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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is a Non-final Office Action for application number 18/392,066 TRANSPORTABLE FOLDING STORAGE APPARATUS FOR REMOVABLE VEHICULAR DOORS AND HARDTOP ROOFS filed on 12/21/2023. Claims 1-8 are pending.
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 of this title, 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, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent No. 7,185,899 to Thiede et al. and in view of United States Patent Publication 2022/0227439 to Broadwell et al. and in view of United States Patent No. 11,654,947 to Poudrier.
With regards to claim 1, Theide et al. teaches a device having a frame (10, 50) capable of housing large bulky items (See Col. 1, lines 23 and 24, “Certain objects, such as choral risers, are bulky to transport to and from a desired use point”). Theide et al. does not specifically teach that the device is capable of housing individual vehicular roof components.
Broadwell et al. teaches a frame (100) that is capable of housing individual vehicular roof components (truck topper) and it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill that a frame capable of carrying large bulky items could be used for a vehicular roof component which is also a large bulky item.
Theide et al. teaches a set of storage members (52) secured to the frame (10, 50), and a base (34) upon which the frame is secured.
Theide et al. does not specifically teach that the storage members are for a door.
Poudrier teaches a frame (10) which is capable of holding a door (D) and it would be obvious that a frame capable of holding bulky items could also hold a door.
Theide et al. teaches a storage framework (42, 44) removably secured (at 40) in a multitude of configurations (See Figures 4, 7 and 9). Theide et al. does not specifically teach that the storage framework holds a roof, however, Broadwell et al. shows a device for a roof and it would be obvious to exchange one bulky item for another.
With regards to claim 2, Theide et al. teaches wherein the door storage members (52, See explanations above of obviousness of a door) are affixed to the frame (10, 50) such that they pivot about a point and can be secured in multiple positions.
With regards to claim 4, Theide et al. teaches wherein the frame contains an assembly of permanently affixed members (30) for implementation of devices. Theide et al. does not teach that the devices are hitch devices, however it would be obvious to use the frame for bulky items as shown above.
With regards to claim 5, it would be obvious from the combination above that a transportation hitch tube (30) may be removably secured to the frame in a multitude of configurations.
With regards to claim 7, Theide et al. teaches wherein the roof storage framework members (42, 44) may be removed (at 40) from the door storage members and removably secured on the frame.
With regards to claim 8, Theide et al. teaches wherein the base comprises rollable casters (36).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 6 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.
With regards to claim 3, the prior art does not teach wherein the roof storage framework is comprised of individual members that may be removably secured on the door storage members.
With regards to claim 6, the prior art does not teach wherein the base is comprised of individual members that are affixed to the frame such that they pivot about a point and may be secured in multiple positions.
Cited References
PN 4,795,075 to Pigott et al. teaches a holder for vehicle components
PN 8,348,287 to Smith teaches a holder for large items
PN 10,919,556 to Bush teaches a holder for large items
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Amy J. Sterling at telephone number 571-272-6823 or to Supervisor Jonathan Liu at 571-272-8227 if the examiner cannot be reached. The examiner can normally be reached (Mon-Fri 8am-5:00pm). The fax machine number for the Technology center is 571-273-8300 (formal amendments), informal amendments or communications 571-273-6823. Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application should be directed to the Technology Center receptionist at 571-272-3600.
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/AMY J. STERLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631 3/2/26