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 first geometric line of claims 12-15 and 18-20 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 Objections
Claims 9 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 9 and 17 contain grammatical errors. Recitations of “opposite of” should read “opposite to”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Pat. 9,359,816 – Lee.
Regarding claim 1.
Lee discloses a slat connection system (Fig 4) for a roller shutter (Fig 1) comprising:
a plurality of slats (10, fig 4) pivotably hinged together (See fig 8), wherein each slat of the plurality of slats includes a slat body (10, fig 3) having a first edge (14b, fig 3) and a second edge (13b, fig 3) opposing each other (See fig 3), an inner hinge (15, fig 3) provided at the first edge (See fig 3), and an outer hinge (13, fig 3) provided at the second edge (See fig 3), wherein the inner hinge of a first slat of the plurality of slats is pivotably received in (See fig 4) a hinge groove (at 13e, fig 3) of the outer hinge of a second slat of the plurality of slats with a sealing member (14e, fig 3) interposed between the first and second slats (See fig 4), and wherein the inner hinge and the sealing member are each positioned in parallel (See figs 3 and 4) to a flat outer slat surface (See at C in fig 4).
Regarding claim 2.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 1.
Lee further discloses each slat of the plurality of slats (10, fig 4) further includes a sealing receiving portion (at 14c, fig 3) provided at the first edge (14b, fig 3), wherein the sealing receiving portion has a sealing member groove (at 14c, fig 3), and wherein the sealing member (14e, fig 3) includes an insert (14e, fig 3) fitted into the sealing member groove of the sealing receiving portion (See fig 3).
Regarding claim 3.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 2.
Lee further discloses the inner hinge (15, fig 3) is connected to the sealing receiving portion (at 14c, fig 3) via a connection neck (See adjacent 14c, fig 3), and wherein the connection neck is parallel to the flat outer slat surface (See fig 3).
Regarding claim 4.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 2.
Lee further discloses the hinge groove (at 13e, fig 3) is open in a direction perpendicular to the flat outer slat surface (See fig 3).
Regarding claim 5.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 4.
Lee further discloses the outer hinge (13, fig 3) includes a first hinge guide (See annotated fig 3) and a second hinge guide (See annotated fig 3) protruding from an interior slat surface (Examiner notes that, as currently claimed, only the second hinge guide is required to protrude – That notwithstanding, the first hinge guide of Lee at least protrudes parallel to an interior slat surface, and the second hinge guide at least protrudes perpendicularly to an interior slat surface – See annotated fig 3.), and wherein the hinge groove (See annotated fig 3) is at least partially defined by the first hinge guide and the second hinge guide (See annotated fig 3).
PNG
media_image1.png
738
786
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 6.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 5.
Lee further discloses the outer hinge (13, fig 3) protrudes from the interior slat surface (See annotated fig 3) by a first thickness (See fig 3), wherein the sealing receiving portion (at 14c, fig 3) protrudes from the interior slat surface (See annotated fig 3) by a second thickness (See fig 3), and wherein the first thickness of the outer hinge is less than the second thickness of the sealing receiving portion (See fig 4).
Regarding claim 7.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 6.
Lee further discloses an inner hinge (15, fig 3) interior edge (at 15a, fig 3) of the inner hinge is closer to the interior slat surface (See annotated fig 3) than a sealing receiving interior edge of the sealing receiving portion (at 14c, fig 3) (See fig 3).
Regarding claim 8.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 6.
Lee further discloses a first hinge guide interior edge (edge of first hinge guide, see annotated fig 3) of the first hinge guide (See annotated fig 3) and a second hinge guide interior edge (edge of second hinge guide, see annotated fig 3) of the second hinge guide (See annotated fig 3) are closer to the interior slat surface (See annotated fig 3) than a sealing receiving interior edge (at 14c, fig 3) of the sealing receiving portion (See fig 4).
Regarding claim 9.
