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 .
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.
Claims 1 – 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inukai, US 2017/0280834.
Regarding claim 1, Inukai discloses a decoration bearing element [configured to be fitted on a slider body of a slider of a slide fastener and providing a top surface or a decoration bearing surface-onto which a perceivable decoration can be applied], the decoration bearing element comprising: a plurality of oppositely facing cooperating surfaces (see figures 2 and 6) [configured for engaging with and receiving at least a portion of the slider body and restraining the decoration bearing element onto the slider body in at least three non-identical directions of first direction, second direction and third direction].
Claim language set in brackets [] set forth above and below in this office action are considered by the examiner to be intended use that fails to further limit the structure of the claimed invention. Since the claimed invention is directed solely to that of the decoration bearing element, the prior art must only be capable of performing the functional recitations in order to be applicable, and in the instant case, the examiner maintains that the slider cover disclosed by Inukai (US 2017/0280834), is indeed capable of the intended use statements. Note that it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
Regarding claim 2, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element according to claim 1, comprising: a base plate 5; and a cover portion 4 vertically spaced above the base plate (5) and providing the top surface (41) or the decoration bearing surface (41), wherein the base plate (5) and the cover portion (4) provide a first pair of opposite and spaced apart surfaces 7a, 7b in the first direction, [configured to engage with a lower wing and a vertically and upwardly protruding portion of the slider body, respectively, thereby restraining the slider body from moving with respect to the decoration bearing element in the first direction of the three directions].
Regarding claim 3, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element according to claim 2, wherein the cover portion (4) is located at front end of the decoration bearing element (figure 6), and wherein the cover portion (4) has a length (see element 65) in the third direction that is shorter than a length (see element 66) of the plate portion (5) in the third direction.
Regarding claim 4, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element according to claim 2, comprising: a pair of transversally oppositely facing side walls 7b1 extending upwardly from two transversally opposite sides of the base plate (5), wherein the side walls (7b1) provide a second pair of opposite and spaced apart surfaces in the second direction (figure 2), [thereby restraining the slider body from moving with respect to the decoration bearing element in the second direction of the three directions].
Regarding claim 5, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element according to claim 4, wherein the transversally oppositely facing side walls (7b1) comprise a pair of rearwardly converging portions 53a together providing a rear abutment [for the slider body in the third direction of the three directions].
Regarding claim 6, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element according to claim 2, comprising: a post 66 connecting the base plate (5) and the cover portion (4) and located at a front end of the decoration bearing element (3) in a transversally central position, wherein the post (66) provides a front abutment [for the slider body in the third direction of the three directions].
Regarding claim 7, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element according to claim 2, wherein the cover portion (4) forms a groove (below 46) facing the base plate (5) and defining transversally oppositely facing edges (see figure 2) downwardly protruding from transversally opposite sides of the cover portion (4), and wherein the transversally oppositely facing edges (figure 2) provide one of pairs of the oppositely facing cooperating surfaces (see figure 6), [configured for engaging with and receiving the vertically and upwardly protruding portion of the slider body so as to restrain the slider body from moving with respect to the decoration bearing element in the second direction of the three directions].
Regarding claim 8, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element according claim 2, wherein a width (see element 46) of the cover portion (4) measured in the second direction, is shorter than a width (see the front portion have the post 66) of the base plate (5).
Regarding claim 9, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element (3) according to claim 1, comprising: a central plate portion 41, 41 providing the top surface or the decoration bearing surface; two transversally oppositely facing edges 43 downwardly protruding from opposite left and right sides of the central plate portion and defining a groove (below 46) on a lower side of the central plate portion (41, 41) opposite to the decoration bearing surface; two transversally and mutually facing recesses (part of 4a) which are parts of the groove and are respectively formed in the oppositely facing edges (43) [and are configured to receive top shelf portions of a vertically protruding guide post of the slider body]; a front edge 7a, 7a downwardly protruding from a front side of the central plate portion and delimiting the recesses at a front side; and a vertically and transversally extending surface 65 opposite to and longitudinally spaced from the front edge, delimiting the recesses at a rear side, wherein the recesses provide two first pairs of surfaces 43a mutually facing and spaced apart in the first direction of the three directions, [for restraining the slider body from moving with respect to the decoration bearing element in the first direction], wherein the recesses further provide a second pair of surfaces (inner surfaces of the hole 4a) mutually facing one another in the second direction of the three directions, [for restraining the slider body from moving with respect to the decoration bearing element in the second direction], and wherein the front edge and the vertically and transversally extending surface provide a third pair of opposite and spaced apart surfaces (of the hole 65a) in the third direction, [restraining the slider body from moving with respect to the decoration bearing element in the third direction of the three non-identical directions].
