DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is in response to the claims filed on 10/24/2025.
Claims 1-4, 6-9, 11-13, 15-16, 18, 22, and 24-27 are currently pending. Claims 5, 10, 14, 17, 19-21 and 23 were canceled.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 10/24/2025 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In lines 6-7 of claim 15, “said one or a plurality of first mounting elements” should read --said one or said plurality of first mounting elements--.
Above provides non-limiting examples, the applicant(s) must find and correct all issues similar to those discussed above.
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.
Claim 25 is 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 25
Recitations such as “the first panel” on line 2 is rejected because it is unclear whether it is referring to the first door panel or to the first fixed panel.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 9, 22, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Perry (US 7346939).
Claim 1
(Perry discloses) A vehicle sliding door assembly (10; figures 1-3A) for selectively covering a bulkhead transit passage (intended use; the sliding door assembly of Perry can be installed to a vehicle such that it controls passage of a bulkhead transit passage), the sliding door assembly comprising:
a first door panel (28; figure 1) slidable between a first door open position and a first door closed position (via track 18), said first door panel comprising a first door leading edge (28a; figure 3A) and a first door following edge (28b);
at least one second door panel (26) slidable between a second door open position and a second door closed position (via track 18), said at least one second door panel comprising a second door leading edge (26a);
an upper door track (18) having a first longitudinal end portion (left end portion near 12 in figure 1) and a second longitudinal end portion (right end portion near 14) spaced along a longitudinal axis (horizontal axis), said first door panel and said at least one second door panel slidably coupled to said upper door track (figure 2);
a first fixed panel (12; figure 1) immovably mounted to said upper door track at said first longitudinal end portion of said upper door track (figure 1), wherein the first fixed panel has a width (width of 12) along the longitudinal axis that is sufficient to fully support a jump seat attached thereto (intended use; the existing width of 12 is capable of supporting a jump seat); and
a second fixed panel (14 and 20; note that the claim recites “comprising” which is an open-ended transitional term, therefore the second fixed panel was interpreted with multiple parts) immovably mounted to said second longitudinal end portion of said upper door track (figure 1), wherein said second fixed panel is spaced from said first fixed panel along said longitudinal axis to define the bulkhead transit passage therebetween (figure 1), wherein said second fixed panel is elongated along a vertical axis (figure 1), said second fixed panel and said first door panel forming a pocket (Partial Annotated figure 3A below; note that ‘pocket’ was interpreted as -- A receptacle, cavity, or opening--) for storing said at least one second door panel when said first door panel is in the first door open position (Partial Annotated figure 3A below);
wherein said first door following edge engages said second door leading edge when said first door panel is moved into said first door closed position (figure 3A), forcing said at least one second door panel into said second door closed position (via engagement of 38 and 77 and when panel 28 is moved to the left in figure 3A); and
wherein said first door leading edge engages said second door leading edge when said first door panel is moved into said first door open position (figure 3A), forcing said at least one second door panel into said second door open position (via engagement of 39 and 77; and when panel 28 is moved to the right; note that the doors can be moved in either direction as set forth in the last three lines of Excerpt 1 from cols. 8-9 below).
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Partial Annotated figure 3A
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Excerpt 1
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Source: American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Claim 2
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a first door hook (38; figure 3A) mounted on said first door following edge;
a first door catch (39) mounted on said first door leading edge; and
a second door hook (77) mounted on said second door leading edge;
wherein said first door hook engages said second door hook when said first door panel is moved into the first door closed position forcing said at least one second door panel into said second door closed position (Excerpt 1 above); and
wherein said first door catch engages said second door hook when said first door panel is moved into the first door open position forcing said at least one second door panel into said second door open position (Excerpt 1 above).
Claim 3
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly of claim 1, wherein said first door panel and said second door panel are coupled to said upper door track in a cantilever arrangement (figure 2).
