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 filed 2/19/2026 overcome the previous objections.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-3 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 2 states “a stationary furniture part.” Is this the same or different stationary furniture part already mentioned in claim 1. Claim 3 requires a second element but depends from claim 1 and therefor a first element is not required. Appropriate correction 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) 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Warda (WO 2021/023772).
Claim 1:Warda shows an arrangement for guiding at least two furniture doors (21), relative to a stationary furniture part (2), the arrangement comprising:
a first guide rail (3a) and a second guide rail (3b),
a first carriage (25) mounted on, or mountable on, one of the first and second guide rails so as to be movable along the one of the first and second rails, the first carriage being connectable to a first one of the at least two furniture doors,(From Warda translation: In Figure 13. A sliding door 21 hangs on one or more running parts 25, each of which has at least one rotatable roller 26 which can be moved along the running track 4 on the running rail 3. In the transition area between the rail parts 3a and 3b, the track is formed by the track section 52 of the connecting part)
a second carriage (25) mounted on, or mountable on, the other of the first and second guide rails, the second carriage being connectable to a second one of the at least two furniture doors (From Warda translation: In Figure 13. A sliding door 21 hangs on one or more running parts 25, each of which has at least one rotatable roller 26 which can be moved along the running track 4 on the running rail 3. In the transition area between the rail parts 3a and 3b, the track is formed by the track section 52 of the connecting part)
a connection device (5,6) configured to detachably connect the first and second guide rails) at one end of each of the first and second guide rails, wherein the first and second guide rails are arranged substantially aligned with each other in a connected state,
and an adjusting device (61,63,24,66,67,56,55) configured to adjust a position of the first and second guide rails relative to the stationary furniture part in a direction transverse to a longitudinal extent of the first and second guide rails (Warda states 66 adjusts the height which is transverse the longitudinal extent of the rails).
Claim 2:The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting device has a first element (56) arrangeable on a stationary furniture part (adjusting device is arranged on a stationary furniture part via rails).
Claim 3:The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting device has a second element (67) arrangeable on at least one of the ends of the first and second guide rails.
Claim 4:The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the second element is at least partially formed by the connection device (67 is part of 6).
Claim 5:The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting device has an adjusting element (66).
Claim 6:The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting device has a second element (67) arrangeable on at least one of the ends of the first and second guide rails, wherein the adjusting device has at least one adjusting element (66) and wherein the adjusting element is mounted on or in the second element via a threaded connection (screws have threads) and rests against the first element (56), or is mounted rotatably and non-displaceably on or in the first element.
Claim 7:The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting device has a second element (67) arrangeable on at least one of the ends of the first and second guide rails, wherein the adjusting device has at least one adjusting element (66) and wherein the adjusting element is mounted rotatably and non-displaceably on the second element (67) and is mounted on or in the first element via a threaded connection.
Claim 8: CANCELLED
Claim 9:The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the adjusting element is formed as a screw (66).
Claim 10:The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the adjusting device has an actuating device (Phillips indent on head of screw – figure 4) for indirectly or directly actuating the adjusting element.
Claim 11:The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the actuating device is formed as a screwhead drive (figure 4).
Claim 12:The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the ends of the first and second guide rails face each other (see fig10a where 3a and 3b face each other).
Claim 13:The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a covering cap (52,53) is provided for at least partially covering a gap (33) between the first and second guide rails.
Claim 14:The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein a covering cap is provided for at least partially covering a gap between the first and second guide rails, and wherein the covering cap is arranged or arrangeable on the second element (52/53 cap portion is on 5 which covers 67).
Claim 15:As applied to claim 1, Warder shows a piece of furniture comprising at least two furniture doors and a stationary furniture part having the arrangement according to claim 1.
Claim 16:The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the second element is arrangeable on both of the ends of the first and second guide rails. The second element goes between the rails and is therefor on both ends of the first and second guide rails.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Warda in view of Blum (WO 2018/204952).
Regarding claim 17 Warda shows the furniture piece according to claim 15 including sliding doors 21 but fails to folding sliding doors. Rupp shows this is known in the art. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include a folding sliding door on the device of Warda since replacing one known device for another is considered within the level of ordinary skill. Replacing one known door with another type of known door does not affect the function of the furniture piece. The prior art of record shows how it is known to use these connection devices on many different types of doors.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-7 and 9-17 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.
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/KRISTINA R FULTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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