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 .
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.
Claims 9-18 are 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 9: In line 4, the claim recites “a slat channel”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear. Is this the slat channel already presented?
Claim 13: In line 1, the claim recites “the first and second slat guides”. This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it lacks antecedent basis within the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hall (US20210283720).
Claim 9: Hall provides a slat system for a worktable (Fig. 1-2), the slat system comprising: a slat guide (16) extending from a first end to a second end (Fig. 2), the slat guide including a slat channel extending at least partially between the first end and the second end (channel that 18 sits in); and a slat (18) configured to fit partially within a slat channel (Fig. 2; [0147]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8 and 19-20 are allowed.
Claims 10-18 are only rejected under 112.
REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE
The prior art of record fails to teach or fairly disclose “a frame including a first slat mount and a second slat mount extending along opposite sides of the frame, the first and the second slat mounts having a plurality of slat supports; and a plurality of slat systems each extending from the first slat mount to the second slat mount at a corresponding one of the plurality of slat supports, each of the plurality of slat systems comprising: a slat guide including a slat channel; and a slat configured to fit within the slat channel” as recited in claim 1.
Related Art: DE1020142127016; US20210283720.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Amanda J Kreiling whose telephone number is (571)272-6091. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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/Amanda Kreiling/Examiner, Art Unit 3726 3/25/26
/JASON L VAUGHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726
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