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 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.
Claims 1-4, 7-8, 11-14, 16, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Usada (U.S. 3,520,033).
As for Claim 1, discloses an S-shaped fastener for the back of a bra, and the S-shaped fastener comprising: a left fastening part for connecting to a left end of the bra, and a right fastening part for connecting to a right end of the bra;
wherein the left fastening part (1) comprises: a left bottom plate (4), a left panel (3) overlapped on a surface of the left bottom plate (see Fig. 3), and a left insertion notch (notch defined by lower surface of 3) defined between the left bottom plate and the left panel (see Fig. 3);
wherein the right fastening part (1m) comprises: a right bottom plate (4), a right panel (3) overlapped on a surface of the right bottom plate (see Fig. 3), and a right insertion notch (notch defined by upper surface of 4) defined between the right bottom plate and the right panel (see Fig. 3); and
wherein when the left fastening part is connected to the right fastening part (see Fig. 4), the left fastening part and the right fastening part are mutually embedded through the left insertion notch and the right insertion notch (see Figs. 4 and 5).
2. The S-shaped fastener for the back of the bra as claimed in claim 1, wherein the left bottom plate defines an L-shaped upper notch (notch defining 4a), a left side surface of the left panel is S-shaped (see Fig. 1), and the left insertion notch is a gap between an upper part of the left side surface and a vertical surface of the L-shaped upper notch (see Fig. 3); and
wherein the right bottom plate defines an L-shaped lower notch (notch defining 4a), a right side surface of the right panel is S-shaped (see Fig. 3), and the right insertion notch is a gap between a lower part of the right side surface (see Fig. 3) and a vertical surface of the L-shaped lower notch. (notch defining 4a)
3. The S-shaped fastener for the back of the bra as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the left fastening part and the right fastening part are connected (see Fig. 4), the left side surface of the left panel and the right side surface of the right panel are attached to each other (see Fig. 4); and after the left side surface and the right side surface are attached to each other, a joint portion between the left side surface and the right side surface is S-shaped (see Fig. 5).
4. The S-shaped fastener for the back of the bra as claimed in claim 2, wherein a plurality of back hooks are disposed at a left edge of a bottom surface of the left bottom plate, and a right edge of the right bottom plate defines a plurality of fastening holes.
7. The S-shaped fastener for the back of the bra as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first raised reinforcing rib (6) is disposed on an upper surface of the left panel; and wherein a second raised reinforcing rib (6) is disposed on an upper surface of the right panel.
8. The S-shaped fastener for the back of the bra as claimed in claim 2, wherein a left step portion (3a) is provided in the middle of the left side surface of the left panel; and a right step portion (3a) is provided in the middle of the right side surface of the right panel, and the right step portion is configured to cooperate with the left step portion (see Figs. 4-5).
As for Claim 11, Usuda discloses fastener for a bra, and the fastener comprising:
a first fastening part (1) for connecting to a first end of the bra and a second fastening part (1m) for connecting to a second end opposite to the first end of the bra;
wherein the first fastening part comprises: a first bottom plate (4) and a first panel (3) partially disposed on a surface of the first bottom plate, and a first insertion notch (notch defined by bottom surface of 3) is defined between the first bottom plate and the first panel;
wherein the second fastening part comprises: a second bottom plate (4) and a second panel (3) partially disposed on a surface of the second bottom plate, and a second insertion notch (notch defined by bottom surface of 3) is defined between the second bottom plate and the second panel; and
wherein when the first fastening part is connected to the second fastening part (see Fig. 4), the first fastening part and the second fastening part are mutually embedded through the first insertion notch and the second insertion notch (see Figs. 3-4).
12. The fastener for the bra as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first bottom plate defines an L-shaped lower notch (notch defined by 4a), a side surface facing towards the first insertion notch of the first panel is inverted S-shaped (see Fig. 3), and the first insertion notch is a gap between an upper part of the side surface of the first panel and a vertical surface of the L-shaped lower notch (see Fig. 3); and
wherein the second bottom plate defines an L-shaped upper notch (notch defined by 4a), a side surface facing towards the second insertion notch of the second panel is inverted S-shaped (see Fig. 3), and the second insertion notch is a gap between an upper part of the side surface of the second panel and a vertical surface of the L-shaped upper notch (see Fig. 3).
13. The fastener for the bra as claimed in claim 12, when the first fastening part and the second fastening part are connected to insert with each other (see Figs. 3-4), the side surface of the first panel and the side surface of the second panel are attached to each other (see Fig. 4), and a connection portion between the side surface of the first panel and the side surface of the second panel is inverted S-shaped (see Fig. 5).
14. The fastener for the bra as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one back hook (6) is disposed at an edge facing away from the first panel of a bottom surface of the first bottom plate, and an edge facing away from the second panel of the second bottom plate defines at least one fastening hole (5).
16. The fastener for the bra as claimed in claim 12, wherein a first raised reinforcing rib (6) is disposed on an upper surface of the first panel and extends in a direction along which the first insertion notch extends; and wherein a second raised reinforcing rib (6) is disposed on an upper surface of the second panel and extends in a direction along which the second insertion notch extends.
18. The fastener for the bra as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first bottom plate, the first panel, the second bottom plate, and the second panel are all flat plates (see Figs. 2-3); or the first bottom plate, the first panel, the second bottom plate, and the second panel, are all arc panels with wavy cross sections.
19. The fastener for the bra as claimed in claim 12, wherein a shape of the first insertion notch is the same as a shape of the second insertion notch (see Fig. 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: It appears the prior art fails to disclose and/or make obvious the first and second arc convex plate, in combination with the other limitations of claim 20.
Claims 5-6, 9-10, 15 , and 17 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:
Li US D867,923
Wong US 2012/0117764
Collier US 5,224,247
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID M UPCHURCH whose telephone number is (571)270-7957. The examiner can normally be reached 6AM-3PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason San can be reached at (571)272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID M UPCHURCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677