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
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) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brunner (US 10,793,172), which in figures 3-8 disclose the following claimed invention:
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In re claim 1: a mating interface (see figures 6B-6D above) for selectively securing a first container 20/30 relative to a second container 20/30 in a stacked configuration along a stacking direction, the interface comprising: a projection P positioned on one of the first container 20/30 and the second container 20/30, the projection P being spaced apart from a surface S to form a gap 92, the gap 92 being open O in a direction transverse to the stacking direction; and a coupler 64 moveably mounted to the other of the first container 20/30 and the second container 20/30, the coupler 64 moveable in the direction transverse to the stacking direction between a first position (fig.6D) and a second position (fig.6C), in the first position (6D), a portion of the coupler 64 is positioned within the gap 82 thereby preventing the first container 20/30 and the second container 20/30 from being separated along the stacking direction, and in the second position (fig.6C), the coupler 64 is not positioned within the gap 92 (see figures 3-8 of Brunner).
In re claim 2: a tab 90 terminates a portion of the gap 92 such that a portion of the gap 92 is closed (fig.6D) along the stacking direction, and wherein the coupler 64 is configured to engage and overlap the tab 90 with respect to the stacking direction while in the first position (fig,6D) (see figures 6B-6D above of Brunner).
In re claim 3: a depth of the gap 92 is defined between a tab 90 and a depressed surface, and wherein the tab and the depressed surface S are formed on a common container with the gap 92 (see figures 6B-6D above of Brunner).
In re claim 4: while in the first position (fig.6D), the coupler 64 is disposed between the tab 90 and the depressed surface S such that the tab 90, depressed surface S, and coupler 66 of 64 overlap each another with respect to the stacking direction (see figures 6B-6D above of Brunner).
In re claim 5: the coupler 64 is biased toward the first position (fig.6D) (col.10, ll.14-15), wherein the tab 90 includes an incline 138/140 configured to engage with the coupler 64 during stacking of the first container 20/30 and the second container 20/30, and wherein engagement between the coupler 64 and the incline 138/140 along the stacking direction urges the coupler 64 against the biasing force and away from the first position (fig.6D) (see col.10, ll.14-30),
In re claim 6: the coupler 64 engages the incline 138/140 at the interface, wherein the coupler 64 moves in the direction transverse to the stacking direction as the first storage container 20/30 is brought closer to the second storage container 20/30 along the stacking direction, and wherein the coupler 64 is urged by the biasing force to the first position (fig.6D) once the coupler 64 passes beyond the tab 90 along with respect to the stacking direction (see col.10, ll.14-30),
In re claim 7: the first container 20/30 and the second container 20/30 stacked at the interface are prevented from shifting relative one another across the stacking direction while the coupler 64 is in either of the first position (fig.6D) and the second position (fig.6C) (see figures 6B-6D above of Brunner).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-17 appear to define over the prior art of record and therefore allowed. The combination of structural limitations including , “a latch moveable against a biasing force in a second direction transverse to the first direction, the latch moveable between a first position and a second position, at least a portion of the latch extending through at least one side of the pockets while the latch is in the first position, the latch retracted with respect to the sides of the pockets while the latch is in the second position” as claimed in claim 8 is not anticipated or made obvious over the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Se the attached PTO-892 for prior art that teaches and suggest structural limitations of the claimed and disclosed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERNESTO A GRANO whose telephone number is (571)270-3927. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00-3:30 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony Stashick can be reached at (571)272-4561. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERNESTO A GRANO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3735