DETAILED ACTION
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 .
The following correspondence is a non-final Office Action for application # 18913226, entitled: CEILLING FAN AND QUICK-MOUNTING BRACKET STRUCTURE THEREOF, filed on 10/11/2024. Claims 1-16 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 14 depends from claim 1. Since the language is identical to claim 13 (which already depends from claim 1), it is assumed that claim 14 should depend from claim 2. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (U.S. Pat. 11536293).
Regarding claim 2, Wang discloses a quick-mounting bracket structure 100, comprising: a junction box 10 provided with a first mounting hole 21; a fastener 22 comprising a fastening head 221 and a fastening shaft 222, where a bottom end of the fastening shaft 222 is pre-installed within the first mounting hole 21 (see Fig. 3); a bracket 10 provided with a mounting portion 40 where an aligning hole 41 and a second mounting hole 42 communicating with the aligning hole 41 are provided, where a diameter of the aligning hole 41 is no less than the that of the fastening head 221, and a diameter of the second mounting hole 42 is less than that of the fastening head 221; and the bracket 10 further comprises an aligning position (shown in Fig. 8) and a fixing position (shown in Fig. 10); when the bracket 10 is located at the aligning position (Fig. 8), the fastening head 221 is inserted through the aligning hole 41 of the bracket 10; when the bracket 10 is located at the fixing position (Fig. 10), the fastener 22 is screwed in such that the fastening head 221 abuts against the bracket 10.
Regarding claim 4, Wang discloses the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where the mounting portion 40 is provided with a slotted hole, which communicates the aligning hole 41 with the second mounting hole 42.
Regarding claim 6, Wang discloses the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where a center of the aligning hole 41 and a center of the second mounting hole 42 are set in a straight line (as seen in Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 8, Wang discloses the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where a center of the aligning hole 41 and a center of the second mounting hole 42 are set in an arc (see 41,401 in Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 10, Wang discloses the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where a block 43 protruding downward is configured around the aligning hole 41 of the mounting portion 40; the block 43 comprises a gap (as shown in Fig. 4 below) corresponding to the slotted hole, with a width of the gap smaller than a diameter of the fastening head 221.
Regarding claim 12, Wang discloses the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where the fastener 22 is a locking bolt, and internal threads are configured within the first mounting hole 21 to mate with external threads of the locking bolt for screwing (as seen in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 14, Wang discloses the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where there are two mounting portions 40 (as seen in Fig. 3), which are respectively configured on two opposite sides of the bracket 10; and there are two fasteners 22, which are respectively pre-installed on two opposite sides of the junction box 20 (as shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 16, Wang discloses a ceiling fan (at 30), comprising the quick-mounting bracket structure 100 of claim 2.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Hung (U.S. Pat. 8276867).
Regarding claim 1, Wang teaches a quick-mounting bracket structure 100, comprising: a junction box 10 provided with a first mounting hole 21; a fastener 22 comprising a fastening head 221 and a fastening shaft 222, where a bottom end of the fastening shaft 222 is pre-installed within the first mounting hole 21 (see Fig. 3); a bracket 10 provided with a mounting portion 40 where an aligning hole 41 and a second mounting hole 42 communicating with the aligning hole 41 are provided, where a diameter of the aligning hole 41 is no less than the that of the fastening head 221, and a diameter of the second mounting hole 42 is less than that of the fastening head 221; and the bracket 10 further comprises an aligning position (shown in Fig. 8) and a fixing position (shown in Fig. 10); when the bracket 10 is located at the aligning position (Fig. 8), the fastening head 221 is inserted through the aligning hole 41 of the bracket 10; when the bracket 10 is located at the fixing position (Fig. 10), the fastener 22 is screwed in such that the fastening head 221 abuts against the bracket 10.
Wang is discussed above, and fails to teach a stopper. Hung teaches a mounting assembly 10, comprising a mounting bracket 30 having a fastener 35. The fastener 35 is attached to a stopper 34. Hung’s stopper 34 is able to be fitted over the fastening shaft 222, where a diameter of the aligning hole 41 is no less than the that of the stopper 34, and a diameter of the second mounting hole 42 is less than that of the stopper 34; when the bracket 10 is located at the aligning position (shown in Fig. 8), the stopper 34 and the fastening head 221 are inserted through the aligning hole 41 of the bracket 10; when the bracket 10 is located at the fixing position (shown in Fig. 10), the fastener 22 is screwed in such that an upper surface of the stopper 34 abuts against the bracket 10 and a lower surface of the stopper 34 abuts against the fastening head 221.
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 bracket structure of Wang to have a stopper, in order to further secure the fasteners to the mounting bracket, as taught to be desirable by Hung (see discussion in col. 3, lines 33-36).
Regarding claim 3, Wang teaches the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where the mounting portion 40 is provided with a slotted hole, which communicates the aligning hole 41 with the second mounting hole 42.
Regarding claim 5, Wang teaches the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where a center of the aligning hole 41 and a center of the second mounting hole 42 are set in a straight line (as seen in Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 7, Wang teaches the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where a center of the aligning hole 41 and a center of the second mounting hole 42 are set in an arc (see 41,401 in Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 9, Wang teaches the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where a block 43 protruding downward is configured around the aligning hole 41 of the mounting portion 40; the block 43 comprises a gap (as shown in Fig. 4 below) corresponding to the slotted hole, with a width of the gap smaller than a diameter of the stopper 34.
Regarding claim 11, Wang teaches the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where the fastener 22 is a locking bolt, and internal threads are configured within the first mounting hole 21 to mate with external threads of the locking bolt for screwing (as seen in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 13, Wang teaches the quick-mounting bracket structure 100, where there are two mounting portions 40 (as seen in Fig. 3), which are respectively configured on two opposite sides of the bracket 10; and there are two fasteners 22, which are respectively pre-installed on two opposite sides of the junction box 20 (as shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 15, Wang teaches a ceiling fan (at 30), comprising the quick-mounting bracket structure 100 of claim 1.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. In addition to the references to Wang and Hung above, the Examiner submits the Notice of References Cited (PTO-892). The prior art listed on PTO-892 provides references drawn to mounting bracket assemblies for attaching equipment to ceilings and other fixed structures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL D MCDUFFIE whose telephone number is (571)272-3832. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8AM-4:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Michael McDuffie/Examiner, Art Unit 3632 3-Jan-26
/TERRELL L MCKINNON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3632