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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: It appears that due to a typographical error, the term “cordless” is rendered “coreless” throughout the title, abstract, specification, and claims. If this is intentional, please clarify in the response to this action.
Appropriate correction is required.
The following title is suggested: UNIDIRECTIONAL DAMPER DISPOSED INSIDE THE MOTOR OF A CORDLESS WINDOW CURTAIN.
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.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it repeats information given in the title. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claims 1-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
It appears that due to a typographical error, the term “cordless” is rendered “coreless” throughout the title, abstract, specification, and claims. If this is intentional, please clarify in the response to this action.
Claim 1 recites in part “A unidirectional damper disposed inside the motor of a coreless window curtain”. This should be “A unidirectional damper disposed inside a motor of a coreless window curtain” to maintain appropriate antecedence.
Claim 1 recites in part “the releasing and winding straps be smoothly released or winded up, and the lower beam stop at any position, the unidirectional damper is disposed inside the motor to force of braking exerted by the motor.” This is grammatically incorrect.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "said first rope drum and second rope drum" in the second line of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the clutch device" in the second to last line of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Pat. 11,598,144 – Schulman et al., hereinafter Schulman.
Regarding claim 1.
Schulman discloses a unidirectional damper disposed inside the motor of a coreless window curtain (See fig 2), wherein said coreless window curtain (20, fig 1) comprises
an upper beam (22, fig 1), a lower beam (100, fig 1), and a plurality of slats (32, fig 1) connected between the upper beam and the lower beam (See fig 1) using several releasing and winding straps (48 and 50, fig 1), said motor (60, fig 2) is disposed inside the lower beam (See fig 2) and is connected with the releasing and winding straps (Column 9, lines 20-22; a bottom end (not shown) of each lift cord 48, 50 may be configured to be coupled to its associated lift station 60) to control the movement of the releasing and winding straps and to maintain the balance of the lower beam, through an elastic force, the releasing and winding straps be smoothly released or winded up (Column 9, lines 60-65; For instance, as the bottom rail assembly 100 is being raised relative to the headrail assembly 22, the spring motor 72 may transfer a driving torque to the lift rod 70 for rotationally driving the lift stations 62 in a manner that causes each lift cord 48, 50 to be wound around its respective lift spool 66, 68 of the associated lift station 62.), and the lower beam stop at any position, the unidirectional damper is disposed inside the motor to force of braking exerted by the motor (Column 10, lines 10-12; the brake 74 may be configured to be actuated between a locked or engaged position, at which the brake 74 engages the lift rod 70 so as to prevent rotation of the lift rod 70,).
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(s) 2-3, and 5-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schulman in view of Chinese document CN 208486805 U – Cai, and PG Pub. US 2021/0222488 A1 – Lin et al., hereinafter Lin.
Regarding claim 2.
Schulman discloses all limitations of Claim 1.
Schulman further discloses said motor (60, fig 2) comprises a spring mechanism (72, fig 2), the unidirectional damper is used to enhance the damping force of the motor to avoid falling of the lower beam (Column 10, lines 10-12; the brake 74 may be configured to be actuated between a locked or engaged position, at which the brake 74 engages the lift rod 70 so as to prevent rotation of the lift rod 70,).
Schulman does not disclose a first rope drum, a second rope drum, and a connecting rope, the surfaces of the first rope drum and the second rope drum are respectively configured with a spiral rope groove, the first rope drum is connected with the releasing and winding straps and rotate to wind up or release the releasing and winding straps, the spring mechanism is connected to the opposite ends of the first rope drum and the second rope drum, to provide an elastic force for the first rope drum to rotate in the opposite direction of the second rope drum, the two ends of the connecting rope are respectively connected to different ends of the first rope drum and the second rope drum, and where can be winded inside the rope grooves of the first rope drum or the second rope drum when the first rope drum and the second rope drum rotate in opposite directions, and comprises a clutch device and a torque spring, the clutch device is configured at the end of the second rope drum connecting the spring mechanism, one end of the torque spring is tightly fitted on the clutch device and the other end is connected with the motor.
