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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Claim Interpretation
In regards to claim 1, the limitation, “and after the pendant rod (4) is detached from the pendant rod mounting portion (3), a ceiling mounting portion (5) for ceiling mounting is assembled on an upper surface of the base (1) detachably.” Reads like a method claim. However, claim 1 is an apparatus claim and requires the structure of claim 1 to be anticipated.
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.
Claim 10 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 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. In regards to the limitation of claim 10, “being assembled at a bottom side of the driver” It is unclear as to what the “bottom of the driver’ is? There are no provided relative directions provided in claim 1 or claim 1. Is the bottom considered closest to the wall? Closest to the floor? Or the physical bottom of the driver substrate? (which is the interpretation the Examiner is taking). Further clarification 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 (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 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 1-4, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kang et al. 2021/0215163.
Regarding claim 1, Kang discloses a ceiling-pendant type dual-purpose suspension structure (Kang, ceiling fan 1), comprising a base (1) (Kang, base cover 30) and a driver (2) (Kang, driver IC) [0118] arranged on the base (1), wherein a pendant rod mounting portion (3) (Kang, shaft connecting part 33 in coupling device 96) [108] is arranged at an upper end of the base (1), a pendant rod (4) (Kang, rod 10) for pendant mounting is assembled on the pendant rod mounting portion (3) detachably, and after the pendant rod (4) is detached from the pendant rod mounting portion (3), a ceiling mounting portion (5) (Kang, cover 15) for ceiling mounting is assembled on an upper surface of the base (1) detachably [FIG 2].
Regarding claim 2, Kang discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. Kang further discloses the base (1) (Kang, cover 30) comprises an accommodating groove (11) (Kang, cover 90), the driver (2) (Kang, driver IC) is fitted in the accommodating groove (11), the pendant rod mounting portion (3) (Kang, shaft connection part 33 in the coupling device 96) comprises a mounting hole (31) (Kang, hole of shaft 33) provided in the base (1) and a pendant rod connecting seat (32) (Kang, seating guide 98) [FIG 3] [0144] arranged in the accommodating groove (11) and passing through the mounting hole (31), and the pendant rod (4) is mounted on the pendant rod connecting seat (32) [FIG 3] [108] [94] [123] [125].
Regarding claim 3, Kang discloses all of the limitations of claim 3. Kang further discloses the pendant rod connecting seat (32) (Kang, the cover insertion part 31) comprises a main body (321) (Kang, shaft 20) arranged along a height direction of the base (1) and passing through the mounting hole (31) and a first convex edge (322) (Kang, shaft connection part 33) arranged at one end of the main body (321) (Kang, cover 15) and abutting against an inner wall of the accommodating groove (11) [FIG 2] [100] [108-109].
Regarding claim 4, Kang discloses all of the limitations of claim 3. Kang further discloses the first convex edge (322) (Kang, shaft connection part 33) is provided with a first threaded hole (323) (the thread/connection part of 33), the upper surface of the base (1) (kang, base 30) is provided with a first via (12) (holes) [109] in communicated fit with the first threaded hole (323), and the base (1) is provided with a first screw (6) capable of passing through the first via (12) and locked in the first threaded hole (323) [FIG 2].
Regarding claim 10, Kang discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. Kang further discloses fan blades (9) (Kang, 100) being assembled at a bottom side of the driver (2) (Kang, Below the PCB substrate of #90) [FIG 2] (NOTE: see above for 112 rejection).
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.
Claims 5, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang et al. 2021/0215163 in view of Zhang et al. 2023/0120958.
Regarding claim 5, Kang discloses all of the limitations of claim 4. Kang further discloses the main body (321) (Kang, shaft 20) is provided with an insertion hole (324) (opposite opening on cover 15) fitted with a bottom end of the pendant rod (4), opposite sides of the main body (321). However, Kang does not explicitly disclose are separately provided with a fourth via (325), the bottom end of the pendant rod (4) is provided with a fifth via (41) communicated with the fourth vias (325) on both sides, and the main body (321) is provided with a latch (7) that passes through the fourth via (325), the fifth via (41), and the fourth via (325) in turn [FIG 2].
