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 Objections
The following claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “on the other opposing section” on line 8. This is interpreted as referring to a second one of the opposing sections already recited, and should read “on a second of the opposing sections”.
Claim 3 recites “the length on the bottom side” on line 1. This should read “a length on a bottom side” for proper antecedence.
Claim 7 recites “on the other opposing section” on line 7. This is interpreted as referring to a second one of the opposing sections already recited, and should read “on a second of the opposing sections”.
Claim 10 recites “the length on the bottom side” on line 1. This should read “a length on a bottom side” for proper antecedence.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pitcher (US 20080216974).
Regarding claim 1, Pitcher discloses a clip (24) for attachment to a free end of a sheet material of a roller shade assembly (intended use), the clip comprising:
two opposing sections (30 and 26, see fig. 3, these are considered part of the clip, see fig. 1) having opposed top (the side at the bottom of fig. 4) and bottom (the side at the top of fig. 4) sides, and a length that extends along the free end of the sheet material (now considered required, see fig. 1), wherein the two opposing sections are shaped complementary to one another so as to lock together to form a grip portion at their top sides (see fig. 4), wherein at least a portion of each of the two opposing sections abuts the sheet material within the grip portion (now considered required, fig. 4) and retains it in the grip portion of the clip, and wherein the clip has a first protrusion (46 and 48) on one opposing section with a plurality of ridges (the bottom of the ”v” shape of 46 and 48 are considered the ridges) spaced apart thereon and a second protrusion (formed between 32 and 34) on the other opposing section with a recess shaped complementary to the plurality of ridges (see fig. 4).
Regarding claim 2, Pitcher discloses that the grip portion has gripping elements (the end surfaces of 32 that contact the sheet material are considered the gripping elements, there are at least two surfaces that contact the sheet material) on at least one of the two opposing section, configured to frictionally grip the free end of the sheet material.
Regarding claim 3, Pitcher discloses a groove formed along a length on a bottom side of the clip (the groove is 14, which is at the bottom of the clip, see fig. 6) configured to receive and retain a loop of the sheet material therein (capable of this).
Regarding claim 4, Pitcher discloses that the groove is configured to receive a rod therein with the loop of the sheet material looped around the rod (capable of this).
Regarding claim 5, Pitcher discloses that the groove is configured to receive the rod by snap-fit (capable of this).
Regarding claim 6, Pitcher discloses that the two opposing sections are configured to lock together by snap-fit (via the plurality of ridges and the recess from claim 1).
Claim(s) 7-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin (US 8763215).
Regarding claim 7, Lin discloses a clip (fig. 3) for attachment to a free end of a sheet material of a roller shade assembly (intended use), the clip comprising:
two opposing sections (1 and 2) having opposed top (bottom in fig. 4) and bottom (top in fig. 4) sides, and a length that extends along the free end of the sheet material (now considered required, see fig. 2), wherein the two opposing sections are shaped complementary to one another so as to lock together to form a grip portion at their top sides (the bottom sides in fig. 3), wherein at least a portion of each of the two opposing sections abuts the sheet material within the grip portion (now considered required) and retains it in the grip portion of the clip (see fig. 4), wherein the clip has a first protrusion (21) on one opposing section and a second protrusion (11) on the other opposing section that form a hinge about which the two opposing sections may pivot relative to each other (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, Lin discloses that the first protrusion (21) forms a pin of the hinge and the second protrusion (11) forms a barrel of the hinge (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Lin discloses that the grip portion has gripping elements (the very tip of 23, and the surface about the tip of 23 in fig. 4 that touches the sheet material) on at least one of the two opposing section, configured to frictionally grip the free end of the sheet material (they are in contact with the sheet material and thus they are considered to frictionally grip them).
Regarding claim 10, Lin discloses a groove (10) formed along a length on a bottom side (top in fig. 3) of the clip configured to receive and retain a loop of the sheet material therein (capable of this).
Regarding claim 11, Lin discloses that the groove (10) is configured to receive a rod therein with the loop of the sheet material looped around the rod (capable of this).
Regarding claim 12, Lin discloses that the groove (10) is configured to receive the rod by snap-fit (capable of this).
Regarding claim 13, Lin discloses that the two opposing sections are configured to lock together by snap-fit (via the hinge).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW R SHEPHERD whose telephone number is (571)272-5657. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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/M.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/DANIEL P CAHN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3634