositely acting safety as taught by Koppensteiner ‘444 with the elevator system of Koppensteiner and Sotoca et al. to provide braking of the elevator car in an overspeed condition in both the upward movement direction of the downward movement direction.
Claims 1, 3-4, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 0073193 A1 (Inchaurza San Pedro) in view of US 20200354192 A1 (Sotoca et al.).
Regarding claim 1, Inchaurza San Pedro teaches:
An elevator safety device comprising:
a housing (rectangular base frame, figure 6, not labeled) attachable to an elevator car (1) or to an elevator counterweight of an elevator system, the housing comprising a passage (between shoe 13 and roller 11) that allows a guide member (17) to pass through;
a brake shoe (13) attached to the housing and located on a first side (left, figure 6) of the guide member passing through the passage;
a spring assembly (9, 10) arranged on a second of side (left, figure 1) of the guide member passing through the passage and comprising at least one leaf spring (10), the spring assembly having a fixed end (bottom end), which is fixed to the housing; and
a roller (11);
wherein the spring assembly extends at an angle with respect to the guide member (10 is angled relative to 17), defining a tapered region between the guide member and the spring assembly, wherein the opposite free end of the spring assembly (the opposite end being free is taught by Sotoca, see below) is arranged closer to the guide member than the fixed end of the spring assembly (top end of 10 is closer to 17 than bottom end of 10);
wherein the roller is, at least in an activated condition of the elevator safety device, located within said tapered region defined by the spring assembly and the guide member (figure 6); and
wherein the roller is movable along the spring assembly towards the opposite free end of the spring assembly into a wedged condition between the spring assembly and the guide member (when roller 11 abuts stop 12, figure 6).
Inchaurza San Pedro does not teach:
and an opposite free end, which is not fixed to the housing.
However, Sotoca et al. teach:
An elevator safety device with a leaf spring assembly (6, 11) with a fixed end (9), and
and an opposite free end (10), which is not fixed to the housing (2, 4).
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 leaf springs of Inchaurza San Pedro with free ends as taught by Sotoca et al. for space saving. Sotoca et al. teach, “…the mount points of the first ends 9 of both the first cantilever spring 6 and the second cantilever spring 7 are vertically spaced from the safety brake 5 due to the cantilever form of the springs 6, 7. Thus the mount points of the cantilever springs 6, 7 do not interfere with the movement of the safety brake 5 and they do not add to the overall space required for the floating safety brake arrangement. This is particularly advantageous in compact elevators where there is very little width available between flanges 4 of the upright structure 2.” Paragraph [0035] in its entirety. In the safety device of Inchaurza San Pedro freeing the upper end of the spring negates the need for the upper support pins 14 reducing the space necessary for the leaf springs.
Regarding claim 3, Inchaurza San Pedro further teaches:
further comprising at least one support member (14) that supports a portion of the spring assembly
and/or
for limiting a bending of the spring assembly caused by the roller.
Regarding claim 4, Inchaurza San Pedro further teaches:
comprising a plurality of support members (14) arranged along the spring assembly,
and/or
comprising at least one support member extending over an elongated portion of the spring assembly.
Regarding claim 16, Inchaurza San Pedro further teaches:
wherein the at least one support member (14) is an at least partially curved support member (support pins 14 are curved).
Claims 8 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 4538706 A (Applicant’s cited prior art, Koppensteiner) in view of US 20200354192 A1 (Sotoca et al.) and further in view of US 10421640 B2 (Fargo).
Regarding claim 8, Koppensteiner and Sotoca et al. teach:
The elevator safety device according to claim 1.
Koppensteiner and Sotoca et al. are silent to the length of the spring assembly.
However, Fargo teaches:
An elevator safety device with a spring assembly (42),
wherein the spring assembly has a length of not more than 60 mm (“Each buckling beam 42 has a length L that is greater than a width W…the length is 35 mm” col. 4, lines 52-57).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Koppensteiner and Sotoca et al. to limit the length of the spring assembly to under 60 mm as taught by Fargo to keep the elevator safety compact. Space is a known challenge within an elevator system. Limiting the overall length of the leaf springs of Koppensteiner keeps the overall safety small and able to fit in varying elevator systems.
Regarding claim 19, Koppensteiner, Sotoca et al., and Fargo further teach:
wherein the spring assembly has a length of 54 mm to 58 mm.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the length of the spring assembly of Koppensteiner, Sotoca et al., and Fargo to have a length of 54 mm to 58 mm since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In this case, Fargo teaches a spring assembly in a similar length, but different configuration. It would have been obvious for the spring assembly arrangement in primary reference Koppensteiner to fall in the 54-58 mm range based on space and braking force requirements of a given elevator system. See MPEP 2144.05.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. GB-1148742-A, KR-20030093946-A, CN-116281489-A, US-7398863-B2, and US-20200207581-A1 are cited to show leaf spring arrangements in elevator safeties that operate by frictional force on guide rails. US-5002158-A is cited to show a leaf spring safety that operates on an elevator traction sheave.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHELLE M MUDWILDER whose telephone number is (571)272-6068. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11:00 am - 7:30 pm.
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/M.M.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/Minh Truong/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654