However, Cai teaches a first rope drum (4, fig 2), a second rope drum (5, fig 2), and a connecting rope (7, fig 2), the surfaces of the first rope drum and the second rope drum are respectively configured with a spiral rope groove (8, fig 2), the first rope drum is connected with the releasing and winding straps and rotate to wind up or release the releasing and winding straps (via 31, fig 2, See fig 1), the spring mechanism (6, fig 2) is connected to the opposite ends of the first rope drum and the second rope drum (See fig 2), to provide an elastic force for the first rope drum to rotate in the opposite direction of the second rope drum, the two ends of the connecting rope are respectively connected to different ends of the first rope drum and the second rope drum (See fig 2), and where can be winded inside the rope grooves of the first rope drum or the second rope drum when the first rope drum and the second rope drum rotate in opposite directions (See fig 2),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the damper of Schulman with the rope drums and connecting rope of Cai. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of smoothing out the torque curve of the spring motor.
Also, Lin teaches a clutch device (75, fig 4) and a torque spring (76, fig 4), the clutch device is configured at the end of the second rope drum (71, fig 4) connecting the spring mechanism (See fig 5), one end of the torque spring is tightly fitted on the clutch device (Paragraph [0049]; the clamping spring 76 is put on and tightly fitted with the center one-way shaft 75) and the other end is connected with the motor (Paragraph [0049]; at one end of the clamping spring 76 there is a stop clamp 760 which is clamped in the clamping spring stop clamp slot on the fixing seat 73;).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the damper of Schulman with the clutch device and torque spring arrangement of Lin. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of allowing for directionally dependent variable resistance for the weight of the curtain.
Regarding claim 3.
The combination of Schulman, Cai, and Lin teaches all elements of Claim 2.
Schulman further discloses said motor (60, fig 2) further comprises a base (including 65a and 65b, fig 2), the base is fixed inside the lower beam (at 126a and 126b, fig 2), the connecting shaft is connected (at 62, see fig 9) with the releasing and winding straps (48 and 50, fig 9),
The combination, in Lin, further teaches the clutch device (75, fig 4) comprises a shaft sleeve (at 75 in fig 4) and several clutching steel balls (at 750 in fig 4), the shaft sleeve is sleeved on the connecting shaft (at 711, fig 4) and positioned inside the second rope drum (at 710, fig 4), the clutching steel balls are located between a concave hole configured inside the second rope drum and a sliding chute (750, fig 4) configured on one end of the shaft sleeve, and can move along the sliding chute (Paragraph [0049]; the center one-way shaft 75 is put on the winding drum cavities 710 on the first end of the winding drum 71, which is clearance fitted with the winding drum 71 and is able to rotate freely when the clamping spring 76 and the steel balls are not mounted; a rail for restricting the steel ball sliding 750 is on the surface of the center one-way shaft 75; there is a sliding rail on the winding drum cavities 710; the steel balls are between the center one-way shaft 75 and the winding drum cavities 710; the clearance between the rail for restricting the steel ball sliding 750 on the center one-way shaft 75 and the sliding rail on the winding drum is the space for the steel balls to roll;), one end of the torque spring (76, fig 4) is tightly fitted on one end of the shaft sleeve (Paragraph [0049]; the clamping spring 76 is put on and tightly fitted with the center one-way shaft 75), and the other end is connected with the base (Paragraph [0049]; at one end of the clamping spring 76 there is a stop clamp 760 which is clamped in the clamping spring stop clamp slot on the fixing seat 73;).
Schulman does not disclose the first rope drum is sleeved on a rolling shaft and is propped on the base, the second rope drum is sleeved on a connecting shaft and is propped on the base in a direction parallel to the first rope drum,
However, Cai teaches the first rope drum (4, fig 2) is sleeved on a rolling shaft (31, fig 2) and is propped on the base (9, fig 2), the second rope drum (5, fig 2) is sleeved on a connecting shaft (see fig 2) and is propped on the base in a direction parallel to the first rope drum (see fig 2),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the damper of Schulman with the arrangement of shafts and base of Cai. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of providing a secure attachment for the rope drums.
