DETAILED ACTION
This is a non-final Office action in response to the RCE filed 05/26/2026.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-8, 10, 14-16, and 23 are pending;
Claims 1, 10, 16, and 23 are currently amended; claims 2-8 were previously presented; claims 9, 11-13, 17-22, and 24 have been cancelled; claims 14 and 15 are original;
Claims 1-5, 10, and 14-16 are rejected; claims 6-8 and 23 are objected to.
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed 05/26/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments in the remarks filed 05/26/2026 directed to claim 1 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection, based on a different interpretation of Edson (US 4,194,637), as set forth below in this Office action.
Applicant's arguments in the remarks filed 05/26/2026 directed to claim 10 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In particular, Applicant argues that "Edson's opening (36) is not a passage… that opens a channel through the retainer to the rear surface" (remarks, page 8). The Examiner respectfully disagrees, since Thalenfeld (US D449,514 S) already discloses a channel (40, fig 1). As such, Thalenfeld, as modified by Edson, teaches a passage (Edson: 36, fig 4) that is formed in the retainer (Thalenfeld: 20, fig 1) and opens the channel (Thalenfeld: 40, fig 1) through the retainer to the rear surface (Thalenfeld: 24, fig 1; Edson: see Figure 4). Note that one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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, 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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ziegler (US 4,026,508) in view of Blankenship (US 4,801,116), Edson (US 4,194,637), and Danko (US 4,534,530).
Regarding claim 1, Ziegler discloses a bracket (see Figure 1) for a display unit (50, fig 3), the bracket comprising: a retainer (12, fig 1) operable to selectively interface with the display unit (see Figure 3) and including (i) a front surface (12a, fig 1, see annotation) defining a width of the retainer, the width extending from a first lateral edge (12b, fig 2, see annotation) of the retainer to a second lateral edge (12c, fig 2, see annotation) of the retainer; and a coupler (15, fig 1) attached to the front surface of the retainer (see Figure 1) and including: a top side (16, fig 1); a bottom side (17, fig 4) disposed on an opposite side from the top side (see Figures 1-5); a socket (25, fig 1), the socket having: a first receptacle (20, fig 2) defining a first width (see Figure 2); and a second receptacle (30, fig 2) defining a second width different than the first width (see Figure 2).
[AltContent: textbox (25a – Opening)]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (12a – Front Surface)]
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[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (12b – Rear Surface)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (12b – First Lateral Edge)][AltContent: textbox (12a – Front Surface)][AltContent: textbox (12c – Second Lateral Edge)]
Ziegler does not disclose the bracket, (1) wherein the retainer includes a first lateral recess formed along the first lateral edge and a second lateral recess formed along the second lateral edge; (2) wherein the retainers includes a passage extending from the front surface to a rear surface of the retainer, wherein the passage is aligned with the coupler and defines a height, the height extending from the top side of the coupler to at least the bottom side of the coupler; (3) wherein the coupler includes: a first connecting rib extending from the front surface and coupled along the top side; and a second connecting rib spaced from the first connecting rib and extending from the front surface along the bottom side and substantially parallel to the first connecting rib.
With respect to the missing limitations (1) above, Blankenship teaches a bracket (10, fig 1) for a display unit (50, fig 1), the bracket comprising: a retainer (15, 16, 18, fig 1) operable to selectively interface with the display unit (see Figure 1) and including (i) a front surface (12a, fig 3, see annotation) defining a width of the retainer, the width extending from a first lateral edge (12b, fig 3, see annotation) of the retainer to a second lateral edge (12c, fig 3, see annotation) of the retainer and (ii) a first lateral recess (12d, fig 3, see annotation) formed along the first lateral edge and a second lateral recess (12e, fig 3, see annotation) formed along the second lateral edge (see Figures 1-4).
