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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species VII, claims 1-4 and 10-17 in the reply filed on January 14, 2016 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that “the Office has failed to articulate facts from which to conclude that a serious search and/or examination burden would be placed upon the Office if the claims were not so restricted”. This is not found persuasive because as discussed in the Office action entered November 18, 2025, each of the different embodiments are distinct as explained by Applicant in the Specification, particularly in paragraphs {0103]-[0178].
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 5-9 and 12-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on January 14, 2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-4, 10, 11 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 discloses a “pull buckle”. It is unclear what is meant by this phrase and the Specification does not provide a clear explanation, thus rendering the claim indefinite.
With regard to claims 2-4, 10 and 11, in that claims 2-4, 10 and 11 depend from claim 1, either directly or indirectly, claims 2-4, 10 and 11 are similarly rejected.
Claim 17 discloses a “pull buckle”. It is unclear what is meant by this phrase and the Specification does not provide a clear explanation, thus rendering the claim indefinite.
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) 1-4, 10, 11 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over USPAP 2023/0200553 (Leng ‘553 hereinafter) in view of USPAP 2015/0230621 (Spinks et al. hereinafter) and USPAP 2025/0176733 (Leng ‘733 hereinafter).
With regard to claim 1, insofar as claim 1 is definite, Leng ‘553 discloses an elastic mattress, comprising:
a spring module (200), and
a cushion layer (Fig. 20C) laid on an upper layer of the spring module (200), wherein:
the spring module (200) is a plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) defining staggered or array arrangements,
the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) are tapered springs,
the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) form large end surfaces and small end surfaces (Fig. 5E),
sections of the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) are disposed with one or more connection structures (32),
adjacent pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) of the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) are connected by the one or more connection structures (32) or connected by the one or more connection structures (32) and one or more third connecting members (31).
Leng ‘553 does not disclose wherein the plurality of pre-compressed springs are inverted tapered springs, that small end surfaces are downwardly disposed to form a bottom surface, the large end surfaces are upwardly disposed to form a lying supporting surface or a plurality of straps with pull buckles are disposed on side edges around the cushion layer, and the plurality of straps with pull buckles form a detachable connection with one or more of the one or more connection structures on one or more of the plurality of pre- compressed springs that are disposed on an outer periphery of the spring module or one or more of the one or more third connecting members configured be connected to the one or more of the plurality of pre-compressed springs.
Spinks et al. teaches a mattress with springs (12) wherein the springs (12) are inverted tapered springs, that small end surfaces are downwardly disposed to form a bottom surface, the large end surfaces are upwardly disposed to form a lying supporting surface (Fig.’s 1 and 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the apparatus disclosed by Leng ‘553 by inverting the tapered springs as taught by Spinks et al. for the purposes of optimizing stability (paragraph [0052]).
Leng ‘733 teaches a plurality of straps (51) with pull buckles disposed on side edges around a cushion layer (5), and the plurality of straps (51) with pull buckles form a detachable connection with one or more connection structures (31) on one or more of a plurality of pre-compressed springs (23) that are disposed on an outer periphery of a spring module or one or more third connecting members configured be connected to the one or more of the plurality of pre-compressed springs.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to further modify the apparatus disclosed by Leng ‘553 by providing a plurality of straps with pull buckles disposed on side edges around a cushion layer, and the plurality of straps with pull buckles form a detachable connection with one or more connection structures on one or more of a plurality of pre-compressed springs that are disposed on an outer periphery of a spring module or one or more third connecting members configured be connected to the one or more of the plurality of pre-compressed springs as taught by Leng ‘733. for the purposes of fixing the cushion layer (paragraph [0020]).
With regard to claim 2, insofar as claim 2 is definite, the Leng ‘553 modification with regard to claim 1 discloses the elastic mattress according to claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) comprise tapered spring sleeves (29A) and connecting seats extending from tapered end surfaces of the tapered spring sleeves (29A),
the tapered spring sleeves (29A) are configured to accommodate the inverted tapered springs thereinto to form pre-compressed forces applied to the inverted tapered springs, and the connecting seats are disposed at any position within upper sections as 1/3 of the tapered spring sleeve and are configured for installing the one or more connection structures (32).
With regard to claim 3, insofar as claim 3 is definite, the Leng ‘553 modification with regard to claim 1 discloses the elastic mattress according to claim 1, wherein:
the one or more third connecting members (31) are made of elastic materials or flexible materials.
With regard to claim 4, insofar as claim 4 is definite, the Leng ‘553 modification with regard to claim 1 discloses the elastic mattress according to claim 2, wherein:
the spring module (200) comprises one or more spring bases (5E) for assembling the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]), and
spring fixing seats are fixedly connected to the one or more spring bases (5E), or the one or more spring bases (5E) are configured to be releasably buckled to the spring fixing seats.
With regard to claim 10, insofar as claim 10 is definite, the Leng ‘553 modification with regard to claim 1 discloses the elastic mattress according to claim 1, wherein:
the one or more connection structures (32) are disposed at any position within sections of 1/2 or 1/3 of heights of the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) along the large end surfaces, or
the one or more connection structures (32) are buckled to the one or more third connecting members (31).
With regard to claim 11, insofar as claim 11 is definite, the Leng ‘553 modification with regard to claim 1 discloses the elastic mattress according to claim 10, wherein:
the one or more connection structures (32) and the one or more third connecting members (31) are made of elastic materials or flexible materials.
With regard to claim 17, insofar as claim 17 is definite, the Leng ‘553 modification with regard to claim 1 discloses an elastic mattress, comprising:
a spring module (200), and
a cushion layer (Fig. 20C) laid on an upper layer of the spring module (200), wherein:
the spring module (200) is spliced by a plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]),
the spring module (200) is the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) defining staggered or array arrangements,
the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) are inverted tapered springs,
the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) form large end surfaces and small end surfaces (Fig. 5E), small end surfaces are downwardly disposed to form a bottom surface,
the large end surfaces are upwardly disposed to form a lying supporting surface,
a plurality of snapping slots are disposed on any position within upper sections as 1/3 of the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]),
adjacent pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) of the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) form a buckled connection through one or more third connecting members (31) and the plurality of snapping slots,
each of the one or more third connecting members (31) comprises two elastic snapping ends and a connecting part connected to the two elastic snapping ends,
the connecting part has an elastic deformation amount configured to enable the two elastic snapping ends to move away from each other,
the two elastic snapping ends are configured to squeeze the two elastic snapping ends to contract inward to release the buckled connection when being buckled in the plurality of snapping slots,
a plurality of straps with pull buckles are disposed on side edges around the cushion layer (Fig. 20C), and
the plurality of straps with pull buckles form a detachable connection with one or more connection structures (32) on one or more of the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]) that are disposed on an outer periphery of the spring module (200) or the one or more third connecting members (31) configured be connected to the one or more of the plurality of pre-compressed springs (110, paragraph [0339]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USPAP’s 2013/0334747, 2024/0349903, 2024/0358164, 2024/0398129, 2025/0194810, 2025/0194814, 2025/0194819, 2025/0288122, 2025/0311852, 2025/0311853, 2025/0311861, 2025/0331652 and 2025/0344873 as well as USP’s 53,579, 493,427, 1,111,075, 1,678,400, 1,718,522 and 2,841,209 disclose structures similar to that claimed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON R EASTMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3132. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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, Justin C. Mikowski can be reached at (571) 272-8525. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AARON R EASTMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3673