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 as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description:
The drawings do not contain the recitation in applicant’s specification (Para. 0032) of “the extension part 110 has a third cavity e therein”. Th drawings do not contain reference number/symbol “e”.
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. 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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-3 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cranford (5718427) in view of Howard (4515367).
Regarding claim 1, Cranford (Figures 1-15) teaches a shuffling machine, comprising: a housing having a card compartment for holding playing cards, wherein the card compartment is provided with a card retrieval opening (36) (Col. 5, Lines 16-21); a first card-receiving plate (Fig. 1, Part No. 42) (Col. 5, Lines 37-43) disposed on the housing on one side of an upper end of the card compartment, and a first shuffling channel (Fig. 5-6, Part No. 84) (Col. 6, Lines 64-67) being arranged between the first card-receiving plate and the card compartment; a second card-receiving plate (42) (Col. 5, Lines 37-43) disposed on the housing at another side of the upper end of the card compartment (See fig. 1), and a second shuffling channel (62) (Col. 6, Lines 34-45) being arranged between the second card-receiving plate and the card compartment; and a shuffling mechanism (Col. 6, Lines 22-45) correspondingly disposed on the housing, the first card-receiving plate, and the second card-receiving plate (See Fig. 1-5), wherein the shuffling mechanism is configured to shuffle playing cards from the first card-receiving plate and second card-receiving plate (Col. 11, Lines 54-56) into the card compartment respectively through the first shuffling channel and the second shuffling channel (Col. 6, Lines 34-45); the shuffling mechanism including: a first shuffling wheel (Fig. 5, Part No. 52) (Col. 6, Lines 22-34) disposed in the housing and partially exposed from the first card-receiving plate (See fig. 5); a second shuffling wheel disposed in the housing and partially exposed from the second card-receiving plate (See fig. 5) (Col. 6, Lines 22-34); a drive member (Fig. 4, Part No. 56) disposed in the housing (Col. 6, Lines 22-34); a first transmission assembly (58) (Col. 6, Lines 22-34) disposed in the housing and connected to an output end (60) of the drive member (56) (See fig. 5), wherein, when the first transmission assembly is driven by the drive member (Col. 6, Lines 22-34), the first transmission assembly drives the first shuffling wheel (52) to move the playing cards on the first card-receiving plate towards the first shuffling channel (Col. 6, Lines 22-34); and a second transmission assembly (58) (Col. 6, Lines 22-34) disposed in the housing (See fig. 3-5), wherein, the second transmission assembly drives the second shuffling wheel (52) to move the playing cards on the second card-receiving plate towards the second shuffling channel (Col. 6, Lines 22-34) (See fig. 1-5).
Cranford does not teach the second transmission assembly driveably connected to the first transmission assembly, wherein, when the second transmission assembly is driven by the first transmission assembly, the second transmission assembly drives the second shuffling wheel to move the playing cards on the second card-receiving plate towards the second shuffling channel.
Howard (Figures 1-8) teaches the second transmission assembly (Fig. 3a, Part No. 112) driveably connected to the first transmission assembly (92), wherein, when the second transmission assembly is driven by the first transmission assembly, the second transmission assembly drives the second shuffling wheel (34) to move the playing cards on the second card-receiving plate (Fig. 1, Part No. 28) towards the second shuffling channel (Col. 5, Lines 15-30).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Cranford with the second transmission assembly driveably connected to the first transmission assembly as taught by Howard as a means of using a single motor to drive cards on opposite sides of a card shuffler into a common card mixer/housing (Howard: Col. 5, Lines 15-30).
Regarding claim 2, the modified Cranford (Figures 1-15) teaches the housing includes: a main body (24) having the card compartment (Fig. 1, Part No. 32) and an extension part (44) extending upwards; and an upper baffle (Fig. 1, part No. 38, 48) connected to the extension part (44) and extending to an upper side of the card compartment (110) (See fig. 1 where a tapered portion of part number 38 extends upward towards part no. 160); wherein the first card-receiving plate (42) and the second card-receiving plate (42) are correspondingly arranged on an upper end of the main body (See fig. 1), and respectively on two sides of the extension part (24) that are adjacent to each other (See fig. 1); wherein the first shuffling channel is arranged between the first card-receiving plate and the upper baffle (Fig. 1, part No. 38, 48), and the second shuffling channel is arranged between the second card-receiving plate and the upper baffle (Fig. 1, Part No. 38, 48).
Regarding claim 3, the modified Cranford (Figures 1-15) teaches one part of the main body arranged at one side of the card compartment and below the first card-receiving plate (42) is provided with a first cavity (See fig. 4 and 7-8 where wheel 52 and first transmission assembly (58 are arranged in a cavity below the first plate (42)), another part the main body arranged at another side of the card compartment and below the second card-receiving plate is provided with a second cavity ((See fig. 4 and 7-8), the extension part has a third cavity (See fig. 1, 3, and 7-8 where the third cavity is located near part number 98), and the first cavity, the third cavity, and the second cavity are sequentially and spatially communicated with each other (See fig. 1, 3, and 7-8); wherein the first shuffling wheel (52) is arranged in the first cavity and is partially exposed from the first card-receiving plate (42); wherein the second shuffling wheel (52) is arranged in the second cavity and is partially exposed from the second card-receiving plate (42); wherein the first transmission assembly (Fig. 7-8, Part No. 58) is arranged in the first cavity or corresponding in the first cavity and the third cavity; and wherein the second transmission assembly (Fig. 7-8, Part No. 58) is arranged correspondingly in the second cavity and the third cavity (See fig. 7-8).
