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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is the first action on the merits for application 19/035991. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in this application.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by ISHIKAWA (2007/0037645)
Regarding Claim 1, ISHIKAWA teaches A derailleur for a human-powered vehicle, the derailleur (97r)(97f)[0032] comprising: a base member (12f) configured to be attached to a vehicle body (90) of the human-powered vehicle; a movable member (14f) configured to be movable relative to the base member in a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction; a linkage (16a)(16b) configured to movably connect the movable member (14f) to the base member (12f); an electrical actuator (125f) configured to operatively move the movable member (14f) relative to the base member (12f), the electrical actuator (125f) being configured to receive electricity from a generator [0032] mounted to a hub assembly to generate electricity using a rotation of a wheel; a capacitor [0032] directly mounted to the derailleur, the capacitor being electrically connected to the electrical actuator (125f); and a saver member (18c) pivotally coupled to at least one of the base member, the movable member, the linkage (16b)(16a), and the electrical actuator.
Regarding Claim 2, ISHIKAWA teaches wherein the capacitor [0032] is not directly mounted to the linkage (16b)(16a).
Regarding Claim 4, ISHIKAWA teaches further comprising a controller (127f) configured to be powered by the capacitor and the generator [0032].
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ISHIKAWA (2007/0037645) in view of KITAMURA (2005/0285461)
Regarding Claim 3, ISHIKAWA does not teach further comprising a connector configured to be electrically connected to the generator.
KITAMURA teaches further comprising a connector (66)(67) configured to be electrically connected to the generator.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to change the derailleur and generator in ISHIKAWA so it has the connector in KITAMURA so the two devices can be easily connected and disconnected from each other for servicing or replacement.
Claim(s) 5-14, 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ISHIKAWA (2007/0037645) in view of FUKUDA (2004/0102270)
Regarding Claim 5, ISHIKAWA does not teach further comprising: a first biasing member configured to deform if first external force is applied to move the movable member in the first direction; and a second biasing member configured to deform if second external force is applied to move the movable member in the second direction.
FUKUDA teaches further comprising: a first biasing member (712)(632) configured to deform if first external force is applied to move the movable member in the first direction; and a second biasing member (704) configured to deform if second external force is applied to move the movable member in the second direction.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to change the derailleur in ISHIKAWA so it has the biasing member arrangement in FUKUDA to protect the derailleur from damage due to impacts from either the left or right side of the chain guide.
Regarding Claim 6, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the electrical actuator includes an output part configured to be operatively coupled to the movable member (14f) to move the movable member relative to the base member (12f), the first biasing member (FUKUDA 712) is configured to reduce the first external force transmitted to the output part, and the second biasing member (FUKUDA 704) is configured to reduce the second external force transmitted to the output part.
Regarding Claim 7, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the first biasing member (FUKUDA 712) is configured to allow the movable member to move relative to the base member in the first direction in response to the first external force, and the second biasing member (FUKUDA 704) is configured to allow the movable member to move relative to the base member in the second direction in response to the second external force.
Regarding Claim 8, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the first biasing member (FUKUDA 712) includes a first end and a first opposite end, and the first end of the first biasing member is operatively coupled to the output part (FUKUDA 452) of the electrical actuator.
Regarding Claim 9, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches further comprising an output member (FUKUDA 716) coupled to the output part (FUKUDA 452) of the electrical actuator to rotate along with the output part, wherein the first end of the first biasing member (FUKUDA 712) is coupled to the output member.
Regarding Claim 10, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the output member (FUKUDA 716) is secured to the output part (FUKUDA 452) of the electrical actuator.
Regarding Claim 11, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the first opposite end of the first biasing member (FUKUDA 712) is coupled to the saver member (FUKUDA 716).
Regarding Claim 12, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the first biasing member (FUKUDA 712) is configured to deform in response to first force which is caused by the first external force and which is applied to the first biasing member (FUKUDA 712) against first biasing force of the first biasing member, and the second biasing member (FUKUDA 704) is configured to deform in response to second force which is caused by the second external force and which is applied to the second biasing member (FUKUDA 704) against second biasing force of the second biasing member.
Regarding Claim 13, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the movable member (14f) is movable relative to the base member (12f) in an inward direction toward a transverse center plane of the vehicle body, the movable member is movable relative to the base member in an outward direction away from the transverse center plane of the vehicle body, the outward direction being an opposite direction of the inward direction, the first direction includes the inward direction, and the second direction includes the outward direction.
Regarding Claim 14, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein at least one of the first biasing member (FUKUDA 632) and the second biasing member includes an extension spring.
Regarding Claim 16, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the linkage includes a first link (FUKUDA 444), the first link is pivotally coupled to the base member (FUKUDA 404) about a first pivot axis and is pivotally coupled to the movable member (FUKUDA 456) about a first additional pivot axis, the second biasing member (FUKUDA 704) includes a second end and a second opposite end, and the second end of the second biasing member (FUKUDA 704) is coupled to the first link (FUKUDA 444).
Regarding Claim 17, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the second opposite end of the second biasing member (FUKUDA 704) is coupled to the saver member (FUKUDA 716).
Regarding Claim 18, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the electrical actuator (FUKUDA 480) is configured to move the movable member in the first direction via the second biasing member (FUKUDA 704) if the output part of the electrical actuator rotates in a first rotational direction, the electrical actuator being configured to move the movable member in the second direction via the first biasing member (FUKUDA 712) if the output part of the electrical actuator (FUKUDA 480) rotates in a second rotational direction which is an opposite direction of the first rotational direction.
Regarding Claim 19, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches further comprising an output member (FUKUDA 452) coupled to the output part (FUKUDA 504) of the electrical actuator (FUKUDA 480, 484, 488, 492, 496, 500, 504) to rotate along with the output part, wherein the output member (FUKUDA 452) includes a first contact part (FUKUDA 453) contactable with the saver member (FUKUDA 716).
Regarding Claim 20, ISHIKAWA as modified teaches wherein the saver member (FUKUDA 716) includes a second contact part (FUKUDA 736).contactable with the second link (FUKUDA 444).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 15 is 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.
wherein at least one of the first biasing member and the second biasing member includes a compression spring with the other elements in Claim 15.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HENRY Y LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-7018. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30 ET.
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HENRY Y. LIU
Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/HENRY Y LIU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654