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 .
Application Status
Claims 1-20 are pending in this application. This communication is a Non-Final Rejection in response to the “Amendments/Remarks” filed on 4/23/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 1 already comprises subject matter regarding reduction of size of the space, due to inflation. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claims 1-14 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (US 20070245495 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Wang discloses an inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]), comprising: an inflatable body (body 2); a supplemental sheet connected to the inflatable body to form a space (See Fig. 4A-4C, recess member 6 forming space within body 2); wherein the inflatable body is expanded due to increased air pressure therein and the space becomes reduced in size when the inflatable body is inflated (See Fig. 4A-4C, as body 2 is inflated, air pressure on recess member 6 will cause the hollow space to shrink); wherein, when a portion of a sheet or a cover is put in the space and the inflatable body is inflated to reduce the space in size, the portion of the sheet or the cover is held by the supplemental sheet and the inflatable body (See Fig. 4A-4C, skirt 12 of coverlet 1 is held within the recess member 6).
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Regarding Claim 2, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inflatable body comprises a hole communicating with the space so that the portion of the sheet or the cover can be put in the space through the hole (See Fig. 4C, skirt 12 of coverlet 1 put through opening of recess member 6).
Regarding Claim 3, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a frame element which is fixed to the inflatable body, wherein the hole is defined by the frame element (See Fig. 4A-4C, “two clipping members (61) are flexible and are mounted on the inner edge in the opening”; [0041]).
Regarding Claim 4, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the frame element comprises a protrusion extending into the space (See Fig. 2, fork-shaped hook 41a extends into the recess member 26).
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Regarding Claim 5, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the protrusion is a hook (fork-shaped hook 41a).
Regarding Claim 6, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the frame element is disposed outside the inflatable body and defines a groove (See Fig. 3C-3D, fork shaped hook 41a disposed outside of body defining a groove).
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Regarding Claim 7, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inflatable body is substantially rectangular, and the frame element is fixed to at least one corner of the inflatable body (See Fig. 3A, body 2 is rectangular and 41a is fixed to four corners of body 2).
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Regarding Claim 8, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supplemental sheet is disposed in the inflatable body (See Fig. 4C, recess member 6 disposed within body 2).
Regarding Claim 9, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supplemental sheet is disposed outside the inflatable body (See Fig. 7C, recess member 7 extends outside of the body 2).
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Regarding Claim 10, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inflatable product is an air mattress, a seat cushion, a recliner, or a floating mattress (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]).
Regarding Claim 11, Wang discloses a method of connecting a sheet or a cover to an inflatable product (“coverlet is mounted detachably on and covers the body”; [Abstract]) which comprises an inflatable body (body 2) and a supplemental sheet connected to the inflatable body (See Fig. 4A-4C, recess member 6 forming space within body 2), the method comprising: putting a portion of the sheet or a cover in a space formed by the inflatable body and the supplemental sheet (See Fig. 4A-4C, skirt 12 of coverlet 1 is held within the recess member 6); inflating the inflatable body so that the inflatable body is expanded due to increased air pressure therein and the space is reduced in size, thereby holding the portion of the sheet or the cover by the supplemental sheet and the inflatable body (See Fig. 4A-4C, as body 2 is inflated, air pressure on recess member 6 will cause the hollow space to shrink).
Regarding Claim 12, Wang discloses the method (“coverlet is mounted detachably on and covers the body”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the inflatable body comprises a hole communicating with the space so that the portion of the sheet or the cover can be put in the space through the hole (See Fig. 4C, skirt 12 of coverlet 1 put through opening of recess member 6).
Regarding Claim 13, Wang discloses the method (“coverlet is mounted detachably on and covers the body”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 12, further comprising hooking a looped strip of the sheet or the cover to a frame element of the inflatable product (See Fig. 2, “loop (42) mounted on the skirt (12), detachably mounted respectively around and hooked respectively by the at least one hook (41)”; [0038]).
