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.
(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.
Claims 1-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhou (U.S. Patent No. 12,369,719).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou (U.S. Patent No. 12,369,719) discloses a bed slats fixing structure 1, comprising: two bed side rails 11, a plurality of mounting bases 13, and a plurality of bed slats 12; a plurality of mounting holes 1102 are formed on each of the two bed side rails (Figures 1-2 and 11 and Col. 6, line 49-Col. 7, line 30); the plurality of mounting bases 13 are connected to the plurality of mounting holes 1102 (Figures 10-11) respectively; each of the plurality of mounting bases 13 is provided with a slot 13111 and a resilient arm 1309, 1310, and 1314 located at one end of the slot (Figures 12-13); a fixed end 1310 (defined by the end of 1310 attached to 1311, Figures 12-13) of the resilient arm is integrally connected to the mounting base 1311, and a free end (defined by the portion of resilient arm where protrusion 1314 is located, Figures 12-13) of the resilient arm 1309, 1310 is movably located at said one end of the slot 13111 (Figure 13, Col. 14, lines 52-61); each of two ends 1202 of each of the plurality of bed slats 12 is provided with an insertion part 1202 (Figures 1-2 and 11, and Col. 6, line 49-Col. 7, line 30); each insertion part 1202 is inserted into the slot 13111 of a corresponding mounting base 13 and restricted by the resilient arm 1309, 1310, and 1314 of the corresponding mounting base 13 from moving leftward or rightward in the slot 13111 (Figures 11-13 and Col. 14, line 62-Col. 15, line 13).
Regarding claim 2, Zhou discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Zhou further discloses wherein the plurality of mounting bases 13 are made of plastic or rubber (Col. 15, lines 49-56).
Regarding claim 3, Zhou discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Zhou further discloses wherein each of the two bed side rails 11 is a hollow pipe (Col. 15, lines 57-62); one side of each insertion part 1202 is provided with a notch 12021 (Figure 11); after each insertion part 12 is inserted into the slot 13111 of the corresponding mounting base 13, the notch 12021 of the insertion part 12 faces towards another end of the slot 13111 distal from the resilient arm 1309, 1310, and 1314 so that when the insertion part 13 slides towards said another end of the slot distal from the resilient arm 1309, 1310, and 1314, the corresponding mounting base 12 is clamped at the notch 12021 (Figure 10 and Col. 16, lines 10-30).
Regarding claim 4, Zhou discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claims 1 and 3. Zhou further discloses wherein a resilient tab 1313 is provided at said another end of the slot 13111 distal from the resilient arm 1309, 1310, 1314 (Figures 12-13); after the insertion part 1202 is completely installed in the slot 13111, the resilient tab 1313 is pressed and deformed by the insertion part 1202, and is fitted between the insertion part 1202 and an inner wall of a corresponding bed side rail 11 (Figures 10-13 and Col. 14, lines 12-61).
Regarding claim 5, Regarding claim 4, Zhou discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claims 1 and 3. Zhou further discloses wherein at least one of a front surface and a back surface of the free end of the resilient arm 1309, 1310, and 1314 is provided with a protrusion 1314 protruding therefrom (Figures 12-13 and Col. 14, lines 31-61).
Regarding claim 7, Zhou discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claims 1 and 3. Zhou further discloses wherein elongated clasps 1314 and 1313 are provided at an upper portion and a lower portion of a surface 1311 of each of the plurality of mounting bases 13 facing towards a corresponding bed side rail 11 (Figures 11 and 13); the elongated clasps 1313 and 1314 of each mounting base 13 clasp on an upper edge and a lower edge of a corresponding mounting hole 1102 respectively (Figures 11 and 13 and Col. 14, lines 31-61).
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Lei (U.S. Publication No. 2023/0355001).
Regarding claim 6, Zhou discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claims 1, 3, and 5. Zhou does not explicitly disclose wherein edges of each protrusion are chamfered.
Lei teaches wherein edges of each protrusion 41 are chamfered (Figures 4-6 and paragraph 0074).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified Zhou with Lei (both being directed to a means for connecting slats to a bed rail) such that edges of each protrusion are chamfered. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because the angled walls of Lei allow for easy insertion of the mounting base into the bed side rail.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Burnett (U.S. Patent No. 8,206,054).
Regarding claim 9, Zhou discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Zhou does not disclose wherein a directional indicator is provided on a surface of each of the plurality of mounting bases facing away from a corresponding bed side rail.
Burnett teaches wherein a directional indicator 84 is provided on a user facing surface 18’ (Figure 9 and Col. 4, lines 46-59).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified Zhou (directed to coupling for a bed frame) with Burnett (directed to a furniture coupling) and arrived at a directional indicator provided on a surface of each of the plurality of mounting bases facing away from a corresponding bed side rail. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because the directional indicator of Burnett helps to guide a user when assembling furniture (Col. 4, lines 46-59).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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:
Regarding claim 8, Zhou discloses the subject matter as discussed above with regard to claims 1, 3, and 7. Zhou does not disclose wherein the fixed end of the resilient arm is integrally connected to a bottom wall of the elongated clasp at the upper portion of the surface of a corresponding mounting base facing towards the corresponding bed side rail. Choi (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0332975) is cited as being of interest for teaching a resilient arm 34 integrally connected with the wall of an elongated clasp 33 and 32 (Figure 4 and paragraph 0034).
However, the location of the clasp 1314 of Zhou, which extends from the free end portion of the mounting bases, is an essential feature of Zhou, as this allows for the resilient arm to be bent such that the clasp may extend into both the slot of the mounting base and the mounting holes of the bed side rails (Figures 10-13). This configuration creates an interval between the insertion part and the inner side walls of the mounting holes and allows for the limit notch to be in position to abut the insertion part. These features have the benefits reducing noise caused by the slats by reducing contact and friction between the insertion portion and the two inner side walls of the mounting holes and reduce displacement of the slats within in the mounting holes. Modifying the resilient arm to be integrally connected to a bottom wall of the upper elongated clasp would make the mounting bases of Zhou unsuitable for its intended use, and, as such, there is no disclosure, teaching, or suggestion in the prior art of record such that a rejection of claim 8 may be reasonably maintained.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The following prior art each disclose which discloses a bed frame comprising bed slats mounted in mounting bases on bed side rails:
Choi (U.S. Publication No. 2021/0025423)
Li (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0372138)
Qiu (U.S. Publication No. 2020/0375367)
Qiu (U.S. Publication No. 2020/0345148)
Leng (U.S. Publication No. 2003/0074737)
Hong (U.S. Patent No. 11,457,747)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALISON N LABARGE whose telephone number is (571)272-6098. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:30-4:30.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ALISON N LABARGE/Examiner, Art Unit 3673
/Matthew Troutman/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679