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
(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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being disclosed by Zhong (CN 116831411).
Regarding claim 1, Zhong teaches an inflatable bed, comprising an inflatable chamber (Figure 1; as shown) surrounded by a top sheet (Figure 2; 1), a bottom sheet (Figure 2; 2), and a surrounding sheet (Figure 2; 3); and a plurality of internal tensioning members (Figure 2; 6) that are connected to the top sheet and the bottom sheet and provided in the inflatable chamber; wherein the inflatable bed further comprises a non-closed annular upper diagonal tensioning beam (Figure 2; 9, see also Figure 3; 92) and a lower diagonal tensioning beam (Figure 2; 10) that are provided in the inflatable chamber; an upper end of the upper diagonal tensioning beam is connected to the top sheet and a lower end of the upper diagonal tensioning beam is connected to the surrounding sheet, thereby forming an upper edge frame (Figure 2; 9, as shown); an upper end of the lower diagonal tensioning beam is connected to the surrounding sheet and a lower end of the lower diagonal tensioning beam is connected to the bottom sheet, thereby forming a lower edge frame (Figure 2; 10, as shown).
Regarding claim 2, Zhong teaches the upper diagonal tensioning beam and the lower diagonal tensioning beam are both provided with gaps, the upper edge frame and the lower edge frame are communicated with gas in the inflatable chamber through the gaps (Figure 3; 92 and 102).
Regarding claim 3, Zhong teaches both the upper diagonal tensioning beam and the lower diagonal tensioning beam are single sheet and in a bent circular structure (Figure 2; 9 and 10, as shown, see also First Paragraph under Example 1 where the two connecting diaphragms are described as one synchronous element).
Regarding claim 4, Zhong teaches the upper diagonal tensioning beam is connected to the top sheet via a first weld seam, the upper diagonal tensioning beam is connected to the surrounding sheet via a second weld seam, the lower diagonal tensioning beam is connected to the surrounding sheet via a third weld seam, and the lower diagonal tensioning beam is connected to the bottom sheet via a fourth weld seam (Figure 4; 31, 32, 21, and unnumbered top seam on upper tensioning beam 9); wherein the first weld seam, the second weld seam, the third weld seam, and the fourth weld seam are a non-closed circular shape (Figure 13 shows an embodiment where there are gaps on both upper and lower seams of the pieces 9 and 10 (see 102 and 103)).
Regarding claim 5, Zhong teaches the second weld seam and the third weld seam are arranged in parallel and spaced apart (Figure 4; 31 and 32, as shown).
Regarding claim 6, Zhong teaches the internal tensioning member is an internal tensioning beam (Figure 4; 6).
Regarding claim 7, Zhong teaches the internal tensioning beam is at least one of a straight tensioning beam (Figure 4; 6), a wavy tensioning beam, and a coil tensioning beam.
Regarding claim 8, Zhong teaches the internal tensioning member comprises a first connector (Figure 4; 4), a rope-like tensioning beam (Figure 4; 6), and a second connector (Figure 4; 5); wherein the first connector is provided on an inner surface of the top sheet, the second connector is provided on an inner surface of the bottom sheet; the first connector and the second connector are connected by the rope-like tensioning beam (Figure 4; 4, 5, 6).
Regarding claim 9, Zhong teaches two ends of the rope-like tensioning beam are respectively detachably connected to the first connector and the second connector (see third paragraph under “Example 1”).
Regarding claim 10, Zhong teaches the surrounding sheet is provided with an air valve or an electric air pump (Figure 4; 7).
Conclusion
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/MORGAN J MCCLURE/Examiner, Art Unit 3673
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