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 .
Status of the Application
Claims 1—5 have been examined in this application. This communication is the first action on merits. The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 09/22/2025 has been acknowledged by the Office.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1—3 & 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S Patent Application 2018/0250178 A1 to Paul et. al (Paul hereafter).
As per claim 1, Paul first embodiment [Fig.1 & Fig.20—25] (Paul first embodiment hereafter) teaches:
A transport apparatus (2430-Fig.20; para [0111]: patient transport apparatus) that is attached to a bed (2443-Fig.20; para [0030]) with casters (2498-Fig.20; para [0060]) and is configured to move the bed laterally (Fig.23A ; para [0112]: moving the patient transport apparatus laterally), one end of the bed in a lengthwise direction (Fig.23A ; para [0112]: moving the patient transport apparatus 2430 in a forward direction parallel with the longitudinal) being supported by an operator (para [0059]), the transport apparatus comprising: a first mecanum wheel ( 2470-Fig.23A ; para [0111])and a second mecanum wheel (2472-Fig.23A ; para [0111]) that are attached to a lower portion of the bed (2472-Fig.20: wheels on lower portion of the bed); an operation unit (2444-Fig.23C); and a controller (2502-Fig.20; para [0112]), the controller operates the first and second mecanum wheels to move the bed in the lateral moving direction (Fig.23; para [0112]: controller actuates wheels to rotate in a trajectory such that patient moves in a lateral direction).
Paul first embodiment does not explicitly teach;
a first motor and a second motor that are respectively connected to the first mecanum wheel and the second mecanum wheel to drive the first mecanum wheel and the second mecanum wheel; [an operation unit] that receives an input of a moving direction of the bed; [and a controller]that controls the first and second motors, wherein when a lateral moving direction is inputted to the operation unit, the controller operates the first and second mecanum wheels via the first and second motors to move the bed in the lateral moving direction inputted to the operation unit while turning the bed about a rotation center located at the one end.
Paul second embodiment [Fig.1—8A] (Paul second embodiment hereafter) teaches;
a first motor (94-Fig.4E ; para [0071]) and a second motor (94-Fig.4E; para [0121] second wheel may include second motors) that are respectively connected to the first mecanum wheel ( 70 & 94-Fig.4E ; para [0072]: motor connected to wheel)
and the second mecanum wheel (70 & 94-Fig.4E; para [ 0121]: wheels may be driven by a motor) to drive the first mecanum wheel and the second mecanum wheel (examiner note (1); 70 & 94-Fig.4E; para [0071] & [0121]: motors may drive first and second wheels);
Note (1)
It may be appreciated that other configurations of mecanum wheels have been contemplated including wheels actively driven by a motor (Paul para [0121]). The examiner further highlights that the embodiments may include variations or modifications in light of the provided teachings.
The examiner therefore submits that the motor elements of the embodiment Fig.4E may reasonably be incorporated into the mecanum wheel system of the embodiment Fig.20.
[an operation unit] ( 100-Fig.4E; para [0084]) that receives an input of a moving direction of the bed (para [0084]: may be used for actuating base wheel 76); [and a controller] (102-Fig.4E ; para [0112]) that controls the first and second motors (102 & 90-Fig.4E ; para [0084]: controller may actuate motion of motors based on received input signal), wherein when a lateral moving direction is inputted to the operation unit (100-Fig.4E ; para [0086] controller moves transport apparatus based on received signals), the controller operates the first and second mecanum wheels via the first and second motors (102 & 94-Fig. ; para [0082]: controller operates wheels motion control via powered devices) to move the bed in the lateral moving direction inputted to the operation unit while turning the bed about a rotation center located at the one end (para [0087]: controller moves bed in lateral direction by rotating the wheel while turning the bed).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to have combined Paul first embodiment (directed to a patient transport apparatus provided with a first and second mecanum wheel configured to move the patient transport laterally and longitudinally) and Paul second embodiment (directed to a patient transport apparatus provided with a first and second motor configured to drive the first and second wheels via a controller configured to receive signals from an operation unit) and arrived at a patient transport apparatus provided with a first and second mecanum wheel configured to move the patient transport laterally and longitudinally provided with a first and second motor configured to drive the first and second wheels via a controller configured to receive signals from an operation unit. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a combination to provide wheels that are employed on the patient transport apparatus are configured to be actively driven as taught in Paul second embodiment (para [0121]).
As per claim 2, Paul first embodiment [Fig.1 & Fig.20—25] (Paul first embodiment hereafter) teaches:
A transport apparatus (2434-Fig.20; para [0111])
that is attached to a bed (2443-Fig.20; para [0030]) with casters (2498-Fig.20; para [0060]) and is configured to move the bed laterally (Fig.23A ; para [0112]: moving the patient transport apparatus laterally), the transport apparatus comprising: a first mecanum wheel (2470-Fig.23A ; para [0111]) and a second mecanum wheel (2472-Fig.23A ; para [0111]) that are attached to a lower portion of the bed (2472-Fig.20: wheels on lower portion of the bed); an operation unit (2444-Fig.23C); and a controller (2502-Fig.20; para [0112]).
Paul first embodiment does not explicitly teach; a first motor
and a second motor that are respectively connected to the first mecanum wheel and the second mecanum wheel to drive the first mecanum wheel and the second mecanum wheel that is configured to be supported on one end of the bed in a lengthwise direction and receives an input of a moving direction of the bed that controls the first and second motors, wherein when the moving direction is inputted to the operation unit, the controller operates the first and second mecanum wheels via the first and second motors to laterally move the bed in the moving direction inputted to the operation unit while turning the bed about a rotation center located at the one end.
