This is Non-Final office action for serial number 18/906464.
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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
The indicated allowability of claims 4, 7, 17-19 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Wu 20180031178. Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 14, 16-19, and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1)as being anticipated by Wu 20180031178.
Wu discloses claims:
1. A bracket, comprising: a first unit, comprising: a first body portion; and a first assembling portion, connected to the first body portion, wherein an angle is formed between the first body portion and the first assembling portion; and a second unit, pivotally connected to the first unit and comprising: a second body portion; and a second assembling portion, connected to the second body portion, wherein another angle is formed between the second body portion and the second assembling portion; wherein an end of the first unit and an end of the second unit are pivotally connected and have a pivot axis extending in a direction perpendicular to a ground, the first assembling portion is located at an upper end or a lower end of the first unit, and the second assembling portion corresponds to the first assembling portion and is located at an end of an upper end and a lower end being same thereas of the second unit; wherein, when the first unit and the second unit are in a closed state, the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion are configured to assemble with an object.
2. The bracket according to claim 1, wherein the first unit further comprises a first pivot portion connected to an end of the first body portion in a first direction, the second unit further comprises a second pivot portion [[is ]]connected to an end of the second body portion in the first direction, the end of the first unit is located on the first pivot portion, the end of the second unit is located on the second pivot portion, and the first unit and the second unit are pivotally connected through the first pivot portion and the second pivot portion.
3. The bracket according to claim 2, wherein a length of the first assembling portion along the first direction is less than a length of the first body portion along the first direction, and in the first direction, the first pivot portion and a part of the first body portion connected to the first pivot portion protrude more than the first assembling portion.
4. The bracket according to claim 2, wherein the first unit further comprises a first buckle portion, connected to an other end of the first body portion in the first direction; wherein the second unit further comprises a second buckle portion, connected to an other end of the second body portion in the first direction, and the first unit and the second unit are fixed by engaging the first buckle portion and the second buckle portion.
5. The bracket according to claim 2, wherein the first assembling portion is connected to an end of the first body portion in a third direction and extends toward an end of a second direction, the second assembling portion is connected to an end of the second body portion in the third direction and extends toward an other end of the second direction, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to one another.
6.The bracket according to claim 5, wherein each of the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion comprises a groove section, and the object comprises two protrusion sections; wherein, when the first unit and the second unit rotate relative to each other to achieve an unfolded state (see figure when device is not attached to object and open to receive object) , the groove section of the first assembling portion is able to couple with one of the protrusion sections of the object, and when the first unit and the second unit subsequently rotate relative to each other to achieve the closed state (see figure when device is attached to object), the groove section of the second assembling portion is able to couple with the other of the protrusion sections of the object, to clamp the object.
14. The bracket according to claim 1, wherein each of the first unit and the second unit is made of metal material and integrally formed, and at least one of the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion comprises a groove section configured to couple with a protrusion section of the object to assemble with the object.
16. The bracket according to claim 1, wherein the angle and the another angle are equal and between 80 degrees and 100 degrees.
17. An assembling method, for assembling a bracket to an object, comprising: a bracket providing step, providing the bracket, which comprises a first unit and a second unit, with one end of the first unit and one end of the second unit pivotally connected and having a pivot axis; a bracket unfolding step, causing the first unit and the second unit to rotate relative to each other about the pivot axis to unfold the first unit and the second unit; an object coupling step, coupling a first assembling portion of the first unit and a first coupling portion of the object; and a bracket closing step, causing the first unit and the second unit to rotate relative to each other about the pivot axis to close the first unit and the second unit, and simultaneously coupling a second assembling portion of the second unit and a second coupling portion of the object to assemble the object and the bracket; wherein the pivot axis extends in a direction perpendicular to a ground, the first assembling portion is located at an upper end or a lower end of the first unit, and the second assembling portion corresponds to the first assembling portion and is located at an end of an upper end and a lower end being same thereas of the second unit.
18. The assembling method according to claim 17, wherein each of the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion comprises a groove section, and the two groove sections are configured to couple with two protrusion sections of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion, respectively, of the object, to clamp the object in the bracket closing step.
19. The assembling method according to claim 17, further comprising: a bracket fixing step, causing an other end of the first unit and an other end of the second unit to engage, to fix the bracket to the object.