Regarding Claim 14, Wang discloses the method (“coverlet is mounted detachably on and covers the body”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the inflatable product is an air mattress, a seat cushion, a recliner, or a floating mattress (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]).
Regarding Claim 17, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the space becomes reduced in size due to expansion of the inflatable body toward the supplemental sheet during inflation (See Fig. 4A-4C, as body 2 is inflated, air pressure on recess member 6 will cause the hollow space to shrink).
Regarding Claim 18, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supplemental sheet comprises a hole communicating with the space (See Fig. 4C, skirt 12 of coverlet 1 put through opening of recess member 6).
Regarding Claim 19, Wang discloses the inflatable product (“inflatable mattress”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portion of the sheet or the cover comprises a looped strip (See Fig. 2, “loop (42) mounted on the skirt (12), detachably mounted respectively around and hooked respectively by the at least one hook (41)”; [0038]).
Regarding Claim 20, Wang discloses the method (“coverlet is mounted detachably on and covers the body”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 11, further comprising engaging a looped strip of the sheet or the cover with a protrusion fixed relative to the inflatable body before inflating the inflatable body (See Fig. 4, “loop (42) mounted on the skirt (12), detachably mounted respectively around and hooked respectively by the at least one hook (41)”; [0038]).
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 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (US 20070245495 A1) in view of Tzur (US 20130283528 A1).
Regarding Claim 15, Wang discloses the method (“coverlet is mounted detachably on and covers the body”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 11.
Wang fails to explicitly disclose wherein the sheet is a bed sheet.
However, Tzur teaches wherein the sheet is a bed sheet (“tighten the sheet over the mattress (100)”; [0029]).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was effectively filed to have modified the invention of Wang by substituting the restrained cover for a restrained sheet as taught by Tzur. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to “ensure a smooth and tight fit of the sheet over the mattress”; (Tzur, [Abstract]). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have made this modification with a reasonable expectation of success and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the modification were predictable.
Claims 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (US 20070245495 A1) in view of McClintock (US 20050022307 A1).
Regarding Claim 16, Wang discloses the method (“coverlet is mounted detachably on and covers the body”; [Abstract]) as claimed in claim 11.
Wang fails to explicitly disclose wherein the cover is a fabric cover.
However, McClintock teaches wherein the cover is a fabric cover (fabric pillow top 6).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the claimed invention was effectively filed to have modified the invention of Wang by utilizing a fabric cover as taught by McClintock. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for “expected service environment of the air mattress or bed”; (McClintock, [0038]). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have made this modification with a reasonable expectation of success and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the modification were predictable.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive:
Applicant’s Argument:
“Regarding claim 1, claim 1 is not directed merely to attaching a sheet or cover to an inflatable product. Rather, claim 1 requires: (i) a supplemental sheet connected to the inflatable body to form a space; (ii) inflation of the inflatable body such that the space becomes reduced in size; and (iii) as a result of that inflation-induced reduction in space, a portion of a sheet or cover inserted into the space is held by the supplemental sheet and the inflatable body. The rejection of claim 1 does not adequately identify these limitations in Wang. The Examiner appears to rely on Wang's recess member 6 and clipping members 61. However, the retention mechanism described in Wang is based on engagement by recess / clipping / hook-type structures, not on inflation of the inflatable body causing a space between the inflatable body and a supplemental sheet to decrease in size so that the inserted portion is clamped between those two components. Stated differently, even accepting the Examiner's identification of Wang's recess-related structure, Wang still does not disclose the claimed functional relationship in which inflation of the inflatable body reduces the size of the space and thereby causes the inserted portion of the sheet or cover to be held by the supplemental sheet and the inflatable body. For at least this reason, Wang does not disclose every limitation of claim 1 arranged as claimed. Applicant further notes that the Examiner's mapping appears to rely on a composite recess-and-clipping structure in Wang. Even under a broad reading, that composite structure is not reasonably the claimed "supplemental sheet connected to the inflatable body to form a space" as recited in claim 1. Applicant therefore respectfully submits that the Examiner's structural mapping is also incomplete. For at least the reasons above, Wang does not anticipate claim 1. Applicant respectfully submits that claim 1 is in condition for allowance.”
