25DETAILED 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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2, and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In claim 2, recitation “the subframe defines an outer perimeter, a substantially vertical axis extending within the outer perimeter….. rotation of the first drive wheel and the second wheel in opposite directions rotates the frame about the substantially vertical axis” renders the claim indefinite for being unclear because it appears that 1) the substantially vertical axis is within the outer perimeter of the frame not the subframe; 2) rotation of the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel in opposite directions rotates the frame about the substantially vertical axis but not rotation of the first drive wheel and the second wheel in opposite directions rotates the frame about the substantially vertical axis.
Regarding claims 11-12, recitation “a second drive motor configured to drive a fourth wheel” in claim 11 renders the claim indefinite for being unclear because it appears that a second drive motor configured to drive the second drive wheel as recited in claim 2 but not the fourth wheel.
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, 5, 7-8, 11, 13, 14, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bekoscke (U.S. 2013/0207364).
Regarding claims 1, 3, 5, 7-8, and 13, Bekoscke discloses a vehicle comprising: a frame (2602); a subframe (2621) pivotably coupled to the frame (2602); a first wheel (2632) and a second wheel (2608) coupled to the subframe (2621); and a drive motor (2630) coupled to the subframe (2621) and configured to drive the first wheel (2632) to propel the vehicle, wherein the subframe (2621) is configured to pivot relative to the frame (2602) to maintain contact of the first wheel (2632) and the second wheel (2608) with a ground surface, wherein a first lateral axis (2631) is defined between the first wheel (2608) and the second wheel (2632) and the subframe (2621) is configured to pivot relative to the frame (2602) about the first lateral axis (2631); a third wheel (2620) coupled to the frame (2601), wherein the third wheel (2620) rotates about a first vertical axis and the second wheel rotates about a second vertical axis (see fig. 26C); a biasing element (2618) coupled to the subframe (2621), wherein the biasing element (2618) is configured to bias the subframe(2621) to direct the first wheel (2632) toward a ground surface, wherein the biasing element (2618) is a gas spring.
Regarding claim 11, Bekoscke further discloses the drive motor is a first drive motor (left drive motor 2630 as shown in fig. 26C), the vehicle includes a second drive motor (right drive motor 2630 as shown in fig. 26C) configured to drive the second drive wheel (left drive wheel 2632 as shown in fig. 26B) to propel the vehicle, and the first wheel (left drive wheel 2632) and the second drive wheel (right drive wheel 2632) rotate independently, wherein the second wheel (2608) is configured to rotate about a first vertical axis in response to the first wheel (2632) being driven by the drive motor (2630).
Regarding claims 14, 18-19, Bekoscke discloses a drive arrangement for a vehicle, the drive arrangement comprising: a first drive module (left drive assembly 2604) including: a first subframe (left frame 2621 as shown in fig. 26C) pivotably coupled to a frame (2602); a first caster (2608) coupled to the first subframe (2621); a first drive wheel (left wheel 2632) rotatably coupled to the first subframe (2621); and a first drive motor (left motor 2630) coupled to the first subframe and configured to drive the first drive wheel (left wheel 2632); and a second drive module (right drive assembly 2604) including: a second subframe (right frame 2621) pivotably coupled to the frame (2602);a second caster (right 2608) coupled to the second subframe (right frame 2621); a second drive wheel (right wheel 2632) rotatably coupled to the second subframe; and a second drive motor (right motor 2630) coupled to the second subframe and configured to drive the second drive wheel (right wheel 2632); wherein the first drive module further includes a first biasing element (left shock absorber 2618) coupled to the first subframe (left frame 2621), and wherein the first biasing element (2618) is configured to bias the first subframe (left frame 2621) to rotate about a first lateral axis (2631) to direct the first drive wheel (2632) toward a ground surface, wherein the second drive module further includes a second biasing element (right shock absorber 2618) coupled to the second subframe (right frame 2621), and wherein the second biasing element (2618) is configured to bias the second subframe to rotate about a second lateral axis to direct the second drive wheel (right wheel 2632) toward a ground surface.
Claims 1-3 and 5-7 and 9-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mulhern (U.S. 2004/0004342).
