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 § 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) 1, 9, and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ressor et al., US Patent 5,681,029 in view of Huang, US Patent 8,869,355 and further in view of Tangen, US Patent 1,810,304.
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Regarding claim 1, Ressor et al. discloses a supporting collar (48) for a lift system (3) having a piston rod (127) that is extendable out of a cylinder (85) to raise a load (see abstract), the supporting collar (48) comprising: a first body portion (136) including a first sidewall segment (138);; wherein the first sidewall segment is configured to support a weight of the load (col. 4, line 41). Ressor does not specify that the collar is in the form of a clip.
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Huang teaches a clip structure including a first (110) a second (112) body portion pivotably (about 114) coupled to the first body portion (11) by a pivot hinge (114), the second body portion (112) comprising a second sidewall segment (flat sidewall of 112); wherein the first body portion (110) and the second body portion (112) are pivotable (see fig 1 vs fig 8) relative to each other into an open position (fig 8) in which a component (140) is receivable between the first sidewall segment (110) and the second sidewall segment (112) and a closed position (fig 1) in which the component (140) is retained between the first sidewall segment (110) and the second sidewall segment (112), and a grip actuator (ends of 110,112 opposite 140) configured for a user to pivot the first body portion (110) and the second body portion (112) into the open position (fig 8), wherein the grip actuator (as described above) includes a first grip lever (containing lever pin 122) on the first body portion (110) and a second grip lever (lever associated with 112, see fig 3) on the second body portion (112), and wherein pinching the first grip lever (as described above) and the second grip lever (as described above) together pivots the first sidewall segment (110) and the second sidewall segment (112) apart from each other (see fig 8), a spring (116) that biases the first body portion (110) and the second body portion (112) into the closed position (fig 1), wherein the first sidewall segment (as described above) and the second sidewall segment (as described above) are configured to be clamped onto the piston rod by the spring (116)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the clip like collar described by Huang to the system disclosed by Ressor et al. in order to facilitate adding and removing the clip to the piston without the need for a separate tool. Ressor et al. in view of Huang therefore discloses the claimed invention however does not specify the ramped clip entryway.
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Tangen teaches a similar clip structure (see fig 3) further comprising a ramped entryway (show as angled ends on left side in fig 3) at an opening between the first body portion (1) and the second body portion (2), the ramped entryway being configured to bias the first sidewall segment and the second sidewall segment apart from each other into the open position as the ramped entryway is radially slid onto the piston rod. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the ramp structure described by Tangen to the system disclosed by Ressor et al. in view of Huang in order to facilitate and expedited the clipping operation and allow clipping without pressuring the jaws open.
Regarding claim 9, Ressor et al. in view of Huang and further in view of Tangen discloses a lift system (3) for lifting a load (see abstract), the lift system (3) comprising: a frame (4); a piston-cylinder (85,127) supported on the frame (4), the piston-cylinder (85,127) including a cylinder (85) and a piston rod (127) that is movable into an extended position from the cylinder (85) to raise the load (as described above); and the supporting collar according to claim 1 located on the piston rod (127) and configured to support a weight of the load (col. 4, line 41).
Regarding claim 14, Ressor et al. in view of Huang and further in view of Tangen discloses the lift system according to claim 9, wherein the supporting collar (48) is a first supporting collar (second to top 136 – see fig 8) and further comprising a second supporting collar (top 136 – see fig 8) according to claim 9, the second supporting collar (as described above) being stacked on top (see fig 8) of the first supporting collar (as described above) on the piston rod (127).
Regarding claim 15, Ressor et al. in view of Huang and further in view of Tangen discloses the lift system according to claim 14, wherein the first supporting collar (as described above) has a first thickness dimension (see fig 8) and the second supporting collar (as described above) has a second thickness (see fig 8) dimension that is different (see fig 8) than the first thickness dimension (as described above).
Regarding claim 16, Ressor et al. in view of Huang and further in view of Tangen discloses the lift system according to claim 15, wherein the first supporting collar (as described above) and the second supporting collar (as described above) each includes a sidewall (138) configured to support the weight of the load (col. 4, line 41).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A RIEGELMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7956. The examiner can normally be reached 8-6 EST Monday - Friday.
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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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MICHAEL A. RIEGELMAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3654
/MICHAEL A RIEGELMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654
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