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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/8/2026.
Claim Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: the word “the” should be inserted before “lower structure”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites: the second side panel is connected to the back panel and the second strut structure. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the second strut structure.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, and 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu (CN 202608853).
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches: a basket for a wheeled child carrier comprising:
a front panel, the front panel comprising a front frame structure (32) and a ramp (33), the ramp comprising a first end rotatably attached to the front frame structure;
wherein the ramp is rotatable between a closed position (as shown in Fig. 2) and an open position (as shown at least in Fig. 7) relative to the front frame structure; and the front frame structure is rotatably attached to a lower structure (see the stroller frame shown at least in Fig. 1) of the wheeled child carrier, the front frame structure being rotatable between a first position (as shown in Fig. 1) and a second position (as shown in Fig. 2) relative to the lower structure.
Relevant elements are best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 7.
Regarding claim 2, Liu further teaches: wherein the front frame structure further comprises a first strut, a second strut, and a crossbar connecting the first strut and the second strut. See the annotated version of Fig. 3, below:
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Alternatively, regarding claim 2, Liu further teaches: wherein the front frame structure further comprises a first strut, a second strut (see struts 22), and a crossbar (32) connecting the first strut and the second strut. See Fig. 3.
Regarding claim 3, Liu further teaches: wherein the first end of the ramp is rotatably attached (at least indirectly) to the crossbar. See Figs. 1-4.
Regarding claim 4, Liu further teaches: wherein the crossbar changes its position relative to lower structure of the wheeled child carrier when the front frame structure moves between the first position and the second position. Compare Figs. 1 and 2.
Regarding claim 7, Liu further teaches: the basket further comprising a bottom (334), a first side panel (331), a second side panel (332) and a back panel (shown opposite panel 333), wherein: the bottom is connected to the first side panel, the second side panel, the back panel, and the front frame structure; the first side panel is connected to the back panel and the front frame structure; and the second side panel is connected to the back panel and the second strut structure. See at least Figs. 1 and 7.
Regarding claim 8, Liu further teaches: wherein the first side panel and the second side panel each undergo a change in at least one dimension or orientation when the front frame structure moves between the first position and the second position. Compare the dimensions of the sides in Figs. 7 and 1. When the front frame structure rotates out/down and the ramp unfolds, the area of each side panel increases.
Regarding claim 9, Liu further teaches: a locking mechanism (311) capable of locking the front frame structure in the first position relative to the lower structure of the wheeled child carrier. See Fig. 1.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7-13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Xiang (US 2023/0217891).
Regarding claim 1, Xiang teaches: a basket for a wheeled child carrier comprising:
a front panel, the front panel comprising a front frame structure (including at least elements 41 and 12) and a ramp (46), the ramp comprising a first end rotatably attached to the front frame structure (the front panel is best shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 8);
wherein the ramp is rotatable between a closed position (as shown in Fig. 7) and an open position (as shown at least in Fig. 3) relative to the front frame structure; and the front frame structure is rotatably attached to a lower structure (112; see Fig. 1) of the wheeled child carrier, the front frame structure being rotatable between a first position (as shown in Fig. 2) and a second position (as shown in Fig. 3) relative to the lower structure. Additionally/alternatively, rotation is facilitated by the folding of the lower structure 112.
Regarding claim 2, Xiang further teaches: wherein the front frame structure further comprises a first strut, a second strut, and a crossbar connecting the first strut and the second strut. See element 12, where the struts extend generally vertically near the front wheels, and the crossbar extends between the struts, best shown in Fig. 2.
Regarding claim 3, Xiang further teaches: wherein the first end of the ramp is rotatably attached to the crossbar. Hooks (48) on the first end of the ramp (46) rotatably connect the ramp to the crossbar; see [0059]. Rotatable connection is also facilitated by a retention strap. See Figs. 3, 4, and 9.
Regarding claim 7, Xiang further teaches: the basket further comprising a bottom, a first side panel, a second side panel and a back panel, wherein: the bottom is connected to the first side panel, the second side panel, the back panel, and the front frame structure; the first side panel is connected to the back panel and the front frame structure; and the second side panel is connected to the back panel and the second strut structure. See the surfaces which form the bottom, sides, and rear of basket 22, best shown in Figs. 1-3.
Regarding claim 8, Xiang further teaches: wherein the first side panel and the second side panel each undergo a change in at least one dimension or orientation when the front frame structure moves between the first position and the second position. Compare the dimensions of the sides in Figs. 2 and 3.
