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 .
Claims 1-11 are pending.
Claims 1-11 have been examined.
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 7-9 and 11 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.
Claim 7 recites “wherein the slide base part is configured such that the other end of the third link moves upward as the other end moves forward.” It is unclear what ends are being recited by “the other end of the link moves upward as the other end moves forward.”
Claim 11 recites “a slide base part to be used in the support equipment according to claim 1.” It is unclear what is being claimed (i.e. is this simply claiming “a slide base part” with no limitations to be used in the larger support structure?).
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) 1-5, 8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nogami et al. (JPH02196477) (“Nogami”). Nogami discloses a support equipment, comprising: a base (fig. 1: 7); a first link (fig. 1: 24) fixed to the base; a second link (fig. 1: 3) rotatably connected to the first link; a slide base part fixed to the base at a position different from a position at which the first link is fixed to the base (fig. 1: 12, 15); a third link (fig. 1: 17) having one end that is rotatably connected to the second link at a predetermined position (fig. 1: 18), and another end that is slidably connected to the slide base part (fig. 1: end of 17 slides on 15); and a handle part (fig. 1: 16) fixed to the third link.
As concerns claim 2, Nogami discloses wherein the support equipment is capable of making a transition to a first position in which the second link is substantially parallel to the base (fig. 3), and to a position in which the second link is inclined at a desired angle with respect to the base (fig. 1).
As concerns claim 3, Nogami discloses wherein the slide base part is configured such that one end of the third link is slidable in a uniaxial direction on the slide base part (the third link 17 slides along the longitudinal axis of 15).
As concerns claim 4, Nogami discloses wherein the one end of the third link is rotatably connected to the second link at one point (fig. 1: 18 is an end rotatably connected to 3 in the same way R3 is an “end” of the second link 13 of the present application), and the other end of the third link is slidably connected to the slide base part (fig. 1: 15).
As concerns claim 5, Nogami discloses wherein the second link (fig. 1: 3) is provided with a seat surface (shown in fig. 1), and is connected to the first link such that the second link can rotate about a first axis (fig. 1: 21) extending laterally at a front side of the second link, wherein the third link is connected to the second link such that the third link can rotate about a second axis arranged behind the first axis (fig. 1: 18), at a side of the second link, wherein the handle part is connected to the one end of the third link, and wherein the slide base part restricts movement of the other end of the third link to a predetermined range (the slide part 15 restricts movement to a predetermined range based on the length of telescoping element 15).
As concerns claim 7, Nogami discloses wherein the slide base part is configured such that the other end of the third link moves upward as the other end moves forward (fig. 1: 17 has a rear end that moves up and a front end that moves forward).
As concerns claim 8, Nogami discloses wherein the slide base part is configured such that the other end of the third link moves along an upward-projecting trajectory (fig. 1: 17 rear end moves upward and forward).
As concerns claim 11, Nogami discloses a slide base part used in claim 1 (fig. 1: 15).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 11 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.
Claim 9 is rejected 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, as well as upon overcoming the 112(b) rejection provided.
The following is a statement of reasons for indicating allowable subject matter: The prior art of Nogami fails to teach:
wherein the slide base part is configured to allow vertical movement of the other end of the third link and to restrict front-rear- direction movement of the other end of the third link;
wherein the slide base part is configured such that the other end of the third link moves along a downward-projecting trajectory; or
a moving equipment comprising the support equipment of claim 1 and wheels attached to the base.
Further, there is no teaching, suggestion or motivation to modify the prior art absent hindsight.
Conclusion
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Dunn can be reached at 5712726670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TIMOTHY J BRINDLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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