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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 6/17/2026. These drawings are acceptable.
Specification
The abstract was received on 6/17/2026. This abstract is acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
Claims 1, 4-10, 12-14, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sack (US-20240017759-A1) alone.
Sack discloses a child carrier that can be attached to a stroller base.
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Claim 1 – Sack teaches furniture for a child (figure 10), the furniture comprising:
a frame (element 202 in figure 10) having a frame member (element 202c in figure 10);
a seat coupled to the frame, wherein the seat is for supporting the child on the furniture (element 206 in figure 10); and
a toy bar for supporting toys on the furniture (element 226 in figure 10), the toy bar configured to be arranged in a first position and/or orientation relative to the frame and/or seat (position B in figure 14), or a second position and/or orientation relative to the frame and/or seat in which the toy bar is more closely aligned with the frame member than in the first position and/or orientation (position D in figure 14);
wherein the connecting part of the toy bar comprises an engagement face and the toy bar connection portion comprises a complementary engagement face (elements A and 228(2) in Image 1 above);
wherein the furniture is configured such that the engagement face engages the complementary engagement face when the toy bar is coupled to the seat and/or frame (Image 1 above).
Sack does not explicitly teach the toy bar is magnetically couplable to the seat and/or frame. (In paragraph [0107], Sack teaches “in some examples, the child carriage can comprise a pair of magnets on each side of the frame”. Sack also discloses in the same paragraph that magnets are used to maintain an object in a closed or open position.) Sack teaches that the use of magnets to lock and unlock a rotating member’s position is old and well known, therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use magnets in the manner claimed to allow the user to release the toy bar from its locked position.
Sack teaches the frame or seat comprises a toy bar connection portion (element A in Image 1 above) and wherein the toy bar comprises a connecting part (element 228(2) in figure 11), but does not explicitly teach the connecting part is configured to magnetically couple to the toy bar connection portion using one or more “toy bar magnets” on the connecting part and one or more “hub magnets” on the connection portion.
(In paragraph [0107], Sack teaches “in some examples, the child carriage can comprise a pair of magnets on each side of the frame”. Sack also discloses in the same paragraph that magnets are used to maintain an object in a closed or open position.) Sack teaches that the use of magnets to lock and unlock a rotating member’s position is old and well known, therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use toy bar magnets and hub magnets in the manner claimed to allow the user to release the toy bar from its locked position. Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, when magnetically coupling two parts, that the one or more “toy bar magnets” would be configured to be aligned with the one or more “hub magnets” when the toy bar is in the first position and when the toy bar is in the second position such that the engagement face is held against the complementary engagement face by virtue of the one or more “toy bar magnets” and the one or more “hub magnets” in the first and second positions for such a magnet coupling to properly work.
Claim 4 – Sack teaches the engagement face and the complementary engagement face are substantially planar (elements A and 228(2) in Image 1 above).
Claim 5 – Sack teaches one of the connecting part and the toy bar connection portion comprises a protruding portion protruding outwardly relative to the engagement face or the complementary engagement face (element 238a in figures 16 and 17), and the other of the connecting part and the toy bar connection portion comprises a recess for receiving the protruding portion when the toy bar is in a first position and/or orientation relative to the frame and/or seat (element 236a in figures 16 and 17), and wherein the protruding portion and the recess are configured to engage one another in order to resist movement of the toy bar relative to the frame and seat (In figures 16 and 17, it can be seen that the recess 236a has multiple locations 236b for the protrusion 238a to go into to resist movement once in a user selected position).
Claim 6 – Sack teaches a magnet of the magnetic coupling is configured to resist movement (In paragraph [0107], Sack discloses the child carriage can comprises a pair of magnets to maintain an object’s positioning), and the protruding portion and the recess are configured to engage one another in order to resist movement of the toy bar relative to the frame and seat in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction and/or resist rotation of the toy bar about an axis with a component in the first direction (In figures 16 and 17, it can be seen that the recess 236a has multiple locations 236b for the protrusion 238a to go into to resist movement once in a user selected position, including a position perpendicular to the first position).
Sack does not explicitly teach the magnet of the magnetic coupling is configured to resist movement of the toy bar relative to the frame and seat in a first direction.
(In paragraph [0107], Sack teaches “in some examples, the child carriage can comprise a pair of magnets on each side of the frame”. Sack also discloses in the same paragraph that magnets are used to maintain an object in a closed or open position.) Sack teaches that the use of magnets to lock and unlock a rotating member’s position is old and well known, therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use magnets in the manner claimed to allow the user to lock the toy bar in various positions.
Claim 7 – Sack teaches the other of the connecting part and the toy bar connection portion comprises a further recess (element 236b in figures 16 and 17) for receiving the protruding portion when the toy bar is arranged in a second position and/or orientation relative to the frame and seat.
Claim 8 – Sack teaches the frame comprises a base to be placed on a ground surface (figure 1), wherein when the toy bar is in the first position and/or orientation (position B in figure 14), at least a portion of the toy bar is positioned on an opposite side of the seat from the base, and when the toy bar is in the second position and/or orientation (position D in figure 14), the toy bar or portion thereof is closer to the base.
Claim 9 – Sack teaches when the toy bar is in the first position and/or orientation, the toy bar is arranged at an angle relative to a member of the frame (position B in figure 14) and wherein when the toy bar is in the second position, the toy bar is at least partially aligned with a member of the frame (position D in figure 14).
Claim 10 – Sack teaches when the toy bar is in the first position and/or orientation, the toy bar is arranged at an angle relative to a member of the frame to which the seat is coupled (position B in figure 14) and wherein when the toy bar is in the second position and/or orientation, the toy bar is at least partially aligned with the member of the frame to which the seat is coupled (position D in figure 14).