Lee discloses a slat system comprising:
a first slat (10, fig 3) having a first slat first end (14b, fig 3), a first slat second end (13b, fig 3) opposite of the first slat first end with respect to a first direction (See fig 3), a first slat flat outer surface (see at C in fig 4) extending along a first plane in the first direction from the first slat second end to the first slate first end (See fig 3), and a first slat interior surface (See annotated fig 3) opposite of the first slat flat outer surface (See fig 3);
a first slat sealing receiving portion (at 14c, fig 3) protruding from the first slat interior surface at the first slat first end (See fig 3);
a first slat connection neck (adjacent 14c, fig 3) protruding from the first slat sealing receiving portion in the first direction (See fig 3);
a first slat inner hinge (15, fig 3) protruding from the first slat connection neck in the first direction (See fig 3), the first slat inner hinge having a cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion (See fig 3);
a first slat sealing member (14e, fig 3) having a first slat sealing member exterior surface (at 14e, fig 3) and a first slat sealing member insert (14e, fig 3);
a second slat (10, fig 4) having a second slat first end (at 14, fig 4; see also 14b, fig 3), a second slat second end (at 13, fig 4; see also 13b, fig 3), the second slat first end being opposite of the second slat second end with respect to a second direction (See figs 4 and 3), a second slat flat outer surface (See at C, fig 4) extending along a second plane in the second direction from the second slat first end to the second slate second end, and a second slat interior surface (as in annotated fig 3) opposite of the second slat flat outer surface (See figs 4 and 3); and
a second slat outer hinge (13, as in annotated fig 3) protruding from second slat interior surface (as in annotated fig 3) at the second slat second end in a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the second plane, the second slat outer hinge having a second slat outer hinge groove opening toward the third direction (as in annotated fig 3), wherein the first slat sealing receiving portion having a first slat sealing member groove (at 14c, fig 3) opening toward the first direction (as in fig 3) and toward the second slat outer hinge of the second slat (See fig 4), wherein the first slat sealing member insert (14e, fig 3) is fitted in the first slat sealing member groove, such that the first slat sealing member is interposed between the first slat first end and the second slat second end (See fig 4), wherein the cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion (15, fig 3) also protrudes into the second slat outer hinge groove (as in annotated fig 3, See fig 4), such that the cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion pivotably couples with the second slat outer hinge groove (See fig 8).
Regarding claim 10.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 9.
Lee further discloses the first slat sealing member (14e, fig 3) has a first slat sealing member exterior surface (at 14e in fig 3) interposed between the first slat first end and the second slat second end (See fig 4).
Regarding claim 11.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 10.
Lee further discloses with the slat system in a closed configuration (as in fig 4), the first plane is aligned with the second plane (See fig 4), and the first slat sealing member exterior surface (at 14e, fig 3) is aligned with the first slat flat outer surface and the second slat flat outer surface (Examiner notes that merriam-webster.com defines “align” as “2: to be in or come into precise adjustment or correct relative position”. The first slat sealing member exterior surface is in correct relative position to the first and second planes, and thus meets the limitation as currently claimed. This interpretation may be overcome by reciting that the first slat sealing member exterior surface is coplanar with the first and second planes).
Regarding claim 12.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 9.
Lee further discloses the first slat sealing member insert (14e, fig 3) and the cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion (15, fig 3) have a majority of their portions aligned (in correct relative position) along a first geometric line that is parallel with the first plane (See fig 3).
Regarding claim 13.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 9.
Lee further discloses the first slat sealing member groove (at 14c, fig 3) and the first slat inner hinge (at 15, fig 3) have a majority of their portions aligned (in correct relative position) along a first geometric line that is parallel with the first plane (See fig 3).
Regarding claim 14.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 9.
Lee further discloses the first slat sealing member groove (at 14c, fig 3), the first slat sealing member insert (14e, fig 3), the first slat inner hinge (at 15, fig 3), and the cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion (15, fig 3) have a majority of their portions aligned (in correct relative position) along a first geometric line that is parallel with the first plane (See fig 3).
Regarding claim 15.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 9.
Lee further discloses with the slat system in a closed configuration (See fig 4), the first plane is aligned with the second plane (See fig 4), and the second slat outer hinge (at 13, fig 4), the first slat sealing member groove (at 14c, fig 3), the first slat sealing member insert (14e, fig 3), the first slat inner hinge (at 15, fig 3), and the cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion (15, fig 3) have a majority of their portions aligned (in correct relative position) along a first geometric line that is parallel with the first plane (See fig 4).