Claim 4
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 3, wherein said upper door track comprises:
an elongated channel having a first channel guide and a second channel guide (all three parts shown in Annotated figure 2 below);
one or a plurality of first mounting elements slidably engaged to said first channel guide (Annotated figure 2 below), wherein each first mounting element of said one or said plurality of first mounting elements includes one or more first mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 below);
one or a plurality of second mounting elements slidably engaged to said second channel guide (Annotated figure 2 below), wherein each second mounting element of said one or said plurality of second mounting elements includes one or more second mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 below);
wherein said first door panel is mounted to said one or more first mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 below and figure 2); and
wherein said at least one second door panel is mounted to said one or more second mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 below).
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Annotated figure 2
Claim 6
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:
a bottom door guide (22; figures 1-2 and 4) comprising a first guide track (120) and a second guide track (116), said first guide track and said second guide track being parallel to each other (figure 4);
wherein said first door panel floats within said first guide track (figure 2); and
wherein said second door panel floats within said second guide track (figure 2).
Claim 9
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 6, wherein said bottom door guide comprises one or more ramp surfaces positioned externally to said first guide track and said second guide track (see ramp surface at 110 in figure 5B).
Claim 22
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly of claim 6, wherein said second fixed panel extends to said bottom door guide along said vertical axis (figure 1).
Claim 27
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly of claim 1, wherein the second fixed panel is configured to be positioned on a left side of the bulkhead transit passage (this is true when the second fixed panel is viewed from inside the door assembly).
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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perry, as applied to claims 1-4, 6, 9, 22, and 27 above, in view of Forcina (US 3805450).
Claim 7
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 6.
Perry fails to disclose wherein said first guide track and said second guide track comprise semi-circular cross sections.
(However, Forcina teaches) wherein a first guide track (40; Forcina figure 3) and a second guide track (42) comprise semi-circular cross sections.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the shapes of the first and second guide tracks such that they have semi-circular cross sections as taught by Forcina, with a reasonable expectation of success, such that the curves of the rounded cross-section of the guide tracks makes them easier to clean thus dust are prevented from accumulating inside.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perry in view of Forcina, as applied to claim 7 above, in further view of Lewis (US 5469666).
Claim 8
(Perry, as modified above, discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 7.
Modified Perry fails to disclose wherein said first door panel comprises a first semi-circular bottom edge positioned within said first guide track; and
wherein said at least one second door panel comprises a second semicircular bottom edge positioned within said second guide track.
(However, Lewis teaches) wherein a first door panel (dashed lines showing the door panel in Lewis figure 3) comprises a first semi-circular bottom edge positioned within a first guide track (32; Lewis figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the shapes of the bottom edges of the first and second door panels such that they have a semicircular bottom edge as taught by Lewis, with a reasonable expectation of success, for preventing sharp corners thus they are safer upon human contact when the door panels are being installed within their respective guide tracks.
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perry, as applied to claims 1-4, 6, 9, 22, and 27 above, in view of Merchant et al. (US 20190118677) (hereinafter “Merchant”).
Claim 24
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly of claim 1.
Perry fails to disclose further comprising a jump seat mounted to the first fixed panel, wherein the jump seat comprises a pivotable seat portion and a backrest, wherein the pivotable seat portion is configured to support a passenger seated therein.
(However, Merchant teaches) a jump seat (10; Merchant figure 13) mounted to a first fixed panel (4; Merchant figure 13), wherein the jump seat comprises a pivotable seat portion (116; Merchant figure 14) and a backrest (114), wherein the pivotable seat portion is configured to support a passenger seated therein (Merchant figure 13).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide the first fixed panel of Perry with the jump seat of Merchant, with a reasonable expectation of success to improve convenience to the users especially older people who requires sitting without sacrificing the space via the pivotable seat portion.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perry in view of Merchant, as applied to claim 24 above, in further view of Lehr et al. (US 5357143) (hereinafter “Lehr”).
