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 .
This is the first office action for application number 18/512,777, Tripod Supporting Base, filed on November 17, 2023.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the lead lines for reference numbers "100" in Fig. 2, "140" in Figs. 3 and 7, "135" in Fig. 4 and "1000" in Fig. 5 are incorrect, see 37 CFR 1.84(q) regarding lead lines and their usage. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: "164". Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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) 1-6, 8, 11-16, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 2,171,870 to Swartz. Swartz discloses a tripod comprising: a base (21); an extension member (20); and a tripod leg attachment member (30); the tripod leg attachment member including a tripod leg attachment interface configured to attach a tripod leg (34) thereto, and a plurality of tripod leg positioning interfaces (36) configured to enable a tripod leg to be positioned at various different distinct angles with respect to the base; further comprising: a base attachment member (32) configured to connect the tripod leg attachment member to the extension member; wherein the base attachment member includes a locking mechanism (35 or 39) configured to prevent movement of the tripod leg attachment member; wherein the tripod leg attachment member is detachably connected to the base attachment member; wherein the extension member is detachably connected to the base; and further comprising a tripod leg (34).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 9, 10, 17, 19, and 20 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent No. 10,612,719 to Li et al. is directed to a tripod having an angle position locking structure fixedly arranged on the body of the tripod. U.S. Patent 5,823,491 to Lindsay et al. is directed to a spreader unit for controlling a multi-legged stand comprising a hub having a central axis and a plurality of arms hinged to the hub. U.S. Patent No. 4,317,552 to Weidler is directed to an universal tripod having a hub, a plurality of legs, and clamping means for the legs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANITA M KING whose telephone number is (571)272-6817. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30am-4:00pm.
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/ANITA M KING/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632 December 14, 2024