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 .
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, claims 1-9 and 18-20 and Species B in the reply filed on 10 July 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 10-17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10 July 2026.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "650" in fig. 19 and "614" in [0074] have both been used to designate a locking recess.
In addition, the location of the springs, in particular in fig. 18 and 19, 21 and 22, make it difficult to conceptualize which direction the spring biases the arm. 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
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ko (US 10539169) in view of Li (US 2025/0066075).
Regarding claim 18, Ko discloses, a support structure comprising a coupling interface, the coupling interface comprising, fig. 12C:
a rear wall (the rear wall is not numbered but it is the wall that protrusions 824 extend from);
a front wall opposite a rear wall (vertical wall between reference characters at 822 and 827),
a first and second sidewall extending between the rear wall and the front wall (not numbered, see fig. 12C), the second sidewall opposite the first sidewall;
a first rib 823CR and a second rib 823AL, fig. 12B extending from the respective first or second sidewall towards the opposing first or second sidewall and from the rear wall towards the front wall; and
a retractable wing 815, fig. 10A, on a corresponding coupling interface of a second structure at 810 that engages with a protrusion 825 on opposing first and second side walls, fig. 9B of the coupling interface of the support structure.
The retractable wing actuates between an extended outward position and a retracted position, col 12: 6-30.
Li is analogous art in regard to support structures with coupling mechanisms, fig. 3, 14, and 15. Li teaches it is known to provide a retractable wing 122 coupling on a support structure 11 rather than on a second coupling structure 24, fig. 14 and 15.
When the retractable wing of Li is in the extended position the retractable wing extends past the first sidewall towards the second sidewall, wherein when the retractable wing actuates from the retracted position to the extended position the retractable wing moves towards the second sidewall, fig 14.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the location of the retractable wing and corresponding protrusion of Ko to have the retractable wing on the sidewall of the support structure to engage with a secondary coupling structure as known and taught by Li with the same reasonable expectation of latching two structures together.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Brunner (US 2018/0161975) is the closest available prior art and teaches:
Brunner discloses a support structure comprising a coupling interface, the coupling interface (engaging elements 236 [0216]) comprising, fig. 8A:
a rear wall (not numbered) adjacent a first and second opposing rib 248 extending from opposing first and second side walls 250, respectively [0216-0217]; and as seen in fig. 8A:
the first sidewall extending between the rear wall and the front wall;
the second sidewall extending between the rear wall and the front wall;
each rib extends the respective sidewall towards the opposing sidewall and from the rear wall towards the front wall.
Brunner does not disclose moveable wings pivotally coupled to the sidewalls.
However, available prior art teaches a coupling interface with the claimed type of biased locking wing, for example
Hoppe (US 2019/0225371), fig. 29, closest to claim 1 and claims 19 and 20, teaches a rotating wing 286 around a pivot that is biased in position by arm 310 with spring not numbered by seen somewhat below reference character 280.
Davidian et al. (US 12195230), fig. 2B has a rotating wing 90 around a pivot 114.
Otrusina is analogous art in regard to connecting means in a coupling interface where sides of the coupling interface includes a female member 31 with opposing protrusions/ribs (sides of slot 37, fig. 3) and at and below the protrusion/rib, a moveable wing (pawl 50) is pivotally (at 51) around a first axis (center of hole at 51) and is coupled to the side under the protrusions forming the slot 37 and pivots from the axis toward a rear (away from the insertion opening of the slot 37, fig. 1-6) and extending from the first axis towards the second wall.
However, none of the available prior art teach three different orientations for the pivoting wing as claimed:
wherein the first moveable wing actuates between
a. extending from the first axis towards the rear wall,
b. extending from the first axis towards the second sidewall, and
c. extending from the first axis towards the front wall,
nor is there any obvious motivation to modify the wing mechanisms to allow the wing to extend in a third direction.
With this in mind, claims 1-9 define over the available prior art and are allowed.
Claims 19 and 20 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kurtz et al. (US 2004/0099623), fig. 1, discloses a support structure comprising a coupling interface, the coupling interface comprising:
a rear wall 22;
a first sidewall 12 extending between the rear wall and the front wall;
a second sidewall 12 opposite the first sidewall, the second sidewall extending between the rear wall and the front wall;
a first rib 22 extending from the first sidewall towards the second sidewall and from the rear wall towards the front wall;
a second rib 24 extending from the second sidewall towards the first sidewall and from the rear wall towards the front wall; and
a retractable wing 15, wherein the retractable wing actuates between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein when the retractable wing is in the extended position the retractable wing extends past the first sidewall towards the second sidewall, wherein when the retractable wing actuates from the retracted position to the extended position the retractable wing moves towards the second sidewall.
Kurtz does not teach a front wall opposite a rear wall.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOLLIE L IMPINK whose telephone number is (571)270-1705. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (7:30-3:30).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony Stashick can be reached at (571) 272-4561. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOLLIE IMPINK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799
MOLLIE LLEWELLYN IMPINK
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3799
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