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[AltContent: textbox (12d – First Lateral Recess)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (12c – Second Lateral Edge)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (12b – First Lateral Edge)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (12e – Second Lateral Recess)][AltContent: textbox (12a – Front Surface)]
Ziegler and Blankenship are analogous art because they are at least from the same field of endeavor, i.e., brackets. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the retainer (Ziegler: 12, fig 1) with lateral recesses (Blankenship: 12d, 12e, fig 3, see annotation) formed along each of the first lateral edge (Ziegler: 12b, fig 2, see annotation) and the second lateral edge (Ziegler: 12c, fig 2, see annotation; Blankenship: see Figures 1-4), as taught by Blankenship, with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation would have been to allow the user to firmly grasp the bracket of Ziegler via the lateral recesses of Blankenship for handling and assembly.
With respect to the missing limitations (2) above, Edson teaches a bracket (10, fig 1) for a display unit (F, fig 1), the bracket comprising: a retainer (12, fig 1) including a front surface (12a, fig 4, see annotation); and a coupler (14a, fig 1, see annotation, the middle coupler of the pocket 14, see the boxed region in the annotation) attached to the front surface of the retainer (see Figure 1); wherein the retainer includes a passage (36, fig 4) extending from the front surface to a rear surface (12b, fig 4, see annotation) of the retainer (see Figures 1-6), wherein the passage is aligned with the coupler and defines a height (see Figures 2 and 4), the height extending from a top side (14b, fig 4, see annotation) of the coupler to at least a bottom side (14c, fig 4, see annotation) of the coupler.
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[AltContent: rect]
[AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: textbox (14a – Coupler)]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (12a – Front Surface)]
[AltContent: textbox (14b – Top Side)]
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[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (12b – Rear Surface)]
[AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: textbox (14c – Bottom Side)]
Edson is analogous art because it is at least from the same field of endeavor, i.e., brackets. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the retainer (Ziegler: 12, fig 1) with a passage (Edson: 36, fig 4) extending from the front surface (Ziegler: 12a, fig 1) to a rear surface (Ziegler: 12b, fig 1, see annotation) of the retainer, wherein the passage is aligned with the coupler (Ziegler: 15, fig 1) and defines a height (Edson: see Figures 2 and 4), the height extending from the top side (Ziegler: 16, fig 1) of the coupler to at least the bottom side (Ziegler: 17, fig 4) of the coupler (Edson: see Figure 4), as taught by Edson, with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation would have been to facilitate easier mounting of the hanger of Ziegler.
With respect to the missing limitations (3) above, Danko teaches a bracket (10, fig 1) for a display unit (14, fig 1), the bracket comprising: a retainer (22a, fig 8, see annotation, see the boxed region) including a front surface (22b, fig 11, see annotation); and a coupler (22c, fig 11, see annotation, see boxed region) attached to the front surface of the retainer (see Figures 1, 8, and 11) and including: a top side (22d, fig 11, see annotation); a bottom side (22e, fig 11, see annotation) disposed on an opposite side from the top side (see Figures 1, 8, and 11); a socket (40, fig 8); a first connecting rib (22f, fig 11, see annotation) extending from the front surface and coupled along the top side (see Figures 1, 8, and 11); and a second connecting rib (22g, fig 11, see annotation) spaced from the first connecting rib and extending from the front surface along the bottom side and substantially parallel to the first connecting rib (see Figures 1, 8, and 11).
