DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claim 12 is 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In claim 12, the applicant recites “the one or more holding elements”, “the bottom plate”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these features in the claims.
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.
Claims 1-4, 10, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jankowski (US 6349913)
Regarding claim 1, Jankowski discloses a system for holding an article in a vehicle, the system comprising: a housing (12) comprising a plurality of sidewalls (walls of 12 shown in fig 3) defining a storage space (interior of 12, fig 3) for accommodating a holding mechanism (36, 38, 56, 58) therein (abstract, figs 1-7); and one or more lids (26) adapted to slide over the storage space of the housing in between an open position and a close position to open and close the storage space of the housing (abstract, figs 1-7), respectively (col 2 lines 63-67, figs 1-7); the holding mechanism is adapted to move in between a retracted position and a deployed position (figs 1-7), wherein, in the retracted position (col 2 line 63 col 3 line 8, figs 1-7), the holding mechanism is arranged within the housing (col 2 line 63 col 3 line 8, figs 1-7), and in the deployed position, the holding mechanism is at least partially moved out of the storage space of the housing and is adapted to receive and accommodate the article therein (col 2 line 63 col 3 line 8, figs 1-7); and wherein sliding of the one or more lids towards the open position causes opening of the storage space together with an activation of the holding mechanism towards the deployed position (col 4 lines 1-28, figs 1-7).
Regarding claim 2, Jankowski further discloses that the one or more lids is slidable in a first direction and the holding mechanism is movable in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction (figs 1-7, col 4 lines 1-28, abstract).
Regarding claim 3, Jankowski further discloses that the holding mechanism comprises one or more holding elements (56, 58) and a bottom plate (36, 38) for accommodating and holding the article (figs 1-7).
Regarding claim 4, Jankowski further discloses that the system comprises a sliding mechanism (92, 94,48, 50, 68, 70 ) coupled with at least one sidewall among the plurality of sidewalls and operatively configured with the one or more lids (fig 3), such that upon sliding of the one or more lids towards the open position, the sliding mechanism activates the holding mechanism towards the deployed position (col 2 line 63 col 3 line 8, col 4 lines 1-28, abstract, figs 1-7).
Regarding claim 10, Jankowski further discloses that the activation of the holding mechanism to the deployed position facilitates an expansion or contraction of the one or more holding elements and the bottom plate, corresponding to a shape or a size of the article, wherein the size of the article corresponds to a width of a base of the article (figs 1-7).
Regarding claim 13, Jankowski further discloses that the housing is adaptively arranged in a side trim part of a trunk or central console of a vehicle (fig 1-), wherein the holding mechanism is configured to be hidden under the housing (figs 1-7).
Claims 1-2 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al. (WO2021063338).
Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses a system for holding an article in a vehicle, the system comprising: a housing (2) comprising a plurality of sidewalls (sidewalls of 2 , fig 1) defining a storage space (interior of 2, fig 5) for accommodating a holding mechanism (3) therein (figs 1-12); and one or more lids (1) adapted to slide over the storage space of the housing in between an open position and a close position to open and close the storage space of the housing, respectively (figs 1-12); the holding mechanism is adapted to move in between a retracted position and a deployed position (figs 1-12), wherein, in the retracted position, the holding mechanism is arranged within the housing, and in the deployed position, the holding mechanism is at least partially moved out of the storage space of the housing and is adapted to receive and accommodate the article therein; and wherein sliding of the one or more lids towards the open position causes opening of the storage space together with an activation of the holding mechanism towards the deployed position (figs 1-12).
Regarding claim 2, Wu further discloses that the one or more lids is slidable in a first direction and the holding mechanism is movable in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction (figs 1-12).
Regarding claim 12, Wu further discloses each of the one or more holding elements comprises a plurality of intersecting diagonal bars (35, 36, 37, 38) hingedly connected to form scissor-like structure (figs 1-12), wherein a bottom end of at least one of the diagonal bars is attached to the bottom plate (12) (figs 1-12).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-9, 11, 14-15 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANY E AKAKPO whose telephone number is (469)295-9255. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am - 5pm.
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/DANY E AKAKPO/Examiner, Art Unit 3672
06/23/2026
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