“As emphasized above, claim 11 recites that "inflating the inflatable body so that the inflatable body is expanded due to increased air pressure therein and the space is reduced in size, thereby holding the portion of the sheet or the cover by the supplemental sheet and the inflatable body." As described in this application, the space 25 formed by the supplement sheet 22 and the inflatable body 21 is reduced in size during inflation of the inflatable body so that the supplement sheet 22 and the inflatable body 21 can hold the sheet (or the cover) 3. However, Wang is silent to the above feature recited in claim 11. In Wang reference, the space formed by the recess member 6 is not reduced in size. The bed sheet 12 is clipped and bitten by the saw-tooth-shaped clipping edges of the clipping member 61 (see Paragraph [0041] and Figs. 4A-4C). It is therefore Applicant's belief that the prior art reference relied upon by the Examiner does not teach or suggest all the limitations of claim 11. For at least this reason, Wang does not anticipate claim 11. Applicant respectfully submits that claim 11 is in condition for allowance.”
Examiner’s Response:
In response to the applicant’s argument that the prior art of Wang does not adequately identify the limitations of Claim 1, the examiner respectfully disagrees with the assertion, and the rejection of Claim 1 is maintained. Under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language, it is the examiner’s opinion that Wang does, in fact, anticipate the cited claim limitations. Looking at Figure 4C of Wang, the recess member would reduce in size if the inflatable body were to be inflated as air pressure would push against the recess member. Regardless of the engagement features of Wang, the claimed functional relationship wherein inflation of the inflatable body reduces the size of the space, leading to the sheet being held within the space is inherently taught by Wang. Under the principles of inherency, if a prior art device, in its normal and usual operation, would necessarily perform the method claimed, then the method claimed will be considered to be anticipated by the prior art device. When the prior art device is the same as a device described in the specification for carrying out the claimed method, it can be assumed the device will inherently perform the claimed process. Thus, these remarks in response to the anticipatory rejections, by the prior art of Wang, are respectfully found unpersuasive and the claim rejections are maintained.
In response to the applicant’s argument that the prior art of Wang is silent to the cited features above, the examiner respectfully disagrees with the assertion, and the rejection of Claim 11 is maintained. Similar to the argument above, under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language, it is the examiner’s opinion that Wang does, in fact, anticipate the cited claim limitations. Looking at Figure 4C of Wang, the recess member would reduce in size if the inflatable body were to be inflated as air pressure would push against the recess member. Regardless of the engagement features of Wang, the claimed functional relationship wherein inflation of the inflatable body reduces the size of the space, leading to the sheet being held within the space is inherently taught by Wang. Under the principles of inherency, if a prior art device, in its normal and usual operation, would necessarily perform the method claimed, then the method claimed will be considered to be anticipated by the prior art device. When the prior art device is the same as a device described in the specification for carrying out the claimed method, it can be assumed the device will inherently perform the claimed process. Thus, these remarks in response to the anticipatory rejections, by the prior art of Wang, are respectfully found unpersuasive and the claim rejections are maintained.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 4809377 A: Lynn discloses a device for retaining sheets about the edge of a mattress wherein the sheet is received in a channel-like recess and held.
US 20160120328 A1: Wang disclose a hook clamp for clamping a bed sheet to prevent sliding and wrinkling of the sheet.
US 8745787 B1: Heimlich discloses a sheet anchoring system to restrain a fitted sheet on a bed using a clip system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEORGE SAMUEL GINES whose telephone number is (571)270-0968. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm.
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, Justin Mikowski can be reached at (571) 272-8525. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GEORGE SAMUEL GINES/Examiner, Art Unit 3673
/JUSTIN C MIKOWSKI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3673
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