Regarding claim 5.
The combination of Schulman, Cai, and Lin teaches all elements of Claim 3.
The combination, in Cai, further teaches said first rope drum (4, fig 2) and second rope drum (5, fig 2) are conic and comprise a large-diameter end and a small-diameter end (See fig 2), the first rope drum and the second rope drum are disposed in a staggered manner with the large-diameter end facing the small-diameter end (See fig 2), the clutch device (coupling mechanism) is configured on the large-diameter end of the second rope drum (See shaft hole in fig 4).
Regarding claim 6.
The combination of Schulman, Cai, and Lin teaches all elements of Claim 3.
The combination, in Lin, further teaches said base (73, fig 4) is configured with a slot (Paragraph [0049]; clamping spring stop clamp slot on the fixing seat 73;), and the other end (760, fig 4) of the torque spring (76, fig 4) is inserted into the slot (Paragraph [0049]; at one end of the clamping spring 76 there is a stop clamp 760 which is clamped in the clamping spring stop clamp slot on the fixing seat 73;).
Regarding claim 7.
The combination of Schulman, Cai, and Lin teaches all elements of Claim 3.
Schulman does not explicitly disclose said spring mechanism is configured on the base and comprises a first roller and a second roller, said first roller and second roller being respectively connected to one end of the rolling shaft and the connecting shaft, an elastic piece, its two ends connected with the first roller and the second roller to apply an elastic force for the first roller and the second roller to rotate in opposite directions, so that the rolling shaft and the connecting shaft can rotate in opposite directions, the one-way damping mechanism being disposed on the first roller.
However, Cai teaches said spring mechanism (6, fig 2) is configured on the base (See fig 2) and comprises a first roller and a second roller (See fig 2), said first roller and second roller being respectively connected to one end of the rolling shaft and the connecting shaft (See fig 2), an elastic piece, its two ends connected with the first roller and the second roller to apply an elastic force for the first roller and the second roller to rotate in opposite directions (See fig 2), so that the rolling shaft and the connecting shaft can rotate in opposite directions (See fig 2), the one-way damping mechanism being disposed on the first roller (See fig 2).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the damper of Schulman with the arrangement of spring mechanism of Cai. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of providing a secure attachment for the rope drums.
Regarding claim 8.
The combination of Schulman, Cai, and Lin teaches all elements of Claim 7.
The combination, in Cai, further teaches said elastic piece (at 6, fig 2) is a scroll spring with its two ends in opposite winding directions (See fig 2).
Regarding claim 9.
The combination of Schulman, Cai, and Lin teaches all elements of Claim 3.
The combination, in Lin, further teaches said sliding chute (750, fig 4) is disposed around one end of the shaft sleeve (75, fig 4) in a wavy form (See fig 4).
Regarding claim 10.
The combination of Schulman, Cai, and Lin teaches all elements of Claim 5.
The combination, in Lin, further teaches the end of said torque spring (76, fig 4) other than the end (760, fig 4) inserted into the slot is in a bent form (See fig 4).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schulman in view of Cai.
Regarding claim 4.
Schulman discloses all limitations of Claim 1.
Schulman does not disclose said first rope drum and second rope drum are conic and comprise a large-diameter end and a small-diameter end, the first rope drum and the second rope drum are disposed in a staggered manner with the large-diameter end facing the small-diameter end, the clutch device is configured on the large-diameter end of the second rope drum.
However, Cai teaches said first rope drum (4, fig 2) and second rope drum (5, fig 2) are conic and comprise a large-diameter end and a small-diameter end (See fig 2), the first rope drum and the second rope drum are disposed in a staggered manner with the large-diameter end facing the small-diameter end (See fig 2), the clutch device (coupling mechanism) is configured on the large-diameter end of the second rope drum (See shaft hole in fig 4).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, with a reasonable expectation of success, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the damper of Schulman with the rope drums and connecting rope of Cai. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to yield the predictable result of smoothing out the torque curve of the spring motor.
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.
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/J.W.H./ Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/DANIEL P CAHN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3634
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