DETAILED ACTION
The following Non-Final Office Action is in response to the amendment filed 12/19/2025.
Status of the claims: Claims 1,2,4-7 and 9 are hereby examined below.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marocco US 5,195,570 in view of Liu US 6,561,254.
In regard to claim 1, Marocco ‘570 discloses a bracket, which is adapted for attachment of an upper beam (10) of a window blind, the upper beam having a first wall and a second wall opposite to the first wall, the first wall having a first linked portion, the second wall having a second linked portion , the bracket comprising: a supporting plate (32), an end of the supporting plate having a first buckling portion (34)(36) and a guiding sheet (60) arranged separately from the first buckling portion (36); an abutting plate (42) connected to another end of the supporting plate (32), the abutting plate (42) having a second buckling portion (44)(76); wherein, when the upper beam (10) is attached to the bracket, the first linked portion of the first wall of the upper beam is abutted on the guiding sheet (60) of the supporting plate (32) and embedded in the first buckling portion (34)(36) of the supporting plate, the second wall of the upper beam is abutted on the abutting plate (42), and the second linked portion of the second wall of the upper beam is embedded in the second buckling portion (44)(76) of the abutting plate; wherein the guiding sheet (60) has a connecting portion (flat top) and an abutting portion (66) extending downward at an inclined angle from the connecting portion; wherein the first linked portion (of 10) is adapted for being abutted on the bottom surface of the abutting portion (66) of the guiding sheet (60).
Marocco ‘570 fails to disclose the guiding sheet has a protrusion formed on a top surface of the abutting portion; wherein the first linked portion is adapted for being abutted on the protrusion; wherein an end part of the abutting portion of the guiding sheet is bent upward.
Liu ‘254 discloses wherein the first linked portion (top of 30) is adapted for being embedded in the first buckling portion (242) and abutted on the top surface of the abutting portion (222). (i.e., the arrangement of Marocco ‘570 is reversed); a protrusion (244) formed on a bottom surface of the buckling portion (242); wherein an end part of the abutting portion (222) of the guiding sheet is bent upward (shown in Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, with a reasonable expectation of success, to modify the device of Marocco ‘570 to abut the first linked portion to a top surface of the abutting portion as taught by Liu ‘254 as such an arrangement is known to be used in mounting of headrails. Furthermore, it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, with a reasonable expectation of success, to modify the device of Marocco ‘570 to include a protrusion as taught by Liu ‘254 for the purpose of helping to engage the rail and hold the device in place. The location of the protrusion on the top surface of the abutting portion would have been an obvious design choice as it would function the same on the bottom of the buckling portion or the top of the abutting portion.
In regard to claim 2, Marocco ‘570 disclose: wherein the first buckling portion (34)(36) of the supporting plate has an extending part (34) and a first hook part (36) connected to the extending part (34); the first linked portion of the upper beam (10) is adapted for being abutted on the abutting portion (66) of the guiding sheet and embedded in the first hook part (36) of the first buckling portion.
In regard to claim 4, Marocco ‘570 disclose wherein the second buckling portion (44)(74) of the abutting plate (42) has an inclined body part (bottom angled surface of 44) , and a second hook part (74) connected (indirectly) to the inclined body part; the second linked portion of the upper beam (10) is adapted for being embedded in the second hook part (74) of the second buckling portion (44)(74).
In regard to claim 5, Marocco ‘570 disclose wherein the abutting plate (42) further comprises a positionally limiting part (72); the positionally limiting part is connected to the second hook part (74) and inclinedly extending in opposite direction to the inclined body part (bottom angle surface of 44). (shown below)
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marocco US 5,195,570 and Liu US 6,561,254 as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Chen et al GB2566090.
In regard to claim 6, Marocco ‘570 fails to disclose wherein the supporting plate comprises two said guiding sheets ; the guiding sheets are arranged by two sides of the first buckling portion respectively.
Chen et al ‘090 disclose wherein the supporting plate (24a) comprises two said guiding sheets (40a); the guiding sheets (40a) are arranged by two sides of the first buckling portion (30a) respectively. (Figure 2C)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effecting filing date of the invention, with a reasonable expectation of success, to modify the device of Marocco ‘570 to include two guiding sheets on two side of the buckling portion as taught by Chen et al ‘090 in order to increase the strength of the holding mechanism by having a distributed load.
Claims 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McMichael US 5,180,130 in view of Liu US 6,561,254.
In regard to claim 1, McMichael ‘130 discloses a bracket, which is adapted for (functionally recited) attachment of an upper beam (10) of a window blind, the upper beam having a first wall (15) and a second wall (17) opposite to the first wall, the first wall having a first linked portion (12), the second wall having a second linked portion (19) , the bracket comprising: A supporting plate (25), an end of the supporting plate having a first buckling portion (29) and a guiding sheet (28a) arranged separately from the first buckling portion (29); an abutting plate (26) connected to another end of the supporting plate (25), the abutting plate (26) having a second buckling portion (22); wherein, when the upper beam (10) is attached to the bracket, the first linked portion (12) of the first wall of the upper beam is abutted on the guiding sheet (28a) of the supporting plate (25) and embedded in the first buckling portion (29) of the supporting plate, the second wall of the upper beam is abutted on the abutting plate (26), and the second linked portion (19) of the second wall of the upper beam is embedded in the second buckling portion (22) of the abutting plate; the guiding sheet (28a) having an abutting portion extending downward at an inclined angle from the connecting portion; wherein the first linked portion (12) is adapted for being abutted on the bottom surface of the abutting portion (66) of the guiding sheet (28).
