DETAILED ACTION
The following Final Office Action is in response to the amendment filed 7/28/2025.
Status of the claims: Claims 1-8 and 11-15 are hereby examined below.
Claim Objections
The claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 16 recites “the knob adjusting assembly”. Examiner presumes this should read – a knob adjusting assembly”.
Claim 8, line 2 recites “a knob adjusting assembly”. Examiner presumes this should read – the knob adjusting assembly --.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-4,6,8 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang CN 113418556 in view of He et al CN213820723.
In regard to claim 1, Wang ‘556 discloses a retractable protective door bar capable of adapting to a long curtain, comprising:
An upper fixation seat (20), a lower fixation seat (30), a rolling curtain shaft (10) and a rolling curtain subassembly, an upper end of the rolling curtain shaft being connected to the upper fixation seat (20), and a lower end being connected to the lower fixation seat (30).
The rolling curtain subassembly being connected to the rolling curtain shaft (10), a torsional spring (6) being mounted inside the rolling curtain shaft (10), and the rolling curtain shaft (10) rotating through the torsion of the torsional spring (6) to automatically scroll a rolling curtain (40) inside the rolling curtain subassembly.
Wherein, a rotating subassembly (8,25,31) and a stopping subassembly (34) are arranged inside the lower fixation seat, the rotating subassembly has a ratchet wheel (31), and the stopping subassembly (34) has a locking tooth.
A structure capable of rotating toward one direction only is formed by the rotating subassembly (8,25,31) through clamping of the locking tooth (of 34) and the ratchet wheel (31).
An upper end of the torsional spring (6) is connected and fixed to the rolling curtain shaft (10), and a lower end is connected and fixed to the rotating subassembly (25,31).
The rotating subassembly (8,25,31) has an adjusting structure (37) exposed on the lower fixation seat (30).
The rotating subassembly (8,25,31) is twisted through the adjusting structure (37) to realize adjustment of the torsion of the torsional spring (6).
Wherein, the knob adjusting subassembly comprises a locking apparatus, an unlocking subassembly (13,14) and an adjusting knob (21).
The locking apparatus comprises a locking ratchet wheel (22), a locking pawl (23) and a second spring (12)
A lower end (26) of the locking ratchet wheel (22) is connected to the upper end of the rolling curtain shaft (10), the locking pawl (23) matches up with the locking ratchet wheel (22), the second spring (12) is able to drive the locking pawl to keep and insert into a tooth slot inside the locking ratchet wheel (22), an upper section of the locking ratchet wheel (22) is provided with the adjusting knob, and the unlocking subassembly (13,14) is used for separating the locking pawl from the tooth slot in the locking ratchet wheel.
Wherein the adjusting knob (21) is twisted to rotate anticlockwise, to directly drive the locking ratchet wheel (22) to rotate anticlockwise, and the locking ratchet wheel (22) can separate from a meshing state with the locking pawl (23) after rotating anticlockwise, and the locking pawl (23) prevents the locking ratchet wheel from rotating clockwise only. (Figure 11)
Wang ‘556 fails to disclose:
Wherein, an upper surface of the locking ratchet wheel is provided with an upper fixation portion, a bottom surface of the adjusting knob is provided with a fixation sleeve, and the adjusting knob is connected to the locking ratchet wheel by inserting the upper fixation portion into the fixation sleeve.
He et al ‘723 disclose:
Wherein, an upper surface of the locking ratchet wheel (310) is provided with an upper fixation portion (331), a bottom surface of the adjusting knob (320) is provided with a fixation sleeve (open space) , and the adjusting knob is connected to the locking ratchet wheel (310) by inserting the upper fixation portion (331) into the fixation sleeve. (Figures 2,3 and 10)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, with a reasonable expectation success, to modify the device of Wang ‘556 to make the locking ratchet wheel have an upper fixation portion inserted into a fixation sleeve of the adjusting knob as taught by He et al ‘723 as such is shown to be a known connection between a ratchet wheel and knob of a locking mechanism for safety gate. Wang discloses the knob is inserted into the ratchet wheel, while He et al ‘723 discloses the opposite arrangement. The device would work as intended for the knob to rotate the wheel.
In regard to claim 2, Wang ‘556 discloses:
The rotating subassembly comprises a rotating part (25) and a lower fixation head (8), the ratchet wheel (31) is positioned on a circumferential surface of the rotating part, the lower fixation head (8) is mounted on the rotating part, the lower end of the torsional spring (6) is fixed and connected to the lower fixation head (8), and a bottom surface of the rotating part is provided with an adjusting hole (37) which is the adjusting structure.
In regard to claim 3, Wang ‘556 discloses:
The lower fixation seat (30) further comprises a seat body (upper portion) and a bottom cover (17), a mounting hole (shown in Figure 4) is arranged on the seat body, the rotating part (25) is mounted inside the seat body through the mounting hole, a through hole is arranged inside the bottom cover (17), the bottom cover is fixedly connected to the seat body and accordingly covers the ratchet wheel (31) , and the through hole is aligned with the adjusting hole (37).
