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 § 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) 1-9, 11-16, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lucky (US 3672104) in view of Bafile (US 20230286792). Luckey discloses lift equipment comprising: a base (70); a lift platform (72); and a scissor stack assembly (10) configured to transition between a retracted position and an extended position, the scissor stack assembly comprising: a first scissor cross (one of 14) coupled to the base and having first links of a first link length; a second scissor cross (another of 14, distinct from the first scissor cross) coupled to the lift platform and having second links of a second link length; a third scissor cross (another of 14, distinct from both the first and second scissor crosses) coupled between the first scissor cross and the second scissor cross and having third links of a third link length; wherein the first link length is different than at least one of: (i) the second link length or (ii) the third length (figures 1-2). Lucky does not teach a chassis, prime mover, wheels, nor an actuator. Bafile teaches lift equipment comprising a chassis (12); a prime mover (72) coupled to the chassis; a plurality of wheels (14A, 14B) rotatably coupled to the chassis; a lift platform (22); and an actuator (26) operatively coupled to the prime mover and configured to transition the scissor stack assembly between a retracted position and an extended position. Lucky and Bafile are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor, i.e. lift equipment. Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to modify the lift equipment of Lucky as taught by Bafile (e.g. to include a chassis, prime mover, wheels, lift platform, and actuator). The motivation would have been to enable easier manueverability of the lift equipment and to provide a means to raise/lower the stack assembly. Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the invention to Lucky as specified in claim 1.
With regards to claim 2, the first link length is less than the third link length (Lucky: figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 3, the second link length is less than the third link length (Lucky: figure 1-2).
In regards to claim 4, the third link length is less than the second link length (Lucky: figure 1-2).
Regarding claim 5, the first link length and the second link length are less than the third link length (Lucky: figures 1-2).
With regards to claim 6, the third link length is less than the first link length (Lucky: figures 1-2).
Regarding claim 7, Lucky as modified teaches a fourth scissor cross (Lucky: another of 14, distinct from the first, second, and third scissor crosses) having links of a fourth link length; wherein the fourth scissor cross is coupled between the second scissor cross and the third scissor cross (Lucky: figures 1-2).
Regarding claim 8, the scissor stack assembly further comprises: a fifth scissor cross (Lucky: another of 14, distinct from the first, second, third and fourth scissor crosses) having links of a fifth link length; wherein the fifth scissor cross is coupled between the third scissor cross and the first scissor cross.
With regards to claim 11, the scissor stack assembly defines an internal volume and wherein the actuator is disposed within the internal volume (Lucky: figure 2, Bafile: figure 2B).
Regarding claims 12-13 and 18, although Lucky as modified does not teach wherein the scissor stack assembly has an extension of at least 10 feet to 30 feet, and a collapsed distance of at most 18 inches, such construction would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art since such a modification involves a mere change in the size of the components (scissor crosses). Nonetheless, the motivation would have been to provide a compact and easily maneuverable lift when retracted, while also providing an adequate height for use when extended. Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the invention to Lucky as specified in claims 12-13 and 18.
Regarding claim 14, Lucky as modified (see above discussion) teaches a scissor stack assembly for lift equipment, comprising: a first scissor cross (Lucky: one of 14) having a pair of first links configured to couple a base dock at a first end, wherein the first links having a first link length; a second scissor cross (Lucky: another of 14, distinct from the first scissor cross) having a pair of second links configured to couple an platform dock at a second end, wherein the second links have a second link length; a third scissor cross (Lucky: another of 14, distinct from both the first and second scissor crosses) having a pair of third links pivotally coupled between the first scissor cross and the second scissor cross, wherein the third links have a third link length and a link aperture (Lucky: figure 2, Bafile: figure 2B); and an actuator (Bafile: 26) disposed within the link aperture and configured to selectively transition between a retracted position and an extended position to thereby influence an extension distance between the first end and the second end; wherein the first link length is different than at least one of: (i) the second link length or (ii) the third link length (Lucky: figures 1-2).
With regards to claim 15, the first link length and the second link length are less than the third link length (Lucky: figures 1-2).
Regarding claim 16, Lucky as modified teaches a fourth scissor cross (Lucky: another of 14, distinct from the first, second, and third scissor crosses) having a pair of fourth links having a fourth link length; and a fifth scissor cross (Lucky: another of 14, distinct from the first, second, third and fourth scissor crosses) having a pair of fifth links having a fifth link length; wherein the fourth scissor cross is coupled between the second scissor cross and the third scissor cross (Lucky: figures 1-2), and the fifth scissor cross is coupled between the third scissor cross and the first scissor cross (Lucky: figures 1-2); and wherein the first link length is less than the fifth link length, and the fifth link length is less than the third link length (Lucky: figures 1-2).
Regarding claim 19, Lucky as modified (see above discussion) teaches a scissor lift, comprising: a chassis (Bafile: 12); a plurality of wheels (Bafile: 14A, 14B) rotatably coupled to the chassis; a lift platform (Bafile: 22); a first scissor cross (Lucky: one of 14) coupled to the chassis and having first links of a first link length; a second scissor cross (Lucky: another of 14, distinct from the first scissor cross) coupled to the lift platform and having second links of a second link length; and a third scissor cross (Lucky: another of 14, distinct from both the first and second scissor crosses) coupled between the first scissor cross and the second scissor cross and having third links of a third link length; wherein the first link length is different than at least one of: (i) the second link length or (ii) the third link length (Lucky: figures 1-2).
With regards to claim 20, the first link length and the second link length are less than the third link length (Lucky: figures 1-2).
Claim(s) 10 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lucky (US 3672104) in view of Bafile (US 20230286792), and in further view of Cao et al. (US 2025/0282597). Lucky as modified does not teach wherein the first pair of links and the second pair of links are arcuate. Cao et al. teach lift equipment comprising scissor crosses, wherein the links are arcuate (figures 4, 6-10). Lucky and Cao et al. are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor, i.e. lift equipment. Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to modify the lift equipment of Lucky as taught by Cao et al. The motivation would have been to provide a more durable scissor linkage design (Cao: 0036). Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify the invention to Lucky as specified in claims 10 and 17.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN LIU whose telephone number is (571)272-8227. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thurs, 6-6.
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/JONATHAN LIU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3631
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