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 .
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.
Claim12-13 and 15 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 12 (and 13) recites the limitation "the frame" in line 2 (and line 3). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
The term “essentially” in claim 12 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “essentially” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The required orientation of the transverse joint with respect to the travel direction of the trailer is indefinite.
Claim 15 is written as a method claim but does not clear recite specific method steps to be carried out. Using active verbs (extracting instead of extract, moving instead move etc.) would likely alleviate this issue.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-11 and 14 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the details draw arrangements when combined with the vehicles (frame steered transfer vehicle and low trailer) differentiate the claims from the prior art when considered in combination with the other limitations of the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK C HAGEMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5547. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:15-4:45 (PST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Saul Rodriguez can be reached at 571-272-7097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARK C HAGEMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3652
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