Regarding claim 16.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 9.
Lee further discloses the second slat outer hinge (at 13, fig 4) protrudes from the second slat interior surface (as in annotated fig 3) by a first thickness (See fig 3), wherein the first slat sealing receiving portion (at 14c, fig 3) protrudes from the first slat interior surface (See annotated fig 3) by a second thickness (See fig 3), and wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness (See fig 4).
Regarding claim 17.
Lee discloses a slat system (fig 4) comprising:
a first slat (10, fig 3) having a first slat first end (14b, fig 3), a first slat second end (13b, fig 3) opposite of the first slat first end with respect to a first direction (See fig 3), a first slat flat outer surface (See ad C in fig 4) extending along a first plane in the first direction from the first slat second end to the first slate first end (See fig 3), and a first slat interior surface (See annotated fig 3) opposite of the first slat flat outer surface (See fig 3);
a first slat sealing receiving portion (at 14c, fig 3) protruding from the first slat interior surface at the first slat first end (See fig 3);
a first slat connection neck (adjacent 14c, fig 3) protruding from the first slat sealing receiving portion in the first direction (See fig 3);
a first slat inner hinge (at 15, fig 3) protruding from the first slat connection neck in the first direction (See fig 3), the first slat inner hinge having a cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion (15, fig 3);
a first slat sealing member (14e, fig 3) having a first slat sealing member exterior surface (at 14e, fig 3) and a first slat sealing member insert (14e, fig 3);
a second slat (10, fig 4) having a second slat first end (at 14, fig 4), a second slat second end (at 13, fig 4), the second slat first end being opposite of the second slat second end with respect to a second direction (See fig 4), a second slat flat outer surface (See at C in fig 4) extending along a second plane in the second direction from the second slat first end to the second slate second end (See fig 4), and a second slat interior surface (as in annotated fig 3) opposite of the second slat flat outer surface (see fig 4); and a second slat outer hinge (at 13 in fig 4) protruding from second slat interior surface at the second slat second end in a third direction (See annotated fig 3), the third direction being perpendicular to the second plane (See annotated fig 3), the second slat outer hinge having a second slat outer hinge groove (as in annotated fig 3) opening toward the third direction, wherein the first slat sealing receiving portion (at 14c, fig 3) having a first slat sealing member groove (at 14, fig 3) opening toward the first direction and toward the second slat outer hinge of the second slat (See fig 4), wherein the first slat sealing member insert (14e, fig 3) is fitted in the first slat sealing member groove (at 14c, fig 3), such that the first slat sealing member is interposed between the first slat first end and the second slat second end (See fig 4), wherein the cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion (15, fig 3) also protrudes into the second slat outer hinge groove (See fig 4), such that the cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion pivotably couples (See fig 8) with the second slat outer hinge groove (as in annotated fig 3), wherein the second slat outer hinge protrudes from the second slat interior surface by a first thickness (See annotated fig 3), wherein the first slat sealing receiving portion protrudes from the first slat interior surface by a second thickness (See fig 3), and wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness (See figs 4 and 3).
Regarding claim 18.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 17.
Lee further discloses the first slat sealing member insert (14e, fig 3), and the cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion (15, fig 3) have a majority of their portions aligned (in correct relative position) along a first geometric line that is parallel with the first plane (See fig 3).
Regarding claim 19.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 17.
Lee further discloses the first slat sealing member groove (at 14c, fig 3) and the first slat inner hinge (at 15, fig 3) have a majority of their portions aligned (in correct relative position) along a first geometric line that is parallel with the first plane (See fig 3).
Regarding claim 20.
Lee discloses all limitations of claim 17.
Lee further discloses the first slat sealing member groove (at 14c, fig 3), the first slat sealing member insert (14e, fig 3), the first slat inner hinge (at 15, fig 3), and the cylindrical-shaped first slat inner hinge end portion (15, fig 3) have a majority of their portions aligned (in correct relative position) along a first geometric line that is parallel with the first plane (See fig 3).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN W HANES JR whose telephone number is (571)272-8840. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Cahn can be reached at 571-270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/J.W.H./ Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/ABE MASSAD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634