DETAILED ACTION
This communication is a first Office Action Non-Final rejection on the merits. The Restriction election received on 03/06/2026 has been acknowledged. Claim 1 has been amended and claims 2-18 have been added. Claims 1-18 are now pending and have been considered below.
Election/Restrictions
1. Applicant’s election of Species 2 (figures 7-8) in the reply filed on 03/06/2026 is acknowledged.
2. Election was made with traverse in the reply filed on 03/06/2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Species 2 in the reply filed on 03/06/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that a search for the subject matter of any of Species 2 - Figures 7, 8 (longitudinal flange) or Species 1 - Figures 5, 7 (transverse flange) could be made without serious burden. This is found persuasive and the restriction is hereby withdrawn.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 2, 8, and 14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. In particular, the limitation “wherein the wing extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the leg portion from the distal portion of the leg portion so as to form an acute angle between the wing and the leg portion” would overcome the prior art rejection since no prior art of record, alone or in combination, teaches this configuration. The aggregate of these features—in conjunction with the elements of the base and intervening claims—results in a structure not disclosed or suggested by the cited prior art. Modifying the prior art to achieve this arrangement would require hindsight reasoning and an impermissible reconstruction of disparate teachings.
Claim(s) 4, 10, and 16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. In particular, the limitation “the louver assembly further comprises collection structures located beneath lateral edges of the first louver and the second louver, the collection structures being configured to receive the liquid when the liquid travels along the longitudinal length past the lateral edges” would overcome the prior art rejection since no prior art of record, alone or in combination, teaches this configuration. The aggregate of these features—in conjunction with the elements of the base and intervening claims—results in a structure not disclosed or suggested by the cited prior art. Modifying the prior art to achieve this arrangement would require hindsight reasoning and an impermissible reconstruction of disparate teachings.
Claim(s) 5, 11, and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. In particular, the limitation “the louver assembly further comprises an end cap adapted to be coupled to the second louver at a lateral edge of the second louver, the end cap including a downwardly extending flange that prevents or obstructs the flow of liquid on the second top surface from traveling along the second bottom surface of the second louver” would overcome the prior art rejection since no prior art of record, alone or in combination, teaches this configuration. The aggregate of these features—in conjunction with the elements of the base and intervening claims—results in a structure not disclosed or suggested by the cited prior art. Modifying the prior art to achieve this arrangement would require hindsight reasoning and an impermissible reconstruction of disparate teachings. Claim(s) 6, 12, and 18 depend from claim(s) 5, 11, and 17, respectively, and are therefore objected to as well.
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(s) 1, 3, 7, 9, 13, and 15, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Frigerio (U.S. Patent No. 8,413,389).
Regarding claim 1, Frigerio teaches a louver assembly (opening cover construction; abstract) comprising: a plurality of louvers (2) configured for movement between an open position and a closed position (abstract), the plurality of louvers comprising: a first louver (see annotated figure 2 below) comprising a first top surface and a first bottom surface (annotated figure 2); and a second louver (annotated figure 2) situated adjacent to the first louver (annotated figure 2), the second louver comprising a second top surface and a second bottom surface (annotated figure 2); and a sealing assembly (annotated figure 2) configured to prevent or obstruct a flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver when the plurality of louvers are arranged in the closed position (it is understood that the sealing assembly is capable of preventing or obstructing a flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver when the plurality of louvers are arranged in the closed position), wherein the sealing assembly comprises: an L-shaped projection (annotated figure 2) comprising (i) a leg portion (annotated figure 2) that includes a proximal end (annotated figure 2) and a distal end (annotated figure 2), wherein the proximal end of the leg portion is connected to the first bottom surface of the first louver (annotated figure 2); and (ii) a wing (annotated figure 2) connected near the distal end of the leg portion (annotated figure 2) and extending generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the leg portion (annotated figure 2): and a notch (annotated figure 2) included on the second top surface of the second louver (annotated figure 2), the notch being configured to receive the distal end of the leg portion that extends away from the first bottom surface of the first louver (annotated figure 2); and wherein, in the closed position, the first louver and the second louver are engaged with one another (annotated figure 2) to prevent or obstruct the flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver (it is understood that the closed position would prevent or obstruct the flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver) such that the distal end of the leg portion is received in the notch (annotated figure 2) and the wing of the L-shaped projection abuts against the second top surface of the second louver (annotated figure 2) and accommodates a curvature of the second top surface of the second louver (annotated figure 2).
Regarding claim 3, Frigerio teaches in the closed position, the sealing assembly seals a juncture between the first louver and the second louver (annotated figure 2) and liquid received on the second top surface is directed along a longitudinal length of the second louver (it is understood that liquid received on the second top surface would be directed along a longitudinal length of the second louver).
