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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: In paragraph [0037], line 4, “6and” should read –6 and--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-4 are 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 which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 discloses “the lead screw and the assembly hole are connected”. While it is clear how one would connect an element to the rim of a hole or to an article in which a hole has been made, it is not clear how one of ordinary skill in the art would attach something to an actual hole, thus rendering the claim indefinite.
With regard to claims 3 and 4, in that claims 3 and 4 depend from claim 2, either directly or indirectly, claims 3 and 4 are similarly rejected.
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 (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 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) 1-3 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over USPAP 2025/0040727 (Yang hereinafter) in view of USP 12,484,711 (Bisgaard hereinafter) and .CN 111760297 (Guo hereinafter). Any references made to the text of Guo refer to the provided English translation.
With regard to claim 1, Yang discloses a cradle movement mechanism, comprising a vertical movement mechanism (6), a horizontal rotation mechanism (4) and a mounting base (5), wherein
the vertical movement mechanism (6) comprises a first driving member (61), a rack (67) and pinion (65, 66), the first driving member (61) drives pinion (65, 66), so that the rack (67) moves up and down to drive the mounting base (5) fixed on the rack (67) to move up and down;
the horizontal rotation mechanism (4) comprises a second driving member and a main rotor;
the main rotor is fixedly connected with the vertical movement mechanism (6), and when the second driving member drives the main rotor to rotate, the vertical movement mechanism (6) and the mounting base (5) are driven to do a horizontal circular movement.
Yang does not disclose a lead screw and a nut wherein the first driving member drives the lead screw to rotate forward and backward, so that the nut moves up and down along the lead screw to drive the mounting base fixed on the nut to move up and down.
Bisgaard teaches a vertically adjustable crib or bassinet (col. 1 lines 28-29) wherein the vertical displacement is achieved via lead screws, and that lead screws are an acceptable and reliable substitution for rack and pinion mechanisms (col. 2 lines 37-67), but does not teach structural details of a lead screw mechanism.
Guo teaches a lead screw mechanism for the raising and lowering of a piece of children’s furniture comprising a lead screw (16) and a nut (in center of through hole in 15 or 21) wherein a first driving member (20) drives the lead screw (16) to rotate forward and backward, so that the nut (in center of through hole in 15 or 21) moves up and down along the lead screw (16) to drive a mounting base (15 or 21) fixed on the nut (in center of through hole in 15 or 21) to move up and down (see description of Embodiment 1 in the provided English translation provided).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to modify the apparatus disclosed by Yang by producing a lead screw and a nut wherein the first driving member drives the lead screw to rotate forward and backward, so that the nut moves up and down along the lead screw to drive the mounting base fixed on the nut to move up and down as taught by Guo in light of the teachings of Bisgaard for the purposes of providing an alternative lifting mechanism with a reasonable expectation of success.
With regard to claim 2, insofar as claim 2 is definite, the Yang modification with regard to claim 1 discloses the cradle movement mechanism according to claim 1,
wherein the vertical movement mechanism (6) further comprises a platform (3);
an assembly hole is formed at the center of the platform (this assembly is shown at the center of elements 21 and 15 of Guo);
a fixed end of the lead screw (16) passes through the assembly hole and is fixedly connected with the first driving member (61);
the lead screw (16) and the assembly hole are connected rotatably by a first bearing.
With regard to claim 3, insofar as claim 3 is definite, the Yang modification with regard to claim 1 discloses the cradle movement mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the platform (3) is provided with guide posts (16);
the mounting base (5) is provided with guide grooves (17);
when the mounting base (5) moves up and down, the guide grooves (17) move up and down along the guide posts (16).
With regard to claim 10, insofar as claim 10 is definite, the Yang modification with regard to claim 1 discloses a crib, comprising
a lower cover (9),
an upper cover (8),
a crib frame (2) and the cradle movement mechanism according to claim 1;
the bottom of the lower cover (4) is detachably connected with a plurality of legs (Fig.’s 1 and 2);
the bottom of the crib frame (2) is detachably connected with a bed plate support (20);
the upper cover (8) is provided with a mounting slot (81);
the mounting base, the vertical movement mechanism (6) and the horizontal rotation mechanism are assembled and arranged in the lower cover (9, Fig. 2);
the upper cover (8) is mated above the lower cover (9), and a part of the mounting base extends out of the mounting slot (81) and is detachably connected with the bed plate support (20).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-9 and 11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USP 11,805,922 discloses an apparatus similar to that claimed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON R EASTMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3132. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Justin C. Mikowski can be reached at (571) 272-8525. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AARON R EASTMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3673