Regarding claim 10, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element according to claim 9, wherein the transversally oppositely facing edges (43) have lower ends with rims 7a1 whose one side protrudes transversally toward the other side (figure 2), and wherein the rims (7a1) each have a respective one of two downwardly diverging (tapering) facing surfaces.
Regarding claim 11, Inukai discloses the decoration bearing element according to claim 1, wherein the three non-identical directions are each perpendicular to each other (see figure 6).
Regarding claim 12, Inukai discloses a slider 2 for a slide fastener, and the decoration bearing element according to claim 1, wherein the slider (2) comprises: the slider body 21 with a lower wing 23; two lateral flanges 25 on both transversally opposite sides of the lower wing (23), the lateral flanges (25) forming a pair of vertical walls 23a built on transversally opposite left and right sides of the lower wing (23) and horizontal extensions (portions) extending horizontally inwardly from tops of the vertical walls (see figure 2); and a guide post 24 vertically protruding in a central position from a front end of the lower wing (23) and forming at least a portion of a puller connecting seat 26 for connecting a puller (not shown) to the slider body (21), and wherein the decoration bearing element has a cover portion 41, 41 arranged above at least a portion of the guide post (24) and having a rear end located more headward than the puller connecting seat (see figure 6).
Regarding claim 13, Inukai discloses the slider and the decoration bearing element according to claim 12, wherein the guide post (24) forms a front side protrusion and a rear side protrusion, and a puller insert location recess 26h formed between the front side protrusion and the rear side protrusion to provide space for the puller connecting seat (26), and wherein only the front side protrusion of the guide post is covered by the cover portion (see figure 6).
Regarding claim 14, Inukai discloses the slider and the decoration bearing element according to claim 12, wherein the cover portion of the decoration bearing element (41, 41) has a transversal width that is greater that a transversal width of the guide post of the slider body (see figure 6).
Regarding claim 15, Inukai discloses the slider and the decoration bearing element according to claim 12, wherein the decoration bearing element comprises: a base plate 5; and a pair of transversally oppositely facing side walls 7b1 extending upwardly from two transversally opposite sides of the base plate, and wherein the side walls (7b1) of the decoration bearing element have respective front ends located to rear of front ends of the lateral flanges of the slider body (see figure 6).
Regarding claim 16, Inukai discloses the slider and the decoration bearing element according to claim 12, wherein the decoration bearing element comprises: a base plate 5; and a pair of transversally oppositely facing side walls 7b1 extending upwardly from two transversally opposite sides of the base plate, and wherein the side walls of the decoration bearing element have respective top surfaces 52 that do not protrude vertically above the lateral flanges (25).
Regarding claim 17, Inukai discloses a concealed slide fastener, comprising: a slide fastener chain, comprised of a first stringer 1 comprising a first fastener tape 11 with a first row of fastener teeth 13 fixed to the first fastener tape, and a second stringer 1 comprising a second fastener tape 11 with a second row of fastener teeth 13 fixed to the second fastener tape (see figure 1); and the slider (2) and the decoration bearing element according to claim 12, wherein the slider (2) is movable along the slide fastener chain to open or close the slide fastener (figure 1), and wherein the decoration bearing element is restrained to the slider body (21) of the slider (2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 for similar art cited.
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/R.D./ Examiner, Art Unit 3677
/Robert Sandy/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677