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
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) 1-3 and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)as being anticipated by Cai et al. (US 12,312,126) which in figures 5 and 6 below disclose the following claimed invention:
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In re claim 1: A tool storage case system comprising: a pair of storage cases that can be releasably connected to each other, each storage case 30 defining an interior storage space and comprising: a first housing member 310 having a first connection structure 350, a first back wall BW1, a first front wall FW1, a pair of first side walls SW1 extending between the first front wall FW1 and first back wall BW1, and a first base wall bW1 extending between the first front wall FW1, the first back wall BW1 and the pair of first side walls SW1; a second housing member 311 having a second connection structure 320, a second back wall BW2, a second front wall FW2, a pair of second side walls SW2 extending between the second front wall FW2 and second back wall BW2, and a second base wall bW2 extending between the second front wall FW2, the second back wall BW2 and the pair of second side walls SW2; a pair of hinges H extending rearwardly from the first and second back walls BW1/BW2 and joining the first and second housing members 310/311 to pivot relative to each other between an open position wherein the interior storage space can be accessed and a closed position wherein the interior storage space is enclosed by the housing members 310/311, the pair of hinges H located on an exterior side of each of the first and second back walls BW!/BW2; a latch 330 extending rearwardly from the exterior side of the second back wall BW2 no further than the pair of hinges H, the latch 330 located between the pair of hinges H and mounted to the second back wall BW2 to pivot between a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch 330 extending rearwardly no further than the pair of hinges H with the latch 330 in the latched position; and a latch engagement structure 340 located on the exterior side of the first back wall BW1 between the pair of hinges H; and wherein: the pair of storage cases 300 can be releasably connected to each other with the first connection structure 350 of one of the storage cases 300 of the pair of storage cases 300 engaged with the second connection structure 320 of the other storage case 300 of the pair of storage containers ( see FIG.5 above), and the latch 330 of the one of the storage cases 300 of the pair of storage cases 300 engaged with the latch engagement structure 340 of the other storage case 300 with the latch 330 in the latched position (see FIGs.5 and 6 of Cai above).
In re claim 2: the first connection structure 350 of each storage case 300 comprises a pair of spaced cleats SC formed on the exterior side of the first base wall bW1; and the second connection structure 320 of each storage case 300 comprises a pair of spaced receptacles SR formed on the exterior side of the second base wall bW2 that are sized to receive the pair of spaced cleats SC (see FIGs.5 and 6 of Cai above).
In re claim 3: each of the cleats SC extends from the first base wall bW1 at a location adjacent the first front wall FW1; and each of the receptacles SR extends from the second base wall bW2 at a location adjacent to the second front wall FW2 (see FIGs.5 and 6 of Cai above).
In re claim 6: each storage case 300 of the pair of storage cases 300 further comprises an additional latch AL extending from the first and second front walls FW!/FW2 with the housing members 310/320 in the closed position to retain the housing members 310/320 in the closed position (see FIGs.5 and 6 of Cai above).
In re claim 7: the additional latch AL of each storage case 300 of the pair of storage cases 300 is mounted to the second front wall FW2 to translate relative to the second front wall FW2 between a retaining position wherein the latch AL retains the first and second housing members 310/320 in the closed position and a releasing position wherein the first and second housing members 310/320 can be moved to the open position from the closed position (see FIGs.5 and 6 of Cai above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 5 appear to define over the available prior art and therefore allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to the Applicant’s arguments that Cai et al. fails to disclose a pair of hinges. The Examiner disagrees, as shown below in figures 6 and 15, the storage case 300 clearly discloses a hinge structure as seen in figure 6, the short and long rib support the lid from being opened and closed, this structure is present because of the hinge. In figure 15 the hinge structure is further defined by the structure and a hinge pin that runs through the ribs which further supports the disclosed hinge.
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The origin of the drawing is immaterial. For instance, drawings in a design patent can anticipate or make obvious the claimed invention, as can drawings in utility patents. When the reference is a utility patent, it does not matter that the feature shown is unintended or unexplained in the specification. The drawings must be evaluated for what they reasonably disclose and suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Aslanian, 590 F.2d 911, 200 USPQ 500 (CCPA 1979). MPEP § 2125.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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