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 § 103
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, 7, 8, and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Childress US 5,483,925 in view of Finlan GB 2493700.
Regarding claims 1, 8, and 15, Childress discloses a pet restraint system comprising: a collar clip (34); a pet lead (18); a headrest anchor (14, 16); a swivel connector (48) the pet lead comprising a lead cable (18), a first lead loop (32), and a second lead loop (26); the headrest anchor comprising an anchor cable (14, 16), a first anchor loop (42), and a second anchor loop (44); the first lead loop and the second lead loop being each formed by an end of the lead cable being looped and secured by a lead loop sleeve (30, 24); the first anchor loop and the second anchor loop being each formed by an end of the anchor cable being looped and secured by an anchor loop sleeve (38, 40); the collar clip being rotatably coupled to the first lead loop by the cable connector (Childress, column 2: lines 40-41). Childress fails to disclose a fulcrum; the collar clip as claimed; or the second lead loop being rotatably coupled to the anchor cable by the swivel connector.
Finlan teaches a fulcrum (15); the collar clip comprising a first lever (11), a second lever (12), and a clip body (10); the first lever comprising a first clasp (20); the second lever comprising a second clasp (13); the clip body comprising an upper body portion and a lower body portion (Finlan, Figure 2A); the second lead loop coupled to the anchor cable (at 28); the upper body portion comprising a collar-receiving cavity (9); the lower body comprising a cable connector (16); the first lever and the second lever being rotatably coupled to the clip body by the fulcrum (Finlan, Figure 2C); the collar-receiving cavity being centrally positioned on the clip body (Finlan, Figure 2A); a cavity opening of the collar-receiving cavity being operatively occluded by the first clasp and the second clasp (Finlan, Figure 2C).
Childress discloses swivel connectors (34, 46, 48) but does not disclose the second lead loop rotatably coupled to the anchor cable by a swivel connector. However, swivel connectors are known in the art to provide rotatable connections between points or leads (evidenced by US 8,151,737; US 2021/0274753).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to substitute the collar clip of Finlan for the collar clip of Childress as to provide a quick release clip (Finlan, page 3: lines 14-19), and to connect the second lead loop to the anchor cable by a swivel connector as known in the art to allow the lead to rotate in relation to the anchor cable. Childress in view of Finlan is capable of performing the functional limitations of claims 8 and 15.
Regarding claim 7, Childress in view of Finlan further discloses the collar clip further comprising at least one tensioner (22); and the at least one tensioner being coupled to the first lever and the second lever (Finlan, Figure 4B).
Regarding claim 13, Childress in view of Finlan discloses the device of claim 1 but fails to disclose the swivel being made of steel.
The examiner takes official notice that steel swivels are known in the art.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the swivel of Childress to be steel as known in the art as to ensure the strength of the swivel.
Regarding claim 14, Childress in view of Finlan further discloses the anchor cable and the lead cable being arranged into a T-shaped configuration; and the swivel connector being at a nexus of the T-shaped configuration (Childress, Figure 2).
Claim(s) 2-6 and 16-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Childress US 5,483,925 in view of Finlan GB 2493700, as applied to claims 1, 7, 8, and 13-15 above, and in further view of Beck US 2017/0274965.
Regarding claims 2-6, Childress in view of Finlan discloses the device of claim 1 but fails to disclose the loops comprising loop shields.
Beck teaches steel cable loops having metal loop shields (1210).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to modify the cable loops of Childress in view of Finlan with loop shields as taught by Beck as to protect the loops from damage (Beck, ¶0007). Childress in view of Finlan and Beck is capable of performing the functional limitations of the claims.
Regarding claim 16-18, Childress discloses a pet restraint system comprising: a collar clip (34); a pet lead (18); a headrest anchor (14, 16); a swivel connector (48) the pet lead comprising a lead cable (18), a first lead loop (32), and a second lead loop (26); the headrest anchor comprising an anchor cable (14, 16), a first anchor loop (42), and a second anchor loop (44); the first lead loop and the second lead loop being each formed by an end of the lead cable being looped and secured by a lead loop sleeve (30, 24); the first anchor loop and the second anchor loop being each formed by an end of the anchor cable being looped and secured by an anchor loop sleeve (38, 40); the collar clip being rotatably coupled to the first lead loop by the cable connector (Childress, column 2: lines 40-41). Childress fails to disclose a fulcrum; the collar clip as claimed; the second lead loop being rotatably coupled to the anchor cable by the swivel connector; or the loops comprising loop shields.
