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
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on *** was/were considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 5 and 19 are 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.
Claim 5 is unclear in that it recites “the reinforcement border of the net comprises at least one strap comprises at least one of a hook and loop fastener or a buckle”. As best understood, the strap, not the reinforcement boarder, comprises Velcro or buckle.
Claim 19 is unclear in that it recites “any two panels of the plurality of panels can be connected in an end-to-side configuration to form the structure”. It is unclear if this is an optional configuration.
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.
Claim(s) 13-15, 17 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bai CN 112878798.
Regarding claim 13, Bai discloses a reconfigurable panel activity system, comprising:
a plurality of panels interconnectable together to form any of various structures corresponding with an exercise activity (Fig. 3), wherein:
each panel of the plurality of panels comprises opposing sides, opposing ends (Fig. 3), and at least one connector (7); and
each one of the at least one connector of each panel of the plurality of panels is releasably connectable to an adjacent one of the plurality of panels such that any two panels of the plurality of panels can be connected in an end-to-end configuration or a side-to-side configuration to form a structure (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 14, Bai further discloses that each panel of the plurality of panels is identical in size and shape to any other panel of the plurality of panels (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 15, Bai further discloses that at least one stand (2) releasably connectable to the side of at least one of the panels (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 17, Bai further discloses that the plurality of panels is configured to form an enclosed structure (at least a rectangle) by connecting all panels together in the end-to-end configuration or the side-to-side configuration (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 19, Bai further discloses that any two panels of the plurality of panels can be connected in an end-to-side configuration to form the structure (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 20, Bai teaches a method of assembling reconfigurable panels into multiple configurations, the method comprising:
arranging at least two panels in a first configuration, wherein each one of the at least two panels comprises a frame and a net coupled to the frame (Fig. 3) and position within a circumferentially closed paced defined by the frame (rectangle with more panels);
releasably connecting the at least two panels in the first configuration (collinear) using one or more connectors (7) of the at least two panels such that the at least two panels are immediately adjacent to each other;
defining a first area of play based on the first configuration of the at least two panels (Fig. 3);
disconnecting the at least two panels in the first configuration from each other by releasing the one or more connectors from at least one of the at least two panels (Fig. 4);
at least one of: releasably connecting the at least two panels in a second configuration (90 deg), defining a second play area, using the one or more connectors of the at least two panels (Fig. 3) such that a position or orientation of the at least two panels, relative to each other, is different than the position or orientation of the at least two panels, relative to each other, in the first configuration (Fig. 3); or releasably connecting at least one of the at least two panels to at least one other panel in a third configuration (rectangle, with more panels), defining a third play area, via one or more connectors of the at least one of the at least two panels and the at least one other panel.
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, 2 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai CN 112878798 in view of Halter US 5830089.
Regarding claim 1, Bai discloses a panel, comprising:
a frame comprising a first side rod (Fig. 3, long side top), a second side rod (Fig. 3, long side bottom) parallel to and spaced apart from the first side rod, a first end rod (Fig. 3, short side left) connected to and perpendicular to the first side rod and the second side rod, and a second end rod (Fig. 3, short side right) connected to the first side rod and the second side rod and parallel to and spaced apart from the first end rod;
a net coupled to the frame and positioned within a circumferentially closed space defined between the first side rod, the second side rod, the first end rod, and the second end rod (Fig. 4), wherein the net comprises a netting (3) and a reinforcement border (4) extending about and coupled an entire perimeter of the netting (Fig. 4), and wherein the reinforcement border comprises sleeves (5, Fig. 2) along a first end rod border and a second end rod border of the reinforcement border and each one of the first end rod, and the second end rod pass through a corresponding one or more of the sleeves (Fig. 4).
However, it does not teach connectors attached to at least one of the first side rod, the second side rod, the first end rod, and the second end rod, wherein each one of the connectors comprises an open rod receptacle configured to releasably retain a rod having a cross-sectional shape and size identical to that of any one of the first side rod, the second side rod, the first end rod, and the second end rod.
