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
Applicant’s election of Group I (claims 15-25 and 36) is acknowledged. Claims 26-32 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 7/13/2026.
Applicant elected Group I in the reply filed on 7/13/2026, with traverse. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Groups I and II have unity. This is not found persuasive. The Groups lack unity of invention because even though the inventions of these groups require some of the same technical features, these technical features do not include a special technical feature as they do not make a contribution over the prior art in view of Welsh (US 5,947,555).
Welsh teaches: a stroller comprising:
a stroller chassis comprising a first hub portion (including at least element 63) and a second hub portion (including at least element 64) disposed on opposite sides of the stroller;
a carrying structure (10) configured to be detachably mounted to the stroller chassis; and
a locking arrangement (including release element 90, and locking components driven by element 90, best shown in Fig. 3 and 6) configured to releasably lock the carrying structure to the first hub portion and the second hub portion,
wherein actuating a single release member (92) of the locking arrangement unlocks the carrying structure from both the first hub portion and the second hub portion (see column 4, lines 29-44), and
wherein the single release member is disposed on the stroller chassis when the carrying structure is mounted to the stroller chassis and when the carrying structure is detached from the stroller chassis (as shown in Fig. 1).
Relevant elements are best shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
Claim 22 is 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 22 recites: “a wire operatively couples the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion”. The disclosure is understood such that the wire and the force transfer mechanism (introduced in claim 20, from which claim 22 depends) are one in the same. Does claim 22 intend to introduce a wire, or specify that the previously claimed force transfer mechanism includes a wire? For the purpose of examination, the recitation has been interpreted as follows: wherein the force transfer mechanism comprises a wire, and the wire operatively couples the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion.
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) 15-21, 23, 24, and 36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Welsh (US 5,947,555).
Regarding claim 15, Welsh teaches: a stroller comprising:
a stroller chassis comprising a first hub portion (including at least element 63) and a second hub portion (including at least element 64) disposed on opposite sides of the stroller;
a carrying structure (10) configured to be detachably mounted to the stroller chassis; and
a locking arrangement (including release element 90, and locking components driven by element 90, best shown in Fig. 3 and 6) configured to releasably lock the carrying structure to the first hub portion and the second hub portion,
wherein actuating a single release member (92) of the locking arrangement unlocks the carrying structure from both the first hub portion and the second hub portion (see column 4, lines 29-44), and
wherein the single release member is disposed on the stroller chassis when the carrying structure is mounted to the stroller chassis and when the carrying structure is detached from the stroller chassis (as shown in Fig. 1).
Relevant elements are best shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6.
Regarding claim 16, Welsh further teaches: wherein the single release member is disposed on only one side (a rear side) of the stroller. See Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 17, Welsh further teaches: wherein the single release member is disposed on the first hub portion or the second hub portion. See Fig. 3, where the single release member is disposed on element 94 of the first hub portion.
Regarding claim 18 Welsh further teaches: wherein actuating the single release member simultaneously unlocks the carrying structure from the first hub portion and the second hub portion. See Fig. 3 and column 4, lines 29-44.
Regarding claim 19 Welsh further teaches: wherein the carrying structure is disposed at least partially between the first hub portion and the second hub portion when the carrying structure is mounted to the stroller chassis. See Figs. 1 and 2.
Regarding claim 20 Welsh further teaches: wherein the carrying structure comprises a first coupling portion (32) and a second coupling portion (33),
wherein the locking arrangement comprises:
a first engaging portion (87) disposed at the first hub portion, wherein the first engaging portion is configured to move from an engaged position in which it prevents the first coupling portion of the carrying structure from being detached from the first hub portion, to a disengaged position in which the first coupling portion can be detached from the first hub portion (see column 4, lines 29-44), and
a second engaging portion (87) disposed at the second hub portion, wherein the second engaging portion is configured to move from an engaged position in which it prevents the second coupling portion of the carrying structure from being detached from to the second hub portion, to a disengaged position in which the second coupling portion can be detached from the second hub portion (see column 4, lines 29-44), and
wherein a force transfer mechanism (90) operatively couples the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion such that moving the first engaging portion from its engaged position to its disengaged position (by actuating the release member) causes the second engaging portion to move from its engaged position to its disengaged position. See Figs. 1, 3, and 6.
Regarding claim 21 Welsh further teaches: wherein the engaging portions are biased to their respective engaged positions (via springs 90). It is noted that Welsh includes two different elements corresponding to reference numeral 90. The element referenced herein is the spring 90, best shown in Fig. 6.
Regarding claim 23 Welsh further teaches: wherein the single release member is configured to move from a locked position in which the carrying structure is locked to the first hub portion and the second hub portion, to an actuated position in which the carrying structure is unlocked from the first hub portion and the second hub portion, and wherein the single release member is biased toward the locked position (via springs 90). See Figs. 1, 3, and 6 and column 4, lines 29-44.
Regarding claim 24 Welsh further teaches: wherein the stroller chassis comprises an upper frame assembly (40), and a lower frame assembly (39, 46, 50) coupled to the upper frame assembly at the first hub portion and the second hub portion. See Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 36 Welsh further teaches: wherein the locking arrangement comprises a first release member (87) disposed on a first side of the stroller chassis and a second release member (87) disposed on a second side of the stroller chassis. See Figs. 3 and 6.
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) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Welsh, as applied above, in further view of Huang (US 5,865,447).
Regarding claim 22 Welsh further teaches: wherein a wire (90) operatively couples the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, and wherein the stroller chassis further comprises a crossbar member (40) disposed between the first hub portion and the second hub portion. See Figs. 1 and 3. Welsh fails to teach: wherein the wire is at least partially disposed in the crossbar member. Huang teaches a stroller wherein the wire (14) is at least partially disposed in the crossbar member. See Fig. 1 from Huang, where the wire extends within a guide portion of element 16 of the crossbar. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art to provide the wire is at least partially disposed in the crossbar member, as suggested by Huang; the motivation being: to provide support to the wire in an ergonomically convenient location.
Claim(s) 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Welsh, as applied above, in further view of Hartenstine (US 7,044,497).
Regarding claim 25, Welsh is silent regarding folding capabilities of the stroller chassis. However, those having ordinary skill in the art would recognize the provision of folding chassis in strollers is conventional in the art. Additionally, Hartenstine teaches: wherein the lower frame assembly (30, 40) is pivotably coupled to the upper frame assembly (20) at the first hub portion and the second hub portion (see elements 60, analogous to the hub portions from Welsh) such that the stroller chassis can be folded. See the folded configuration in Fig. 3. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art to provide the lower frame assembly is pivotably coupled to the upper frame assembly at the first hub portion and the second hub portion such that the stroller chassis can be folded, as suggested by Hartenstine. The motivation being: folding enables convenient storage and transport of the stroller when not in-use.
Conclusion
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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