Finlan teaches a fulcrum (15); the collar clip comprising a first lever (11), a second lever (12), and a clip body (10); the first lever comprising a first clasp (20); the second lever comprising a second clasp (13); the clip body comprising an upper body portion and a lower body portion (Finlan, Figure 2A); the second lead loop coupled to the anchor cable (at 28); the upper body portion comprising a collar-receiving cavity (9); the lower body comprising a cable connector (16); the first lever and the second lever being rotatably coupled to the clip body by the fulcrum (Finlan, Figure 2C); the collar-receiving cavity being centrally positioned on the clip body (Finlan, Figure 2A); a cavity opening of the collar-receiving cavity being operatively occluded by the first clasp and the second clasp (Finlan, Figure 2C).
Childress discloses swivel connectors (34, 46, 48) but does not disclose the second lead loop rotatably coupled to the anchor cable by a swivel connector. However, swivel connectors are known in the art to provide rotatable connections between points or leads (evidenced by US 8,151,737; US 2021/0274753).
Beck teaches steel cable loops having metal loop shields (1210).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to substitute the collar clip of Finlan for the collar clip of Childress as to provide a quick release clip (Finlan, page 3: lines 14-19), and to connect the second lead loop to the anchor cable by a swivel connector as known in the art to allow the lead to rotate in relation to the anchor cable and to modify the cable loops of Childress in view of Finlan with loop shields as taught by Beck as to protect the loops from damage (Beck, ¶0007). Childress in view of Finlan and Beck is capable of performing the functional limitations of claim 18.
Regarding claim 20, Childress in view of Finlan and Beck further discloses the anchor cable and the lead cable being arranged into a T-shaped configuration; and the swivel connector being at a nexus of the T-shaped configuration (Childress, Figure 2).
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Childress US 5,483,925 in view of Finlan GB 2493700 and of Beck US 2017/0274965, as applied to claims 2-6 and 16-20 above, and in further view of Hofmann DE 202013002900.
Regarding claim 19, Childress in view of Finlan and Beck further discloses the anchor cable and the lead cable are two steel cables (Childress, column 2: line 52), each of the two steel cables is sleeved with a material (Childress, column 2: line 52) and being a multi-strand steel cable. Childress in view of Finlan and Beck fails to disclose the swivel connector being a steel swivel, the cable being sleeved with fabric, or the cable being 7 strands.
The examiner takes official notice that steel swivels and 7-strand cables are known in the art.
Hofmann teaches a cable of a pet restraint system being sheathed in fabric (Hofmann translation, abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success for the multi-strand cable of Childress to be a 7-strand steel cable as known in the art as to provide cables of suitable strength for the lead and anchor, invention to modify the swivel of Childress to be steel as known in the art as to ensure the strength of the swivel, and to modify the cable of Childress in view of Finlan so that the cable was sheathed in fabric as taught by Hofmann as protect the cable and make it more comfortable for the user.
Claim(s) 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Childress US 5,483,925 in view of Finlan GB 2493700, as applied to claims 1, 7, 8, and 12-15 above, and in further view of Hofmann DE 202013002900.
Regarding claims 9 and 11, Childress in view of Finlan further discloses the cables being sheathed in plastic (Childress, column 2: line 52). Childress in view of Finlan fails to disclose the cables being sheathed in fabric.
Hofmann teaches a cable of a pet restraint system being sheathed in fabric (Hofmann translation, abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention with a reasonable expectation of success to modify the cable of Childress in view of Finlan so that the cable was sheathed in fabric as taught by Hofmann as protect the cable and make it more comfortable for the user.
Regarding claims 10 and 12, Childress in view of Finlan and Hofmann further discloses the cable being a multi-strand steel cable (Childress, column 2: lines 51-53). Not disclosed is the cable being a 7-strand steel cable.
However, the examiner takes official notice that 7-strand cables are known in the art.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the multi-strand cable of Childress to be a 7-strand steel cable as known in the art as to provide cables of suitable strength for the lead and anchor.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 8,151,737.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISTEN C HAYES whose telephone number is (571)272-7881. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-6pm.
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/KRISTEN C HAYES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642