Paul second embodiment [Fig.1—8A] (Paul second embodiment hereafter) teaches; a first motor (94-Fig.4E ; para [0071]) and a second motor (94-Fig.4E; para [0121] second wheel may include second motors)that are respectively connected to the first mecanum wheel ( 70 & 94-Fig.4E ; para [0072]: motor connected to wheel) and the second mecanum wheel (70 & 94-Fig.4E; para [ 0121]: wheels may be driven by a motor) to drive the first mecanum wheel and the second mecanum wheel (examiner note (1);70 & 94-Fig.4E; para [0071] & [0121]: motors may drive first and second wheels) [an operation unit] that is configured to be supported on one end of the bed in a lengthwise direction and receives an input of a moving direction of the bed (100-Fig.1; para [0084]: operation unit may be used for actuating base wheel 76 supported on an end of the bed in a lengthwise direction) that controls the first and second motors (102 & 90-Fig.4E ; para [0084]: controller may actuate motion of motors based on received input signal), wherein when the moving direction is inputted to the operation unit(100-Fig.4E ; para [0086] controller moves transport apparatus based on received signals), the controller operates the first and second mecanum wheels via the first and second motors(102 & 94-Fig. ; para [0082]: controller operates wheels motion control via powered devices) to laterally move the bed in the moving direction inputted to the operation unit while turning the bed about a rotation center located at the one end (para [0087]: controller moves bed in lateral direction by rotating the wheel while turning the bed).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to have combined Paul first embodiment (directed to a patient transport apparatus provided with a first and second mecanum wheel configured to move the patient transport laterally and longitudinally) and Paul second embodiment (directed to a patient transport apparatus provided with a first and second motor configured to drive the first and second wheels via a controller configured to receive signals from an operation unit) and arrived at a patient transport apparatus provided with a first and second mecanum wheel configured to move the patient transport laterally and longitudinally provided with a first and second motor configured to drive the first and second wheels via a controller configured to receive signals from an operation unit. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a combination to provided wheels that are employed on the patient transport apparatus are configured to be actively driven as taught in Paul second embodiment (para [0121]).
As per claim 3, Paul first embodiment (as modified) teaches:
The transport apparatus of claim 1,wherein the first and second mecanum wheels are
arranged side by side in a widthwise direction of the bed (2470 & 2472-Fig.23A ; para [0111]), each of the first and second mecanum wheels includes a wheel body (2478-Fig.22 ; para [0111])that rotates about a rotation axis extending in the widthwise direction (para [0111]: 2478a, 2478b rotatably coupled to the support structure 2432 about a common rotational axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L) and
a plurality of barrel-shaped rollers arranged along an outer periphery of the wheel body (2480-Fig.22; para [0111]: rollers 2480 rotate about peripheral rotational axes) and rotating about an inclined axis inclined with respect to both the widthwise direction and the lengthwise direction (2480-Fig.22 para [0111]: rollers 2480 rotate about peripheral rotational inclined axes in length & width direction), and the inclined axis of the first mecanum wheel is inclined with respect to the inclined axis of the second mecanum wheel to be line-symmetrical with respect to the
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lengthwise direction (annotated Fig.22 & 23).
As per claim 5, Paul first embodiment (as modified) teaches:
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The transport apparatus of claim 1, wherein a head plate of the bed is arranged at the one end, and a foot plate of the bed is arranged at the other end opposite to the one end in the lengthwise direction (annotated Fig.21).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S Patent Application 2018/0250178 A1 to Paul in view of U.S Patent Application 2016/0137216 A1 to Nilsson et. al (Nilsson hereafter).
As per claim 4, Paul first embodiment (as modified) teaches:
The transport apparatus of claim 3, wherein when the moving direction is inputted to the operation unit (para [0084]: may be used for actuating base wheel 76 to move transport in desired direction),
the controller commands rotational speeds of the first and second mecanum wheels so that one of the first and second mecanum wheels rotates forward and the other rotates rearward (Fig.23; para [0112]: first mecanum wheel moves forward while second mecanum wheel moves rearward).
Paul first embodiment teaches, and when commanding the rotational speeds, makes absolute values of the commanded rotational speeds of the first and second mecanum wheels equal to each other.
Nilsson teaches, and when commanding the rotational speeds, makes absolute values of the commanded rotational speeds of the first and second mecanum wheels equal to each other (20-Fig.3a; para [0139]: wheels 20b driven at same speed).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to have combined Paul first embodiment (directed to a patient transport apparatus provided with a first and second mecanum wheel configured to move the patient transport laterally and longitudinally) and Paul second embodiment (directed to a patient transport apparatus provided with a first and second motor configured to drive the first and second wheels via a controller configured to receive signals from an operation unit) and Nilsson (directed to a transport assembly provided with first and second mecanum wheels configured to be driven at equal rotational speeds) and arrived at a patient transport apparatus provided with a first and second mecanum wheel configured to move the patient transport laterally and longitudinally provided with a first and second motor configured to drive the first and second wheels via a controller configured to receive signals from an operation unit provided with first and second mecanum wheels configured to be driven at equal rotational speeds. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a combination to propel the transport assembly in a desired path by operating the wheels at the same speed as taught in Nilsson (para [0139]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S Patent Application 2017/0196748 A1 teaches an omnidirectional drive assembly, which is configured so that the operating table floor platform is movable and rotatable by the omnidirectional drive assembly in any direction within a predetermined plane.
U.S Patent Application 2021/0252910 A1 a mecanum wheel, including a mecanum wheel body and a drive device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Deborah T Gedeon whose telephone number is (571)272-8863. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30am to 4:30pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Justin Mikowski can be reached at 571-272-8525. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DEBORAH TALITHA GEDEON/Examiner, Art Unit 3673
07/14/2026
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