Claim 12 – Sack teaches the furniture comprises two toy bar connection portions on either side of the seat (figure 10).
Claim 13 – Sack teaches the toy bar comprises a pair of connecting parts configured to connect to toy bar connection portions on either side of the seat (figure 10).
Claim 14 – Sack teaches a toy bar for furniture for a child (element 226 in figure 10), wherein the toy bar comprises:
a bar part (element 226b in figure 10); and
one or more connecting parts (element 228(2) in figure 11) and toy bar connection parts (element A in Image 1 above) provided on the furniture,
wherein the toy bar is configured to be arranged in a first position and/or orientation relative to the frame and/or seat of the furniture (position B in figure 14), or a second position and/or orientation relative to the frame and/or seat in which the toy bar is more closely aligned with the frame member than in the first position and/or orientation (position D in figure 14);
wherein the one or more connecting parts of the toy bar comprise an engagement face and the furniture comprises a complementary engagement face (elements A and 228(2) in Image 1 above);
wherein the furniture is configured such that the engagement face engages the complementary engagement face when the toy bar is coupled to the seat and/or frame (Image 1 above).
Sack does not explicitly teach the one or more connecting parts comprising one or more magnets or elements of a magnetically attractive material for magnetically connecting the toy bar to the toy bar connection parts, and Sack does not explicitly teach the one or more connecting parts are configured to magnetically couple to the toy bar connection parts using one or more “toy bar magnets” on the connecting parts and one or more “hub magnets” on the toy bar connection parts.
(In paragraph [0107], Sack teaches “in some examples, the child carriage can comprise a pair of magnets on each side of the frame”. Sack also discloses in the same paragraph that magnets are used to maintain an object in a closed or open position.) Sack teaches that the use of magnets to lock and unlock a rotating member’s position is old and well known, therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use toy bar magnets and hub magnets in the manner claimed to allow the user to release the toy bar from its locked position. Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, when magnetically coupling two parts, that the one or more toy bar magnets would be configured to be aligned with the one or more hub magnets when the toy bar is in the first position and when the toy bar is in the second position such that the engagement face is held against the complementary engagement face by virtue of the one or more toy bar magnets and the one or more hub magnets in the first and second positions for such a magnet coupling to properly work.
Claim 16 – Sack teaches the connecting parts comprise one of:
a protruding portion (element 238a in figures 16 and 17), protruding outwardly relative to the engagement face to be received within a recess formed on the connection parts provided on the frame (element 236b in figures 16 and 17), or
a recess (element 238 in figure 16) for receiving a protruding portion formed on the connection parts provided on the frame (element 240 in figures 16 and 17), wherein the one of the protruding portion and the recess are configured to engage the other of the protruding portion and the recess formed on the connection parts provided on the frame to resist movement of the toy bar relative to the frame and seat of the furniture (figures 16 and 17).
Claim 17 – Sack teaches the protruding portion (element 238a in figures 16 and 17) and the recess (element 236b in figures 16 and 17) are configured to engage one another in order to resist movement of the toy bar relative to the frame and seat in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction and/or resist rotation of the toy bar about an axis with a component in the first direction (figure 17 shows various positions created by the recesses 236b, at least two of which being perpendicular), but does not teach one or more of the magnets or elements of magnetically attractive material is configured to resist movement of the toy bar relative to the frame and/or seat in a first direction.
(In paragraph [0107], Sack teaches “in some examples, the child carriage can comprise a pair of magnets on each side of the frame”. Sack also discloses in the same paragraph that magnets are used to maintain an object in a closed or open position.) Sack teaches that the use of magnets to lock and unlock a rotating member’s position is old and well known, therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use magnets in the manner claimed to allow the user to lock the toy bar in various positions.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sack (US-20240017759-A1) in view of Bellows (US-20080238163-A1).
Bellows discloses furniture for a child that can be used on various bases, including a stroller, a rocker, and a bouncer.
Claim 11 – Sack, disclosed above, does not teach the furniture comprises a rocker/bouncer. Bellows does teach the furniture comprises a rocker/bouncer. (In figures 10A and 10B, and described in paragraph [0054], the seat can be attached to a pair of rocker legs. Paragraph [0049] describes the seat being attached to a device that can optionally be designed with a bouncing motion feature.) Bellows teaches that it is old and well known to have a stroller seat that can be moved and placed on a rocker/bouncer so the child can be moved to a different device without having to remove them from the seat. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to design the stroller seat with the ability to be placed on a rocker/bouncer to provide the user with a more complete baby care apparatus.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant amended claim 1 to specify that the frame has “a frame member”. The frame member is not structurally defined and is interpreted as any member of the frame. The only defining limitation, which appears as a new limitation of the amended claim 1, of the frame member is how the toy bar aligns to it, similar to claim 10’s limitation of “the toy bar is arranged at an angle relative to a member of the frame” in regards to the toy bar positioning in the first position.
Applicant amended claim 1 to include the limitations of claims 2 and 3, and further explained the magnetic coupling between the parts as using “toy bar magnets” and “hub magnets”. Sack still teaches the limitations of original claims 2 and 3, as well as the new limitations of claim 1 as Sack’s magnetic coupling does not depend on the naming of the magnets.
Similarly to claim 1, claim 14 was amended to include the limitation explaining how the toy bar aligns to the frame. Sack teaches this limitation in the same manner as the amended claim 1, as well as claim 10.
Applicant amended claim 14 to include the limitations of claim 15, and further explained the magnetic coupling between the parts as using “toy bar magnets” and “hub magnets”. Sack still teaches the limitations of the original claim 15, as well as the new limitations of claim 14 as Sack’s magnetic coupling does not depend on the naming of the magnets.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/T.A.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3636
/DAVID R DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3636
Prosecution Insights