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.
Claims 1, 4, 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0137296) in view of Goldstein (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0052244).
Regarding claim 1, Tan discloses a curtain carrier, comprising: a frame (frame of the carrier shown in Figure 5 supporting the roller), in an elongated shape [FIG. 5]; a hanging rod (roller shown in Figure 5), accommodated in the frame [FIG. 5]; a pressing block (3), arranged on one end of the frame corresponding to one end of the hanging rod [FIGS. 2, 5], and movable along a longitudinal direction of the hanging rod (via lead screw 6 and nut 7; paragraph 0023); and an elastic member (2), arranged on the frame and compressible by the pressing block (paragraph 0023), wherein the hanging rod comprises a hanger (side brackets connecting the roller/hanging rod to the frame, shown in Figure 5).
Tan does not disclose a sliding pin, guide rail, or sliding groove.
Nonetheless, Goldstein discloses a curtain carrier comprising a sliding pin (41) and a guide rail (17) disposed on an inner side of a frame [FIG. 3], the guide rail is extended parallelly to a hanging rod (19), and the sliding pin movably plugged to the guide rail (17); and a sliding groove (33, 35), wherein the sliding pin comprises a hook (upper screw 42) passing through the sliding grove to make the hanger be hung on the sliding pin [FIG. 3].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the curtain carrier and hanger of Tan to include the sliding pin and guide rail configuration taught by Goldstein, in order to provide greater adjustability of the curtain carrier, and to ensure a more rigid and secure connection supporting the carrier within the window and supporting the curtain within the carrier.
Regarding claim 4, Tan discloses that the hanging rod is disposed pivotally on the frame to be rotatable with respect to an axial direction of the hanging rod (paragraph 0003 discloses use of the frame with a roller blind; Figure 5 further illustrates a roller blind configuration, which is known to rotate with respect to an axial direction).
Regarding claim 7, Tan discloses the pressing block, the frame, the hanging rod, and a hanger (side brackets connecting the roller/hanging rod to the frame, shown in Figure 5), but does not disclose the sliding pin or a compression screw.
Nonetheless, Goldstein discloses a curtain carrier comprising a compression screw (lower screw 42) to fix the sliding pin (41) by pressing an inner wall of the guide rail (paragraph 0034).
As set forth with respect to claim 1 above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the curtain carrier and hanger of Tan to include the sliding pin and guide rail configuration taught by Goldstein, in order to provide greater adjustability of the curtain carrier, and to ensure a more rigid and secure connection supporting the carrier within the window and supporting the curtain within the carrier.
Regarding claim 9, Tan discloses an installing method of a curtain carrier, the installing method comprising: a) providing the curtain carrier [FIG. 5], wherein the curtain carrier comprises a frame (frame of the carrier shown in Figure 5, supporting the roller), a hanging rod (roller shown in Figure 5), a pressing block (3) and an elastic member (2), the hanging rod is accommodated in the frame [FIG. 5], the pressing block is disposed on the frame corresponding to one end of the hanging rod [FIGS. 2, 5], the pressing block is movable along a longitudinal direction of the hanging rod (via lead screw 6 and nut 7; paragraph 0023), and the elastic member is arranged on the frame and compressible by the pressing block (paragraph 0023); b) withdrawing the pressing block toward the frame to compress the elastic member, and fixing the pressing block (paragraph 0028); c) mounting the curtain carrier onto a window, and arranging the pressing block and a side of the frame opposite to the pressing block to face two side edges of the window respectively (paragraphs 0023, 0028); and releasing the pressing block to restore the elastic member to an original position, and abutting the pressing block and the frame against two side edges of the window respectively by an elastic force of the elastic member (paragraphs 0023 and 0028 disclose the steps of withdrawing and releasing the pressing block such that the elastic force of the elastic member 2 presses the ends of the frame against the side edges of a window frame); wherein the hanging rod comprises a hanger (side brackets connecting the roller/hanging rod to the frame, shown in Figure 5).
Tan does not disclose that the pressing block comprises a sliding pin, the frame comprises a guide rail, or that the hanger comprises a sliding groove.
