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 § 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 10 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 10 recites fourth and fifth hinges. However, first, second, or third hinges are not previously claimed.
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, 3-7, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Stewart US 2017/0198522.
Regarding claim 1, Stewart discloses an apparatus comprising: a base plate (22) having a base plate top surface and a base plate bottom surface, wherein the base plate bottom surface comprises a non-slip grip material (40); a U-shaped ladder ridge hook (42) attached to the base plate top surface, wherein the U-shaped ladder ridge hook is configured is secure a ladder bottom portion when a ladder is placed on the apparatus, and wherein the U-shaped ladder ridge hook comprises a first gusset (46), a second gusset (46) and a ladder leg stop portion (44) disposed perpendicularly between the first gusset and the second gusset; and a first handle (at end 30) and a second handle (at end 32) attached on the base plate top surface (Stewart, Figure 1), wherein the first handle and the second handle are disposed in proximity to base plate opposite edges (Stewart, Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Stewart further discloses a lateral axis of each of the first gusset, the second gusset and the ladder leg stop portion is perpendicular to the base plate (Stewart, Figure 1).
Regarding claim 4, Stewart further discloses the base plate comprising a first edge, a second edge (32), a third edge and a fourth edge (30), wherein the first edge and the third edge are parallel to each other, and wherein the first edge and the third edge are perpendicular to the second edge and the fourth edge (Stewart, Figure 1).
Regarding claim 5, Stewart further discloses the first handle is disposed in proximity to the first edge, and wherein the second handle is disposed in proximity to the third edge (Stewart, Figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Stewart further discloses a ladder leg stop portion longitudinal axis is parallel to the first edge and the third edge, and wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the first gusset and the second gusset is parallel to the second edge and the fourth edge (Stewart, Figure 1).
Regarding claim 7, Stewart further discloses the U-shaped ladder ridge hook is removably attached to the base plate top surface (Stewart, ¶0019).
Regarding claim 11, Stewart further discloses a clip (attached to 54, seen in Figure 3 of Stewart) disposed on the base plate top surface, wherein the clip is configured to secure a tool or an equipment.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Robinson WO 2007/010297.
Regarding claim 1, Robinson discloses an apparatus comprising: a base plate (10) having a base plate top surface and a base plate bottom surface, wherein the base plate bottom surface comprises a non-slip grip material (17); a U-shaped ladder ridge hook (12) attached to the base plate top surface, wherein the U-shaped ladder ridge hook is configured is secure a ladder bottom portion when a ladder is placed on the apparatus, and wherein the U-shaped ladder ridge hook comprises a first gusset (Robinson, Figure 1), a second gusset (Robinson, Figure 1) and a ladder leg stop portion (Robinson, Figure 3) disposed perpendicularly between the first gusset and the second gusset; and a first handle (18) and a second handle (18) attached on the base plate top surface (Robinson, Figure 1), wherein the first handle and the second handle are disposed in proximity to base plate opposite edges (Robinson, Figure 1).
Regarding claim 2, Robinson further discloses a ladder leg stop portion length is greater than length of each of the first gusset and the second gusset (Robinson, Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Robinson further discloses a lateral axis of each of the first gusset, the second gusset and the ladder leg stop portion is perpendicular to the base plate (Robinson, Figure 3).
Regarding claim 4, Robinson further discloses the base plate comprising a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge, wherein the first edge and the third edge are parallel to each other, and wherein the first edge and the third edge are perpendicular to the second edge and the fourth edge (Robinson, Figure 1).
Regarding claim 5, Robinson further discloses the first handle is disposed in proximity to the first edge, and wherein the second handle is disposed in proximity to the third edge (Robinson, Figure 1) (the handles of Robinson meet this broad limitation).
Regarding claim 6, Robinson further discloses a ladder leg stop portion longitudinal axis is parallel to the first edge and the third edge, and wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the first gusset and the second gusset is parallel to the second edge and the fourth edge (Robinson, Figure 1).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bowling et al US 2019/0203534.
Regarding claim 20, Bowling discloses an apparatus comprising: a base plate (4) having a base plate top surface and a base plate bottom surface, wherein the base plate bottom surface comprises a non-slip grip material (36); and a U-shaped ladder ridge hook (6) removably attached to the base plate top surface (Bowling, ¶0044), wherein: the U-shaped ladder ridge hook is configured is secure a ladder bottom portion when a ladder is placed on the apparatus, the U-shaped ladder ridge hook comprises a first gusset (14), a second gusset (16) and a ladder leg stop (12) portion disposed perpendicularly between the first gusset and the second gusset, and a ladder leg stop portion length is greater than length of each of the first gusset and the second gusset (Bowling, Figure 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 9 are 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.
Claim 10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 12-19 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed invention wherein the first gusset, second gusset, and leg stop portion are pivotally attached to a base plate with individual hinges, or first and second handles being detachably or pivotally attached to a base plate top surface.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 2008/0156585.
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/KRISTEN C HAYES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642