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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, every detail recited in claims 14-26, see e.g., “at least one shutter door for each compartment coupled with a mechanism controlled by a controller unit to open or close the shutter door”, the “horizontal beam member to be lifted up and subsequently pull or push to open all the shutter doors,” and the shutter door system is coupled with a mechanism that comprises a plurality of shutter door rods arranged horizontally and vertically to hold the shutter door for the each compartment must be clearly shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 14-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 14 recites the “beam member to be lifted up and subsequently pull or push to open all the shutter doors simultaneously so that all the compartments can be accessed.” It is un clear how the beam member is lifted up and pulled or pushed to open the shutter door. Appropriate correction or an explanation is required.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the cover," there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, see claim 15.
Claim 17 recites “ a mechanism”, this is the second recitation of a mechanism. Appropriate correction or an explanation is required.
Claims 19-20 recite "the vertical guide rod," there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims, see claim 18.
Claims 15, 18 and 21-26 are rejected based on their respective dependencies.
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 14-15 and 26, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20050251687 (“Bachinski et al.”)
Regarding Claim 14-15 and 26, Bachinski et al. discloses CLAIM 14- a storage unit comprising: a cabinet body (50, best seen in Fig. 7 ) comprises:
at least one storage compartment (62A-E);
a horizontal beam member (72) arranged on one side of the cabinet body (10);
a shutter door system having at least one shutter door (door panel) for each compartment coupled with a mechanism (70) controlled by a controller unit (computer processor ([0008]-[0009]) to open or close the shutter door (door panel), where the shutter door system is connected to the horizontal beam member (72);
a cam mechanism (83), connected to the horizontal beam member (72); and,
an emergency lever (80), linked with the cam mechanism (83); wherein in use when the emergency lever (80) is rotated to an open configuration, the cam mechanism (83) rotates in similar direction to the emergency lever causing the horizontal beam (72) member to be lifted up and subsequently pull or push to open all the shutter doors (door panels) simultaneously so that all the compartments can be accessed; CLAIM 15- a cover (housing) having a space formed by a top panel (54), a rear panel (57), and two opposing side panels (56, 58) to receive the cabinet body ( as seen in Fig. 7) in the space; CLAIM 26-wherein the storage unit is adapted to store weapons, firearms or any other suitable items in the cabinet body (the cabinet body is capable of storing weapons and firearms).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIMBERLEY S WRIGHT whose telephone number is (571)270-3328. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11:30-5:30.
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, Daniel Troy can be reached at 5712703742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIMBERLEY S WRIGHT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637