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 .
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 6/6/25 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of copending Application No. 18/829188 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the locking profile of a pin (cl. 9) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 6, & 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Campbell (305286).
Regarding claim 1, Campbell teaches a furniture assembly, comprising: A plurality of panels (A-E) interconnected to each other via a first fastening mechanism (b, b’, e) and a second fastening mechanism (c-d); wherein the first fastening mechanism includes one or more pinholes (b, b’) on at least one of the panels and one or more pins (e) extended from at least one of the panels to engage with, and being inserted in, complementary pinholes (Fig. 4); and wherein the second fastening mechanism includes one or more groove channels (d) on at least one of the panels and one or more projecting tongue profiles (c) extended from at least one of the panels to engage with, and being inserted in, complementary groove channels (lines 50-53); wherein the plurality of panels comprise: a back panel (B) having one or more of the pinholes (b, b’) arranged on a surface thereof (Fig. 2); at least two side panels (C, E), each having one or more of the pins (e) extending from a first longitudinal edge (Fig. 2) for insertion into the pinholes of the back panel (Fig. 4), and one or more projecting tongue profiles (c) extending from a first transverse edge (Fig. 2); and a top panel (D) having one or more of the groove channels (d) for slidable engagement with the projecting tongue profiles of the side panels (lines 50-52).
Regarding claim 6, Campbell teaches a plurality of panels (A-E) that further comprises at least one front panel (A) having one or more of the pinholes (b, b’) arranged on a surface thereof (Fig. 3); and the at least two side panels (C, E) further comprise one or more of the pins (e) extending from a second longitudinal edge (Fig. 2) for insertion into the pinholes of the front panel (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 8, Campbell teaches one or more tongue profiles (c) that are slidably engageable to the complementary groove channels (d) to form tongue and groove interlocking joint connections (lines 50-53).
Regarding claim 9, Campbell teaches pins (e) that each comprise a locking profile (i.e., a dovetail - see Fig. 2) for providing a self-interlocking mechanism between the panels upon engagement with the complementary pinhole (b, b’ - see lines 35-46).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1, 6, & 8-9 are alternately rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campbell (305286) in view of Astl (5131783).
Regarding claim 1, Campbell teaches the structure substantially as claimed, including furniture assembly (Figs. 1-2), comprising: A plurality of panels (A-E) interconnected to each other via a first fastening mechanism (b, b’, e) and a second fastening mechanism (c); wherein the first fastening mechanism is located on a back panel (B), a front panel (A), and longitudinal edges of at least two side panels (C, E); wherein the second fastening mechanism includes one or more groove channels (d) on at least one of the panels and one or more projecting tongue profiles (c) extended from at least one of the panels to engage with, and being inserted in, complementary groove channels (lines 50-53); wherein the two side panels (C, E) each have one or more projecting tongue profiles (c) extending from a first transverse edge (Fig. 2); and a top panel (D) having one or more of the groove channels (d) for slidable engagement with the projecting tongue profiles of the side panels (lines 50-53). Campbell arguably fail(s) to teach pinholes & pins. However, Astl teaches a first fastening mechanism (1, 3) that includes one or more pinholes (3) on a panel (8) and one or more pins (1) extended from a longitudinal edge of a panel (9) to engage with, and being inserted in, complementary pinholes (Fig. 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute a first fastening mechanism, as taught by Astl, for the first fastening mechanism of Campbell, with a reasonable expectation of success, in order to connect the front, back, & side panels to each other, and because such an outcome would have been a predictable result of such a substitution of one known fastening means for another. Hence, Campbell as modified would teach a back panel (B of Campbell) having one or more of pinholes (3 of Astl) arranged on a surface thereof (implied by Fig. 2 of Campbell & Fig. 4 of Astl); at least two side panels (C, E), each having one or more of the pins (1 of Astl) extending from a first longitudinal edge (as in Fig. 4 of Astl) for insertion into the pinholes of the back panel (as in Fig. 4 of Astl).
Regarding claim 6, Campbell as modified teaches a front panel (A) having one or more of the pinholes (3 of Astl) arranged on a surface thereof (implied by Fig. 3 of Campbell & Fig. 4 of Astl); and the at least two side panels (C, E of Campbell) that further comprise one or more of the pins (1 of Astl) extending from a second longitudinal edge (as in Fig. 4 of Astl) for insertion into the pinholes of the front panel (as in Fig. 4 of Astl).
Regarding claim 8, Campbell teaches one or more tongue profiles (c) that are slidably engageable to the complementary groove channels (d) to form tongue and groove interlocking joint connections (lines 50-53).
Regarding claim 9, Astl teaches pins (1) each comprising a locking profile (2) for providing a self-interlocking mechanism (Figs. 3-4 & col. 3, lines 8-30) between panels (8-9) upon engagement with a complementary pinhole (3).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/6/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Said arguments have been addressed in the prior art rejection above.
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 MATTHEW ING whose telephone number is (571)272-6536. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Troy can be reached at (571) 270-3742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
/MATTHEW W ING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637