Regarding claim 9, the modified Cranford (Figures 1-15) teaches the card retrieval opening (Fig. 1, Part No. 36) (Col. 5, Lines 16-21) is arranged on a bottom side and/or a rear side of the card compartment (See fig. 1).
Claims 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cranford in view of Howard, further in view of Tseng (20090283969).
Regarding claim 10, the modified Cranford (Figures 1-15) teaches a housing having a card compartment for holding playing cards (Col. 5, Lines 16-21).
The modified Cranford does not teach a shuffling sensor disposed on a lower surface of the upper baffle and/or on a side wall of the card compartment, and wherein the shuffling sensor configured to detect entry of the playing cards into the card compartment.
Tseng (Figures 1-12) teaches a shuffling sensor (42, 43) (Para. 0025, 0027, 0035) disposed on a lower surface of the upper baffle and/or on a side wall of the card compartment (Para. 0024), and wherein the shuffling sensor (42, 43) configured to detect entry of the playing cards into the card compartment (Para. 0027, 0035).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the modified Cranford with a shuffling sensor disposed on a lower surface of the upper baffle and/or on a side wall of the card compartment as taught by Tseng as a means of providing a card compartment of a shuffling apparatus with sensors that sense whether there are cards in the card compartment(Tseng: Para. 0025, 0027, 0035).
Regarding claim 11, the modified Cranford (Figures 1-15) teaches an upper baffle (Fig. 1, part No. 38, 48) connected to the extension part (44).
The modified Cranford does not teach the shuffling sensor is mounted on the lower surface of the upper baffle and equidistant from the first second card-receiving plate and the second card-receiving plate.
Tseng (Figures 1-12) teaches the shuffling sensor (42, 43) (Para. 0025, 0027, 0035) is mounted on the lower surface of the upper baffle (Para. 0024).
It is noted that the claim recitation of “the shuffling sensor is… equidistant from the first second card-receiving plate and the second card-receiving plate” is directed to the location/position of the sensor on to the shuffling machine. Changing the location/position of the sensor would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as a means of mere rearrangement of parts (See: In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950); In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the modified Cranford with a shuffling sensor as taught by Tseng as a means of providing a card compartment of a shuffling apparatus with sensors that sense whether there are cards in the card compartment(Tseng: Para. 0025, 0027, 0035).
Regarding claim 12, the modified Cranford (Figures 1-15) teaches a housing having a card compartment for holding playing cards (Col. 5, Lines 16-21).
The modified Cranford does not teach two sets of shuffling sensors are provided; one set is disposed on the lower surface of the upper baffle and adjacent to the first card-receiving plate, and another set is disposed on the lower surface of the upper baffle and adjacent to the second card-receiving plate; or one set is disposed on the side wall of the card compartment and adjacent to the first card-receiving plate, and another set is disposed on the side wall of the card compartment and adjacent to the second card-receiving plate.
Tseng (Figures 1-12) teaches shuffling sensors (42, 43) (Para. 0025, 0027, 0035) mounted to detect presence or absence of cards in a card compartment (Para. 0024).
It is noted that the claim recitation of “two sets of shuffling sensors are provided” is directed to mere duplication of parts. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide *** with two sets of shuffling sensors as a means of mere duplication of parts (See: In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960), where the court held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced).
It is noted that the claim recitation of “one set is disposed on the lower surface of the upper baffle and adjacent to the first card-receiving plate, and another set is disposed on the lower surface of the upper baffle and adjacent to the second card-receiving plate; or one set is disposed on the side wall of the card compartment and adjacent to the first card-receiving plate, and another set is disposed on the side wall of the card compartment and adjacent to the second card-receiving plate” is directed to the location/position of the sensor on to the shuffling machine. Changing the location/position of the sensor would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as a means of mere rearrangement of parts (See: In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950); In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the modified Cranford with shuffling sensors as taught by Tseng as a means of providing a card compartment of a shuffling apparatus with sensors that sense whether there are cards in the card compartment(Tseng: Para. 0025, 0027, 0035).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cranford in view of Howard and Tseng, further in view of Scheper (20220314106).
Regarding claim 13, the modified Cranford (Figures 1-15) teaches a housing having a card compartment for holding playing cards (Col. 5, Lines 16-21).
The modified Cranford does not teach the shuffling sensor is any one of an infrared sensor, a Hall sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a capacitive proximity sensor.
Scheper (Figures 1-17) teaches the shuffling sensor (Fig. 8, Part No. 606) is any one of an infrared sensor (Para. 0088), a Hall sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a capacitive proximity sensor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the modified Cranford with the shuffling sensor is an infrared sensor as taught by Scheper as a means of providing a card shuffling apparatus with an infrared sensor used to sense whether playing cards are present in a card container or whether playing cards are being passed from the card container to a card pathway (Scheper: Para. 0088).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8 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. The prior art of record (Liang (20230142919), Sampson (20130026709)) does not teach the recitation in claim 4 of “a gear assembly correspondingly disposed in the first cavity and the third cavity, and having an input end connected to an output shaft of the shuffling motor and an output end connected to the first shuffling shaft; and a pulley assembly correspondingly disposed in the third cavity and the second cavity, and having an input end engaged with the gear assembly and an output end connected to the second shuffling shaft”.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER GLENN whose telephone number is (571)272-1277. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m..
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/C.G./Examiner, Art Unit 3711
/JOSEPH B BALDORI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
Prosecution Insights