Nonetheless, Goldstein discloses a curtain carrier comprising a sliding pin (41) and a guide rail (17) disposed on an inner side of a frame [FIG. 3], the guide rail is extended parallelly to a hanging rod (19), and the sliding pin movably plugged to the guide rail (17); and a sliding groove (33, 35), wherein the sliding pin comprises a hook (upper screw 42) passing through the sliding grove to make the hanger be hung on the sliding pin [FIG. 3].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the curtain carrier and hanger of Tan to include the sliding pin and guide rail configuration taught by Goldstein, in order to provide greater adjustability of the curtain carrier, and to ensure a more rigid and secure connection supporting the carrier within the window and supporting the curtain within the carrier.
Claims 2, 3, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0137296) in view of Goldstein (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0052244), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hall (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0230940).
Regarding claims 2, 3, and 10, Tan, as modified above, discloses the curtain carrier, the frame, and the hanging rod, as well as the installing method of a curtain carrier, but does not disclose a stop pin and propping block.
Nonetheless, Hall discloses a curtain carrier and installing method comprising a stop pin (390) and a propping block (392), the propping block comprises a slope (349), and the stop pin abuts against the slope [FIG. 9], wherein the stop pin is screwed to the frame (via screws 352) and perpendicular to an axial direction of the frame [FIGS. 3A, 4, 9]; the installing method comprising twisting the stop pin to change a position of the stop pin (paragraph 0034) abutting against the slope to change a position of the propping block in a direction parallel to hanging rod, and to further change the compression amount of the elastic member (paragraphs 0025, 0034) [FIG. 9].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the curtain carrier and installation method of Tan, as modified above, to include the sloped stop pin adjustment taught by Hall, in order to provide a faster means for increasing the compression on the elastic member, so as to allow for easier installation and removal of the curtain carrier. It is further noted that all the claimed elements were known in the prior art as evidenced above, and one of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted one known element for another, using known methods with no change in their respective functions. Such a substitution would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made, since the elements perform as expected and thus the results would be expected.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0137296) in view of Goldstein (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0052244), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Connolly (U.S. Patent No. 4,848,432).
Regarding claim 8, Tan, as modified above, discloses that the pressing block comprises a layer (8) attached to an outer side thereof [FIG. 2], but does not disclose that it is an elastic layer made of polyurethane, silicone, or rubber material.
Nonetheless, Connolly discloses a pressing block (114) including an elastic layer (102) made of a rubber material (column 4, lines 8-15).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the layer of Tan, as modified above, to be formed from rubber, as taught by Connolly, in order to ensure sufficient friction and conformation between the layer and the window frame wall, so as to prevent slipping or misalignment of the pressing block.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/4/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Tan, as modified by Goldstein fails to disclose or teach the sliding pin, hanger and guide rail configuration required by claims 1 and 9. The argument further asserts that “the element 41 as shown in Goldstein should be directed to the hanger (220) of this disclosure according to the effect thereof”, but the rejection does not rely upon this interpretation of Goldstein. Goldstein is not relied upon to teach the hanger itself, as Tan discloses a hanger to which the hanger rod is pivotally connected (as set forth above). Goldstein is relied upon to teach a connection between a sliding pin and guide rail, wherein the sliding pin comprises a hook to hang a component on the sliding pin. Applicant’s arguments are directed to an alternative interpretation of the prior art that is not relied upon in the rejection, and are therefore not found persuasive.
Applicant also argues that the hanger of claim 1 is fastened to the pressing block, and that the pressing block should be movable and the hanging rod should be fixed during an installation process. However, these arguments are directed to configurations that are not recited in the claims. The claims do not require that the hanger be fastened to the pressing block (rather, claims 1 and 9 require that the hanger “be hung on” the sliding pin of the pressing block, which is not a recitation of a fastened connection). The claims also explicitly require that the hanging rod be disposed pivotally on the frame (as recited in claim 4), not fixed as set forth in the arguments. Applicant’s arguments do not specifically point out limitations corresponding to these configurations that are not disclosed or taught by the combination of Tan and Goldstein.
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.
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/ABE MASSAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634