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
Claims 1 – 18 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 1 – 18 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.
Claims 1 – 12 each positively recite “A body.” Each component/limitation should only be positively recited once. Additionally, claims 1 and 13 each recite “a material conveying vehicle” twice, and claims 13 and 14 each “a chassis.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 1 and 12 – 13 include limitations using the word “may.” This renders the claims indefinite, as it is unclear if the limitation is required or optional for functionality. Additionally, claims 9 and 15 include limitations using “optionally,” which suffer from the same deficiency. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 5 recites a coating of “other materials.” This renders the claims indefinite, as it is impossible to ascertain the metes and bounds of the limitation. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the bars or rods" in lines 2 and 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 – 18 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Li (CN218112660) discloses a material conveying vehicle similar to the instant invention; however Li, either alone or in combination, neither discloses nor suggests a material conveying vehicle wherein the inner base comprises a rigid apertured network structure having a raised profile that projects away from the outer base, and the inner side walls comprise apertured network structures spaced from the outer sidewalls, thereby defining an intermediate volume into which material smaller than the apertures in the said network structures may pass in use, wherein the intermediate volume is provided with an outlet system from which material therein may be removed. These limitations, in combination with each and every other independent claim limitation, are not shown in the currently cited prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Nordhus (4,915,826) discloses a grain cleaner;
Rogers (9,797,112) discloses a mobile weed-sifting apparatus;
Lyles et al. (9,889,784) disclose a hauling device;
Eberts et al. (10,300,508) disclose a trommel screen with different sized apertures;
Li (CN218112660) discloses a raw material conveying device.
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/JOHN D WALTERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613
