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
Claims 7-26 are withdrawn from further consideration. Applicant made the election of Group I, directed to the embodiment in figures 12-13, without traverse, in the response dated 01/29/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim 7 is withdrawn by the examiner for not readable on the elected embodiment. Note that there is no elastic component in the elected embodiment and the magnetic attraction is NOT in the locked state as the elected embodiment shows the magnetic attraction between 41 and 31 is in the unlocked state as slider 32 is pulled out.
“a first elastic component, the first elastic component is connected to both the first movable component and the first stacking device to apply a force to the first movable component; when the first fitting component fits with the second fitting component via magnetic attraction in the locked state, the first elastic component has a tendency of driving the first snapping portion to move away from the second snapping portion; and when the first fitting component fits with the second fitting component through magnetic attraction in the unlocked state, the first elastic component has a tendency of driving the first snapping portion to move towards the second snapping portion.”
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 6 is 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. It is unclear whether claim 6 readable on the elected species as it reads “the first fitting component fits with the second fitting component via magnetic attraction in the locked state”. Figs. 12 shows the lock state in which two magnets at 41 and 31 are not attractive. Fig. 13 shows the same embodiment with two magnets at 41 and 31 are not attractive in the unlock state. Please explain. If this claim reads on the elected embodiment, please explain, and if not please withdrawn.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fiedler (US 8739371).
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(53) A locking device of the described kind can for example be employed for buttons for clothing; for belt buckles (advantage: upon looping in a retracted blocking piece does not get caught on trouser loops); for a connection of two pieces of luggage or of modular carrier boxes; for a coupling of a piece of luggage or a transport box with a loading area of a vehicle (advantage: heavy boxes do not have to be lifted in order to be unlocked or raised over a multitude of blocking pieces spread out on the loading area); for toys, e.g. for the coupling of a toy train
In the locked state, corresponding to the closing position of the locking device 1 and illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the catch sections 222a, 222b of the blocking pieces 22a, 22b then engage with the catch sections 340a, 340b of the spring lock elements 34a, 34b, so that via this engagement the first locking part 2 is held in an engaging, positive-locking manner on the second locking part 3.
223, 223a, 223b Magnet
331, 331a, 331b Magnet
Regarding claim 1, Fiedler teaches a stacking system (note the two pieces of luggage cited above) comprising a first stacking device (at 3) and a second stacking device (at 2), wherein the first stacking device and the second stacking device are stacked along a Z direction (note the Z direction is broad and this direction can be any direction in the connection of the two luggage), the first stacking device is provided with a first fitting structure (3), the second stacking device is provided with a second fitting structure (2); and the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure each have a locked state (fig. 11A and B cited above) and an unlocked state (fig. 12A and B), when the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure are in the locked state, the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure are locked with each other to connect the first stacking device with the second stacking device; when the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure are in the unlocked state, the first fitting structure is capable of being released from the second fitting structure; wherein the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure are capable of being locked with each other or being released from each other via a magnetic force (223/331 cited above).
Regarding claim 2, note first fitting structure comprises a first fitting component (322a/b), the second fitting structure comprises a second fitting component (222a/b), and the first fitting component fits with the second fitting component via magnetic attraction or magnetic repulsion.
Regarding claim 3, note the first fitting structure further comprises a first movable component (34+33+322), the first movable component is movably connected to the first stacking device, and the first fitting component is mounted on the first movable component.
Regarding claim 4, first movable component comprises a seat (322) and a first snapping portion (34a, note that the “snapping” portion as disclosed is a hook and 34a of Fiedler comprise the same hook) disposed on the seat, the seat is movably connected to the first stacking device; and the second fitting structure (at 2) comprises a second snapping portion (22a) disposed on the second stacking device, the first snapping portion is capable of being inserted into and fitting with the second snapping portion to form the locked state (fig. 11B).
Regarding claim 5, note the second fitting component is mounted on the second stacking device (2), and the first fitting component fits with the second fitting component via magnetic attraction (via 331/222).
Regarding claim 6, note first snapping portion (34a) which is connected to the seat (322), and the other end of the first snapping portion (34) extends towards or away from a center of the first stacking device wherein the first movable component is capable of driving the first snapping portion to move by an external force (via 33) to release the first snapping portion from the second snapping portion to form the unlocked state; when the first fitting component fits with the second fitting component via magnetic attraction in the locked state, the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure are capable of being positioned by the first fitting component and the second fitting component via magnetic attraction; when the first fitting component fits with the second fitting component through magnetic attraction in the unlocked state, the first fitting structure and the second fitting structure are capable of being positioned by the first fitting component and the second fitting component via magnetic attraction.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRI M MAI whose telephone number is (571)272-4541. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm (Mon-Friday).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathan Jenness can be reached at (571) 270-5055. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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TRI M. MAI
Examiner
Art Unit 3733
/TRI M MAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3733
Prosecution Insights