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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 8-11, 13, and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beadell et al (U.S. 2008/0113708) in view of Sweere et al (U.S. 2003/0001057).
Regarding claims 1, 13, and 18, Beadell discloses:
an electronic gaming machine (¶79, Fig. 1, video gaming machine 2) comprising:
a cabinet (¶79, Fig. 1, main cabinet 4);
a monitor configured to display an electronic game (¶80-81, ¶142, Fig. 1, main video display 8 which is configured to display video output data and other game information for games played on gaming machine 2); and
a mounting assembly coupling the monitor to the cabinet (¶140, Fig. 4, main display 8 is mounted to the cabinet 4 via horizontal hinges).
However, Beadell does not specifically teach that:
the mounting assembly comprises:
a frame coupled to the monitor;
a link coupled to the cabinet, the link being pivotable to move the monitor between a first position and a second position, wherein, in the second position, the monitor is laterally spaced outward from the cabinet relative to the first position; and
a bearing assembly rotatably coupling the frame to the link for rotating the monitor between a first orientation and a second orientation when the monitor is in the second position.
Sweere teaches:
an adjustable video monitor mounting assembly for supporting and positioning a flat panel video display (¶6-7, ¶56, Fig. 1, mount 10), wherein the mounting assembly comprises a frame coupled to the monitor (¶56-57, ¶59, Figs. 1-2, 4, bracket 38 which secures display 16 to mount 10), a link coupled to the cabinet (¶56-57, Figs. 1, 2, support arm 24 includes an inboard end 24a which is pivotally secured to pivotal support bracket 22, under BRI, the bracket structure 22 represents a mounting interface configured to couple to a supporting wall or cabinet surface, such as the cabinet 4 of Beadell), the link being pivotable to move the monitor between a first position and a second position (¶56-57, ¶71, Figs. 1, 7-10, support arm 24 is pivotally secured to bracket 22 to move display 16 about horizontal axis 28), wherein, in the second position, the monitor is laterally spaced outward from the cabinet relative to the first position (¶56, ¶71, ¶75, Figs. 1, 7-8, support arm 24 pivots to swing display 16 forward and outwardly away from the supporting surface from a retracted position (Fig. 7) to an extended position (Fig. 8)), and a bearing assembly rotatably coupling the frame to the link for rotating the monitor between a first orientation and a second orientation when the monitor is in the second position (¶56-57, ¶59-60, Figs. 1-2, 4, pivot assemblies 36 comprising disk 88, plate 86, and bold 90 rotatable coupling bracket 38 to arm 24 about roll axis 44 which allows rotation of display 16 in a circular plane between landscape and portrait orientations when arm 24 is in the extended position).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the adjustable video monitor mounting assembly, as taught by Sweere, into the gaming cabinet and display, as taught by Beadell in order to achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151)
Regarding claim 8, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the monitor is substantially flush with the cabinet when the monitor is in the first position (¶140, Fig. 1, both main display 8 and information panel 10 close in a downward swinging manner to define closed positions).
Regarding claim 9, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose that:
the link rotates on the cabinet as the monitor is moved between the first position and the second position.
Sweere teaches:
an adjustable video monitor mounting assembly for supporting and positioning a flat panel video display (¶6-7, ¶56, Fig. 1, mount 10), wherein a link rotates as the monitor is moved between the first position and the second position (¶56, support arm 24 pivotally secures to the pivotal support bracket 22 to offer movement of the support arm 24, the three-axis pivot 30, and the display 16 as a unit about the horizontal axis 28).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the adjustable video monitor mounting assembly, as taught by Sweere, into the gaming cabinet and display, as taught by Beadell in order to achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151)
Regarding claim 10, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose:
an additional link pivotably coupling the frame to the cabinet, wherein the additional link is positioned below the link.
Sweere teaches:
an adjustable video monitor mounting assembly for supporting and positioning a flat panel video display (¶6-7, ¶56, Fig. 1, mount 10), wherein an additional link pivotably couples the frame to the cabinet, wherein the additional link is positioned below the link (¶56, Figs. 1-2, support arm 24 comprises a parallel linkage structure including an upper support link member 112 and a lower parallel support link member pivotally connected between bracket 22 and outboard pivot 30)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the adjustable video monitor mounting assembly, as taught by Sweere, into the gaming cabinet and display, as taught by Beadell in order to achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151)
Regarding claims 11 and 19, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose that:
the bearing assembly is configured to rotate the monitor approximately 90 degrees between a portrait orientation and a landscape orientation.