[AltContent: textbox (22f – First Connecting Rib)][AltContent: textbox (22d – Top Side)]
[AltContent: rect][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (22a – Retainer)][AltContent: rect]
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[AltContent: textbox (22c – Coupler)]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (22b – Front Surface)]
[AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: textbox (22g – Second Connecting Rib)][AltContent: textbox (22e – Bottom Side)]
Danko is analogous art because it is at least from the same field of endeavor, i.e., brackets. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the coupler (Ziegler: 15, fig 1) with a first connecting rib (Danko: 22f, fig 11, see annotation) extending from the front surface (Ziegler: 12a, fig 1, see annotation) and coupled along the top side (Ziegler: 16, fig 1; Danko: see Figures 1, 8, and 11) and with a second connecting rib (Danko: 22g, fig 11, see annotation) spaced from the first connecting rib and extending from the front surface along the bottom side (Ziegler: 17, fig 4) and substantially parallel to the first connecting rib (Danko: see Figures 1, 8, and 11), as taught by Danko, with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation would have been to reinforce the attachment of the coupler of Ziegler to the retainer of Ziegler to better support the weight of the supported hanger of Ziegler. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Ziegler, Blankenship, Edson, and Danko to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, wherein the socket extends from the top side of the coupler (Ziegler: see Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, wherein: the first receptacle extends from an opening (Ziegler: 25a, fig 2, see annotation) in the top side of the coupler (Ziegler: see Figures 1 and 2); and the second receptacle extends from the first receptacle (Ziegler: see Figures 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 4, wherein the first width is greater than the second width (Ziegler: see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 5, wherein the coupler includes: a first side (Ziegler: 15a, fig 1, see annotation, the rear side of the coupler 15) attached to the front surface of the retainer (Ziegler: see Figure 1); and an opposite second side (Ziegler: 15b, fig 1, see annotation, the front side of the coupler 15) spaced apart from the front surface of the retainer by a first channel (Ziegler: 29, fig 1) extending from the top side to the bottom side (Ziegler: see Figures 1 and 4).
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[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (15a – First Side)][AltContent: textbox (15b – Second Side)]
[AltContent: connector]
Claims 10, 14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thalenfeld (US D449,514 S) in view of Edson (US 4,194,637), Ziegler (US 4,026,508), and Danko (US 4,534,530).
Regarding claim 10, Thalenfeld discloses a bracket (10, fig 1; see annotation below for all added reference numbers) for a display unit (see Figures 1-7), the bracket comprising: a retainer (20, fig 1) operable to selectively interface with the display unit (see Figures 1-7) and including (i) a front surface (21, fig 1) defining a width of the retainer, the width extending from a first lateral edge (22, fig 4) of the retainer to a second lateral edge (23, fig 4) of the retainer; and a coupler (30, fig 1) attached to the retainer (see Figures 1-7) and having: a bottom side (31, fig 1); a top side (32, fig 1) opposite the bottom side (see Figures 1-7), the top side including an opening (33, fig 4), a first receptacle (34, fig 4) extending from the opening toward the bottom side and defining a first width (see Figures 1-7); a first side (35, fig 1) attached to the front surface of the retainer (see Figures 1-7); a second side (37, fig 1) opposite the first side and spaced from the front surface of the retainer by a first channel (40, fig 1) extending from the top side of the coupler to the bottom side of the coupler (see Figures 1-7); an abutment (50, fig 1) spaced from the bottom side by a second channel (50, fig 4); and a third connecting rib (36, fig 1) (a) coupled to the bottom side of the coupler and the front surface of the retainer (see Figures 1-7) and (b) extending substantially perpendicular to the second connecting rib (see Figures 1-7).
[AltContent: textbox (33 – Opening)]
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[AltContent: textbox (34 – First Receptacle)][AltContent: connector]
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[AltContent: textbox (23 – Second Lateral Edge)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (22 – First Lateral Edge)][AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: textbox (70 – Third Channel)][AltContent: textbox (60 – Second Channel)]
[AltContent: textbox (31 – Top Side)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (40 – First Channel)][AltContent: connector]
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[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (37 – Second Side)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (35 – First Side)]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (30 – Coupler)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (10 – Bracket)]
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[AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (32 – Bottom Side)]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (20 – Retainer)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: textbox (24 – Rear Surface)][AltContent: textbox (50 – Abutment)]
[AltContent: textbox (36 – Third Connecting Rib)][AltContent: textbox (37 – Second Side)][AltContent: textbox (21 – Front Surface)]
Thalenfeld does not disclose the bracket, (1) wherein the retainer includes a passage extending from the front surface to a rear surface of the retainer, wherein the passage is aligned with the coupler, such that the first channel is open to the rear surface of the retainer through the passage; (2) wherein the top side includes a second receptacle extending from the first receptacle toward the bottom side and defining a second width less than the first width; (3) wherein the coupler includes: a first connecting rib extending from the front surface and coupled along the top side; and a second connecting rib spaced from the first connecting rib and extending from the front surface along the bottom side and substantially parallel to the first connecting rib.