21. The bracket according to claim 5, wherein the pivot axis is parallel to the third direction.
[AltContent: textbox (Pivot axis (3) 1st pivot portion )][AltContent: arrow]
[AltContent: textbox (End of first unit )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (First body )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st assembling portion (32/31) on upper end)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Angle between 1st body and 1st assembling portion)][AltContent: textbox (1st unit (part of 2)
2nd unit (part of 1))][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image1.png
526
794
media_image1.png
Greyscale
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (First pivot portion connected to end of 1st body in
first direction )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd pivot portion connected to end of 2nd body portion in 1st direction )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Pivot axis of 1st and 2nd unit extending perpendicular to a ground)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (End of 2nd unit)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd pivot portion of 2nd unit)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image2.png
332
530
media_image2.png
Greyscale
[AltContent: textbox (2nd assembling portion (11/12))]
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Pivot axis)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
[AltContent: textbox (1st assembling portion connected in a 3rd direction)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Buckle portion)][AltContent: textbox (Length of 1st body is greater than length of 1st assembling portion in a first direction )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (End of 2nd unit)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Length of 1st assembling portion )][AltContent: textbox (2nd body portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd pivot portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image1.png
526
794
media_image1.png
Greyscale
[AltContent: textbox (1st and 2nd assembling portion extends 2nd direction )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st assembling portion connected to end of 1st body portion third direction)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd assembling portion connected to end of 1st body portion third direction)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st Buckle portion at an other end of first body in a first direction )][AltContent: textbox (2nd buckle portion at an other end of the 2nd body portion in a first direction)]
PNG
media_image3.png
334
490
media_image3.png
Greyscale
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Another angle 2nd body and 2nd assembling portion)][AltContent: textbox (Groove sections of 1st and 2nd assembling portions for holding protrusions C41,C42, C2, C101, C102, of object )][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
PNG
media_image3.png
334
490
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1) as being anticipated by Wu 20180031178.
Wu discloses claim:
7. A bracket, comprising: a first unit, comprising: a first body portion; and a first assembling portion, connected to the first body portion, wherein an angle is formed between the first body portion and the first assembling portion; and a second unit, pivotally connected to the first unit and comprising: a second body portion; and a second assembling portion, connected to the second body portion, wherein another angle is formed between the second body portion and the second assembling portion; wherein the first assembling portion is connected to an end of the first body portion in a third direction and extends toward an end of a second direction, the second assembling portion is connected to an end of the second body portion in the third direction and extends toward an other end of the second direction, and the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to one another; wherein, when the first unit and the second unit are in a closed state, the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion are configured to assemble with an object; wherein the first unit further comprises a third assembling portion, connected to an other end of the first body portion in the third direction and extends toward the end of the second direction; wherein the second unit further comprises a fourth assembling portion, connected to an other end of the second body portion in the third direction and extends toward the other end of the second direction, and the third assembling portion and the fourth assembling portion are configured to support an article.
[AltContent: textbox (angle)][AltContent: textbox (angle)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd direction)][AltContent: textbox (2nd Another body portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd unit/body (1))][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (4th assembling portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st unit/body (2))][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (3rd assembling portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st assembling portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd assembling portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd direction)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (2nd Another assembling portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Third direction)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st One Assembling portion)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st One Body portion)]
PNG
media_image3.png
334
490
media_image3.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image4.png
496
918
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 9, 12, 13 and 15 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 closest prior art by Wu 20180031178 does not disclose, in regards to claim 8, The bracket according to claim 7, wherein each of the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion comprises a groove section, the two groove sections are aligned and recessed respectively toward the end and the other end of the second direction, and the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion are configured to be sleeved by the article thereon or to clamp the object through the two groove sections; wherein each of the third assembling portion and the fourth assembling portion comprises another groove section, the two another groove sections are aligned and recessed respectively toward the two ends of the second direction, and the third assembling portion and the fourth assembling portion are configured to be sleeved by the object thereon or to clamp another object through the two another groove sections; wherein a total length of the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion along the second direction is different from a total length of the third assembling portion and the fourth assembling portion along the second direction, and a total recessed depth of the two groove sections along the second direction is different from a total recessed depth of the two another groove sections along the second direction and including all of the limitations of the claimed invention.
The closest prior art by Wu 20180031178 does not disclose, in regards to claim 9 The bracket according to claim 8, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to a ground, and the object clamped by the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion is connected to a ceiling; wherein, when the bracket is set upside down, the third assembling portion and the fourth assembling portion are configured to assemble with the another object, and the another object is connected to the ceiling and including all of the limitations of the claimed invention.
The closest prior art by Wu 20180031178 does not disclose, in regards to claim 12, wherein the first pivot portion and the second pivot portion are combined to form a hinge structure, and the object configured to assemble with the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion is connected to a ceiling and including all of the limitations of the claimed invention
The closest prior art by Wu 20180031178 does not disclose, in regards to claim 13, wherein there is a gap between the first body portion and the first assembling portion, there is another gap between the second body portion and the second assembling portion, the gap and the another gap are adjacent and configured to allow at least a part of the object to pass through along the first direction or the second direction and including all of the limitations of the claimed invention.
The closest prior art by Wu 20180031178 does not disclose, in regards to claim
15, wherein a virtual central plane is located between the first body portion and the second body portion, the first body portion and the second body portion are substantially symmetrical to the virtual central plane, and the first assembling portion and the second assembling portion are substantially symmetrical to the virtual central plane and including all of the limitations of the claimed invention
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIMBERLY T WOOD whose telephone number is (571)272-6826. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thur 9:00am-5:30pm flexible schedule.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Liu can be reached at (571) 272-8227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KIMBERLY T WOOD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
Prosecution Insights