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 .
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.
Claims 1-5, 8-10, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhu (CN 212797049, see attached machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Zhu discloses a locking device, comprising:
a housing (308/309); and
an unlock button (303), a locking member (4) and a first elastic member (400) that are disposed on the housing (see Fig. 3), the locking member being configured to be locked with and fitted to a locking hole (202) in a connector (200), the first elastic member being configured to keep the locking member in a locked state, the unlock button driving the locking member to an unlocked state when pressed (see ¶0023), wherein
the locking device further comprises a retaining member (5) and a second elastic member (501) that are disposed on the housing, and
the retaining member (5) is configured to engage with the unlock button (at 305) to keep the unlock button (303) at a pressing position where the locking member (4) is unlocked, and the second elastic member is configured to keep the retaining member at an engaging position where the retaining member engages with the unlock button (i.e., when the button 303 is depressed, the bottom of the button engages the angled surfaces 402 of the lock to disengage the lock from the hole 202 in the connector 200; simultaneously, the depressed button’s upper hole 305 aligns with the biased retainer 5 to keep the button depressed and maintain the unlocked condition; the connector 200 has another notch/hole 201 that allows the retainer 5 to stay in its retention position in hole 305 and maintain the unlocked condition, when the connector 200 is lifted to separate the seat from the stroller frame, the inclined profile 203 in the connector engages the retainer at 500 to push the retainer out of the button hole 305 and releases the button and reset the locking device).
Regarding claim 2, Zhu discloses that the housing is provided with a mounting channel (300; see Fig. 3 fitted to the connector (200), and the retaining member (5) has an abutting portion (500) extending into the mounting channel (via hole 307), wherein, during mounting or detachment of the locking device and the connector, the abutting portion (500) is capable of being pushed by the connector (at surface 203) to cause the retaining member to disengage from the unlock button (e.g., pushed laterally away from the button hole 305), to allow the unlock button (303) to return to an initial position.
Regarding claim 3, Zhu discloses that a moving direction of the unlock button (303, vertically) is perpendicular to a moving direction of the retaining member (5, horizontally).
Regarding claim 4, Zhu discloses that the mounting channel comprises a first chute (e.g.., the region between the two walls 304 and the side wall having holes 306/307 in Fig. 3), the first chute is configured to be fitted to a first sliding rail (e.g., the right of connector 200 in Fig. 4) on the connector, and the abutting portion (500) extends into the first chute and is capable of being fitted to a positioning concave portion (201) of the first sliding rail, and during the mounting or detachment of the locking device and the connector, the abutting portion is capable of being pushed by the first sliding rail (at inclined surface 203) of the connector to cause the retaining member (5) to disengage from the unlock button (e.g., the distal end of portion generally denoted by reference character 5 in Fig. 3 is pushed out of contact with hole 305 in the unlock button 303).
Regarding claim 5, Zhu discloses that the first chute (e.g., right side of larger channel 300) comprises a first end (top end) that is an open end and a second end (bottom end) that is a closed end; and the locking member (4) comprises a tongue portion (4; see Figs. 3 and 4) configured to be fitted to the locking hole (202) of the connector (200; see Fig. 4), and the tongue portion cooperates with the second end of the first chute to limit movement of the first sliding rail of the connector relative to the first chute (i.e., the lower surface of lock 4 and the bottom of the right side of channel obstruct any further vertical movement of the connector 200).
Regarding claim 8, Zhu discloses that the abutting portion (500) comprises a protruding top (e.g., the end of the rounded abutting portion 500, see Fig. 4) extending into the first chute (via hole 307), a first pushing slope (e.g., the lower surface of the rounded abutting portion 500) facing a pull-out direction of the first sliding rail, and a second pushing slope (e.g., the upper surface of the rounded abutting portion 500) facing an insertion direction of the first sliding rail; or
the abutting portion is in a shape of a circular arc (see Fig. 4 showing the circular end of portion 500).
