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 .
The Office has reopened prosecution as the applied prior art has been disqualified by Applicant.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7, 8, 15, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brunner (US 20220177191 A1).
Brunner discloses:
1. A stacking system (figs 1-17c), comprising a first stacking member, a second stacking member, a first connecting assembly and a second connecting assembly, the first connecting assembly being arranged on the first stacking member, and the second connecting assembly being arranged on the second stacking member (see below figure); and the first connecting assembly and the second connecting assembly fitting each other, so that the first stacking member and the second stacking member are connected and movement of the first stacking member relative to the second stacking member is limited at least in a direction Z (see below figure; capable of performing the above intended use).
PNG
media_image1.png
415
667
media_image1.png
Greyscale
2. The stacking system of claim 1, wherein the first connecting assembly comprises a first fitting structure and a second fitting structure arranged oppositely, and the second connecting assembly comprises a third fitting structure and a fourth fitting structure arranged oppositely, the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure being located at a bottom of the first stacking member; the third fitting structure and the fourth fitting structure being located on a top of a same second stacking member or respectively located on the top of two second stacking members (See below figure); and the stacking system has a locked state, and in the locked state, one of the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure is capable of fitting the third fitting structure, and the other is capable of fitting the fourth fitting structure (see below figure; capable of performing the above intended use).
PNG
media_image2.png
426
626
media_image2.png
Greyscale
3. The stacking system of claim 2, wherein the first fitting structure comprises a movable member and an elastic member, the movable member being movably disposed on the first stacking member, and the elastic member being disposed on the first stacking member and elastically acting on the movable member; and when the first stacking member is stacked to the second stacking member and is pressed by an external force, the movable member is movable on the first stacking member, so that, when the first stacking member is stacked in place, the movable member is capable of returning under an elastic action of the elastic member and fitting the third fitting structure or the fourth fitting structure to define the locked state (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use, as provided for example with for example a movable member adjacent 78 and elastic member 82).
4. The stacking system of claim 3, wherein one side of the movable member relatively away from a top of the first stacking member is provided with a first bent clamping plate, the second fitting structure comprises a second bent clamping plate arranged at the bottom of the first stacking member, the third fitting structure comprises a first engaging groove, and the fourth fitting structure comprises a second engaging groove; and when the second bent clamping plate engages with the fourth fitting structure or the third fitting structure, the first bent clamping plate is capable of engaging with the third fitting structure or the fourth fitting structure (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use, as provided for example with for example a first bent clamping plate adjacent elements 88/90/88, second bent clamping plate being element adjacent “64”, first engaging groove being space adjacent 42 or 40, second engaging groove being space adjacent other of 42 or 40)
5. The stacking system of claim 4, wherein both the first engaging groove of the third fitting structure comprises a first notch and the second engaging groove of the fourth fitting structure comprises a second notch, and the first notch of the first engaging groove of the third fitting structure and the second notch of the second engaging groove of the fourth fitting structure are oppositely arranged; and when the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure engage with the third fitting structure and the fourth fitting structure, relative movements of the first stacking member and the second stacking member in directions X, Y, and Z are limited (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use, as provided with for example a first notch, second notch as in fig 3d, 3b, 1g for example as well).
7. The stacking system of claim 3, wherein the movable member is slidably disposed on the first stacking member (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use).
8. The stacking system of claim 7, wherein a sliding direction of the movable member is perpendicular to a side wall of the first stacking member, and when the first stacking member is stacked to the second stacking member and is pressed by the external force, the movable member moves towards a center of the first stacking member (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use).
15. The stacking system of claim 3, wherein the stacking system further has an unlocked state, and in the unlocked state, the movable member is capable of unfitting the third fitting structure or the fourth fitting structure under the external force, so that the first stacking member is capable of being detached from the second stacking member (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use).
17. The stacking system of claim 2, wherein the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure are further oppositely arranged at a bottom of the second stacking member, and the third fitting structure and the fourth fitting structure are further oppositely arranged on a top of the first stacking member (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use, as also shown in the above annotated figures).
18. The stacking system of claim 1, wherein the first stacking member comprises a first box and a second box, the first box and the second box being snap-fitted with each other to define a storage cavity; the first stacking member further comprises a locking structure, one side of the first box is rotatably connected to one side of the second box, and the other side of the first box is locked and snap-fitted with the other side of the second box through the locking structure; and when the first stacking member is stacked to the second stacking member, the locking structure is relatively located on a peripheral side of the second stacking member (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use, the device provides multiple boxes as for example in figure 4, with locking structure adjacent 32 for example).
19. The stacking system of claim 18, wherein a plurality of second connecting assemblies are provided on the top of the second stacking member, and a preset distance is defined between two adjacent of the plurality of second connecting assemblies, the preset distance being used to allow first boxes of two adjacent first stacking members to rotatably unfold and fold relative to second boxes (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use, with multiple assemblies as shown with 50 between portions of 40/42).
20. The stacking system of claim 19, wherein the preset distance allows the first box of the first stacking member to rotatably unfold and fold relative to the second box at an angle greater than or equal to 90°; and/or,the second stacking member is provided with a through hole to form a handle portion, the handle portion being located in a region where the preset distance is set on the second stacking member (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use).
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brunner as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Wang (US 20170121056 A1).
Brunner discloses:
6. The stacking system of claim 4, wherein one side of the first bent clamping plate relatively away from the top of the first stacking member has a first guiding bevel, one side of the third fitting structure relatively away from the top of the second stacking member or one side of the fourth fitting structure relatively away from the top of the second stacking member is provided with a second guiding element, and when the first stacking member is stacked to the second stacking member, a first clamping leg of the first bent clamping plate is capable of being clamped into the first engaging groove of the third fitting structure or the second engaging groove of the fourth fitting structure under fit between the first guiding bevel and the second guiding element (the prior art discloses the same features as Applicant’s device and capable of performing the above intended use, as provided with for example a first guiding bevel such as adjacent “86”, second guiding element being portion of 40/42, first clamping leg as in 2a, 2b with adjacent “42”as well). With respect to the second guiding element being a bevel having a slope matches that of the first guiding bevel, the Office notes that Wang discloses similar art with respect to the above (figs 1-8) and also discloses the above cooperating bevel features (as in fig 2, 4a). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Brunner in view of Wang (by either replacing the above elements or modifying the existing element to have the above shape) in order to provide surfaces that cooperate thereby enhancing the guiding and removal of the elements in a more smooth manner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW D PERREAULT whose telephone number is (571)270-5427. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:00am-5:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony Stashick can be reached at (571)272-4561. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANDREW D PERREAULT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3735