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 § 102 or 103
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)(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.
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, 6, 7, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Kim (US 2025/0304139).
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches: a children's stroller with easy disassembly and assembly features, comprising a frame (described in further detail below), a wheel module (200) is disposed under the frame, and a stroller module (115) is disposed above the frame, the frame moves through applying force to the stroller module to move in corporation with the wheel module, characterized in that:
the frame comprises a front support rod (A), a rear support rod (B), a first side frame (C), and a second side frame (D), the first side frame and the second side frame are parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other, upper ends of the first side frame and the second side frame comprise connecting buckles (111; best shown in Fig. 9), and the connecting buckles on the same ends of the first side frame and the second side frame correspond to each other, the ends of the front support rod and the rear support rod comprise connecting grooves (formed by elements 114a-1 and/or 114a-2) corresponding to the connecting buckles, the front support rod and the rear support rod are detachably disposed on a front side and a rear side of the first side frame and the second side frame, respectively, through the corporation of the connecting grooves and the connecting buckles;
a plurality of auxiliary brackets (E) are connected to and below the first side frame and the second side frame, the auxiliary brackets are transversely disposed between the first side frame and the second side frame, the auxiliary brackets are spaced apart from each other to form an accommodating space having an upward-facing opening on the frame;
an auxiliary clamping buckle (F) and an auxiliary item-carrying frame (G) are disposed on the first side frame and the second side frame, the auxiliary clamping buckle is coaxially aligned with the connecting buckle in a vertical direction, the auxiliary clamping buckle is below the connecting buckle, the auxiliary item-carrying frame is detachably connected to the auxiliary clamping buckle, when the auxiliary item-carrying frame connects to the auxiliary clamping buckle, the auxiliary item-carrying frame extends to a front side and/or a rear side of the frame to form an auxiliary item-carrying space connected to the accommodating space.
Relevant elements are best shown in Figs. 1, 2, 7, 9, and the annotated version of Fig. 5, below.
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Kim provides no specific elaboration on whether the auxiliary item-carrying frame as detachably connected to the auxiliary clamping buckle. However, the figures from Kim appear to show a fastener connecting the auxiliary item-carrying frame to the auxiliary clamping buckle. As such, those having ordinary skill in the art would understand that the auxiliary item-carrying frame can be detached from the auxiliary clamping buckle at least by removal of the fastener. Additionally, the auxiliary item-carrying frame can be detached from the auxiliary clamping buckle via other crude but well-known methods, such as cutting off the auxiliary item-carrying frame.
Should it be found that Kim fails to teach the auxiliary item-carrying frame is detachably connected to the auxiliary clamping buckle: before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art to provide the auxiliary item-carrying frame as detachably connected to the auxiliary clamping buckle; the motivation being: to enable repair or replacement of the auxiliary item-carrying frame, should it become damaged during use. It has been held that if it were considered desirable for any reason to obtain access to a first component to which a second component is applied, it would be obvious to make the second component removable for that purpose. In re Dulberg, 289 F.2d 522, 523, 129 USPQ 348, 349.
Regarding claim 6, Kim further teaches: both of the first side frame and the second side frame comprise two fixed brackets (H, I) and a movable bracket (J), the movable bracket is disposed between the two fixed brackets, sides of the two fixed brackets on the side facing each other has assembly portions (K), and two ends of the movable bracket are pivoted to the assembly portions, the two fixed brackets on the same side are disposed opposite each other, a connecting buckle is disposed on one side adjacent to the assembly portion and positioned on the side of the two fixed brackets opposite each other.
See the annotated version of Fig. 27, below:
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Regarding claim 7, Kim further teaches: the movable bracket has an H shape and comprises a main support rod (K), an upper movable bracket (L) is disposed over the main support rod, and a lower movable bracket (M) is disposed below the main support rod , a stroller folding button (N) is disposed on the main support rod and is transmissively connected to the upper movable bracket, and the frame is folded by pressing the stroller folding button. See the annotated version of Fig. 27, above.
Regarding claim 10, Kim further teaches: the wheel module comprises two front wheel assemblies (210) and two rear wheel assemblies (220), the two front wheel assemblies are disposed independently, and each of the front wheel assemblies has a first quick connector (see the upwardly-extending pins at the top of the front wheel assemblies) disposed above, lower front ends of the first side frame and second side frame are disposed at first quick-connect slots (the portion that accepts the first quick connector) that correspond with the first quick connectors, each of the two front wheel assemblies is clipped to the sides of the front end of the frame via the first quick connectors and the first quick-connect slots, a brake control rod (best shown in Fig. 2) connects the two rear wheel assemblies, and second quick connectors (see the upwardly-extending pins at the top of the rear wheel assemblies) are disposed above each of the rear wheel assemblies, second quick-connect slots that correspond with the second quick connectors are disposed below rear ends of the first side frame and the second side frame, the two rear wheel assemblies are respectively connected to both sides of the rear end of the frame by engaging the second quick connectors with the second quick-connect slots. See at least Fig. 2.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 8, 9 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 2 requires features related to the connection between the support rods and the connecting buckles. These features are not reasonably taught by Kim, and it would not be obvious to modify Kim to meet the limitations of claim 2.
Claim 4 requires features related to the item-carrying support rod. These features are not reasonably taught by Kim, and it would not be obvious to modify Kim to meet the limitations of claim 4.
Claim 8 requires features related to the side frames. These features are not reasonably taught by Kim, and it would not be obvious to modify Kim to meet the limitations of claim 8.
None of the prior art of record, alone or in combination, anticipates or renders obvious the subject matter of claims 2-5, 8, and 9. To modify any of the prior art of record to arrive at the invention set forth by claims 2-5, 8, and 9 would be unobvious and improper hindsight.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Additional cited art relates to wagons having frames and other features relevant to the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMMA K FRICK whose telephone number is (571)270-5403. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M, T, F.
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, Allen Shriver can be reached at (303) 297-4324. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EMMA K FRICK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3613
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