Regarding claims 1-3 and 5-7 and 9-13, Mulhern discloses a vehicle comprising: a frame (left and right frames 16 and cross bar 136); a subframe (86) pivotably coupled to the frame (16, 136); a first wheel (102) and a second wheel (104) coupled to the subframe (86); and a drive motor (82) coupled to the subframe (86) and configured to drive the first wheel (102) to propel the vehicle, wherein the subframe (86) is configured to pivot relative to the frame (20) to maintain contact of the first wheel (102) and the second wheel (104) with a ground surface; wherein: the frame defines an outer perimeter (perimeter defines by both left and right frames 16 and cross bar 136), a substantially vertical axis (any vertical axis extending within frames 16 and 136) extending within the outer perimeter; the first wheel (left wheel 102) is a first drive wheel; the vehicle further includes a second drive wheel (right wheel 102); and rotation of the first drive wheel (left wheel 102) and the second drive wheel (right wheel 102) in opposite directions rotates the frame about the substantially vertical axis (see paragraph 0027); a third wheel (130) coupled to the frame (136), wherein a vertical distance between the third wheel (130) and the frame (136) is fixed; wherein the third wheel (130) rotates about first vertical axis (134) and the second wheel (104) rotates about a second vertical axis (68); a biasing element (68) coupled to the subframe, wherein the biasing element (68) is configured to bias the subframe (86) to direct the first wheel (104) toward a ground surface; a mounting bracket (60) coupled to the frame; and a biasing element (68) coupled between the mounting bracket (60) and the subframe (86), wherein the biasing element (68) is gas spring; wherein the biasing element (68) includes a first swivel coupling (66) coupled to the mounting bracket (60), the first swivel coupling (66) enabling the biasing element (68) to rotate relative to the mounting bracket (60); wherein the biasing element (68) further includes: a body (120) extending from the first swivel coupling (66); a rod (110) extending from the body (120) and configured to move relative to the body (120); and a second swivel coupling (98) coupled between the rod (110) and the subframe (86), the second swivel coupling (98) enabling the biasing element (68) to rotate relative to the subframe (86), wherein the drive motor is a first drive motor (left motor 82), the vehicle includes a second drive motor (right motor 82) configured to drive a fourth wheel (102) to propel the vehicle, and the first wheel and the fourth wheel rotate independently, wherein the first wheel (left wheel 102) and the fourth wheel (right wheel 102) are configured to rotate in opposite directions to turn the frame about a substantially vertical axis (see paragraph 0027).
Regarding claims 14-16, and 18-20, Mulhern discloses a vehicle comprising: a frame (left and right frames 16 and cross bar 136); a first drive module (left 82, 86, 102, 104) including: a first subframe (left 86) pivotably coupled to the frame (left 16); a first caster (left wheel 104) coupled to the first subframe (86); a first drive wheel (left wheel 102) rotatably coupled to the first subframe (left 86); a first biasing element (left 68) coupled to the first subframe (left 86) and configured to bias the first subframe (left 86) to rotate about a first lateral axis (56) to direct the first drive wheel (left 102) toward a ground surface; and a first drive motor (left 82) coupled to the first subframe (left 86) and configured to drive the first drive wheel (left 102); and a second drive module including: a second subframe (right 86) pivotably coupled to the frame (right 16); a second caster (right 101) coupled to the second subframe (right 86); a second drive wheel (right 102) rotatably coupled to the second subframe (right 86); a second biasing element (right 68) coupled to the second subframe (right 86) and configured to bias the second subframe to rotate about a second lateral axis (56) to direct the second drive wheel toward the ground surface; and a second drive motor (right 82) coupled to the second subframe (right 86) and configured to drive the second drive wheel (right 102), wherein the first drive wheel (left 102) and the second drive wheel (right 102) are configured to rotate independently in opposite directions to turn the frame about a substantially vertical axis extending within an outer perimeter defined by the frame (see paragraph 0027); a third caster (left 130) and a fourth caster (right 130) coupled to the frame (136), wherein a vertical distance between the third caster (130) and the frame (136) is fixed, and the vertical distance between the fourth caster (130) and the frame (136) is fixed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 17 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TOAN C TO whose telephone number is (571)272-6677. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5, Monday-Friday.
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/TOAN C TO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3614 August 27, 2026
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