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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The listing of references in the specification is not a proper information disclosure statement. 37 CFR 1.98(b) requires a list of all patents, publications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office, and MPEP § 609.04(a) states, "the list may not be incorporated into the specification but must be submitted in a separate paper." Therefore, unless the references have been cited by the examiner on form PTO-892, they have not been considered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “2” has been used to designate both the tabs, as in fig 4, and the frame component in fig 6. 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.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
In the instant case, the abstract repeats information given in the title.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Pat. US 6,966,353 – Hsu.
Regarding claim 1.
Hsu discloses a securing device (30, fig 2) for honeycomb blinds (Examiner notes that this is an intended use recitation), comprising:
a frame component (including 32 in fig 2) including two tabs (33, fig 2) which symmetrically and resiliently extend from two facing insides of the frame component (See annotated fig 2), each tab including a clamping piece (See annotated fig 2) for clamping a stack of slats (See fig 3) and a connecting piece (See annotated fig 2) formed between a middle of the clamping piece and one of the two facing insides of the frame component (See annotated fig 2), a groove section (channel receiving stacked slats in fig 3) formed between the frame component and the two clamping pieces (See fig 3), when in use, the two tabs are pushed to protrude from the frame component so as to clamp the stack of slats between the two tabs and the frame component (See fig 3), the frame component is adapted to abut against a bottommost slat of the stack of slats (See figs 3 and 4), while the topmost slat of the stack of slats is pressed by the tabs (See figs 3 and 4).
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Regarding claim 2.
Hsu discloses all limitations of claim 1.
Hsu further discloses the frame component (including 32 in fig 2) and the tabs (33, fig 2) are integrally formed (See fig 2).
Regarding claim 3.
Hsu discloses all limitations of claim 1.
Hsu further discloses the groove section (channel receiving stacked slats in fig 3) includes a gap (See annotated fig 3) formed between the two clamping pieces of the two tabs (See annotated fig 3), a width of the gap is adapted to be greater than a width of an adhesive portion of each slat of the stack of slats (Examiner notes that this is intended use language, and the device of Hsu meets the limitation as claimed.).
Regarding claim 4.
Hsu discloses all limitations of claim 1.
Hsu further discloses the groove section (channel receiving stacked slats in fig 3) is an I-shaped groove (See fig 3).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN W HANES JR whose telephone number is (571)272-8840. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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, Daniel Cahn can be reached at 571-270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.W.H./ Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/DANIEL P CAHN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3634