McMichael ‘130 fails to disclose the guiding sheet has a connecting portion extending horizontally and an abutting portion connected to the connecting portion and extending downward at an inclined angle from the connecting portion; the guiding sheet has a protrusion formed on a top surface of the abutting portion; wherein the first linked portion is adapted for being abutted on the protrusion; and an end part of the abutting portion of the guiding sheet is bent upward.
Liu ‘254 discloses the guiding sheet has a connecting portion extending horizontally and an abutting portion connected to the connecting portion and extending downward at an inclined angle from the connecting portion (shown below); wherein the first linked portion (top of 30) is adapted for being embedded in the first bucking portion (242) and abutted on the top surface of the abutting portion (222) (i.e., the arrangement of McMichael ‘130 is reversed); a protrusion (244) formed on a bottom surface of the buckling portion (242) and an end part of the abutting portion of the guiding sheet is bent upward (shown in Fig. 3).
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, with a reasonable expectation of success, to modify the device of McMichael ‘130 to abut the first linked portion to a top surface of the abutting portion as taught by Liu ‘254 as such an arrangement is known to be used in mounting of headrails. Furthermore, it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, with a reasonable expectation of success, to modify the device of McMichael ‘130 to include a protrusion as taught by Liu ‘254 for the purpose of helping to engage the rail and hold the device in place. The location of the protrusion on the top surface of the abutting portion would have been an obvious design choice as it would function the same on the bottom of the buckling portion or the top of the abutting portion.
In regard to claim 7, McMichael ‘130 as modified by Liu ‘254 discloses a method of attaching an upper beam of a window blind to the bracket as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: fixing the bracket (column 4, lines 27-30); making the first linked portion (12) of the upper beam abutted on the guiding sheet (28a) of the supporting plate and embedded in the first buckling portion (29) of the supporting plate; rotating the upper beam (column 4, lines 7-9) by taking the first linked portion (12) of the upper beam as a fulcrum to make the second wall of the upper beam abutted on the abutting plate (26) of the bracket and make the second linked portion (19) of the upper beam embedded in the second buckling portion (22) of the abutting plate; wherein in the step b), an inner edge part of the first linked portion is abutted against the abutting portion of the guiding sheet, causing an outer edge part of the first linked portion to be embedded in the first buckling portion (as taught by Liu ‘254); making the first linked portion (12) of the upper beam, along the upwardly bent end part (as taught by Lie ‘254), abutted on the protrusion (as taught by Liu ‘254) of the guiding sheet of the supporting plate and embedded in the first buckling portion of the supporting plate.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McMichael US 5,180,130 and Liu US 6,561,254 as applied to claim 7 and further in view of Chen et al GB2566090.
In regard to claim 9, McMichael ‘130 discloses wherein in the step b), the supporting plate (25) comprises one guiding sheet (28a), and the guiding sheet (28) is arranged between two of the first buckling portion (29)
McMichael fails to disclose the supporting plate comprises two guiding sheets and the guiding sheets are arranged by two sides of the first buckling portion respectively.
Chen et al ‘090 disclose the supporting plate comprises two guiding sheets (40a) and the guiding sheets are arranged by two sides of the first buckling portion (30a) respectively.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of McMichael ‘130 to include two guiding sheets by two sides of the first buckling portion as taught by Chen et al ‘090 as such is shown to be a known configuration for connecting a bracket to a headrail. Such would only require a rearrangement of the known parts. it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/19/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument that the prior art does not disclose “an end part (232a) of the abutting portion (232) of the guiding sheet (23) is bent upward”, the examiner respectfully disagrees. As shown in the rejection above, this limitation is taught by Liu ‘254.
Applicant argues that the flange (242) of Liu provides a fixing effect rather than a guiding function. However, a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. The structure as taught by Liu is the same, thus the claimed limitations are met.
Applicant argues that McMichael as modified by Liu fails to disclose the new limitations claim 7, however as modified McMichael with the teachings of Liu as shown above, these limitations are taught.
Applicant argues that McMichael does not disclose the securing means extending downwardly from the top plat and does not include any upwardly bent end portion. As shown above, this is taught by Liu.
Applicant argues that the flange (242) of Liu provides a fixing effect rather than a guiding function. However, a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. The structure as taught by Liu is the same, thus the claimed limitations are met.
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 JEREMY C RAMSEY whose telephone number is (571)270-3133. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Wed 7:00-3:30.
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/JEREMY C RAMSEY/Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/Johnnie A. Shablack/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634