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 claims are objected to for the following informalities:
A period is missing after each claim number.
The preambles of the dependent claims should read “The chain operation system according to claim…” since the claims are further limiting and not introducing additional chain operation systems.
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.
(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.
Claims 1, 2, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Derk, Jr. (US 2023/0228147, filed Jan 10, 2023 with priority to Jan 12, 2022 which are both before the effective filing of the instant application), hereinafter referred to as Derk.
Regarding claim 1, Derk discloses a chain operation system for a chain driven blind assembly, the system comprising;
a guide member (upper part of 10, Fig 3) configured to guide a beaded chain loop of the chain driven blind assembly, the guide member extending along a longitudinal axis of the guide member and comprising a first channel for guiding a first side of the chain loop, and a second channel for guiding a second side of the chain loop (Figs 3, 30, 31, 34B); and
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a handle (32) slidably mounted to the guide member, the handle being configured to slide along the longitudinal axis of the guide member in a first direction to engage and drive the chain loop, and in a second direction to release the chain loop,
the handle comprising;
a chain driver (30, 34, 36, 38 collectively) selectively rotatable between a first position, whereby the chain driver drivingly engages (via 36) one or more beads on the second side of the chain loop, and a second position, whereby the chain driver drivingly engages (via 38) one or more beads on the first side of the chain loop (Figs 17 and 20 show the two positions of the chain driver); and
a switching member (34) operable by a user and configured to rotate the chain driver between the first and second positions (Fig 21; 34 pivots to rotate 36 and 38).
Regarding claim 2, Derk discloses wherein the chain driver is configured such that when the chain driver is in the first position, the chain driver is free of driving engagement with the first side of the chain loop to allow the chain driver to pass the first side of the chain loop (Fig 17), and when the chain driver is in the second position, the chain driver is free of driving engagement with the second side of the chain loop to allow the chain driver to pass the second side of the chain loop (Fig 20).
Regarding claim 17, Derk discloses wherein the chain driver comprises an aperture formed therethrough and a shaft, the aperture being configured to receive the shaft to mount the chain driver to the handle (Fig 21; elements of the chain driver, 36 and 38, are received on shafts).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-15, 18, 20, 21, and 23 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.
The closest prior art of record fails to further teach it obvious to provide or modify the prior art such that wherein the chain driver comprises a body portion and a driver portion extending from the body portion, the body portion extending along a longitudinal axis of the chain driver and comprising a first release side surface offset from the longitudinal axis of the chain driver and forming an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the chain driver, a second release side surface offset from the longitudinal axis of the chain driver and forming an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the chain driver, and a nose portion disposed between, and connecting, the first and second release side surfaces. Derk teaches two separate elements therefore a nose is not capable of being disposed between and connecting first and second release side surfaces. Further, the closest prior art of record fails to further teach it obvious to provide or modify the prior art such that the switching member comprises a wheel that is disposed adjacent the chain driver, the wheel comprising one or more magnets configured to selectively rotate the chain driver between the first and second positions upon rotation of the wheel, and wherein the wheel comprises an aperture formed therethrough configured to receive the shaft to mount the wheel to the chain driver and the handle. The configuration of the switching member of Derk does not allow for a wheel with magnets since the rotation of Derk relies on a rotational pivot.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Johnnie A. Shablack whose telephone number is (571)270-5344. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu 6am-3pm EST, alternate Friday.
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/Johnnie A. Shablack/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634