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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
1. 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.
2. Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2017/0143116 A1 (UEDA) in further in view of US Patent 4,124,262 (Schill).
With respect to claim 1, UEDA shows a cabinet (Fig.6) comprising: a housing (2, Fig.4, Fig.6) having a door (section 0023, “box 2 may include a door that opens and closes the front opening of box 2”) configured to provide access to an interior of the housing, the interior having a front portion (Fig.6) and a back portion; a carousel (10, Fig.4, Fig.6) disposed in the housing, the carousel having a primary storage area (front storage area on shelves 17) and a secondary storage area (rear storage area on shelves 17); a first position (Fig.6) of the carousel (10) in which the primary storage area is accessible; and a second position (Fig.4, in a position perpendicular to cabinet housing) of the carousel in which the secondary storage area is accessible (Fig.4), a track (31, Fig.3a, section 0057) in the housing (Fig.6), and a carriage (40, Fig.1) on the carousel (10,Fig.3b, Fig.1b) mounted for reciprocal movement in the track (section 0057, Fig.2, Fig.4): and a control arm (38, FIg.3a) having opposed first and second ends, the first end pinned for pivotal movement to the housing (via track 31, at coupling shaft 36, section 0066) and the second end (at 39, Fig.2, section 0068) pinned for pivotal movement to the carousel (10, Fig.3a, Fig.4) so as to impart rotational movement to the carousel (10, Fig.4) with respect to the housing (2) in response to reciprocal movement of the carousel (10) with respect to the housing (2, Fig.4); wherein the carousel moves in simultaneous reciprocation and rotation between the first and second positions (Fig.4).
With respect to claim 1, UEDA doesn’t disclose the primary storage area and a secondary storage area are separated by an upstanding medial wall and in the first position of the carousel the secondary storage area is concealed by the upstanding medial wall.
Schill teaches a cabinet (Fig.1) comprising: a housing (10, 12, 14, and 16), a carousel (18) having a primary storage area (“front half” of the storage area bounded by vertical divider wall 26, front half of walls 28 and 30, Fig.2, Col.2 lines 50-55) and a secondary storage area (“back half” of the storage area behind vertical wall 26); the primary storage area and a secondary storage area are separated by an upstanding medial wall (vertical divider wall 26, Fig.2) and in the first position of the carousel (Fig.1) the secondary storage area (back half) is concealed by the upstanding medial wall (26, Fig.1). It would have been obvious to modify the carousel of UEDA such that it has an upstanding medial wall separating the primary storage area and the secondary storage area, such as taught by Schill, in order to conceal the back portion of the carousel when the door is open and thus provide a more pleasing and organized appearance to the storage area when the door is open and in order to divide the areas for better organization.
With respect to claim 2, the combination (Schill) shows wherein in the second position (Fig.3) of the carousel, the primary storage area is accessible (Fig.3).
With respect to claim 3, the combination (Schill) shows wherein the primary storage area and the secondary storage area are on opposed sides of the carousel (Fig.3).
With respect to claim 4, the combination (Schill) shows wherein:in the first position (Fig.1) of the carousel, the primary storage area is in the front portion of the housing and the secondary storage area is in the back portion of the housing (Fig.1); and in the second position (Fig.3) of the carousel, the primary storage area and the secondary storage area are in the front portion of the housing (Fig.3).
With respect to claim 5, the combination (UEDA) shows wherein: the housing (2, Fig.6) has a closed first side (6, Fig.6, section 0021), a closed second side (other side 6), a closed back (back side 5), and an opposed front which is open; the door (section 0023) is mounted at the front of the housing; and the door is mounted to provide access to the interior of the housing through the front.
3. Claims 10, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN110089863 A (CN ‘863) in further in view of US 2017/0143116 A1 (UEDA)
With respect to claim 10, CN ‘863 shows a cabinet (Fig.1, Fig.15, Fig.16) comprising: a housing (Fig.6) having an interior, the interior having a front portion and a back portion (Fig.6); a carousel (Fig.7, FIg.8, Fig.15) disposed in the housing, the carousel having a primary storage area (front storage area, Fig.15, Fig.7) and a secondary storage area (back storage area, Fig.7, Fig.3, Fig.1); in a first position of the carousel (Fig.16), the primary storage area is visible in the front portion of the housing (Fig.16) and the secondary storage area is concealed in the back portion of the housing (Fig.16); and in a second position (Fig.15) of the carousel, the primary storage area and the secondary storage area are in the front portion of the housing (Fig.15); a slot (slot in bottom plate 5 of the housing in Fig.5; Fig.6) in a bottom of the housing extending to the front of the housing and a wheel (wheel on the bottom of turntable 7, FIg.6) on the bottom of the carousel for both rolling movement and rotational movement (Fig.15, Fig.16) through the slot when the carousel moves between the first and second positions.
With respect to claim 10, CN ‘863 teaches guide rails (35 and 36, Fig.6, Fig.5) for extending out the carousel but does not explicitly disclose the carousel moves in simultaneous reciprocation and rotation. CN ‘863 further doesn’t teach the housing has a door.
UEDA shows wherein the carousel (10, Fig.4) moves in simultaneous reciprocation and rotation between the first and second positions (Fig.4). UEDA further teaches a door (section 0023) configured to provide access to an interior of the housing (2, Fig.4). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing to modify the movement mechanism of the carousel of CN ‘863, such that the carousel moves in simultaneous reciprocation and rotation, such as taught by UEDA, in order to extend the carousel further out from the front of the housing for better access of the storage areas while still allowing the carousel to rotate between the positions. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a door to the front of the housing, such as taught by UEDA, in order to conceal the interior of the housing to prevent debris from entering the housing and protect the interior of the housing and conceal the carousel when not in use.
With respect to claim 13, the combination (CN ‘863) teaches wherein: the housing (Fig.6) has a closed first side, a closed second side, a closed back, and an opposed front which is open (Fig.6); the door is mounted at the front of the housing (as modified by UEDA); and the door is mounted to provide access to the interior of the housing through the front (UEDA, section 0023).
With respect to claim 14, the combination (CN ‘863) teaches wherein the primary storage area and the secondary storage area are on opposed sides of the carousel (Fig.7, Fig.1).
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claims 15, 19 and 20 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejections.
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.
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/HIWOT E TEFERA/Examiner, Art Unit 3637