Claim 25
(Perry, as modified above, discloses) The sliding door assembly of claim 24.
Modified Perry is silent regarding wherein the width of the first panel is greater than a width of the jump seat.
(However, Lehr teaches) wherein a width of a first panel (panel 16 behind 18; Lehr figure 4) is greater than a width of a jump seat (18).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the width of the first panel of modified Perry such that it is wider than the width of the jump seat as taught by Lehr, with a reasonable expectation of success, for fully supporting the jump seat as it supports the passengers or the users.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perry, as applied to claims 1-4, 6, 9, 22, and 27 above.
Claim 26
(Perry discloses) The sliding door assembly of claim 1, wherein said first fixed panel has a height along the vertical axis (height of 12 in figure 1) and a thickness along a third axis that is perpendicular to each of the vertical and longitudinal axes (thickness of 12 at an axis towards the page as viewed in figure 1), wherein the height of the first fixed panel is greater than the width of the first fixed panel (figure 1).
Perry is silent regarding wherein the width of the first fixed panel is greater than the thickness of the first fixed panel.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art is expected to routinely experiment with parameters so as to ascertain the optimum or workable ranges for a particular use. Accordingly, it would have been no more than an obvious matter of engineering design choice, as determined through routine experimentation and optimization, for one of ordinary skill to modify the width and the thickness of the first fixed panel such that the width is greater than the thickness, with a reasonable expectation of success, for optimizing the area inside the door assembly therefore it has more room and allowable space for other elements and allows users to move freely.
Claims 11-13, 15-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perry in view of Corey et al. (US 7346939).
Claim 11
(Perry discloses) A sliding door assembly (10; figures 1-3A) for use in a vehicle (intended use; the sliding door assembly of Perry can be installed to a vehicle), comprising:
a passage (passage when the doors 24-28 are open);
an upper door track (18) having a first longitudinal end portion (left end portion near 12 in figure 1) and a second longitudinal end portion (right end portion near 14) spaced along a longitudinal axis (horizontal axis), wherein said upper door track is mounted above said passage (figure 1);
a bottom door guide (22) mounted below said passage (figure 1);
a first door panel (28) positioned between said upper door track and said bottom door guide, said first door panel slidable between a first door open position and a first door closed position (via track 18), said first door panel comprising a first door leading edge (28a; figure 3A) and a first door following edge (28b);
at least one second door panel (26) positioned between said upper door track and said bottom door guide, said at least one second door panel slidable between a second door open position and a second door closed position (via track 18), said at least one second door panel comprising a second door leading edge (26a);
a first fixed panel (12; figure 1) immovably mounted, and mounted at said first longitudinal end portion of said upper door track (figure 1), wherein the first fixed panel has a width (width of 12) along the longitudinal axis that is sufficient to fully support a jump seat attached thereto (intended use; the existing width of 12 is capable of supporting a jump seat); and
a second fixed panel (14 and 20; note that the claim recites “comprising” which is an open-ended transitional term, therefore the second fixed panel was interpreted with multiple parts) immovably mounted, wherein said second fixed panel is elongated along a vertical axis (figure 1), wherein said second fixed panel is spaced from said first fixed panel along said longitudinal axis, said second fixed panel and said first door panel forming a pocket (Partial Annotated figure 3A above; note that ‘pocket’ was interpreted as -- A receptacle, cavity, or opening--) for storing said at least one second door panel when said first door panel is in the first door open position (Partial Annotated figure 3A above);
a first door hook (38; figure 3A) mounted on said first door following edge;
a first door catch (39) mounted on said first door leading edge; and
a second door hook (77) mounted on said second door leading edge;
wherein said first door hook engages said second door hook when said first door panel is moved into the first door closed position, forcing said at least one second door panel into said second door closed position (Excerpt 1 above); and
wherein said first door catch engages said second door hook when said first door panel is moved into the first door open position, forcing said at least one second door panel into said second door open position (Excerpt 1 above).
