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.
Claims 9-14 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 8 recites the limitation "the first direction”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites “a coupling assembly”, it is unclear if this is the same limitation as that already recited in claim 1.
Claim 10 recites “a landing door”, it is unclear if this is the same limitation as that already recited in claim 1.
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) 1-12, 14, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mittermayr (US 2015/0329325 A1). Mittermayr discloses an elevator door coupler system (abstract) comprising:
Re claim 1, a door hanger (2,6), for connection to an elevator car door (par [0059]); and at least one roller (3), mounted to the door hanger; wherein the door hanger comprises a first elongate opening (12) for fixedly mounting a coupling assembly (7,8) arranged to engage a landing door so as to actuate movement of the landing door together with movement of the elevator car door (par [0081]), such that a position of the coupling assembly relative to the door hanger is adjustable by mounting the coupling assembly at a different position within the first elongate opening (par [0051]).
Re claim 2, wherein the at least one roller enables movement of the door hanger along a movement direction (direction indicated as “OPEN” and “CLOSE” in fig. 1), so as to enable, in use, movement of the elevator car door parallel to the movement direction (par [0045]), and wherein the first elongate opening is elongate along a direction parallel to the movement direction (fig. 1).
Re claim 3, wherein the first elongate opening has a length of at least 5 cm (par [0051]).
Re claim 4, wherein the first elongate opening is elongate a first direction (horizontal direction), and wherein the door hanger further comprises a second elongate opening, spaced apart from the first elongate opening along a direction perpendicular to the first direction (fig. 1 shows multiple 12s parallel to each other and spaced apart in the vertical direction).
Re claim 5, wherein the first elongate opening and the second elongate opening span different distance ranges along the first direction (fig. 1 shows various 12s being horizontally offset therefore spanning different ranges in the first direction).
Re claim 6, wherein the first elongate opening and the second elongate opening span the same distance range along the first direction (fig. 1 shows various 12s being horizontally aligned therefore spanning the same distance ranges in the first direction), and wherein the coupling assembly is arranged to be fixedly mounted to the door hanger through both the first elongate opening and the second elongate opening simultaneously (fig. 1).
Re claim 7, further comprising a deterrent assembly (fig. 12: 28,29,30,32,33,34) for preventing, in use, the opening of the elevator car door when the coupling assembly is not engaged with the landing door (par [104]), and wherein the door hanger further comprises a deterrent-assembly-mounting opening (fig. 11: opening for receiving 29), for fixedly mounting the deterrent assembly to the door hanger, wherein the deterrent-assembly-mounting opening is elongate (fig. 13), such that a position of the deterrent assembly relative to the door hanger is adjustable by mounting the deterrent assembly at a different position within the deterrent-assembly-mounting opening (fig. 13 shows the elongated opening for receiving 29 allows for adjustable mounting).
Re claim 8, wherein the deterrent assembly comprises at least two mounting holes (30,31), spaced apart along the first direction (fig. 12), such that a position of the deterrent assembly relative to the door hanger is adjustable by mounting the deterrent assembly using a selected mounting hole of the at least two mounting holes (par [0096]).
Re claim 9, further comprising a coupling assembly (7,8,13).
Re claim 10, wherein the coupling assembly comprises a first vane (7) and a second vane (8), arranged to engage, in use, respective landing door rollers (36) of a landing door (par [0081]).
Re claim 11, wherein the first vane comprises a first at least two mounting holes (15s of 7), spaced apart along a spacing direction (vertical direction) and wherein the second vane comprises a second at least two mounting holes (15s of 8), spaced apart along the spacing direction, so as to enable the first vane and the second vane to be mounted different distances apart along the spacing direction (fig. 9).
Re claim 12, wherein the coupling assembly further comprises a connection mechanism (9) connected between the first vane and the second vane, the connection mechanism arranged, in use, to actuate the first vane and/or the second vane to vary a separation distance between the first vane and the second vane (transition between figs. 9-11).
Re claim 14, wherein the coupling assembly comprises a coupling arm (fig. 4: 13), wherein a first end of the coupling arm (par [0054] describes a fastening means for securing 6 to 4; this fastening means is shown as a bolt which is construed as the coupling arm) is coupled, in use, to a drive belt (4).
Re claim 15, a method of installing an elevator door coupler system (abstract) into an elevator system, the method comprising: mounting at least one roller (3) to a door hanger (2,6), the door hanger suitable for connection to an elevator car door (par [0059]); and mounting a coupling assembly (7,8) to the door hanger, the mounting comprising selecting a suitable position for the coupling assembly relative to the door hanger by selecting a suitable mounting position within a first elongate opening (12) of the door hanger and fixedly mounting the coupling assembly to the door hanger at the selected position (par [0081]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mittermayr (US 2015/0329325 A1) in view of Montigny et al. (US 2019/0345005 A1). Mittermayr discloses the system (as cited above). Mittermayr does not disclose:
Re claim 13, wherein the coupling assembly further comprises a coupling plate and wherein the connection mechanism is mounted to the coupling plate and the coupling plate is mounted to the door hanger.
However, Montigny teaches an elevator door coupler system (fig. 7A):
Re claim 13, wherein the coupling assembly (704,706) further comprises a coupling plate (702) and wherein the connection mechanism is mounted to the coupling plate and the coupling plate is mounted to the door hanger (732).
It would have been obvious to person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the coupling plate, as taught by Montigny, to make quick adjustments simultaneously to both vanes while maintaining their relative distances.
Conclusion
The cited prior art(s) made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Hodge can be reached at (571) 272-2097. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Minh Truong/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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