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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1 – 20 have been examined.
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.
(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.
Claims 1 – 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Li (8,602,442). In regard to claim 1, Li discloses a child stroller apparatus comprising a standing frame (Fig. 1, items 111 and 112) and a handle frame (Fig. 1, items 141 and 142) pivotally coupled to each other via a joint structure (Fig. 4), a front guard pivotally connected with the joint structure (Fig. 1, item 160), a locking mechanism including a front guard latch disposed adjacent to the joint structure (Fig. 4, item 430), the front guard latch being movable between a locking position where the front guard latch rotationally locks the front guard to the joint structure, and an unlocking position for rotation of the front guard relative to the standing frame and the handle frame (Figs. 4 and 13, & column 3, lines 4 – 44), and a release actuator configured to urge the front guard latch to move from the locking position to the unlocking position as the handle frame rotates relative to the standing frame in a folding direction for collapsing the child stroller apparatus (Figs. 4 – 5, item 431).
In regard to claim 2, Li discloses wherein the locking mechanism further includes a spring connected with the front guard latch, the spring biasing the front guard latch toward the locking position (Fig. 4, item 440).
In regard to claim 3, Li discloses wherein the front guard latch is configured to be rotatable along with the front guard relative to the standing frame and the handle frame while being in the unlocking position (Figs. 4 – 5 and 11 & column 3, lines 4 – 44).
In regard to claim 5, Li discloses wherein the joint structure pivotally couples the handle frame to the standing frame about a pivot axis, and the release actuator is rotatable along with the handle frame about the pivot axis relative to the standing frame (Figs. 4 – 5 and 11 & column 3, lines 4 – 44).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 6 – 20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Li (8,602,442) discloses a stroller similar to the instant invention; however Li, either alone or in combination, neither discloses nor suggests a stroller wherein (in regard to claim 4 and 8 – 9) the front guard is pivotally connected with the joint structure about a pivot axis, and the front guard latch is configured to slide along the pivot axis between the locking position and the unlocking position, the front guard latch while being in the unlocking position being rotatable along with the front guard relative to the standing frame and the handle frame, (in regard to claim 6) wherein the release actuator has a hole, and the handle frame is pivotally connected with the standing frame via a shaft portion that extends through the hole of the release actuator, and (in regard to claim 10) wherein the joint structure includes a first coupling part coupled to the handle frame, and a second coupling part disposed adjacent to the first coupling part, the release actuator being configured to urge the front guard latch to move from the locking position to the unlocking position via a contact between the release actuator and the second coupling part occurring when the handle frame rotates in the folding direction. These limitations, in combination with each and every other independent claim limitation, are not shown in the currently cited prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Riedl et al. (7,278,652) disclose a foldable stroller;
Offord (8,672,341) discloses a hinging mechanism for wheeled devices;
Fritz et al. (8,714,581) disclose a compact foldable stroller;
Sack et al. (9,855,964) disclose a stroller frame;
Horst (10,399,589) discloses a child stroller apparatus;
Zhong (10,479,389) discloses a collapsible seat assembly and stroller;
Yuan (10,501,106) discloses a folding mechanism and stroller;
Taylor et al. (2020/0353965) disclose a multi child stroller.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN DANIEL WALTERS whose telephone number is (571)272-8269. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8 am - 5 pm (PT).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen Shriver can be reached at 303.297.4337. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOHN D WALTERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613
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