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 .
Status of the Claims
Claims 1-10 as filed 3/14/2024 are pending herein.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/26/2024 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 following claim limitations: “wagon” (Claim 1), “support assembly” (Claim 1), “chassis assembly” (Claim 1) and “vertically arranged” (Claim 1, line 7-9; see below 35 USC 112b rejection), and “having equal or different lengths” (Claim 4) must all be shown and labeled 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 Objections
Claims 1 is objected to because of the following informalities for which appropriate correction is required: Claim 1 recites: “configured to comprise” (line 7), which is unclear and should be rewritten. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-10 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Specifically, the limitation “vertically arranged” is unclear and therefore renders the claims indefinite. Appropriate correction and/or explanation is required.
Claims 1-10 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Specifically, the limitation in Claim 1: “configured to respectively drive the first chassis and the second chassis to move synchronously in response to movement of the groove connector in a vertical direction” is unclear and therefore renders the claims indefinite. Appropriate correction and/or explanation is required.
Claim 2 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Specifically, the limitations “at least one pair of parallel support bars extending in the first direction and spaced apart in the vertical direction constitutes the first parallel-bars structure or the second parallel-bars structure” is unclear (emphasis added) and therefore renders the claims indefinite. Appropriate correction and/or explanation is required.
Claims 4-9 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Specifically, the limitation “having equal or different lengths” Claim 4, line is unclear and therefore renders the claims indefinite. Appropriate correction and/or explanation is required.
Claims 5 and 6 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Claims 5 and 6 include limitations linked by the phrase "and/or." This renders the claims indefinite, as it is unclear if the combination of limitations is required or optional. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Specifically, the limitations “do not exceed a length” is unclear (emphasis added) and therefore renders the claims indefinite. Appropriate correction and/or explanation is required
Claim 9 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Specifically, the limitations “less than or equal to” is unclear (emphasis added) and therefore renders the claims indefinite. Appropriate correction and/or explanation 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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lui (US 12,065,185 B2).
[Claim 1] Regarding Claim 1, Lui discloses: A collapsible wagon (See, e.g., Fig.1-27), comprising:
a support assembly (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 22+23+24) comprising a first support and a second support (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 22+23+24), the first support and the second support being spaced apart in a first direction (See, e.g., Fig.1-27); and
a chassis assembly (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 112+113) arranged between the first support and the second support and comprising a first chassis and a second chassis (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 112+113), the first chassis being hinged to the first support and the second chassis being hinged to the second support (See, e.g., Fig.1-27);
wherein the first chassis is configured to comprise a first parallel-bars structure vertically arranged (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 14+141), wherein the second chassis is configured to comprise a second parallel-bars structure vertically arranged (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 14+141), and wherein the first parallel-bars structure and the second parallel-bars structure are hinged to a groove connector (See, e.g., Fig.1-27,142+17+152+153+etc.) , and the first parallel-bars structure and the second parallel-bars structure are configured to respectively drive the first chassis and the second chassis to move synchronously in response to movement of the groove connector in a vertical direction (See, e.g., Fig.1-27).
[Claim 2] Regarding Claim 2, Lui discloses: wherein the first chassis and the second chassis each comprises a plurality of support bars (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 112+113+141+14), and wherein at least one pair of parallel support bars extending in the first direction and spaced apart in the vertical direction constitutes the first parallel-bars structure or the second parallel-bars structure (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 141+14).
[Claim 3] Regarding Claim 3, Lui discloses: wherein the first support comprises a pair of first vertical bars (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 22) spaced apart in a second direction (See, e.g., Fig.1-27) and a first connecting bar (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 19) arranged therebetween (See, e.g., Fig.1-27), wherein the second support comprises a pair of second vertical bars (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 22) spaced apart in the second direction (See, e.g., Fig.1-27) and a second connecting bar arranged therebetween (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 19), the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction (See, e.g., Fig.1-27); and wherein the first parallel-bars structure comprises a pair of first parallel-bars respectively hinged to the pair of first vertical bars (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 13), the second parallel-bars structure comprises a pair of second parallel-bars respectively hinged to the pair of second vertical bars (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 13), and opposing ends of each first parallel-bars and the corresponding second parallel-bars are respectively hinged to the groove connector (See, e.g., Fig.1-27).
[Claim 4] Regarding Claim 4, Lui discloses: wherein each first parallel-bars comprises a first upper bar and a first lower bar (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 112+141+14) that are spaced apart in the vertical direction (See, e.g., Fig.1-27), and wherein each second parallel-bars comprises a second upper bar and a second lower bar (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 113+141+14) that are spaced apart in the vertical direction (See, e.g., Fig.1-27), the first parallel-bars and the second parallel-bars having equal or different lengths (See, e.g., Fig.1-27).
[Claim 5] Regarding Claim 5, Lui discloses: wherein the first chassis comprises a plurality of first support bars (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 112) parallel to the first upper bar and/or the first lower bar (See, e.g., Fig.1-27), and wherein the second chassis comprises a plurality of second support bars (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 113) parallel to the second upper bar and/or the second lower bar (See, e.g., Fig.1-27).
[Claim 6] Regarding Claim 6, Lui discloses: wherein a length of each first vertical bar and a length of each second vertical bar do not exceed a length of the first parallel-bars and/or a length of the second parallel-bars (See, e.g., Fig.1-27).
[Claim 7] Regarding Claim 7, Lui discloses: wherein the groove connector comprises a pair of side walls extending in the vertical direction and spaced apart (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 27,142+17+152+153+etc.), and a connecting wall connecting the pair of side walls (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 27,142+17+152+153+etc.), wherein the first parallel-bars and the second parallel-bars are respectively hinged between the pair of side walls (See, e.g., Fig.1-27), and wherein the connecting wall serves as a stopper for limiting vertical movement of the first parallel-bars and the second parallel-bars (See, e.g., Fig.1-27).
[Claim 8] Regarding Claim 8, Lui discloses: wherein the connecting wall is a top wall of the groove connector (See, e.g., Fig.1-27,142+17+152+153+etc.), and wherein the side walls are configured to taper in a dimension downward from the connecting wall (See, e.g., Fig.1-27).
[Claim 9] Regarding Claim 9, Lui discloses: wherein a length of the first upper bar is less than or equal to a length of the first lower bar (See, e.g., Fig.1-27), and wherein a length of the second upper bar is less than or equal to a length of the second lower bar (See, e.g., Fig.1-27).
[Claim 10] Regarding Claim 10, Lui discloses: wherein the chassis assembly further comprises a connecting shaft (See, e.g., Fig.1-27, 111) arranged between the first chassis and the second chassis (See, e.g., Fig.1-27), and wherein the connecting shaft is connected to the groove connector to facilitate vertical movement of the groove connector (See, e.g., Fig.1-27).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, and can be found on the attached Notice of References Cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES M DOLAK whose telephone number is (571)270-7757. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-530 EST Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, J ALLEN SHRIVER can be reached on 303-297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMES M DOLAK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613