Regarding claim 9, Zhu discloses that the housing is provided with an inner cavity (see Fig. 3);
a first end (top) of the unlock button (303) is a force bearing end, and a second end of the unlock button is located in the inner cavity (see Fig. 3);
the retaining member (5) is located in the inner cavity; and
one of the unlock button (303) and the retaining member (5) is provided with a slot (305), and the other is provided with an engaging protrusion (distal end of portion generally denoted by reference character 5 in Fig. 3), the slot (305) and the engaging protrusion (“5”) engage with each other to keep the unlock button at the pressing position.
Regarding claim 10, Zhu discloses that during the pressing of the unlock button (303) and prior to the engagement of the slot (305) with the engaging protrusion (“5”), the unlock button pushes (along it side wall below slot 305), through an inclined pushing surface (see inclined surface on retaining member 5) arranged on at least one of the unlock button and the retaining member, the retaining member to exit a moving path of the unlock button.
Regarding claims 16-17, Zhu discloses a connector (200) configured to be fitted to the locking device, the connector being provided with a locking hole (202) fitted to a locking member (4) of the locking device, wherein one of the seat and the frame is fitted with the locking device (3), and the other of the seat and the frame is fitted with the connector (200; see Fig. 1).
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 of this title, 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 13 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu in view of Chen et al. (6,695,400).
Regarding claims 13 and 19, Zhu discloses that a first end of the locking member (401/402) is operably connected to the unlock button (e.g., the lower end of the button 303, see Fig. 3) in the inner cavity, and a second end of the locking member (4) is adapted to extend from the inner cavity (via hole 306); the inner cavity is provided with a first guide structure, a second guide structure and a third guide structure (see grid-like supports defining guides for the three sliding elements 303, 4 and 5 in Fig. 3); the unlock button (303) is in sliding fit with the first guide structure, the locking member (4) is in sliding fit with the second guide structure, and the retaining member (5) is in sliding fit with the third guide structure; and moving directions of the unlock button (303), is perpendicular to the directions of the locking member (4) and the retaining member (5). Zhu does not disclose that the direction of movement of the locking member is in the width direction of the stroller.
Chen teaches another stroller seat and frame locking device (104; see e.g., Figs. 11-12) where the unlocking button (112) moves vertically and engages an locking member (109) along an inclined surface (123) to move the locking member in a direction that is both perpendicular to the button’s direction, but also in the width-direction (X) of the stroller assembly (see Fig. 14).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present application to have modified the locking device of Zhu to orient the locking member to travel in the stroller width direction as taught by Chen resulting in the three sliding elements (button, lock, retainer) to move perpendicular to each other to arrive at the claimed device with a reasonable expectation of success. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine them at least because doing so would be merely a rearrangement of parts as a matter of design choice. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) (Claims to a hydraulic power press which read on the prior art except with regard to the position of the starting switch were held unpatentable because shifting the position of the starting switch would not have modified the operation of the device.); In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975) (the particular placement of a contact in a conductivity measuring device was held to be an obvious matter of design choice). Here, the different locking movement directions of the prior art demonstrates that one skilled in the art would readily appreciate that a locking member can be made to slide in different directions to reduce the directional biasing/force application loads in any one direction to improve part longevity and/or reduce reinforcing material usage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7, 11-12, and 14-15 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: while Zhu provides for the mounting channel further having a second chute (e.g., the region between the left wall of portion 304 and the left side wall of channel 300 in Fig. 3) parallel to the first chute, and is configured to be fitted to a second spaced sliding rail/arm (e.g., the left generally vertical portion the connector 200 in Fig. 4) on the connector; the locking member, however, is not located between the first chute and the second chute or the two arms; and while Zhu provides for the retaining member (5) having a bottom with first and second extensions (see Fig. 3 showing the two parallel elements 500 and “5” extending from the spring-engaging bottom); the first chute does not pass between the first and second extensions.
Conclusion
The examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record in the body of this action for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. Applicant should consider the entire prior art as applicable as to the limitations of the claims. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the response, to consider fully the entire reference(s) as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVE CLEMMONS whose telephone number is (313)446-4842. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-4:30 EST Monday-Friday.
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, J Allen Shriver can be reached on 303-297-4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/STEVE CLEMMONS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
Prosecution Insights