With respect to the missing limitations (1) above, Edson teaches a bracket (10, fig 1) for a display unit (F, fig 1), the bracket comprising: a retainer (12, fig 1) including a front surface (12a, fig 4, see annotation); and a coupler (14, fig 1) attached to the retainer (see Figure 1); wherein the retainer includes a passage (36, fig 4) extending from the front surface to a rear surface (12b, fig 4, see annotation) of the retainer, wherein the passage is aligned with the coupler (see Figures 1-6), such that a first channel (141, fig 4, see annotation, the inner channel defined by the pocket 14) is open to the rear surface of the retainer through the passage (see Figures 1-6).
[AltContent: textbox (12a – Front Surface)]
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[AltContent: textbox (12b – Rear Surface)][AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: textbox (141 – First Channel)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
Thalenfeld and Edson are analogous art because they are at least from the same field of endeavor, i.e., brackets. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the retainer (Thalenfeld: 20, fig 1) with a passage (Edson: 36, fig 4) extending from the front surface (Thalenfeld: 21, fig 1) to a rear surface (Thalenfeld: 24, fig 1) of the retainer, wherein the passage is aligned with the coupler (Thalenfeld: 30, fig 1; Edson: see Figures 1-6), such that the first channel (Thalenfeld: 40, fig 1) is open to the rear surface of the retainer through the passage (Edson: see Figures 1-6; Thalenfeld: see Figure 1), as taught by Edson, with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation would have been to facilitate easier mounting of the wire hanger.
With respect to the missing limitations (2) above, Ziegler teaches a bracket (see Figure 1) for a display unit (50, fig 3), the bracket comprising: a retainer (12, fig 1) operable to selectively interface with the display unit (see Figure 3); and a coupler (15, fig 1) attached to the retainer (see Figure 1) and having: a bottom side (17, fig 4); and a top side (16, fig 1) opposite the bottom side (see Figure 2), the top side including an opening (25a, fig 2, see annotation), a first receptacle (20, fig 2) extending from the opening toward the bottom side and defining a first width (see Figure 2); and a second receptacle (30, fig 2) extending from the first receptacle toward the bottom side and defining a second width less than the first width (see Figure 2).
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[AltContent: textbox (25a – Opening)][AltContent: connector]
Ziegler is analogous art because it is at least from the same field of endeavor, i.e., brackets. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the coupler (Thalenfeld: 30, fig 1) with a second receptacle (Ziegler: 30, fig 2) extending from the first receptacle (Thalenfeld: 34, fig 4) toward the bottom side (Thalenfeld: 31, fig 1) and defining a second width less than the first width (Ziegler: see Figure 2), as taught by Ziegler, with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation would have been to accommodate wire hangers with various sizes.
With respect to the missing limitations (3) above, Danko teaches a bracket (10, fig 1) for a display unit (14, fig 1), the bracket comprising: a retainer (22a, fig 8, see annotation, see the boxed region) including a front surface (22b, fig 11, see annotation); and a coupler (22c, fig 11, see annotation, see boxed region) attached to the retainer (see Figures 1, 8, and 11) and having: a bottom side (22e, fig 11, see annotation); a top side (22d, fig 11, see annotation) opposite the bottom side (see Figures 1, 8, and 11); a socket (40, fig 8); a first connecting rib (22f, fig 11, see annotation) extending from the front surface and coupled along the top side (see Figures 1, 8, and 11); and a second connecting rib (22g, fig 11, see annotation) spaced from the first connecting rib and extending from the front surface along the bottom side and substantially parallel to the first connecting rib (see Figures 1, 8, and 11).