Sweere teaches:
an adjustable video monitor mounting assembly for supporting and positioning a flat panel video display (¶6-7, ¶56, Fig. 1, mount 10), wherein the bearing assembly is configured to rotate the monitor approximately 90 degrees between a portrait orientation and a landscape orientation (¶56-57, ¶59-60, Figs. 1-2, 4, pivot assemblies 36 comprising disk 88, plate 86, and bold 90 rotatable coupling bracket 38 to arm 24 about roll axis 44 which allows rotation of display 16 in a circular plane between landscape and portrait orientations when arm 24 is in the extended position).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the adjustable video monitor mounting assembly, as taught by Sweere, into the gaming cabinet and display, as taught by Beadell in order to achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151).
Claim(s) 2-7, 12, 14-17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beadell et al (U.S. 2008/0113708) in view of Sweere et al (U.S. 2003/0001057) as applied to the claims above, and further in view of McKay et al (U.S. 5,813,914).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, and further discloses:
a carriage assembly having vertical transition areas and slots for positioning internal members along a vertical axis (¶161-163, Figs. 9A-9C, carriage 96), and a gas damper to control the display opening speed (¶144, Fig. 5A, damper 46).
However, Bedell does not specifically disclose:
a carriage coupled to the frame; and a harness coupled to the carriage, wherein the harness is configured for selective release and retraction to pivot the link and move the carriage relative to the cabinet for moving the monitor relative to the cabinet between the first position and the second position, wherein, in the second position, the monitor is lowered from the cabinet relative to the first position.
McKay teaches:
a gaming cabinet including a video display (abstract), wherein a display is mounted in a circumscribing frame configured to move relative to the gaming cabinet between an extended display position and a retracted service position (2:8-24, 5:31-40, 6:1-11, Figs. 4, 5, 10, display glass 46 mounted in frame 48 having pivot points P constrained to move within trackway 90 to allow access to the interior of the gaming machine), wherein the display components in the gaming machine are mounted to sliding carriages operating in conjunction tensioned spring members to control movement and allowing servicing access (5:52-64, follower 102 is driven by spring 103 engaging receiver 106 to control and hold position).
Sweere teaches:
an adjustable video monitor mounting assembly for supporting and positioning a flat panel video display (¶6-7, ¶56, Fig. 1, mount 10), where a load counterbalance mechanism utilizes tension springs coupled to linkage members (i.e., a harness) to provide selective countering, release, and retraction forces across an articulated path of travel to offset payload weight (¶64-66, ¶95, Figs. 4, 24, gas spring 25 is coupled between mount 140 and arm pin 184 to cancel the load moment as the support arm 24 travels and provide a linear counterbalance force throughout the total adjustable range of the support arm, and coil spring 810 provides a pulling counterbalance force).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate a carriage coupled to the frame and a flexible counterbalance harness, as taught by Sweere, into the display mounting assembly, as taught by Beadell, further utilizing the sliding frame and controlled-movement display mounting structure, as taught by McKay in order achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose that:
the harness is a wire harness.
Sweere teaches:
an adjustable video monitor mounting assembly for supporting and positioning a flat panel video display (¶6-7, ¶56, Fig. 1, mount 10), wherein a load counterbalance mechanism utilizes tension springs coupled to linkage members (i.e., a harness) to provide selective countering, release, and retraction forces across an articulated path of travel to offset payload weight (¶64-66, ¶95, Figs. 4, 24, gas spring 25 is coupled between mount 140 and arm pin 184 to cancel the load moment as the support arm 24 travels and provide a linear counterbalance force throughout the total adjustable range of the support arm, and coil spring 810 provides a pulling counterbalance force, the examiner interprets coil spring 810 to broadly and reasonably as being a steel “wire” coiled into the form of a spring).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the adjustable video monitor mounting assembly, as taught by Sweere, into the gaming cabinet and display, as taught by Beadell in order to achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151).
Regarding claims 4 and 16, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose that:
release of the harness moves the monitor from the first position to the second position and retraction of the harness moves the monitor from the second position to the first position.
Sweere teaches:
an adjustable video monitor mounting assembly for supporting and positioning a flat panel video display (¶6-7, ¶56, Fig. 1, mount 10), wherein release of the harness moves the monitor from the first position to the second position and retraction of the harness moves the monitor from the second position to the first position (¶66, ¶74, ¶95, the spring counterbalance (i.e., harness) dynamically cancels out payload weight through its range of motion, wherein extending the spring facilitates movement of the display from a raised first position to an extended second position, and compressing the spring assists in returning the display to the first position from the second position).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the adjustable video monitor mounting assembly, as taught by Sweere, into the gaming cabinet and display, as taught by Beadell in order to achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151).
