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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the attachment feature is configured to be integral with an outer edge of the sign body forming an inlet in the sign body (claim 9, 11 and12) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 7 is 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.
Regarding claim 7, the phrase “the attachment mechanism” lacks antecedent basis.
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.
Claims 1-8, 10, and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 6769555 to Brady.
Regarding claim 1, Brady teaches an hanging apparatus (10) comprising: a sign body with a display component (outer surfaces, not labeled) configured to act as a display surface; a structural reinforcement and information surface (rigid layers 12 and 16) configured to reinforce the apparatus and provide supplementary information; an attachment feature (aperture 22) configured to integrate within the sign body; a flexible and durable element (resilient layer 14) configured to embed within the attachment feature (aperture 22) and tailored with an accommodating feature (slits 24); wherein the accommodating feature (slits 24) is an opening forming a series of flaps configured to accommodate various attachment objects; and an expansion and contraction feature (resilient characteristic of the resilient layer 14) of configured to allow the flexible and durable element to expand or contract for the purpose of accommodating the various attachment objects (column 4, line 32-46).
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Regarding claim 2, Brady teaches the structural reinforcement and information surface (rigid layer 12 and 16) is located on the back side of the sign body (figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 3, Brady teaches the structural reinforcement and information surface (rigid layer 12 and 16) is located on the front side of the sign body (figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 4, Brady teaches the structural reinforcement and information surface (rigid layer 12 and 16) comprises two parts (12 and 16) that are bonded together to reinforce the sign body from both the front side and back side of the sign body (column 4, lines 14-25).
Regarding claim 5, Brady teaches the flexible and durable element (resilient properties of resilient layer 24) is sealed in place between the two parts (12 and 16) that are bonded together to reinforce the sign body from both the front side and back side of the sign body which comprise the structural reinforcement and information surface parts.
Regarding claim 6, Brady teaches the attachment feature (slits 24) is configured to be located on an upper half of the sign body (figure 1).
Regarding claim 7, Brady teaches an upper cutout (aperture 22) is integral with the attachment mechanism.
Regarding claim 8, Brady teaches the sign body is defined by one or more peripheral edges, and the attachment feature (aperture 22) is configured to be entirely within the edges of the sign body.
Regarding claim 10, Brady teaches an hanging apparatus (10) comprising: a sign body with a display component (front and rear surfaces) configured to act as a display surface; a structural reinforcement and information surface (rigid layer 12 and 16) configured to reinforce the apparatus and provide supplementary information; an attachment feature (aperture 22) configured to house a flexible and durable element (resilient layer 14) tailored with an accommodating feature (slits 24); and wherein the accommodating feature (slits 24) is configured to accommodate various attachment objects.
Regarding claim 13, Brady teaches the accommodating feature (aperture 22) is an opening forming a series of flaps.
Regarding claim 14, Brady teaches the flexible and durable element (resilient layer 14) is configured to expand and contract of in order to accommodate various attachment objects.
Regarding claim 15, Brady teaches the structural reinforcement and information surface comprises two parts (12 and 16) that are bonded together to reinforce the sign body from both a front side of the sign body and a back side of the sign body.
Regarding claim 16, Brady teaches the flexible and durable element (resilient layer 14) is sealed in place between the two structural reinforcement and information surface parts (12 and 16).
Regarding claim 17, Brady teaches the accommodating feature (aperture 22) is configured to accommodate door handles of various sizes and shapes.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 11, 12 and 18 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.
Regarding claims 9, 11, 12 and 18, the prior art of record does not teach or suggest an apparatus for mounting information display in combination with the other limitations of the claim wherein the attachment feature is configured to be integral with an outer edge of the sign body forming an inlet in the sign body.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-18 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CASSANDRA DAVIS whose telephone number is (571)272-6642. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 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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/CASSANDRA DAVIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631