Regarding claim 7, Frigerio teaches a louver assembly (opening cover construction; abstract) comprising: a plurality of louvers (2) configured for movement between an open position and a closed position (abstract), the plurality of louvers comprising: a first louver (annotated figure 2) comprising a first top surface and a first bottom surface (annotated figure 2); and a second louver (annotated figure 2) situated adjacent to the first louver (annotated figure 2), the second louver comprising a second top surface and a second bottom surface (annotated figure 2); and a sealing assembly (annotated figure 2) configured to prevent or obstruct a flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver when the plurality of louvers are arranged in the closed position (it is understood that the sealing assembly is capable of preventing or obstructing a flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver when the plurality of louvers are arranged in the closed position), wherein the sealing assembly comprises: an L-shaped projection (annotated figure 2) comprising (i) a leg portion (annotated figure 2) that includes a proximal end (annotated figure 2) and a distal end (annotated figure 2), wherein the proximal end of the leg portion is connected to the first bottom surface of the first louver (annotated figure 2); and (ii) a wing (annotated figure 2) connected near the distal end of the leg portion (annotated figure 2) and extending generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the leg portion (annotated figure 2): and a notch (annotated figure 2) included on the second top surface of the second louver (annotated figure 2), the notch being configured to receive the distal end of the leg portion that extends away from the first bottom surface of the first louver (annotated figure 2); and wherein, in the closed position, the first louver and the second louver are engaged with one another (annotated figure 2) to prevent or obstruct the flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver (it is understood that the closed position would prevent or obstruct the flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver) such that the distal end of the leg portion is received in the notch (annotated figure 2) and the wing of the L-shaped projection abuts against the second top surface of the second louver (annotated figure 2) and accommodates a curvature of the second top surface of the second louver (annotated figure 2).
Regarding claim 9, Frigerio teaches in the closed position, the sealing assembly seals a juncture between the first louver and the second louver (annotated figure 2) and liquid received on the second top surface is directed along a longitudinal length of the second louver (it is understood that liquid received on the second top surface would be directed along a longitudinal length of the second louver).
Regarding claim 13, Frigerio teaches a louver assembly (opening cover construction; abstract) comprising: a plurality of louvers (2) configured for movement between an open position and a closed position (abstract), the plurality of louvers comprising: a first louver (see annotated figure 2 Alt below) comprising a first top surface and a first bottom surface (annotated figure 2 Alt); and a second louver (annotated figure 2 Alt) situated adjacent to the first louver (annotated figure 2 Alt), the second louver comprising a second top surface and a second bottom surface (annotated figure 2 Alt); and a sealing assembly (annotated figure 2 Alt) configured to prevent or obstruct a flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver when the plurality of louvers are arranged in the closed position (it is understood that the sealing assembly is capable of preventing or obstructing a flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver when the plurality of louvers are arranged in the closed position), wherein the sealing assembly comprises: an L-shaped projection (annotated figure 2 Alt) comprising (i) a leg portion (annotated figure 2 Alt) that includes a proximal end (annotated figure 2 Alt) and a distal end (annotated figure 2 Alt), wherein the proximal end of the leg portion is connected to the second top surface of the second louver (annotated figure 2 Alt); and (ii) a wing connected near the distal end of the leg portion (annotated figure 2 Alt) and extending generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the leg portion (annotated figure 2 Alt); and a notch included on the first bottom surface of the first louver (annotated figure 2 Alt), the notch being configured to receive the distal end of the leg portion that extends away from the second top surface of the second louver (annotated figure 2 Alt); and wherein, in the closed position, the first louver and the second louver are engaged with one another (annotated figure 2 Alt) to prevent or obstruct the flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver (it is understood that the closed position would prevent or obstruct the flow of liquid between the first louver and the second louver) such that the distal end of the leg portion is received in the notch (annotated figure 2 Alt) and the wing of the L-shaped projection abuts against the first bottom surface of the first louver and accommodates a curvature of the first bottom surface (annotated figure 2 Alt).
Regarding claim 15, Frigerio teaches in the closed position, the sealing assembly seals a juncture between the first louver and the second louver (annotated figure 2) and liquid received on the second top surface is directed along a longitudinal length of the second louver (it is understood that liquid received on the second top surface would be directed along a longitudinal length of the second louver).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The cited patents listed on the included form PTO-892 further show the state of the art with respect to louvers in general.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAR HIJAZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5790. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-6 EST Monday-Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Mattei can be reached on (571) 270-3238. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OMAR F HIJAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3633