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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I (Figs. 1-15, driving robot 10) and Sub-Species I (Figs. 3, 4, and 6-9, casters C1-C4) in the reply filed on 07-22-2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 8-11 and 13-18, as indicated by the applicant, are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species and/or nonelected sub-species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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 –
(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.
Claims 1-3, 12, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR10-2022-0024396 (hereinafter “KR396”).
Regarding claims 1 and 19, KR396 discloses a driving robot comprising: a base 20; two opposed driving wheels 21 being viewed as a first driving wheel on a left side of the base and a second driving wheel on a right side of the base; and a plurality of (four) caster units 22/30 and 23/30 at a front and rear of the first driving wheel and a front and rear of the second driving wheel, respectively (see Figs. 4 and 10), wherein each of the plurality of caster units comprises: a front caster 22/23 and a rear caster 22/23; and an air suspension 30(1-4) configured to dampen the caster so as to be liftable by pneumatic pressure, and wherein the air suspension of a first caster unit among the plurality of caster units is connected to the air suspension of a second caster unit among the plurality of caster units by a single flow path, see Fig. 10 and single flow path via 27b between air suspension 30(1) and 30(3), and single flow path via 27c between air suspension 30(4) and 30(2).
Regarding claims 2 and 20, wherein an inside of the air suspension of the first caster unit and an inside of the air suspension of the second caster unit are communicated through an air tube 27b and 27c (Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 3, wherein the air suspension 30(1-4) comprises: a housing 31 comprising a surge chamber 31a (Fig. 6); and an “orifice member” (gap/space between bushing 35 and piston 331) configured to adjust (via valve 28b,28c in Fig. 10) an amount of air entering and exiting the surge chamber of the housing.
Regarding claim 12, per Fig. 10, wherein the plurality of caster units comprises: the first caster unit, wherein the air suspension of the first caster unit is a first air suspension 30(4) that is in front of the first driving wheel 21; the second caster unit, wherein the air suspension of the second caster unit is a second air suspension 30(3) that is in front of the second driving wheel 21; a third caster unit, wherein the air suspension of the third caster unit is a third air suspension 30(2) that is behind the first driving wheel; and a fourth caster unit, wherein the air suspension of the fourth caster unit is a fourth air suspension 30(1) that is behind the second driving wheel, wherein the first air suspension and the third air suspension are communicated through a first air tube 27c; and wherein the second air suspension and the fourth air suspension are communicated through a second air tube 27b.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 4, KR396 discloses wherein the air suspension comprises 30(1-4) a fastening hole (hole receiving bushing 35) on an upper portion 32 of the housing 31. However, KR396 fails to disclose its above defined “orifice member” (gap/space between bushing 35 and piston 331) being detachably coupled to this fastening hole. KR396 teaches away from this limitation as its “orifice member” is a gap/space and thus incapable of coupling.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
It is noted Chalmers (US#3078104) discloses a single flow path 26 between air springs 24 (Fig. 1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM L MILLER whose telephone number is (571)272-7068. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 - 6:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason San can be reached at (571) 272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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WILLIAM L. MILLER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3677
/WILLIAM L MILLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677
