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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/24/2025 has been entered. Claims 21-38 remain pending with claims 23, 29 and 35 withdrawn as being non-elected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 21-22, 24-28, 30-34 and 36-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Flanagan US D507737 (hereinafter Flanagan) in view of Nigro US 5054728 (hereinafter Nigro).
As an initial matter, the Examiner wishes to point out that the claimed invention is drawn towards an electrical component hanger which is intended for securing at least one electrical component to a structure. Therefore, it is the Examiner’s position that the claims are directed specifically to the electrical component hanger and references to the structure and its requisite parts are intended use limitations. Applicant is reminded that 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.
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Re. Cl. 21, Flanagan discloses: An electrical component hanger (Fig. 7) for securing at least one electrical component to a structure (see Fig. 7, due to the illustrated shape, the device is capable of securing at least one appropriately sized electrical component to a structure), the electrical component hanger comprising: a pair of securing sections (see annotated figure 7) each comprising, a straight an arm segment (see annotated figure 7), an elbow (see annotated figure 7) extending from the straight arm segment, and a hook end segment (see annotated figure 7) extending from the elbow directly to a terminating distal end (see annotated figure 7); and a pair of component holding sections (see Fig. 7) each comprising, a loop segment (see annotated figure 7) extending substantially perpendicularly from one of the straight arm segments (see Fig. 5-6), the pair of component holding sections configured to support at least one electrical component (see Fig. 5-6, due to their curved shape, an appropriately sized/shaped electrical component is configured to be supported therein), wherein the elbows extend substantially perpendicularly from the straight arm segments and backwards substantially parallel to a plane formed by each loop segment (see Fig. 5-6).
Re. Cl. 27, Flanagan discloses: An electrical component hanger (Fig. 7) comprising a segment of wire comprising terminating distal ends (see annotated figure 7), the segment of wire bent in a configuration (see Fig. 7) comprising: a pair of securing sections each comprising, a straight an arm segment (see annotated figure 7), an elbow (see annotated figure 7) extending from the straight arm segment (see Fig. 5-7), and a hook end segment (see annotated figure 7) extending from the elbow directly to one of the terminating distal ends (see annotated figure 7); and a pair of component holding sections each comprising, a loop segment (see annotated figure 7) extending substantially perpendicularly from one of the straight arm segments (see Fig. 5-6), the pair of component holding sections configured to support at least one electrical component (see Fig. 5-6, due to their curved shape, an appropriately sized/shaped electrical component is configured to be supported therein), wherein the elbows extend substantially perpendicularly from the straight arm segments and backwards substantially parallel to a plane formed by each loop segment (see Fig. 5-6).
Re. Cl. 33, Flanagan discloses: An electrical component hanger (Fig. 7) for securing at least one electrical component to a structure (see Fig. 7, due to the illustrated shape, the device is capable of securing at least one appropriately sized electrical component to a structure), the electrical component hanger comprising: a pair of securing sections each comprising, a straight arm (see annotated figure 7), an elbow (see annotated figure 7) extending from the straight arm, and a hook end (see annotated figure 7) extending from the elbow directly to a terminating distal end (see annotated figure 7); and a pair of component holding sections each comprising, a loop (see annotated figure 7) extending substantially perpendicularly from one of the straight arms (see Fig. 5-6), the pair of component holding sections configured to support at least one electrical component (see Fig. 5-6, due to their curved shape, an appropriately sized/shaped electrical component is configured to be supported therein), wherein the elbows extend substantially perpendicularly from the straight arm segments and backwards substantially parallel to a plane formed by each loop segment (see Fig. 5-6).
Re. Cls. 22, 28 and 34, Flanagan discloses: each straight arm segment has a longitudinal axis and wherein the longitudinal axis of each of the straight arm segments are parallel to each other (see Fig. 5-7).
Re. Cls. 24, 30 and 36, Flanagan discloses: the loop segment comprises one or more of a circular (see Fig. 5-6, the loop has a circular configuration), rectangular, triangular and square segment.
Re. Cls. 25, 31 and 37, Flanagan discloses: the loop segments form a pair of parallel loops (see Fig. 5-7).
Re. Cls. 26, 32 and 38, Flanagan discloses: a clip return segment extending between and joining the parallel loops (see annotated figure 7).
Re. Cls. 21, 27 and 33, Flanagan does not disclose each hook end segment and terminating distal end being dimensioned and configured such that each terminating distal end can be positioned within a same orifice in the structure and wherein the hook end segments extend outward from the plane in opposite directions directly to the terminating distal ends and wherein the straight arm segments are compressible from an original position toward each other such that the terminating distal ends of the hook end segments can be positioned within the same orifice in the structure and released such that the straight arm segments expand toward their original position securing the hook end segments within the same orifice in the structure. Nigro discloses an alternate component hanger (Fig. 1) which includes securing sections (12, 14, 16, 18, 17, 19, 20 and 22, Fig. 1), comprising a straight arm segment (12, 14, Fig. 1), an elbow (16, 18, Fig. 1), and a hook end segment (19, 20, 17, 22 Fig. 1) extending from the elbow directly to a terminating distal end (ends of 20, 22, Fig. 1), wherein the elbow extends substantially perpendicular from the straight arm segment and backwards (see Fig. 1). Re. Cls. 21,27 and 33, Nigro discloses each hook end segment and terminating distal end being dimensioned and configured such that each terminating distal end can be positioned within a same orifice in the structure (see Fig. 1, by having 19-20, 17 and 22 shaped as shown, they are dimensioned and configured such that their distal free ends can be positioned within a same orifice in a structure so long as the same opening in the structure has an overall dimension shown in annotated figure 10; in that instance, the device is dimensioned and configured to be pinched inwards and secured to the structure in the same process shown in Figs. 10-14); the hook end segments extend outward from the plane in opposite directions directly to the terminating distal ends (see Fig. 1 and 14) and wherein the straight arm segments are compressible from an original position toward each other such that the terminating distal ends of the hook end segments can be positioned within the same orifice in the structure and released such that the straight arm segments expand toward their original position securing the hook end segments within the same orifice in the structure (see Fig. 1-3 and 10-14, shown in solid and dashed lines; it is the Examiner’s position that due to the structure of the hook end segments and their distal ends, the device is capable of being used in the claimed intended use so long as the overall dimension of the same orifice is the same as shown in annotated figure 10).
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 device of Flanagan to have the elbow and hook end segment of Nigro with reasonable expectation of success since Nigro states that such a modification enables the user to support the component hanger on a pegboard to prevent unintentional removal from the pegboard (Col. 1, Lines 6-10).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/28/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that the combination of Flanagan in view of Nigro does not disclose the hook ends are dimensioned and configured to be positioned within a same orifice in the structure as claimed in claims 21, 27 and 33, 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. It is the Examiner’s position that the combination cited above meets the claimed structure of Applicant’s invention and is therefore dimensioned and configured to be used in the claimed intended use. For instance, the proposed combination cited above discloses the specific configuration of hook end which is disclosed by the Applicant and therefore it would be configured to penetrate a single orifice so long as that orifice has appropriate dimensions. As discussed above, the Examiner annotated Nigro’s figure 10 to provide an example as to what size singular orifice the proposed combination would be dimensioned and configured to be used with. Since Applicant’s claim language does not result in a structural difference between the claims and the prior art of record, Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are not persuasive.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Syrett US 1417215 and Eoddy US 2678184 disclose other component hangers which are presented to the Applicant for their consideration.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E GARFT whose telephone number is (571)270-1171. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at (571)272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER GARFT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632