In regard to claim 4, Wang ‘556 discloses:
The locking tooth (of 34) is arranged on a side of a locking arm (34), the locking arm is mounted inside the seat body through a fixation shaft (19), a first spring (35) is arranged inside the seat body, and the first spring is abutted against the locking arm (34), in this way the locking tooth and the ratchet wheel (31) are kept in a clamped state.
In regard to claim 5, Wang ‘556 fails to disclose:
Wherein, the rolling curtain subassembly comprises the rolling curtain of 2-5m long.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, with a reasonable expectation of success, to make the curtain be 2-5m long, in order to cover spaces of various sizes. Such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955). Further, changes in size or shape without special functional significance are not patentable. Research Corp.v. Nasco Industries, Inc., 501 F2d 358; 182 USPQ 449 (CA 7) cert. Denied 184 USPQ 193; 43 USLW 3359 (1974).
In regard to claim 6, Wang ‘556 discloses:
Wherein, the lower end of the torsional spring (6) is connected to the lower fixation head (8).
Wang ‘556 fails to explicitly disclose:
A side wall of the lower fixation head is provided with a hanging hole , the end of the torsional spring is provided with a hook, and the torsional spring is hung on the hanging hole through the hook.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to provide a hanging hole for a hook of the spring to engage since such is a common means of fixing torsion springs in place. Such would require no fasteners and be effective and simple.
In regard to claim 7, Wang ‘556 discloses:
The upper end of the torsional spring (6) is connected and fixed to an upper fixation head (shown below), and the upper fixation head is fixed at a position of an upper-middle section of the rolling curtain shaft (10).
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Wang ‘556 fails to disclose:
The upper fixation head is fixed at a position of an upper-middle section of the rolling curtain shaft through a screw.
However, the examiner takes Official Notice that it is old and well known to use a screw to affix rotating members to a shaft within the context of a roller curtain, and one having ordinary skill in the art would have known to use such for a secure and easy connection.
Examiner acknowledges applicant’s acceptance of examiner’s Official Notice that it is well known in the art to affix rotating members to a shaft with a screw. Applicant’s lack of arguments or traversal results in the Official Notice being acknowledged as admitted prior art. Per MPEP 2144.03 [R-1] (C) (emphasis by examiner):
If applicant does not traverse the examiner’s assertion of official notice or applicant’s traverse is not adequate, the examiner should clearly indicate in the next Office action that the common knowledge or well-known in the art statement is taken to be admitted prior art because applicant either failed to traverse the examiner’s assertion of official notice or that the traverse was inadequate. If the traverse was inadequate, the examiner should include an explanation as to why it was inadequate.
Thus the issues are considered admitted prior art.
In regard to claim 8, Wang ‘556 discloses:
The knob adjusting subassembly (21,22,23,24,12) for rotating the rolling curtain shaft to adjust the degree of tightness of the rolling curtain in the rolling curtain subassembly is arranged inside the upper fixation seat.
In regard to claim 11, Wang ‘556 discloses:
Wherein, the adjusting knob (21) is a round structure.
In regard to claim 12, Wang ‘556 discloses:
Wherein, the lower end of the locking ratchet wheel (22) is provided with a lower fixation portion (26), the lower fixation portion is inserted into a connector (end portion of 10) in a plug-in manner to realize connection to the connector, and the connector is connected to the rolling curtain shaft (10).
In regard toc claim 13, Wang ‘556 discloses:
The lower fixation portion (26) is a non-cylindrical structure, a plug-in hole (open end) with a shape matching up with the lower fixation portion is arranged inside the connector, and the lower fixation portion (26)is inserted into the plug-in hole, in this way the connection of the locking ratchet wheel (22) to the connector is realized.
In regard to claim 14, Wang ‘556 discloses:
Wherein, the unlocking subassembly (13,14) comprises a pushing rod (13) and a pushing toggling button (14) arranged on an upper part of the pushing rod (13), the pushing rod (13) is driven to move by pushing the pushing toggling button (14), and the pushing rod (13) after moving drives the locking pawl (23) to separate from the tooth slot in the locking ratchet wheel (22).
In regard to claim 15, Wang ‘556 discloses:
One fixation rod (50) is arranged between the upper fixation seat (20) and the lower fixation seat (30), and the wo fixation rod (50) is parallel to the rolling curtain shaft (10).
Wang ‘556 fails to disclose:
Two fixation rods.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, with a reasonable expectation of success, to include two fixation rods in order to improve stability and strength.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. As shown above, newly applied reference He et al ‘723 teaches the limitations as now recited in claim 1.
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 JEREMY C RAMSEY whose telephone number is (571)270-3133. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Wed 7:00-3:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Cahn can be reached at 571-270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEREMY C RAMSEY/Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/DANIEL P CAHN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3634
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