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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “28” has been used to designate both the chamber in Figure 1B and the lever in Figure 2.
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. 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 § 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) 1-3, 5-10, 14-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clay (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0007624) in view of Zeller (U.S. Patent No. 6,305,388).
With respect to Claim 1, Clay, Figures 1-5, teaches a cable organizer 12 comprising:
an outer housing 12;
an axle 18; and
a plurality of spools 22 supported on the axle 18 such that the plurality of spools 22 are configured to independently rotate relative to one another about a longitudinal axis defined by the axle 18, each spool of the plurality of spools 22 defining a channel therethrough configured for passage of a respective electrocardiogram (ECG) cable of a plurality of ECG cables.
Clay teaches all the elements of the axle except for the axle extending longitudinally through the outer housing.
However, Zeller, Figures 1-8, teaches an axle 67,68 extending longitudinally through the outer housing (See Figures 2 and 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Clay with an axle extending longitudinally through the outer housing, as taught by Zeller, for the purpose of facilitating the mounting of the spools within the casing.
With respect to Claims 2 and 14, Clay further teaches a plurality of biasing members (See Paragraph [0026], lines 6-7) positioned between the respective plurality of spools and the axle, wherein the plurality of biasing members are configured to rotate the plurality of spools in a first direction.
With respect to Claims 3 and 15, Clay further teaches wherein a first spool of the plurality of spools includes a ratchet wheel defining a plurality of notches 36 that are circumferentially spaced from one another about the ratchet wheel, the outer housing including a pawl 34 configured to selectively engage a notch of the plurality of notches to prevent rotation of the first spool in the first direction.
With respect to Claims 5 and 16, Clay further teaches wherein the first spool includes:
a hub having a first end, a second end, and an outer surface (See Figure 4, surface where cable 24a/24b is wound upon), the ratchet wheel 38 (left side of Figure 4) being coupled to the first end of the hub; and a plate 38 (right side of Figure 4) laterally spaced from the ratchet wheel and coupled to the second end of the hub, wherein a first ECG cable 24a/24b of the plurality of ECG cables is configured to wind about the outer surface of the hub during rotation of the first spool.
With respect to Claims 6 and 17, Clay further teaches wherein the plate 38 (right side of Figure 4) and the hub (See Figure 4, surface where cable 24a/24b is wound upon) collectively define the channel of the first spool.
With respect to Claim 7, Clay further teaches wherein the plurality of spools is configured to slide off the axle 18 when the axle is removed from the outer housing.
With respect to Claims 8 and 18, Clay further teaches wherein the hub defines a pair of recesses extending from opposite ends of the channel.
With respect to Claims 9 and 20, Clay further teaches comprising a tension rewind spring 40 supported in a first spool of the plurality of spools and wrapped about the axle.
With respect to Claim 10, Clay, Figures 1-5, teaches a cable organizer comprising:
a plurality of electrocardiogram (ECG) cables, a first ECG cable of the plurality of ECG electrodes having a first end, a second end, and a body portion extending between the first and second ends;
an outer housing 12 defining an inner chamber therein;
an axle 18, the axle 18 supported by the outer housing; and
a plurality of spools 22 supported on the axle 18, a first spool of the plurality of spools defining a channel therethrough configured for passage of the body portion of the first ECG cable, the first spool being resiliently biased (See Paragraph [0026], lines 6-7) toward a wound condition in which the body portion of the first ECG cable is wound about the first spool, wherein the first spool is configured to rotate from the wound condition to unwind the body portion of the first ECG cable when a pulling force is applied to the first or second end of the ECG cable.
Clay teaches all the elements of the axle except for the axle extending longitudinally through the outer housing.
However, Zeller, Figures 1-8, teaches an axle 67,68 extending longitudinally through the outer housing (See Figures 2 and 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Clay with an axle extending longitudinally through the outer housing, as taught by Zeller, for the purpose of facilitating the mounting of the spools within the casing.
Claim(s) 4 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clay in view of Zeller as applied to Claims 1-3, 5-10, 14-18, and 20 above, and further in view of Randall (U.S. Patent No. 6,591,952).
With respect to Claims 4 and 19, Clay further teaches wherein the outer housing includes:
a base 14; and
a cover 16, the base 14 and the cover 16 collectively defining an inner chamber in which the plurality of spools 22 are received, the pawl 34 being pivotably coupled to the base 14.
It is unclear whether the cover of Clay is pivotably coupled to the base.
However, Randall, Figures 1-8, teaches a cover 26 being pivotably coupled to a base 12.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Clay in view of Zeller with a cover being pivotably coupled to a base, as taught by Randall, for the purpose of maintaining the housing components together.
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clay in view of Zeller as applied to Claims 1-3, 5-10, 14-18, and 20 above, and further in view of Medal (U.S. Patent No. 2,574,883).
With respect to Claim 11, Clay in view of Zeller are advanced above.
Clay in view of Zeller teach all the elements of the cable organizer except for
wherein the first spool includes: a main part defining the channel therethrough; and a secondary part configured to detachably couple to the main part, wherein the main part and the secondary part, when coupled to one another, are configured to capture the body portion of the first ECG cable therebetween.
However, Medal, Figures 1-8, teaches a first spool includes:
a main part 12,19 defining the channel 14 therethrough; and
a secondary part 17 configured to detachably couple to the main part 12,19, wherein the main part and the secondary part, when coupled to one another, are configured to capture material therebetween.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Clay in view of Zeller with coupled spool parts, as taught by Medal, for the purpose of facilitating the release of the cablefrom the spool in one step rather than having to unwind the cable.
With respect to Claim 12, Medal further teaches wherein the first spool further includes at least one fastener 18 configured to detachably secure the secondary part 17 to the main part 12,19.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 13 is allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach or suggest the entire combination of elements of the cable organizer set forth including wherein the main part includes: a central hub having a first end and a second end; a ratchet wheel formed with the first end of the central hub; and a first semicircular plate formed with the second end of the central hub, and wherein the secondary part includes: a second semicircular plate configured to join with the first semicircular plate of the main part; and a protrusion extending from the second semicircular plate of the secondary part and configured to couple to the central hub, whereby the central hub and the protrusion capture the body portion of the first ECG cable therebetween.
None of the references of the prior art teach or suggest wherein the main part includes: a central hub having a first end and a second end; a ratchet wheel formed with the first end of the central hub; and a first semicircular plate formed with the second end of the central hub, and wherein the secondary part includes: a second semicircular plate configured to join with the first semicircular plate of the main part; and a protrusion extending from the second semicircular plate of the secondary part and configured to couple to the central hub, whereby the central hub and the protrusion capture the body portion of the first ECG cable therebetween as advanced above and such do not provide the necessary motivation, absent applicant's specification, for modifying the cable organizer in the manner required by the claims.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM ARAUZ RIVERA whose telephone number is (571)272-6953. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM MDT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Victoria P. Augustine can be reached at 313-446-4858. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM A. RIVERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3654