Perry fails to disclose:
(i) a bulkhead defining a bulkhead transit passage;
(ii) wherein said upper door track is mounted to said bulkhead above said bulkhead transit passage;
(iii) the bottom door guide mounted to said bulkhead below said bulkhead transit passage;
(iv) the first fixed panel immovably mounted to said bulkhead;
(v) the second fixed panel immovably mounted to said bulkhead;
(i) (However, Corey teaches) A sliding door assembly (sliding door assembly shown in Corey figures 1-2) for use in a vehicle (100; Corey figure 1), comprising:
a bulkhead (52) defining a bulkhead transit passage (opening when the sliding doors 58 and 60 are open).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to apply the sliding door assembly of Perry to a bulkhead similar to the teachings of Corey, with a reasonable expectation of success, for providing the bulkhead with a door system with a series of sliding doors that can be conveniently opened or closed subsequently via its handle.
(ii-v) Perry, as modified above, discloses:
wherein said upper door track is mounted to said bulkhead above said bulkhead transit passage;
the bottom door guide mounted to said bulkhead below said bulkhead transit passage;
the first fixed panel immovably mounted to said bulkhead;
the second fixed panel immovably mounted to said bulkhead (these clauses are taught via the combination above).
Claim 12
(Perry, as modified above, discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 11, wherein said first door panel and said at least one second door panel are slidably engaged to said upper door track in a cantilever arrangement (figure 2).
Claim 13
(Perry, as modified above, discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 11, wherein said first door panel floats within a first guide track (120; figure 2) formed in said bottom door guide; and wherein said at least one second door panel floats within a second guide track (116) formed in said bottom door guide (figure 2).
Claim 15
(Perry, as modified above, discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 11, wherein said upper door track comprises:
an elongated channel having a first channel guide and a second channel guide (all three parts shown in Annotated figure 2 above);
one or a plurality of first mounting elements slidably engaged to said first channel guide (Annotated figure 2 above), wherein each first mounting element of said one or a plurality of first mounting elements includes one or more first mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 above);
one or a plurality of second mounting elements slidably engaged to said second channel guide (Annotated figure 2 above), wherein each second mounting element of said one or said plurality of second mounting elements includes one or more second mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 above);
wherein said first door panel is mounted to said one or more first mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 above and figure 2); and
wherein said at least one second door panel is mounted to said one or more second mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 above).
Claim 16
(Perry, as modified above, discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 15, wherein said first door panel comprises at least one first door upper mount (Annotated figure 2 above) including at least one first door receiving guide (the hole of the first door upper mount receiving the fastener 64), said at least one first door receiving guide engaging said one or more first mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 above); and
wherein said at least one second door panel comprises at least one second door upper mount (Annotated figure 2 above) including at least one second door receiving guide (the hole of the second door upper mount receiving the fastener 64), said at least one second door receiving guide engaging said one or more second mounting posts (Annotated figure 2 above).
Claim 18
(Perry, as modified above, discloses) The sliding door assembly according to claim 11, further comprising:
a door stop (263; figure 3A) mounted to said bulkhead, said door stop retaining said first door hook when said first door panel is in said first door open position (when first door panel 28 is opened and engaging 263; figure 3A).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments directed to the drawing and claim objections have been considered.
Applicant’s amendments directed to claim 112(b) rejections have been considered and the rejection was withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed on 10/24/2025 have been fully considered but they are moot because the new ground of rejection do not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant’s arguments directed to Corey (US 7159915) are moot as Corey was merely relied upon the teaching of the sliding door assembly of a bulkhead. The specific parts of Corey such as the fixed panels from the previous rejection, removable tray or the mail handling area, as non-limiting example, (see arguments in page 6 of the Applicant’s Remarks) were not relied upon.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK B PONCIANO whose telephone number is (571)272-9910. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Cahn can be reached at (571) 270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK B. PONCIANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/DANIEL P CAHN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3634