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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because there appears to be missing a comma and the end of line 2, and, it is suggested that “the vertical direction” be amended to --a vertical direction-- in line 17 . Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bonnin et al. (EP 1493709 B1). Bonnin discloses an elevator system, comprising:
Re claim 1, - an elevator shaft (vertical path ways shown in fig. 1) - a first elevator car (fig. 1: left 1), - a second elevator car (fig. 1: right 1), - a first counterweight (fig. 1: left 3) connected to the first elevator car via a first support means (41), and - a second counterweight (fig. 1: right 3) connected to the second elevator car via a second support means (41), wherein the elevator shaft comprises: - a first travel path (vertical path of the first car) for the first elevator car, and - a second travel path (vertical path of the second car) for the second elevator car, wherein - the first travel path and the second travel path are adjacently arranged in a width direction (fig. 1: left-right direction) of the elevator shaft (fig. 1), - arranged between the first travel path and the second travel path is a plurality of first intermediate beams (fig. 3: left 52) which are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction (fig. 1 shows frame 5 comprising 52 arranged at multiple vertical positions) and run in a depth direction (fig. 3: up-down direction) of the elevator shaft running perpendicular to the width direction (fig. 3), - arranged between the first travel path and the second travel path is a plurality of second intermediate beams (fig. 3: right 52) which are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction (fig. 1 shows frame 5 comprising 52 arranged at multiple vertical positions) and run in the depth direction of the elevator shaft, - the second intermediate beams are arranged spaced apart from the first intermediate beams in the width direction (fig. 3), and - a third travel path (vertical path of the first counterweight) for the first counterweight of the elevator system connected to the first elevator car via the first support means and a fourth travel path (vertical path of the second counterweight) for the second counterweight of the elevator system connected to the second elevator car via the second support means are arranged between the first intermediate beams and the second intermediate beams (fig. 3), the first intermediate beams and the second intermediate beams have an elongated shape (elongated shape shown in fig. 2-3) and are supported on opposite shaft walls (walls shown in fig. 3; the beams are supported on the walls via 56) of the elevator shaft, and the third travel path for the first counterweight and the fourth travel path for the second counterweight are adjacently arranged in the width direction of the elevator shaft (fig. 1 and fig. 3).
Re claim 2, wherein a first intermediate beam (fig. 3: left 52) and a corresponding second intermediate beam (fig. 3: right 52) of the elevator shaft run parallel to each other and at the same height in the elevator shaft (fig. 3).
Re claim 3, wherein the first intermediate beam and the corresponding second intermediate beam of the elevator shaft are connected to a cross member (53).
Re claim 4, wherein a guide rail (31) for at least one of the first counterweight and the second counterweight is attached to the cross member (fig. 2-3).
Conclusion
The cited prior art(s) made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US7097000B2 fig. 11 and US6854564B2 fig. 10 show the counterweights align with the two cars in the width direction.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINH D TRUONG whose telephone number is (571) 270-3014. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 pm.
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/Minh Truong/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