[AltContent: textbox (22f – First Connecting Rib)][AltContent: textbox (22d – Top Side)]
[AltContent: rect][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (22a – Retainer)][AltContent: rect]
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[AltContent: textbox (22c – Coupler)]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (22b – Front Surface)]
[AltContent: connector]
[AltContent: textbox (22g – Second Connecting Rib)][AltContent: textbox (22e – Bottom Side)]
Danko is analogous art because it is at least from the same field of endeavor, i.e., brackets. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the coupler (Thalenfeld: 30, fig 1) with a first connecting rib (Danko: 22f, fig 11, see annotation) extending from the front surface (Thalenfeld: 21, fig 1) and coupled along the top side (Thalenfeld: 32, fig 1; Danko: see Figures 1, 8, and 11) and with a second connecting rib (Danko: 22g, fig 11, see annotation) spaced from the first connecting rib and extending from the front surface along the bottom side (Thalenfeld: 31, fig 1) and substantially parallel to the first connecting rib (Danko: see Figures 1, 8, and 11), as taught by Danko, with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation would have been to further reinforce the attachment of the coupler of Thalenfeld to the retainer of Thalenfeld to better support heavier hangers. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Thalenfeld, Edson, Ziegler, and Danko to obtain the invention as specified in claim 10.
Regarding claim 14, wherein the first receptacle and the second receptacle are connected (Ziegler: see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 16, wherein the abutment cooperates with the third connecting rib to define a third channel (Thalenfeld: 70, fig 4) aligned with and vertically spaced from the first receptacle and the second receptacle (Thalenfeld: see Figures 1-7; Ziegler: see Figure 2).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thalenfeld (US D449,514 S) in view of Edson (US 4,194,637), Ziegler (US 4,026,508), Danko (US 4,534,530), and Hollingsworth et al. (US 5,855,347), hereinafter Hollingsworth.
Regarding claim 15, Thalenfeld, as modified by Edson, Ziegler, and Danko with respect to claim 10, does not teach the bracket, wherein the first receptacle includes a first set of protrusions extending from opposing side surfaces of the first receptacle, and the second receptacle includes a second set of protrusions extending from opposing side surfaces of the second receptacle.
Hollingsworth teaches a bracket (3, fig 1) for a display unit (7, fig 1), the bracket comprising: a retainer (9, fig 1); and a coupler (15, fig 1) attached to the retainer and having: a receptacle (40, fig 3), wherein the receptacle includes a set of protrusions (39, fig 3, col 11, line 20) extending from opposing side surfaces of the receptacle (see Figures 1-3).
Hollingsworth is analogous art because it is at least from the same field of endeavor, i.e., brackets. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the first receptacle (Thalenfeld: 34, fig 4, as modified by, Ziegler: 20, fig 2) with a first set of protrusions (Hollingsworth: 39, fig 3, col 11, line 20) extending from opposing side surfaces of the first receptacle (Hollingsworth: see Figures 1-3) and form the second receptacle (Thalenfeld: 34, fig 4, as modified by, Ziegler: 30, fig 2) with a second set of protrusions (Hollingsworth: 39, fig 3, col 11, line 20) extending from opposing side surfaces of the second receptacle (Hollingsworth: see Figures 1-3), as taught by Hollingsworth, with a reasonable expectation of success. The motivation would have been to enable the bracket of Thalenfeld to snugly hold the wire hangers. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Thalenfeld, Edson, Ziegler, Danko, and Hollingsworth to obtain the invention as specified in claim 15.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Guang H Guan whose telephone number is (571) 272-7828. The examiner can normally be reached weekdays (10:00 AM - 6:00 PM).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Liu can be reached at (571) 272-8227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/G. H. G./Examiner, Art Unit 3631
/JONATHAN LIU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3631
Prosecution Insights