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
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.
Claim(s) 1-11 and 13-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Smith et al 6581920.
Smith et al disclose the claimed invention as shown in the claims below:
1. A support assembly for a frame structure 11 &12&15 having a first frame section 27 and a second frame section 27, the support assembly comprising: a support frame including a plurality of arms 30 & 30 extending outwardly to present a support grid; a plurality of connector 36 apparatuses each arranged on the support grid, wherein each of the connector apparatuses include a pin 32 movable axially along a longitudinal axis and a lock coupled to the pin, wherein the lock is configured to release the pin in a disengaged position to allow movement of the pin relative to the support frame and the lock is configured to engage the pin in an engaged position to fix the pin in a stationary position relative to the support frame; and wherein each of the connector apparatuses include a clamp 42 configured to move from a locked position 37 in which the clamp attaches together the frame structure and the support frame and an unlocked position in which the clamp releases the frame structure from the support frame, wherein the clamp of each of the connector apparatuses cooperates with the respective pin to attach the first frame section to the support frame when the respective clamp is in the locked position which fixes the first frame section on the support grid of the arms in an arrangement that provides repeatable nominal attachment and detachment of the second frame section relative to the first frame section.
2. The support assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the connector apparatuses include at least one support foot 36 coupled to the respective pin at a pivot point, wherein the support foot is pivotable relative to the respective pin via the pivot point.
3. The support assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the lock of at least one of the connector apparatuses is further defined as a collet 31, and the collet is attached to the respective one of the arms in the arrangement of the support grid. See Fig.3
4. The support assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the clamp of at least one of the connector apparatuses include a sub-assembly separable from the respective pin to position the frame structure relative to the support frame, and the sub-assembly is couplable to the respective pin to attach the frame structure to the support frame. See Fig.3
5. The support assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of the connector apparatuses include at least one support foot coupled to the respective pin at a pivot point, wherein the support foot is pivotable relative to the respective pin via the pivot point. See Fig.2 & 3
6. The support assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the at least one support foot is further defined as a plurality of support feet 42 &42&42&42, wherein a first one of the support feet is coupled to the respective pin and engages a first part of the first frame section, and a second one of the support feet is coupled to the respective sub-assembly and engages a second part of the first frame section to sandwich part of the frame structure between a pair of the first and second ones of the support feet. See Fig.2
7. The support assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein: the clamp of at least one of the connector apparatuses includes a flange fixed 43 to and extending outwardly from the respective pin, wherein the flange has the pivot point, and wherein the first one of the support feet is pivotably coupled to the flange at the pivot point; and the sub-assembly of the clamp includes a platform and the second one of the support feet is coupled to the platform at a pivot point, wherein the second one of the support feet is pivotable relative to the platform via the pivot point.
8. The support assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein the clamp of at least one of the connector apparatuses includes a post extending from the flange or the platform, wherein the other one of the flange or the platform engages the post at a pivot such that the flange or the platform is pivotable relative to the pivot to move the second one of the support feet toward the first one of the support feet when moving the clamp to the locked position. See Fig.2
9. The support assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein the post extends from the flange, and wherein the platform includes a first end having the second one of the support feet pivotably coupled thereto and a second end having the pivot. See Fig.2
10. The support assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein: the sub-assembly includes a fastener component disposed through the platform and fed into the pin to clamp the sub-assembly to the pin such that the first one and the second one of the support feet sandwich the frame structure therebetween in the locked position; and the clamp of at least one of the connector apparatuses includes a post extending from the flange or the platform, wherein the pivot point of the first one of the support feet and the second one of the support feet are spaced radially away from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the pivot is spaced radially away from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the fastener component is rotatable about the longitudinal axis to thread into a distal end of the respective pin. See Fig.2
11. The support assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein at least one of the connector apparatuses includes a bearing block 36 sandwiched between the first frame section and the support foot of the respective pin when the clamp is in the locked position.
15. The support assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein at least one of the connector apparatuses includes a cylinder attached to the pin and the cylinder defines a cutout, and wherein the support foot is coupled to the respective pin via the cylinder. See Fig.3
16. The support assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein the cylinder includes a first end and a second end opposing each other along the longitudinal axis, and the support foot is coupled to the first end of the cylinder along the longitudinal axis such that the support foot is pivotable relative to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the respective pin is coupled to the second end of the cylinder. See Fig.3
17. The support assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein the clamp is further defined as a C-clamp, and wherein the C-clamp includes a first foot engaging a first part of the first frame section, and a second foot disposed inside of the cutout to engage the cylinder which positions the support foot of the cylinder between the first foot and the second foot such that the support foot of the cylinder engages a second part of the first frame section to sandwich part of the frame structure between the first foot and the second foot when the clamp is in the locked position. See Fig.3
18. The support assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein the respective pin, the first foot of the C-clamp, and the second foot of the C-clamp aligns with the support foot along the longitudinal axis when the clamp is in the locked position. See Fig.3
19. The support assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the support frame includes a central beam and each of the arms extend outwardly from the central beam, and wherein one or more of the arms includes a telescoping beam portion to change a position of one or more of the connector apparatuses relative to the central beam. See Fig.3
20. A method of supporting a frame structure including a first frame section 11 and a second frame section 12, the method comprising: positioning the frame structure relative to a support frame, wherein the support frame includes a plurality of arms 27 & 27 extending outwardly to present a support grid, wherein a plurality of connector apparatuses 36 & 36 are each arranged on the support grid; moving a pin 34 of each of the connector apparatuses axially along a longitudinal axis to position the pin relative to the frame structure; activating a lock 37 to engage the pin in an engaged position to fix the pin in a stationary position relative to the support frame or to release the pin in a disengaged position to allow movement of the pin relative to the support frame; operating a clamp of each 42 of the connector apparatuses to move to a locked position in which the clamp attaches together the frame structure and the support frame or to move to an unlocked position in which the clamp releases the frame structure from the support frame; and wherein operating the clamp to the locked position fixes the first frame section on the support grid of the arms in an arrangement that provides repeatable nominal attachment and detachment of the second frame section relative to the first frame section.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith et al 6581920 in view of Ward 4010942.
Smith et al disclose the claimed invention as recited above; however, Smith et al do not recite the clamp is further defined as a C-clamp 10 , and wherein the pivot point is disposed at a distal end of the respective pin 18 such that the support foot is pivotable relative to the longitudinal axis and it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in art to have modified the Smith et al device by substituting a clamp for another clamp which has the same function yielding the predictable result of holding a workpiece. KSR
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13 and 14 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. The 892 form discloses prior art being made of record.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEE D WILSON whose telephone number is (571)272-4499. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 6;30-4;30.
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LEE D. WILSON
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
Ldw
/LEE D WILSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723 August 25, 2026