Regarding claim 5, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the monitor is removably coupled to the carriage to facilitate removing the monitor from the carriage when the monitor is in the second position (¶145, Figs. 5B, 5C, when the display is open an operator can manually acuate the lock mechanism 48…in which display 8 can be decoupled from the cabinet 4 at its side pegs).
Regarding claim 6, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose:
a track frame coupled to the link, the carriage being slidably coupled to the track frame, wherein, when the monitor is in the second position, the harness is configured for further selective release and retraction to slide the carriage along the track frame and move the monitor to a third position, wherein, in the third position, the monitor is at a lowered position on the track frame relative to the second position.
Sweere teaches:
an adjustable video monitor mounting assembly for supporting and positioning a flat panel video display (¶6-7, ¶56, Fig. 1, mount 10), wherein when the monitor is in the second position, the harness is configured for further selective release and retraction to slide the carriage along the track frame and move the monitor to a third position (¶65-66, ¶95, counterbalance springs (i.e., harness) continuously regulate and control selective release and retraction of the display payload along the guided translated path of motion).
McKay teaches:
a gaming cabinet including a video display (abstract), wherein a track frame is coupled to the link, the carriage being slidably coupled to the track frame to slide along the track frame to a the third position wherein the monitor is at a lowered position on the track frame relative to the second position (2:8-24, 5:31-40, 6:1-11, Figs. 4-5, 10-11, display 46 and frame 48 can move horizontally in the direction of arrow D within a trackway 90 to allow the display 46 and frame 48 to be telescoped to allow for maintenance to top cap assembly 40include pivot pins P constrained to slide within trackway 90).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate a carriage coupled to the frame and a flexible counterbalance harness, as taught by Sweere, into the display mounting assembly, as taught by Beadell, further utilizing the sliding frame and controlled-movement display mounting structure, as taught by McKay in order achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151).
Regarding claim 7, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose that:
the cabinet includes a stop that engages the track frame when the monitor is in the second position, and wherein selective release of the harness causes the monitor to move relative to the track frame between the second position and the third position when the stop is engaged with track frame.
Sweere teaches:
an adjustable video monitor mounting assembly for supporting and positioning a flat panel video display (¶6-7, ¶56, Fig. 1, mount 10), wherein mechanical stops are positioned along the linkage and bracket structures to limit rotations movement at designated positions (¶62, ¶80, flanges 112c and 114 c act as stops on pivot tabs 162 and 164 stopping the support arm 4 at a 90 degree rotation), wherein selective release of the harness causes the monitor to move relative to the track frame between the second position and the third position when the stop is engaged with track frame (¶62, ¶65-66, ¶80, selective release of the counterbalance spring tension (i.e., harness) allows the controlled translation of a supported payload once the pivot stops are reached).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate the adjustable video monitor mounting assembly, as taught by Sweere, into the gaming cabinet and display, as taught by Beadell in order to achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151).
Regarding claims 12, 17, and 20, Beadell discloses that which is discussed above, however, does not specifically disclose that:
the bearing assembly includes an arcuately extending guide track and a sliding connector moveably engaged with the guide track, wherein movement of the sliding connector along the guide track causes the monitor to rotate between the first orientation and the second orientation.
McKay teaches:
a gaming cabinet including a video display (abstract), wherein a supported component (e.g., rotating cage 180) is rotatably guided along an arced path (6:60-68, 7:1-4, release lever 186 causes busing 192 to be freed from one of the three notches 194a-c in trackway 196, busing 192 can select any of the notches 193a-c based on rotation of the cage 180 through arc 196 of the track, rollers 212 in groove 206 in conjunction with spring 208 and in groove 202 make the lever 18 operation smooth).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to configure the bearing assembly of Sweere with an arced guide track and sliding connecter, as taught by McKay, to guide rotation of the monitor between orientations in order to achieve the predictable result of allowing service technicians to pull the gaming display outward and away from the cabinet face, thereby providing improved unhindered clearance and access to the interior components without interfering with adjacent gaming cabinets (See Beadell, ¶20, ¶151).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The Applicant is directed to the attached "Notice of References Cited" for additional relevant prior art. The Examiner respectfully requests the Applicant to fully review each reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON PINHEIRO whose telephone number is (571)270-1350. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00A-4:30P ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dmitry Suhol can be reached on (571) 272-4430. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jason Pinheiro/Examiner, Art Unit 3715
/DMITRY SUHOL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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