Halter teaches a netted frame (18) comprising connectors (52) attached to at least one of the first side rod (44), the second side rod (26), the first end rod (46), and the second end rod (48), wherein each one of the connectors comprises an open rod receptacle configured to releasably retain a rod having a cross-sectional shape and size identical to that of any one of the first side rod, the second side rod, the first end rod, and the second end rod (Fig. 3). Halter so teaches in order to assemble the frame (Fig. 2). Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the frame as taught by Bai by utilizing a connector as taught by Halter in order to assemble the frame.
Regarding claim 2, Bai further discloses that the reinforcement border (4) further comprises at least one sleeve (5) along each of the first side rod and the second side rod and the first side rod and second end rod pass through the at least one sleeve of the corresponding one or more sleeves (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 10, Halter further teaches that at least one rod of the frame further comprises a stopper (42) configured to limit the movement of the sleeves.
Regarding claim 11, Halter further teaches that each one of the connectors comprises opposing open rod receptacles (Figs. 2-3).
Regarding claim 12, Halter further teaches each one of the connectors comprises a second open rod receptacle opposite and facing in an opposite direction than the open rod receptacle (Figs. 2-3).
Claim(s) 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai CN 112878798 in view of Halter US 5830089 and further in view of Pui US 5842939.
Regarding claim 3, the combination does not teach the limitations thereof. However, Pui teaches a net (16A) with sleeves (16B) with at least one of the sleeves are selectively closeable to define a channel to retain a portion of the corresponding end rod (14A).
Regarding claim 4, Pui further teaches that at least one of the sleeves are selectively closeable to define a channel to retain a portion of the corresponding rod (Fig. 7).
Claim(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai CN 112878798 in view of Halter US 5830089 and further in view of Long US 5615889.
Regarding claim 5, the combination does not teach the limitations thereof.
Long teaches a net (10) having a reinforcement border (18) comprising at least one strap (20), wherein the strap comprises at least one of a hook and loop fastener or a buckle (22); and the net is coupled to at least one of the first side rod or the second side rod of the frame by the at least one strap (Fig. 1).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the net of the combination by further utilizing a strap on the reinforcement boarder as taught by Long in order to attach it to the frame.
Claim(s) 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai CN 112878798 in view of Halter US 5830089 and further in view of Essex US 8678957.
Regarding claim 6, the combination does not teach the limitations thereof.
Essex teaches a net comprising resiliently flexible cords (92, Fig. 1), wherein the net is coupled to the first side rod and the second side rod via a corresponding one of the resiliently flexible cords being wrapped around the corresponding first side rod and the second side rod (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Essex further teaches that a tension in the resiliently flexible cords is adjustable; and adjustment of the tension in the resiliently flexible cords correspondingly adjusts a tension in the netting of the net (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, Essex further teaches that each one of the resiliently flexible cords: passes through multiple loops of the reinforcement border on a corresponding side of the reinforcement border; and wraps around a corresponding one of the first side rod and the second side rod at multiple locations along the first side rod and the second side rod, respectively (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, Essex further teaches that each one of the resiliently flexible cords comprises opposing end portions and a ball tensioner at each one of the opposing end portions (Fig. 13); and the tension in the resiliently flexible cords is adjustable by moving the opposing end portions through the ball tensioners (inherent).
Claim(s) 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai CN 112878798.
Regarding claim 16, Bai does not teach that a height of the at least one stand is adjustable. Official Notice is being taken that telescoping rods are commonly adjustable via detents. Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the stand as taught by Bai by utilizing telescoping rods with detents as is commonly known in order to make the height adjustable.
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai CN 112878798 in view of Boggess US 20220296981.
Regarding claim 18, Bai does not teach the limitations thereof.
Boggers teaches a panel activity system wherein the plurality of panels comprises at least one gate panel connected between two other panels of the plurality of panels (Fig. 6); the gate panel permits access the enclosed structure; and the gate panel is smaller than all other panels of the plurality of panels (Fig. 6) in order to permit entrance into the play space. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the system as taught by Bai by utilizing a gate panel as taught by Boggers in order to permit entrance into the play area.
Conclusion
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/BRIAN O PETERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711
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