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
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, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rolund (20200062450). The reference to Rolund teaches structure as claimed including a structurally reinforced pallet assembly, comprising: a stackable pallet assembly comprising: a pallet assembly, wherein the pallet assembly comprises a plurality of insert apertures; a plurality of stackable inserts (bottom 21), wherein each of the plurality of stackable inserts is insertable into one of the plurality of insert apertures of the pallet assembly; a plurality of stackable extenders (22), wherein each of the plurality of stackable extenders is attachable to one of the plurality of stackable inserts; and a plurality of stacking coupler (top 21), wherein each of the plurality of stacking coupler is attachable to one of the plurality of stackable extenders, the pallet assembly comprises a first insert aperture, a second insert aperture, a third insert aperture, and a fourth insert aperture; wherein the plurality of stackable inserts comprises a first stackable insert that is insertable into the first insert aperture, a second stackable insert that is insertable into the second insert aperture, a third stackable insert that is insertable into the third insert aperture, and a fourth stackable insert that is insertable into the fourth insert aperture; wherein the plurality of stackable extenders comprises a first stackable extender that is attachable to the first stackable insert, a second stackable extender that is attachable to the second stackable insert, a third stackable extender that is attachable to the third stackable insert, and a fourth stackable extender that is attachable to the fourth stackable insert; and wherein the plurality of stacking coupler comprises a first stacking coupler that is attachable to the first stackable extender, a second stacking coupler that is attachable to the second stackable extender, a third stacking coupler that is attachable to the third stackable extender, and a fourth stacking coupler that is attachable to the fourth stackable extender,
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a first engagement stringer and a second engagement stringer, wherein the first engagement stringer comprises the first insert aperture and the second insert aperture, and wherein the second engagement stringer comprises the third insert aperture and the fourth insert aperture, each of the plurality of stackable inserts comprises an insert protrusion, wherein the insert protrusion is structured to fit within one of the plurality of insert apertures, each of the plurality of stackable inserts comprise an extender aperture, wherein the extender aperture of each of the plurality of stackable inserts is structured to receive one of the plurality of stackable extenders, the extender aperture is perpendicular to the insert protrusion, wherein upon attachment of one of the plurality of stackable extenders to one of the plurality of stackable inserts, the one of the plurality of stackable extenders extends perpendicular to the insert protrusion, each of the plurality of stackable extenders are attached to a corresponding stackable insert of the plurality of stackable inserts such that each of the plurality of stackable extenders extend laterally from the pallet assembly, each of the plurality of stackable inserts comprise an insert protrusion, wherein the insert protrusion is insertable into one of the plurality of insert apertures, each of the plurality of stacking couplers are configured to receive a footing of an additional stackable insert, wherein each of the plurality of stackable inserts comprise a footing structured to fit into a stacking coupler of an additional stackable pallet assembly, each of the plurality of stacking coupler comprise a coupler protrusion and each of the plurality of stackable extenders comprise a coupler aperture, each of the plurality of stacking coupler comprise a coupler protrusion and each of the plurality of stackable extenders comprise a coupler aperture, wherein the coupler protrusion is structured to be inserted into the coupler aperture, the coupler protrusion is structured to be inserted into the coupler aperture, wherein the first stacking coupler and the first stackable extender are unitary (in as much the instant structures are unitary).
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) 14-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rolund (20200062450). The reference to Rolund teaches structure as claimed, as discussed above. The method would have been obvious in view of the structures.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rolund (20200062450) as applied to the claims above, and further in view of Jian (20120298015). The reference to Rolund teaches structure substantially as claimed as discussed above including a pallet having lineal stringers, the only difference being that there is not an embedded lineal reinforcement. However, the reference to Jian (at least fig 3 at 12) teaches the use of providing a lineal reinforcement to provide for additional strength and rigidity to be old. It would
have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure of Rolund with a reasonable expectation of success, to include an embedded lineal reinforcement to provide better strength and load bearing as taught by Jian since such are conventional alternative structures used in the same intended purpose and environment and would have been a reasonably predictable result, thereby providing structure as claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references cited teach structure similar to applicant’s including stackable pallet structures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE V CHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-6865. The examiner can normally be reached m-f, m-w 5:30-3:00, th5:30-2:00.
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/JOSE V CHEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637