Regarding claim 9, Xiang further teaches: a locking mechanism (42) capable of locking the front frame structure in the first position relative to the lower structure of the wheeled child carrier. See Fig. 4.
Regarding claim 10, Xiang teaches: a method of manufacturing a basket for a wheeled child carrier, comprising the steps of:
forming a front panel, the front panel comprising a front frame structure (including at least elements 41 and 12) and a ramp (46), the ramp comprising a first end rotatably attached to the front frame structure (the front panel is best shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 8);
connecting the front panel to a first side panel, a second side panel, and a bottom panel;
connecting the first side panel, the second side panel, and the bottom panel to a back panel (see the surfaces which form the bottom, sides, and rear of basket 22, best shown in Figs. 1-3); and
connecting the basket body to the wheeled child carrier, wherein the front frame structure is rotatably relative to a lower end (112; see Fig. 1) of the wheeled child carrier,
wherein the front panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, the bottom panel and the back panel defining a basket cavity; and the ramp is rotatable between a closed position (Fig. 7) and an open position (Fig. 3) relative to the front frame structure.
Xiang teaches the steps of connecting because Xiang teaches connections between connected claimed elements.
Regarding claim 11, Xiang further teaches: wherein the step of connecting the front panel to form a basket body further comprises the steps of: connecting a first side of the front frame structure to a front edge of the first side panel; connecting a second side of the front frame structure to a front edge of the second side panel; and connecting a bottom of the front frame structure to a front edge of the bottom panel. See at least Figs. 2 and 8.
Regarding claim 12, Xiang further teaches: wherein the first side of the front frame structure comprises a first strut, the second side of the front frame structure comprises a second strut, and the bottom of the front frame structure comprises a crossbar connecting the first strut and the second strut. See element 12, where the struts extend generally vertically near the front wheels, and the crossbar extends between the struts, best shown in Fig. 2.
Regarding claim 13, Xiang further teaches: wherein the first end of the ramp is rotatably attached to the crossbar. Hooks (48) on the first end of the ramp (46) rotatably connect the ramp to the crossbar; see [0059]. Rotatable connection is also facilitated by a retention strap. See Figs. 3, 4, and 9.
Regarding claim 15, Xiang further teaches: wherein the ramp comprises at least one panel having a plurality of openings. See the open side of the hooks (48) and/or the opening formed by handle (463), best shown in Figs. 8, 9.
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) 5, 6, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiang, as applied above, in further view of Cheung (US 10,869,456).
Regarding claim 5, Xiang fails to teach: wherein the ramp further comprises a first panel and a second panel being slidably attached to each other, the first end of the ramp being formed by the first panel and a second end of the ramp being formed by the second panel. Cheung teaches: wherein the ramp (200) comprises a first panel (210) and a second panel (214) being slidably attached to each other, the first end of the ramp being formed by the first panel and a second end of the ramp being formed by the second panel. Relevant elements are best shown in Fig. 2. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art to provide the ramp from Xiang as two slidably attached panels, as suggested by Cheung; the motivation being: the telescopically sliding panels taught by Cheung would allow a longer extension of the ramp, which would yield greater ease of entry by decreasing the angle of entry.
Regarding claim 6, the combination further teaches: wherein the front panel further comprises a locking mechanism (49) capable of locking the ramp to the front frame structure in the closed position. See Fig. 7 from Xiang.
Regarding claim 14, Xiang fails to teach: wherein the ramp comprises a first panel and a second panel being slidably attached to each other, the first end of the ramp being formed by the first panel and a second end of the ramp being formed by the second panel. Cheung teaches: wherein the ramp (200) comprises a first panel (210) and a second panel (214) being slidably attached to each other, the first end of the ramp being formed by the first panel and a second end of the ramp being formed by the second panel. Relevant elements are best shown in Fig. 2. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art to provide the ramp from Xiang as two slidably attached panels, as suggested by Cheung; the motivation being: the telescopically sliding panels taught by Cheung would allow a longer extension of the ramp, which would yield greater ease of entry by decreasing the angle of entry.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Additional art made of record relates to wheeled carriers having pet transport features, ramps, and baskets, relevant to the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMMA K FRICK whose telephone number is (571)270-5403. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M, T, F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Shriver can be reached at (303) 297-4324. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EMMA K FRICK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613
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