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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
The “conical wheel” from claims 11 and 20 The drawings currently show a wheel with a conical portion 102 (more accurately a frustoconical portion) and a cylindrical portion 100, not a conical wheel.
The “second aperture vertically spaced from the first aperture” and the “alternative front idler wheel assembly” from claim 15.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 135 (para. 123)
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jean et al. US 20160194038 A1.
Regarding claim 18, Jean discloses a track system for a vehicle, the track system comprising: a frame 44; a drive wheel assembly 42 rotationally connected to the frame 44; at least one idler wheel assembly 501-2 pivotably connected to the frame 44, the at least one idler wheel assembly 501-2 being pivotable about a longitudinal axis; a plurality of support wheel assemblies 503-10 rotationally connected to the frame 44; and an endless track 41 surrounding the drive wheel assembly 42, the at least one idler wheel assembly 501-2 and the plurality of support wheel assemblies 503-10. (Fig. 4)
Regarding claim 19, Jean discloses the track system of claim 18, with the track system being in a first configuration on a hard flat level surface, in which the frame 44 has a camber angle offset from zero degrees, the at least one idler wheel assembly 501-2 is pivotable relative to the frame 44 so that a rotation axis of the at least one idler wheel assembly is generally parallel to the hard flat level surface. (Fig. 16, 19, and 25; para. 112; Fig. 16 does not show the front idler wheels pivoting but the specification states they are able to pivot just like the support wheel assemblies)
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gamaunt US 3017942 A.
Regarding claim 20, Gamaunt discloses a track system for a vehicle, the track system comprising: a frame 35; a drive wheel assembly 110,112 rotationally connected to the frame; a plurality of support wheel assemblies (forward bogie wheels) rotationally connected to the frame; a rear idler wheel assembly (rearmost bogie wheels; any non-driven wheel is an “idler wheel”) rotationally connected to the frame 35, the rear idler wheel assembly including at least one conical wheel (the hollow steel shell 80 is a frustoconical portion; as noted above, the instant application does not show a “true” conical wheel, rather a wheel with a cylindrical portion and frustoconical portion); and an endless track 26 surrounding the drive wheel assembly 110,112, the plurality of support wheel assemblies and the rear idler wheel assembly. (Fig. 2 and 4)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-17 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Aubin-Marchand et al. US 20220219769 A1 is the closest prior art but Aubin-Marchand does not teach or suggest the bottom of a front idler wheel in line with the bottoms of the support wheels while the bottom of a rear idler wheel is higher than the bottoms of the support wheels in a configuration that simultaneously has idler wheels of a similar size to the drive wheel.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX R PALMER whose telephone number is (703)756-1981. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm MST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Samuel (Joe) Morano can be reached at (571) 272-6684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/AP/Examiner, Art Unit 3615
/S. Joseph Morano/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3615
Prosecution Insights