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 .
Status of the Application
This action is responsive to the amendment dated 7/20/2026. Claims 1, 2, and 8-10 remain pending. Claims 1 has been amended. Claims 12-22 are new. The applicant’s amendment has necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection below. This action is Final.
Response to Remarks
Applicant’s amendments and remarks regarding claim 1, 2, 8-10, and 12-16 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Claims 1, 2, 8-10, and 12-16 are allowed.
Upon further consideration, newly added claim 17 is rejected over KR 200378519 Y1.
Applicant's amendments to the claims have necessitated further search and/or consideration and/or revision of the rejection, and accordingly, this action must be made Final.
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 (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 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.
Claim(s) 17-19 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR 200378519 Y1, hereafter “KR03”.
Regarding claim 17, KR03 discloses an object holding assembly (Fig. 2) applied in an inflatable product (mattress), the inflatable product comprising an inflatable sheet (2, 3) configured to enclose an inflatable cavity (6), and the inflatable sheet having a first fixing portion (2) and a second fixing portion (3) arranged opposite the first fixing portion, wherein the object holding assembly comprises: an object holding cylinder (5) having an object storage opening (the opening at the top end of 5 with reference to Fig. 2) and an object storage cavity (the cavity formed by 5) in communication with the object storage opening, wherein an edge of the object storage opening is configured to be fixed to the first fixing portion (as shown in Fig. 2); and a locking mechanism (4’, 7’, 8’) comprising a first cooperation portion (8’) and a second cooperation portion (4’, 7’) that are cooperated and locked with each other, wherein the first cooperation portion is arranged at an end of the object holding cylinder away from the object storage opening, and the second cooperation portion is arranged at the second fixing portion (Fig. 2); wherein the object holding cylinder is configured to fold such that the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are in contact (para. [0005]; see how the space between 2 and 3 can be filled with air. However, if the space if not filled with enough air pressure, the plates can fold and come into contact with each other).
Regarding claim 18, KR03 further discloses the object holding assembly of claim 17, further comprising a holding plate (8), the holding plate is arranged in the object holding cylinder to separate the object holding cylinder into a first cylinder portion (the portion of 5 that is below the lower-most portion of 8) and a second cylinder portion (the portion of 5 that is above the lower-most portion of 8), and the first cylinder portion and the second cylinder portion are arranged along an axial direction of the object holding cylinder. (Fig. 2)
Regarding claim 19, KR03 further discloses the object holding assembly of claim 18, wherein the holding plate is provided with a ventilation hole (the hole through the center of 8), and the ventilation hole is in communication with the first cylinder portion and the second cylinder portion. (Fig. 2)
Regarding claim 22, KR03 further discloses the object holding assembly of claim 1, wherein the edge of the object storage opening is fixed to the first fixing portion by welding. (product-by-process)
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.
Claim(s) 20 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR03.
Regarding claim 20, KR03 further discloses the object holding assembly of claim 18, but fails to disclose wherein a hardness of the holding plate is greater than a hardness of the holding cylinder.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the hardness of the holding plate is greater than a hardness of the holding cylinder of KR03 since selection of a known material on the basis of its suitability for an intended use involves only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to provide a suitable material based on user defined criteria.
Regarding claim 21, KR03 further discloses the object holding assembly of claim 17, but fails to disclose wherein the object holding cylinder comprises chlorinated polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the material of the object holding cylinder to be comprised of chlorinated polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride since selection of a known material on the basis of its suitability for an intended use involves only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to provide a material known for its durability and is cost effective.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL J GRAY whose telephone number is (571)270-0544. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571 272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAUL J GRAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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