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 § 103
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) 1-16 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kao (9943184) in view of Liao (2010/0038041).
Kao figures 1-9, shows a silent(subjective as to how much noise is considered silent) suspension system configured to hang at least one curtain and
comprising: a track(col 3 line 2) and comprising: an accommodation space; and
an opening formed at a bottom surface of the track, and the
accommodation space capable of communicating with the environment via the
opening; and at least one main hanging member movably mounted in the accommodation space, and comprising: a first support part(12 figure 1) mounted in the accommodation space; at least one first pad(2, figure 6) mounted at a bottom surface of the first support part and abutting an inner surface of the track; a width of the at least one first pad being larger than a width of the opening(inherently so as it sits inside the track); and a suspension part(fig 9), the first support part connected to one end of the suspension part, the suspension part protruding from the first support part through the opening and configured to hang the at least one curtain(7).
Kao does not show the track being a tube.
Kiao shows a tubular track (10) accommodating the main hanging member.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Kao’s track to show the track being a tube as taught by Kiao since a tubular track allows for easy support of the main hanging member as it moves the curtain as needed.
Per claim 2, Kao further discloses the first support part comprises: at least one first block(figure 1, the part inserted into 21) protruding toward the opening; the quantity of the at least one first block corresponds to the quantity of the at least one first pad,
and each one of the at least one first block is mounted through a respective one
of the at least one first pad(21).
Per claims 3-4, Kao as modified shows all the claimed limitations except for the
material of the at least one first pad includes felt.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Kao’s modified structures to show the
material of the at least one first pad includes felt since having felt on the outer surface of the pad improves noise reduction between the pad and the track as the pad rolls along the track.
Per claims 5-6, Kao further discloses a width of the first support part(12) is less than or equal to the width of the at least one first pad(21, 22).
Per claims 7-8, Kao further shows each one of the at least one main hanging member comprises: a first end and a second end being opposite ends(figure 1; the left and right ends of 12); and a second support part(41) mounted in the accommodation space and connected to the first support part; the second support part comprising: at least one second pad(42) mounted on a top surface or a side surface of the second support part and abutting an inner surface of the track; two spaces formed between the second support part and the first support part(figure 1 shows the spaces between 41 and 12) and respectively at the first end and the second end of the at least one main hanging member.
Per claims 9-10, Kao further shows the second support part of each one of the at least one main hanging member comprises: at least one second block(the protruding part of 42 which extends from 41 to 42) mounted on the top surface of the second support part and protruding away from the opening; each one of the at least one second block mounted through a respective one of the at least one second pad; each one of the at least one main hanging member comprises: at least one side block mounted on the side surface of the second support part and protruding toward the inner surface of the track; each one of the at least one side block mounted through a respective one of the at least one second pad.
Per claims 11-12, Kao( figures 1, 6) further shows the first support part of each one of the at least one main hanging member comprises: a recess(the recess by which the pad the pad inserted into 11 figure 1) formed on a side surface of the first support part; the silent suspension system further comprises: a connection member(figure 9) connected to each one of the at least one main hanging member and comprising:
at least one fastener, each one of the at least one fastener embedded in the recess of the first support part of a respective of the at least one main hanging member; and a rope(6) mounted through each one of the at least one fastener.
Per claims 13-14, Kao(figure 9) further shows the silent suspension system further comprises: at least one auxiliary hanging member movably mounted in the
accommodation space, and each one of the at least one auxiliary hanging member
penetrates through a respective one of the at least one first pad; each one of the
at least one auxiliary hanging member comprising: a head part; and an extending part protruding from the head part and through the opening and penetrating through the at least one first pad, and the extending part configured to hang the at least one curtain; a width of the head part being larger than the width of the opening.
Per claims 15-16, Kao further shows each suspension part comprises: a first piece body(figure 3, the piece at the front) connected to the first support part; and a second piece body connected to the first piece body and in a different imaginary plane with the first piece body (figure 3 shows the pieces at different angles).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art shows different suspension systems.
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/PHI D A/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3633
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