Zhang discloses separately provided with a fourth via (325) (Zhang holes on motor shaft 1), the bottom end of the pendant rod (4) (Zhang, motor shaft 1 ) is provided with a fifth via (41) (Zhang hole for screw 233) communicated with the fourth vias (325) on both sides, and the main body (321) (Zhang, upper cover 21) [018] is provided with a latch (Zhang. screw 233) that passes through the fourth via (325), the fifth via (41), and the fourth via (325) in turn [FIG 1, FIG 5] [017-25].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kang in view of Zhang as Zhang is analogous art that further discloses the benefits of, “…to provide a ceiling fan and an assembling structure of the ceiling fan that improves the stability of the driving device, solves the noise issue caused by the loosened parts and the shaking generated by the fan blades, and has a simplified structure that facilitates ease in installation” [Zhang, 005].
Regarding claim 11, Kang in view of Zhang discloses all of the limitations of claim 5. Kang further discloses fan blades (9) being assembled at a bottom side of the driver (2) [FIG 2].
Claims 6-9, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang et al. 2021/0215163 in view of Zhang et al. 2023/0120958, as applied to claims 5, 11 above, and in further view of Wang 2023/0272800.
Regarding claim 6, Kang discloses all of the limitations of claim 4. Kang fails to explicitly disclose the ceiling mounting portion (5) comprises a ceiling connecting seat (51) detachably arranged on the upper surface of the base (1) and a cover body (52) covering the ceiling connecting seat (51), the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a connecting groove (511), the cover body (52) extends into the connecting groove (511) in a fitted manner so that the cover body (52) covers the ceiling connecting seat (51) in a fitted manner, and the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a through hole (512) through which the main body (321) passes [FIG 2].
Wang discloses the ceiling mounting portion (5) (Yao, hanger ball opening 36) comprises a ceiling connecting seat (51) (Yao, two locking portions 37) detachably arranged on the upper surface of the base (1) (Yao, canopy 40) and a cover body (52) (Yao, Canopy 40) covering the ceiling connecting seat (51), the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a connecting groove (511) (Yao, arc portion 271/272) [FIG 7][FIG 3] [018], the cover body (52) extends into the connecting groove (511) in a fitted manner so that the cover body (52) covers the ceiling connecting seat (51) in a fitted manner [FIG 4-7] , and the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a through hole (512) through which the main body (321) passes [FIG 4-7].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention as Kang and Wang are analogous art and Wang discloses various screws for better fastening.
Regarding claim 7, Kang in view of Wang discloses all of the limitations of claim 6. Kang further discloses the first convex edge (322) is provided with a second threaded hole (326); the upper surface of the base (1) is provided with a second via (13) in communicated fit with the second threaded hole (326) [100] [162] [163]. However, Kang fails to explicitly disclose , the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a third via (513) in communicated fit with the second via (13), and the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a second screw (8) capable of passing through the third via (513) and the second via (13) in turn and locked in the second threaded hole (326).
Wang discloses , the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a third via (513) in communicated fit with the second via (13), and the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a second screw (8) capable of passing through the third via (513) and the second via (13) in turn and locked in the second threaded hole (326) [FIG 2] [020]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention as Kang and Wang are analogous art and Wang discloses various screws for better fastening.
Regarding claim 8, Kang in view of Wang discloses all of the limitations of claim 7. Wang further discloses the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a positioning hole (514) through which the first screw (6) passes, and an aperture of the positioning hole (514) is greater than that of the third via (513) [FIG 2] [020].
Regarding claim 9, Kang in view of Wang discloses all of the limitations of claim 7. Wang further discloses the ceiling connecting seat (51) is provided with a second convex edge (515) circumferentially (element #15 shows to have 2 edges on FIG 2).
Regarding claim 12, Kang in view of Wang discloses all of the limitations of claim 9. Kang further discloses fan blades (9) being assembled at a bottom side of the driver (2) [FIG 2].
Conclusion
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/ASIFA HABIB/Examiner, Art Unit 2876