DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Claims 12 and 14 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 11/10/25.
The applicant elected Group II: Figures 2 and 17-21.
Priority
Applicant claims priority to 63/254,163, filed 10/10/21, however the provisional does not contain the elected subject matter above. This subject matter, however, appears first supported by the PCT/IB202/059699 application, filed 10/10/22, which will be used as the effective date for prosecution on the merits.
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 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kovalak, Jr. (US 5,467,546).
In respect to claim 9, Kovalak, Jr. discloses a framing system for fabric signs comprising: a tension clip 16 defining longitudinal recess 86 comprising: a retaining element 86 (Fig. 3) and a frame engaging portion 74 (Fig. 4); and a mandrel 52 defining: a first end rib 90 at a first, a second end rib 90 at a second end, and a first lateral depression 92 disposed between the first and second ends ribs (Fig. 5); wherein said framing system can be adjusted into a securing configuration wherein the mandrel is disposed within the longitudinal recess and the retaining element 86 is engaged with the first lateral depression to couple the mandrel to the tension clip, the ribs substantially terminating longitudinal movement of the mandrel in the securing configuration (Figs. 2 & 6); the framing system secures a flexible panel 14 within said recess while in the securing configuration, the frame engaging portion 74 configured to selectively couple said tension clip to the frame (via teeth 40 on the frame) (Fig. 2).
In respect to claim 10, Kovalak, Jr. discloses the mandrel further defining a second lateral depression and a first medial rib 94, the first lateral depression disposed between said first end rib and first medial rib (leftmost depression) and the second lateral depression disposed between said second end rib and said first medial rib (middle depression) (Fig. 5).
In respect to claims 19 and 20, Kovalak, Jr. discloses the claimed invention for the reasons stated above, and additionally that the fabric-engaging projections (equivalent to the “retaining portions”) 86 align with respective ones of said outboard recesses 90 to urge the fabric edge into the outboard recesses (Fig. 7); and wherein the fabric urges a tooth (equivalent to the “frame engaging portion”) 74 into engagement with a tooth-receiving surface 40 of the frame and driving a “leg” e.g. the frame portion underneath the fabric-receiving channel 86 (Fig. 6) toward an opposite surface (Fig. 2), which forms the second of a pair of legs forming the fabric-receiving channel (e.g. along with the top portion).
In respect to claim 22, Kovalak, Jr. discloses that the tension clip is configured to be cut between fabric-engaging portion 86 to form two tension clip pieces (Fig. 3), and the mandrel is configured to be cut between inboard ribs 94 (Fig. 5), to form to useable assembles in the same manner.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8 are allowed.
None of the cited prior art anticipates or renders obvious all of the limitations of independent claim 1, particularly, the frame-engaging portion comprising a first tooth on a first side and a second tooth on a second side opposite said first side. Kovalak, Jr. above, and other cited prior art below, contains similar inventions, however the tooth (teeth) comprising the frame-engaging portions are only disposed on one side. Doone (US 6,269,569) disclose a similar invention having two opposite teeth forming frame-engaging portions, but do not disclose at least a pair of legs they are disposed upon (they are on opposite sides of the same “leg”).
Claims 11, 13, 15-18, 21, 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.
In respect to claims 11, 13, and 15-18, claims 11 and 18 recite particulars limitations of the mandrel which cannot be met by the broad construing of claim 10. Claims 13 and 15-17 depend from claim 11.
In respect to claim 21, the claim has allowable subject matter for similar reasons to claim 1, in which opposing teeth of the frame-engaging portions is not met by Kovalak, Jr.
In respect to claim 23, the claim has allowable subject matter since Kovalak, Jr, does not disclose the mandrel having an “cross-sectional I-shape” at the recesses, but rather a U-shape.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Coleman (US 2006/0242805), Vanham (US 2012/0061539), Gandy et al. (US 5,033,216), Verret (US 5,669,166), Coleman (US 5,398,388), and Gandy et al. (US 4,937,961), disclose similar inventions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYLE ROBERT GRABOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-3518. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8am-6pm.
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/KYLE R GRABOWSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637