The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: par. [0047], line 6, “increase” should apparently be --decrease--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marder (EP 0875421) in view of Wu (US 5,476,163) and the Maxon Lift YouTube video (hereinafter referred to as Maxon), all previously cited in parent application 17/634,383.
Marder shows a system comprising:
a sliding bar 5 disposed between a platform section 1 and a flipover 2 of a lift platform;
a rotatable portion 6 fixedly connected to the sliding bar; and
a sliding bar mount 9/10 connected to the lift platform; wherein the sliding bar mount slidably receives a portion of the sliding bar.
Although not a claim limitation, Marder further discloses that the sliding bar is operatively connected to a torsion bar 7 disposed in the lift platform, wherein the torsion bar is fixedly connected to the rotatable portion and a first attachment point 12 in the lift platform, and the torsion bar comprises a twist between the rotatable portion and the first attachment point to reduce a pull force for moving the flipover between open (Fig. 10), middle (Fig. 8) and closed (Fig. 9) positions.
Marder does not show a separate receiver portion connected to the lift platform, or the sliding bar mount to be pivotally connected to the lift platform and a bushing disposed in the sliding bar mount, wherein the bushing slidably receives the portion of the sliding bar; and wherein the bushing reduces the pull force for moving the flipover between at least one of the open position and the middle position or the closed position and the middle position.
However, since a portion of the sliding bar is slidably received in the sliding bar mount, if a bushing was added to the sliding bar mount, it would clearly slidably receive a portion of the sliding bar.
Further, the examiner notes it is generally well known to provide a bushing between two parts of a device, to act as a lining for an opening in one of the parts in or through which the other of the parts extends, to serve various purposes such as limiting the size of the opening, providing a bearing surface, resisting abrasion, serving as a guide, insulating a through conductor, or reducing friction and wear, as a simple internet search for “bushing definition” will attest (e.g., Merriam-Webster.com).
In particular, Wu discloses a bushing 3 provided in a bracket 4 (sliding bar mount), wherein the bushing slidably receives a portion of a sliding bar 2, wherein the bushing allows the torsion bar to slide relative to the bracket (col. 2:17-22 and 40-55).
Maxon, as noted in the Written Opinion for corresponding international application PCT/US2020/056902, shows a system comprising:
a sliding bar disposed between a platform section and a flipover of a lift platform;
a receiver portion connected to the lift platform; and
a sliding bar mount pivotally connected to the receiver portion.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the apparatus of Marder by providing a receiver portion as a distinct element from the sliding bar mount, wherein the receiver portion was connected to the lift platform and the sliding bar mount was pivotally connected to the receiver portion, as shown by Maxon, to allow relative movement therebetween during the range of motion of the flipover between the open, middle and closed positions, thereby allowing the sliding bar to more easily slide relative to the mount, and by providing a bushing in the sliding bar mount for slidably receiving a portion of the sliding bar, as suggested by Wu, to reduce a pull force for moving the flipover while also providing dampening, alignment and/or stress relief.
When modified as above, the bushing would clearly reduce the pull force for moving the flipover between at least one of the above-noted open and middle positions or the closed and middle positions.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. All references were cited in parent application 17/634,383. As such, no copies of foreign references are being furnished with this Office action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to James Keenan whose telephone number is (571)272-6925. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Thurs.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ernesto Suarez can be reached on 571-270-5565. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/James Keenan/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3652
7/28/26
Prosecution Insights