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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I: Figs. 4-6 in the reply filed on 05/22/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claims 9-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: “a vertical support member” in line 14 of claim 9 should be --the vertical support members--. 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) 1-4, 6-8, and 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 212984764 U (hereinafter Huang).
Regarding claim 1, Huang discloses a support assembly, comprising a side-section horizontal support member (112), one or more sleeve insertion apertures (see Fig. 6: where 126 is pointing) defined within a bottom side of an outer wall of the side-section horizontal support member; a frame support assembly (108) having one or more insertion ends (see Fig. 6: where 122 is pointing); one or more assembly sleeves (see Fig. 4: 110) respectively installed in the one or more sleeve insertion apertures, the one or more assembly sleeves each comprising an assembly sleeve body (see Fig. 4: about 128) comprising a sleeve side wall (housing wall 128) and an insertion channel (for the insertion end) defined within the assembly sleeve body, the insertion channel configured to accommodate one of the one or more insertion ends (see Fig. 6); and one or more support strut retainers (see Fig. 4: about 134) arranged on the sleeve side wall, each of the one or more support strut retainers being configured to accept and retain one of the one or more insertion ends in the one or more assembly sleeves (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 2, the support assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly sleeve body comprises one or more sleeve retention lugs (138) arranged on an outer surface of the sleeve side wall; and a flange (under where 136 is pointing in Fig. 4) extending along the outer surface of the sleeve side wall toward the outside of the insertion channel, the flange being spaced from the one or more sleeve retention lugs to define a sleeve retention channel.
Regarding claim 3, the support assembly of claim 2, wherein the outer wall of the side-section horizontal support member is formed into a shape corresponding to the sleeve insertion aperture toward the inside of the side-section horizontal support member to form a sleeve retention lip (see Fig. 6: the lip is the perimeter of hole about 126), and the sleeve retention lip is arranged in the sleeve retention channel to retain the assembly sleeve body in the sleeve insertion aperture (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 4, the support assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame support assembly (T) further comprises a retention opening (see Fig. 1: where P protrude from) disposed in a side wall of the insertion end (see Fig. 1); and each of the one or more support strut retainers (the protrusion above P) is arranged in a respective slot (where protrusions extend therefrom) defined within the sleeve side wall of the one or more assembly sleeves, each of the one or more support strut retainers further comprising a flexible arm (V arm of P) including a hinge end (bottom of V) and a distal end, the hinge end connected to an edge of the slot abutting the support strut retainer; and a protrusion (where P is pointing) defined within an interior side (interior of sleeve) of the flexible arm at the distal end and configured to engage within the retention opening with a snap fit to retain a vertical support strut of the frame support assembly within the assembly sleeve.
Regarding claim 6, the support assembly of claim 1, wherein a cross section of the assembly sleeve body is circular or oval (see Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 7, the support assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame support assembly is U-shaped (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 8, the support assembly of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the insertion end is less than an outer diameter of a remaining portion of the frame support assembly (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 16, Huang discloses a pool kit pool, comprising a pool liner (see Fig. 2: 102); and a support assembly, comprising a side-section horizontal support member (112), one or more sleeve insertion apertures (see Fig. 6: where 126 is pointing) defined within a bottom side of an outer wall of the side-section horizontal support member; a frame support assembly (108) having one or more insertion ends (see Fig. 6: where 122 is pointing); one or more assembly sleeves (see Fig. 4: 110) respectively installed in the one or more sleeve insertion apertures, the one or more assembly sleeves each comprising an assembly sleeve body (see Fig. 4: about 128) comprising a sleeve side wall (housing wall 128) and an insertion channel (for the insertion end) defined within the assembly sleeve body, the insertion channel configured to accommodate one of the one or more insertion ends (see Fig. 6); and one or more support strut retainers (see Fig. 4: about 134) arranged on the sleeve side wall, each of the one or more support strut retainers being configured to accept and retain one of the one or more insertion ends in the one or more assembly sleeves (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 17, the frame pool kit of claim 16, wherein the assembly sleeve body comprises one or more sleeve retention lugs (138) arranged on an outer surface of the sleeve side wall; and a flange (under where 136 is pointing in Fig. 4) extending along the outer surface of the sleeve side wall toward the outside of the insertion channel, the flange being spaced from the one or more sleeve retention lugs to define a sleeve retention channel.
Regarding claim 18, the frame pool kit of claim 17, wherein the outer wall of the side-section horizontal support member is formed into a shape corresponding to the sleeve insertion aperture toward the inside of the side-section horizontal support member to form a sleeve retention lip (see Fig. 6: the lip is the perimeter of hole about 126), and the sleeve retention lip is arranged in the sleeve retention channel to retain the assembly sleeve body in the sleeve insertion aperture when the assembly sleeve body is inserted therein (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 19, the support assembly of claim 16, wherein the frame support assembly (T) further comprises a retention opening (see Fig. 1: where P protrude from) disposed in a side wall of the insertion end (see Fig. 1); and each of the one or more support strut retainers (the protrusion above P) is arranged in a respective slot (where protrusions extend therefrom) defined within the sleeve side wall of the one or more assembly sleeves, each of the one or more support strut retainers further comprising a flexible arm (V arm of P) including a hinge end (bottom of V) and a distal end, the hinge end connected to an edge of the slot abutting the support strut retainer; and a protrusion (where P is pointing) defined within an interior side (interior of sleeve) of the flexible arm at the distal end and configured to engage within the retention opening with a snap fit to retain a vertical support strut of the frame support assembly within the assembly sleeve.
