DETAILED ACTION
This non-final Office action is in response to the claims filed on December 19, 2026.
Status of claims: claims 1-16 are hereby examined below.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/22/2025, 1/6/2025 and 12/19/2024 were considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because: at what cross-section were FIGS. 2b and 3a-3f taken? Also, “34” on the left in FIG. 2a lacks a lead line.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3-6, 9, 12 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 6 – shouldn’t “which” be amended to “wherein the”
Claim 1, line 7 – shouldn’t “the area” be amended to “an area”
Claim 1, line 11 – shouldn’t “which” be amended to “wherein the”
Claim 1, line 11 – shouldn’t “locate” be amended to “are located”
Claim 1, line 11 – shouldn’t “the area” be amended to “an area”
Claim 1, line 13 – shouldn’t “which” be amended to “wherein the”
Claim 1, line 14 – shouldn’t “which” be amended to “wherein the”
Claim 1, line 16 – shouldn’t “section(s)” be amended to “sections”
Claim 1, line 18 – shouldn’t “which” be amended to “wherein the”
Claim 1, line 19 – shouldn’t “which” be amended to “wherein the”
Claim 1, line 21 – shouldn’t “the width” be amended to “a width”
Claim 3, line 1 – shouldn’t “claim 2” be amended to “claim 2,” for consistency
Claim 4, line 1 – shouldn’t “claim 1” be amended to “claim 1,” for consistency
Claim 4, line 6 – shouldn’t “second” be amended to “the second”
Claim 4, line 6 – shouldn’t “said first and second ends” be amended to “said first and second ends of the first and second fastening laths”
Claim 5, line 1 – shouldn’t “claim 4” be amended to “claim 4,” for consistency
Claim 5, line 2 – shouldn’t’ “said deviator” be amended to “said respective deviator”
Claim 6, line 1 – shouldn’t’ “said deviator” be amended to “said respective deviator”
Claim 9, line 1 – shouldn’t “claim 1” be amended to “claim 1,” for consistency
Claim 12, line 2 – shouldn’t “a corded” be amended to “the corded”
Claim 15, line 1 – shouldn’t “claim 12” be amended to “claim 12,” for consistency
Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
Claims 1-10, 12-14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 4733711 to Schon.
Schon discloses a corded sunshade comprising
– a protective screen 4 having
– a first side edge and a second side edge, (see figures below)
a first end edge and a second end edge,
– at least one first cord 9 and at least one second cord 10 for supporting the protective screen, which at least one first and second cords have at least one cord section extending outside the area covered by the protective screen,
- a first channel and a second channel (the channels are formed by elements 30-33; see figures below) configured to enclose the cord sections of the at least one first cord and the at least one second cord extending outside the area covered by the protective screen,
- which first and second channels locate outside the area bordered by the first and second side edges of the protective screen, and
- which first and second channels have a first side and a second side defining a gap therebetween, which gap is narrower than the first channel and the second channel, (see annotated figures below) and
- at least one deviator for steering the cord section(s) of the at least one first cord and the at least one second cord into the first and second channels respectively,
- which deviator comprises a holder (see annotated figures below, note element 7 has been included as part of the deviator) for receiving and guiding the first and second cords, which holder is configured to prevent the first and second cords from escaping from the deviator,
wherein the gap in the first and second channels is narrower than the width of the holder of the deviator. (claim 1)
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (holder)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (channel)][AltContent: textbox (2nd side edge)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (1st end edge)][AltContent: textbox (1st side edge)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (gap)][AltContent: textbox (2nd end edge)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
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Schon further discloses wherein the sunshade further comprises a first edge strip 8 at the first end edge of the protective screen, a second edge strip 3 at the second end edge of the protective screen, the first and second edge strips having first and second ends and the at least one first and second cords are configured to enter into the first edge strip, to travel from the first edge strip to the second edge strip and to exit from the second edge strip (22) and the at least one deviator is arranged to the first and second ends of the first and second edge strips. (see annotated figures above) (claim 2)
Schon further discloses wherein the first and second edge strips comprise end plugs 14 at their first and second ends and said deviator is integrated into said end plugs. (see annotated figures above) (claim 3)
Schon further discloses wherein the sunshade further comprises a first fastening lath 7 and a second fastening lath 2 for attaching the corded sunshade to a glazing element, the first and second fastening laths having first and second ends, the first ends of the first and second cords extend inside the first fastening lath and the second ends of the first and second cords extend inside second fastening lath via said first and second ends and at least one deviator is arranged to the first and second ends of the first and second fastening laths. (claim 4)
Schon further discloses wherein the first and second fastening laths comprise end pieces (also numbered 14; see annotated figures above) at their first and second ends and said deviator is integrated into said end pieces. (claim 5)
Schon further discloses wherein the deviator comprises a shaped metal wire. (see annotated figures above) (claim 6)
Schon further discloses wherein said gap is at least partially covered by at least one deformable seal 30. (see annotated figures above) (claim 7)
Schon further discloses wherein said at least one seal is an integral part of the first and second channel or said at least one seal is a separate sealing element attached to the first and second channels. (see annotated figures above) (claim 8)
Schon further discloses wherein at least one steering element (element 14 extending from element 7; see annotated figures above) configured to steer the at least one first and second cords out of the first and second channels. (claim 9)
Schon further discloses wherein said steering element is arranged to the first and/or second ends of the first and second channels. (see annotated figures above) (claim 10)
Schon further discloses a glazing element comprising a transparent panel (behind the protective screen 4 in FIG. 4) comprising a first end border and a second end border, a first side border and a second side border and a corded sunshade according to claim 1 installed to said glazing element. (claim 12)
Schon further discloses wherein the first channel is attached next to the first side border and the second channel is attached next to the second side border and the first and second channels extend from the first end border to the second end border of the transparent panel. (see annotated figures above) (claim 13)
Schon further discloses wherein the first and second channels open towards each other and the width of the protective screen is less than or equal to the clearance between first and second channels. (see annotated figures above) (claim 14)
Schon further discloses wherein said glazing element is a window, a door having a window or a terrace glazing element. (see col. 1 of Schon) (claim 16)
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 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 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schon, as applied to claim 1 above, in view of
Schon fails to disclose wherein said first and second channels are made of transparent material. On the other hand, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the Schon channels of transparent material for aesthetic reasons as well as since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of design choice. (claim 11)
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schon, as applied to claim 12 above, in view of US 7216687 to Franssen.
Schon fails to disclose a first side profile at the first side border and a second side profile at the second side border of the transparent panel and the first and second channels are attached to the first and second side profiles or integrated into the first and second side profiles.
Franssen teaches of a first side profile at the first side border and a second side profile 18 at the second side border of the transparent panel and first and second guides 109,111 are attached to the first and second side profiles or integrated into the first and second side profiles.
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Schon with side profiles as taught by Franssen with a reasonable expectation of success for aesthetic reasons, to assist with mounting of the corded shade to a window opening, and to protect the first and second channels from dirt and debris.
Additionally, by combining the teachings of Franssen with Schon, Schon, as applied above, discloses the first and second channels are attached to the first and second side profiles or integrated into the first and second side profiles. (claim 15)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCUS MENEZES whose telephone number is (571) 272-5225. The examiner can normally be reached on M - F 7:30 -4 PST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor Daniel Cahn can be reached on 571-270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Marcus Menezes/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634
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