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 .
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 1-10 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 1: It is unclear if the combination of modular unit and mounted apparatuses is being claimed. The preamble indicates “for apparatus installation” but further limitations in the claim appear to require the apparatus being mounted to the crossbeam frame. Additionally, it is unclear how the apparatus installation frame differs from the crossbeam frame.
Regarding claim 3: It is unclear what it means “apply bolt connection structure”. Does this mean the components are bolted together? It is assumed so and will be examined accordingly.
Regarding claim 7: It is unclear what structure is being claimed. Are the outer frame crossbeams and plurality of apparatus installation beams are optional since they are removed after installation?
Regarding claim 9: It is unclear what “specified by industrial requirements” means. There is no description for what constitutes the requirements that drive the design of the elements.
Claim 10 recites the limitation “the outer frame crossbeams facing each other” in lines 5-6, and "the first inner frame crossbeam facing each other" in line 8. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding claim 10: Line 3 indicates “a plurality of outer frame crossbeams” and then line 7 indicates “the outer frame crossbeam”. Is this outer frame crossbeam one of the plurality or a different crossbeam? Additionally it is unclear how a first inner crossbeam can face each other. What is the “other” in this instance?
Additional claims rejected under 35 USC 112 but not addressed are rejected as being dependent on a rejected base claim and failing to further remedy the issue(s).
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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jian (CN 110005051).
Referring to claim 1: Jian teaches a modular unit for apparatus installation, comprising a plurality of vertical struts (item 12) and multiple layers of apparatus installation frames for installing apparatuses, the multiple layers of apparatus installation frames (item 13) connecting the plurality of vertical struts and located between the plurality of vertical struts, and in the multiple layers of apparatus installation frames, at least a crossbeam frame (item 13) for apparatus installation at a bottom layer being composed of a plurality of crossbeams, and the crossbeam frame (14) being detachably connected not only to the plurality of vertical struts (figure 4). Jian does not teach the modular unit for apparatus installation being transported in its entirety to a desired installation site to perform installation in a state where various apparatuses are mounted to respective layers of the apparatus installation frames, but also to the various apparatuses mounted to the crossbeam frame. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to create the device taught by Jian with the ability to be transported and attachable to apparatuses in order to allow for quick installation at an installation location.
Claim(s) 2 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jian in view of Ehsasi (WO 2013/159772).
Referring to claim 2: Jian teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as noted above. Jian does not teach the plurality of crossbeams of the crossbeam frame comprise frame beams and apparatus foundation beams connected to the apparatuses, the apparatus foundation beams being detachably connected to the frame beams. However, Ehsasi teaches the plurality of crossbeams of the crossbeam frame comprise frame beams and apparatus foundation beams connected to the apparatuses, the apparatus foundation beams being detachably connected to the frame beams (figure 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to create the device taught by Jian with the detachable connection taught by Ehsasi in order to allow for modularity and ease of assembly.
Referring to claim 3: Jian and Ehsasi teach all the limitations of claim 2 as noted above. Additionally, Ehsasi teaches wherein connections between the crossbeam frame and the plurality of vertical struts, connections between the crossbeam frame and the various apparatuses, and connections between the apparatus foundation beams and the frame beams apply bolt connection structure (figures 3-6). Bolt connections allow for easy assembly and disassembly.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jian in view of Wallance (US PGPub No 2016/0160515).
Referring to claim 4: Jain teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as noted above. Jian does not teach wherein at least one of the various apparatuses has anchor bolt(s) that is/are fixed to a concrete foundation at the installation site. However, Wallance teaches wherein at least one of the various apparatuses has anchor bolt(s) (item 346) that is/are fixed to a concrete foundation at the installation site (figure 66).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to create the device taught by Jian with the anchor bolts taught by Wallance in order to secure the device to a foundation.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jian in view of Gad et al. (US PGPub No 2011/0047889) (“Gad”).
Referring to claim 6: Jian teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as noted above. Jian does not teach wherein the apparatus installation frames comprise an apparatus installation plane frame at an intermediate layer, an apparatus installation plane frame at a top layer, and the crossbeam frame at the bottom layer, the modular unit for apparatus installation in its entirety is hoisted and transported to the desired installation site for installation. However, Gad teaches wherein the apparatus installation frames comprise an apparatus installation plane frame at an intermediate layer, an apparatus installation plane frame at a top layer, and the crossbeam frame at the bottom layer (figure 7a).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to create the device taught by Jian with the layers taught by Gad in order to allow for additional layers capable of supporting additional apparatus. They do not specifically teach the modular unit for apparatus installation in its entirety is hoisted and transported to the desired installation site for installation. However, The method of forming the device is not germane to the issue of patentability of the device itself. Therefore, this limitation has not been given patentable weight. The combination of Jian and Gad teach the final product as demonstrated above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 8, and 9 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 allowability of claim 10 will be determined once the scope of the claim has been clarified.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK J MAESTRI whose telephone number is (571)270-7859. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7-3.
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/PATRICK J MAESTRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3635