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(s) 9-12 and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang in view US 2016/0222686 (hereinafter Liu).
Regarding claim 9, Huang discloses a frame pool, comprising a liner (see Fig. 2: 102); and a frame assembly for supporting the liner, the frame assembly comprising two straight sections respectively arranged between the two end sections (see Fig. 2), each straight section including at least one support assembly (see Fig. 3), each at least one support assembly including a side-section horizontal support member (112) coupled to a frame support assembly (108) through at least one assembly sleeve (110).
Although the shape of the Huang’s pool does not include two arcuate sections symmetrically arranged, each arcuate section comprising a plurality of arc-section horizontal support members, a plurality of vertical support members and a plurality of T-joints, every two adjacent arc-section horizontal support members connected to one of the vertical support members through one of the T-joints; and two straight sections respectively arranged between the two arcuate sections, each straight section including at least one support assembly, each at least one support assembly including a side-section horizontal support member coupled to a frame support assembly through at least one assembly sleeve; wherein each side-section horizontal support member is coupled at each end thereof to an end of one of the two arcuate sections at interceding T-joints, each interceding T-joint further coupled to a vertical support member, whereby the coupled arcuate sections and straight sections form a closed frame to support the liner.
Attention is directed to the Liu reference which teaches an analogous frame pool comprising a shape (see Fig. 28) similar to that in Fig. 2 of Huang; however, Liu also teaches an alternative equivalent shape (see Fig. 29) having a frame assembly (30) comprising two arcuate sections symmetrically arranged (see Figs. 29 and 33), each arcuate section comprising a plurality of arc-section horizontal support members (31 in Fig. 33), a plurality of vertical support members (32 in Fig. 29) and a plurality of T-joints (33 in Fig. 33), every two adjacent arc-section horizontal support members connected to one of the vertical support members through one of the T-joints; and two straight sections (about 35 in Fig. 33) respectively arranged between the two arcuate sections, each straight section including at least one support assembly (34), each at least one support assembly including a side-section horizontal support member coupled to a frame support assembly through at least one assembly sleeve (214 in Fig. 22); wherein each side-section horizontal support member is coupled at each end thereof to an end of one of the two arcuate sections at interceding T-joints, each interceding T-joint further coupled to the vertical support members, whereby the coupled arcuate sections and straight sections form a closed frame to support the liner.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have replaced the shape (Fig. 2) of Huang’s pool frame with the shape (Fig. 29) as taught by Liu, wherein doing so would merely be substituting equivalents known for the same purpose. An express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component or process for another is not necessary to render such substitution obvious. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 213 USPQ 532 (CCPA 1982). See MPEP 2144.06. In so doing, the limitations as claimed are fully met by the above combination as discussed above.
Regarding claim 10, the frame pool of claim 9, wherein Huang teaches each of the side-section horizontal support members (112) has defined in a bottom side therein one or more sleeve insertion apertures (see Fig. 6: where 126 is pointing) defined within a bottom side of an outer wall of the side-section horizontal support member; a frame support assembly (108) having one or more insertion ends (see Fig. 6: where 122 is pointing); one or more assembly sleeves (see Fig. 4: 110) respectively installed in the one or more sleeve insertion apertures, the one or more assembly sleeves each comprising an assembly sleeve body (see Fig. 4: about 128) comprising a sleeve side wall (housing wall 128) and an insertion channel (for the insertion end) defined within the assembly sleeve body, the insertion channel configured to accommodate one of the one or more insertion ends (see Fig. 6); and one or more support strut retainers (see Fig. 4: about 134) arranged on the sleeve side wall, each of the one or more support strut retainers being configured to accept and retain one of the one or more insertion ends in the one or more assembly sleeves (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 11, the frame pool of claim 10, wherein Huang teaches the outer wall of the side-section horizontal support member is formed into a shape corresponding to the sleeve insertion aperture toward the inside of the side-section horizontal support member to form a sleeve retention lip (see Fig. 6: the lip is the perimeter of hole about 126), and the sleeve retention lip is arranged in the sleeve retention channel to retain the assembly sleeve body in the sleeve insertion aperture (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 12, the frame pool of claim 11, wherein Huang teaches the frame support assembly (T) further comprises a retention opening (see Fig. 1: where P protrude from) disposed in a side wall of the insertion end (see Fig. 1); and each of the one or more support strut retainers (the protrusion above P) is arranged in a respective slot (where protrusions extend therefrom) defined within the sleeve side wall of the one or more assembly sleeves, each of the one or more support strut retainers further comprising a flexible arm (V arm of P) including a hinge end (bottom of V) and a distal end, the hinge end connected to an edge of the slot abutting the support strut retainer; and a protrusion (where P is pointing) defined within an interior side (interior of sleeve) of the flexible arm at the distal end and configured to engage within the retention opening with a snap fit to retain a vertical support strut of the frame support assembly within the assembly sleeve.
Regarding claim 14, the frame pool of claim 9 above, wherein the frame support assembly is U-shaped (see Fig. 5 of Huang).
Regarding claim 15, the frame pool of claim 9 above, where Liu further teaches a plurality of band guides (see Fig. 34: 37) respectively affixed to the liner between pairs of the vertical support members of the frame assembly; and a reinforcing band (38) that passes through the plurality of band guides and over the vertical support members and is tightened to secure and retain a position of each of the vertical support members and provide support for the liner.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2025/0075521 (Ramos et al.) teaches an analogous pool having a sleeve with reinforce ribs (206) to provide a snug fit between the sleeve and the frame member.
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/TUAN N NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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