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 § 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-8, 10-15, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a)(1) as being anticipated by Maroney et al. (U.S. 2020/0247609A1).
Regarding claim 1, Maroney et al. disclose a refuse vehicle (102, figs. 1A-1C; also refer to para 0046) comprising:
a chassis (refer to para 0077 “the chassis of the vehicle 102”); and
a refuse containment body (104) coupled to the chassis (as shown in fig. 1C), the refuse containment body (104) comprising:
a first body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C below) defining a compartment with a first opening (as shown in annotated fig. 1C below) at a first axial end of the refuse containment body (104), and a second opening (as shown in annotated fig. 1C below) at a second axial end of the refuse containment body opposite the first axial end (as shown in annotated fig. 1C below); and
a second body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C below) coupled to the first body section at the first opening (as shown in annotated fig. 1C below) and extending axially from the first body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C below), the second body section defining at least one of (i) a hopper opening (as shown in annotated fig. 1C below) along a sidewall thereof (as shown in fig. 1C), or (ii) a volume expansion that extends from the compartment (the volume housing the ejection cylinder 104(6)).
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Regarding claim 2, Maroney et al. disclose a first mating interface positioned along a first edge of the first opening of the first body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above).
Regarding claim 3, Maroney et al. disclose further comprising a second mating interface positioned along a second edge of the second opening of the first body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above).
Regarding claim 4, Maroney et al. disclose wherein the refuse containment body further includes a third body section (104(4)) coupled to the first body section at the second opening and extending axially from the first body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above), the third body section defining at least one of (i) a hopper opening along a sidewall thereof, (ii) a volume expansion that extends from the compartment, or (iii) a tailgate section (104(4)) that closes the second opening (see fig. 1C and refer to para 0057).
Regarding claim 5, Maroney et al. disclose wherein the first body section further comprises a floor (see figs. 1A-1C), a cover (at least 104(3) and top surface of the first body section), and a plurality of sidewalls coupled together to define the compartment (see figs. 1A-1C).
Regarding claim 6, Maroney et al. disclose wherein one of (i) the floor, (ii) the cover, or (iii) a sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls further comprises a plurality of panels coupled together (figs. 1A-2C; a plurality of panels are used to form the body components 104).
Regarding claim 7, Maroney et al. disclose wherein the second body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above) further includes a third mating interface configured to form a mating mechanism when coupled with the first mating interface of the first body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above).
Regarding claim 8, Maroney et al. disclose wherein a first panel of the plurality of panels comprises a first track and a second panel of the plurality of panels comprises a second track (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above).
Regarding claim 10, Maroney et al. disclose a refuse containment body (104; figs. 1A-1C; also refer to para 0046) comprising:
a first body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above) comprising a plurality of panels (the panels defining the walls of the first body section) coupled together to form a compartment with a first opening and second opening (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above);
a support element (figs. 1A-1C: “attachment feature” attaching/securing the body to the chassis of the vehicle. Examiner notes that no specific support element has been claimed) coupled to the first body section and configured to mount the first body section to a vehicle chassis (see figs. 1A-1C);
a first mating interface positioned along a first edge of at least one of the plurality of panels at the first opening of the compartment and configured to couple the first body section to a second body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above), and
a second mating interface positioned along a second edge of at least one of the plurality of panels at the second opening of the compartment (interface between 104(30 and the first body section) and configured to couple the first body section to a third body section (104(3)),
wherein the plurality of mating interfaces includes the first mating interface and the second mating interface, each mating interface of the plurality of mating interfaces is a complement in a mating mechanism (as shown in figs. 1C).
Regarding claim 11, Maroney et al. disclose wherein the second body section comprises at least one of (i) a hopper opening along a sidewall thereof (see fig. 1C above)).
Regarding claim 12, Maroney et al. disclose wherein the third body section (104(4)) comprises at least one of (i) a hopper opening along a sidewall thereof, (ii) a volume expansion that extends from the compartment, or (iii) a tailgate section (104(4)) that closes the second opening (see fig. 1C and refer to para 0057).
Regarding claim 13, Maroney et al. disclose wherein two or more panels of the plurality of panels forms one of (i) a floor, (ii) a cover, or (iii) a sidewall of the first body section (figs. 1A-2C; a plurality of panels are used to form the body components 104).
Regarding claim 14, Maroney et al. disclose wherein the plurality of mating interfaces further includes a third mating interface positioned on the second body section and configured to form the mating mechanism when coupled with the first mating interface of the first body section (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above).
Regarding claim 15, Maroney et al. disclose wherein a first panel of the plurality of panels comprises a first track and a second panel of the plurality of panels comprises a second track (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above).
Regarding claim 17, Maroney et al. disclose a method of assembling a refuse vehicle (102, figs. 1A-1C; also refer to para 0046) comprising:
coupling a refuse containment body (104) to a chassis (as shown in fig. 1C), wherein the refuse containment body (104) includes a first axial end with a first mating interface and a second axial end with a second mating interface (mating interface of the hopper and the tailgate);
positioning a hopper (104(5)) at the first axial end of the refuse containment body (as shown in fig. 1C), wherein the hopper includes a hopper opening along a sidewall thereof (as shown in fig. 1C) and a third mating interface (mating interface between 104(3) and the body); and
coupling the third mating interface of the hopper with the first mating interface of the refuse containment body (as shown in fig. 1C).
Regarding claim 18, Maroney et al. disclose coupling a plurality of panels to form one of (i) a floor, (ii) a cover, or (iii) a sidewall of the refuse containment body (figs. 1A-2C; a plurality of panels are used to form the body components 104)..
Regarding claim 19, Maroney et al. disclose positioning a body section (104(4)) at the second axial end of the refuse containment body, wherein the body section (104(4)) comprises: at least one of (i) a hopper opening along a sidewall thereof, (ii) a volume expansion that extends from the refuse containment body, or (iii) a tailgate section (104(4)) that closes an opening at the second axial end; and a fourth mating interface (see fig. 1C and refer to para 0057).
Regarding claim 20, Maroney et al. disclose coupling the fourth mating interface of the body section with the second mating interface of the refuse containment body (as shown in annotated fig. 1C above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Campbell (U.S. 9,156,611 B1), Fraas (U.S. 2023/0008771A1), and Fraas (U.S. 2022/0363474A1), .
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YANICK A AKARAGWE whose telephone number is (469)295-9298. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicole Coy can be reached at (571) 272-5405. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YANICK A AKARAGWE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3672
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