DETAILED ACTION
This non-final office action is in response to the claims filed on December 28, 2024.
Status of claims: claims 1-7 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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because
Fig. 9 includes call out 108 for the tent stake loop, however, the lead line from 108 extends to the corner anchor coupler. Good find! Thank you very much
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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
[0004], line 2, “in” should be replaced with –is--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-4 should be noted as objected to on PTOL-326 completed
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 6, “a tent” should be amended to “the tent” since “a tent” is previously recited
Claim 1, line 23, “the tent rain fly” should be amended to “the tent rain fly loop” for antecedent basis
All incidences of “H” hook should be replaced with –H-shaped hook--,
Line 19, --key—should be inserted between “elongated” and “opening”,
Line 20, “a” should be replaced with –the--, and,
Lines 21-24, “locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between the “H” hook coupled to the tent rain fly and the corner anchor” should be replaced with –removably locking the “H” hook to the corner anchor coupler--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities:
All incidences of “H” hook should be replaced with –H-shaped hook--,
Line 22, --key—should be inserted between “elongated” and “opening”,
Line 22, “wherein” should be removed,
Line 23, “a” should be replaced with –the--, and,
Lines 24-27, “locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between the “H” hook coupled to the tent rain fly and the corner anchor” should be replaced with –removably locking the “H” hook to the corner anchor coupler--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 2, “comprising” should be replaced with –comprises--,
Line 3, “socket, said” should be replaced with –socket and said--, and,
Line 3, --is—should be inserted between “device” and “designed”,
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4, line 6 “a tent” should be amended to “the tent” since “a tent” is previously recited.
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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lah (US20080142063) in view of Ju (US6681786) in view of Singh (US20220381053) and further in view of Dembowsky (EP0902198).
Regarding Claim 1, Lah discloses a corner anchor (Figs. 4-6) for securing a tent to be anchored to the ground, said corner anchor comprising: a corner anchor coupler (200), including a first connection region (250) configured for connecting to a ground stake loop (251), said ground stake loop configured for connection to a ground stake inserted into the ground proximate a tent ([0048]: “A ring 251 is fitted into the through-hole 250 and engaged with a pack fixed to the ground to thereby fix the tent 110 to the ground”); said corner anchor coupler further including a second connection region (210) configured for connecting to a tent loop
(113); and wherein said corner anchor coupler (200) further includes a pole ball tip engagement device (220) appropriately sized and configured for providing a snap fit with a ball element (121) provided on a distal end of a tent support pole ([0043]: “After the end of the pole 120 is positioned to the ball-receiving hole 220 of the fixer 200 attached to the edge of the tent 110, a force is applied to the pole 120 such that the ball 121 formed on the end of the pole 120 is coupled in the ball-receiving hole 220 through the engaging projections 223 formed on the inlet of the ball-receiving hole 220”).
Lah fails to disclose wherein the ground stake loop includes a ground stake loop tension adjustment portion.
Ju teaches, in the context of corner anchor couplers, wherein a ground stake loop (5b) includes a ground stake loop tension adjustment portion (4).
It 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 to have included wherein the ground stake loop includes a ground stake loop tension adjustment portion in the corner anchor of Lah according to the teachings of Ju in order to remove slack between the stake and the ground stake loop.
Lah in view of Ju fails to disclose said corner anchor coupler including an elongated key opening, configured for engaging with an “H” hook connected to a tent rain fly loop, said “H” hook including a distal end including a tip portion and a shank portion, said distal end of said “H” hook configured for being inserted into the elongated key opening such that the “H” hook tip portion extends below a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler, allowing the shank portion of the “H” hook to rest in the elongated key opening such that when the “H” hook is turned 90° after insertion into the elongated opening, the tip portion of the “H” hook engages with a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler thereby locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between the “H” hook coupled to the tent rain fly and the corner anchor.
Singh teaches in the context of corner anchors said corner anchor coupler (100, Fig. 1) including an elongated key opening (102), configured for engaging with an “H” hook (200) connected to a tent rain fly loop ([0056]: “First tent fabric 26 may be one of an inner tent fabric and an outer tent fabric. Second tent fabric 28 may be the other of the inner tent fabric and the outer tent fabric. The outer tent fabric additionally or alternatively may be referred to herein as a fly, a rainfly, and/or a flysheet”), said “H” hook including a distal end (at 200) including a tip portion (204) and a shank portion (206), said distal end of said “H” hook configured for being inserted into the elongated key opening (102, Fig. 3) such that the “H” hook tip portion extends below a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler, allowing the shank portion of the “H” hook to rest in the elongated key opening such that when the “H” hook is turned 90° after insertion into the elongated opening (206, Fig. 5), the tip portion (204) of the “H” hook engages with a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler (100) thereby locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between the “H” hook coupled to the tent rain fly and the corner anchor.
It 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 to have included said corner anchor coupler including an elongated key opening, configured for engaging with an “H” hook connected to a tent rain fly loop, said “H” hook including a distal end including a tip portion and a shank portion, said distal end of said “H” hook configured for being inserted into the elongated key opening such that the “H” hook tip portion extends below a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler, allowing the shank portion of the “H” hook to rest in the elongated key opening such that when the “H” hook is turned 90° after insertion into the elongated opening, the tip portion of the “H” hook engages with a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler thereby locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between the “H” hook coupled to the tent rain fly and the corner anchor in the corner anchor of Lah in view of Ju according to the teachings of Singh in order to better facilitate tent assembly and disassembly.
Lah in view of Ju and further in view of Singh fails to disclose wherein the pole ball tip engagement device comprises a molded plastic socket, said pole ball tip engagement device designed, sized and configured for snapping in place into the corner anchor coupler.
Dembowsky teaches, in the context of ball and socket joints, wherein a pole ball tip engagement device (10) comprises a molded plastic socket (5), said pole ball tip engagement device designed, sized and configured for snapping in place (Dembowsky MT [0014]: “When assembling the plug-in coupling, the elastomeric insert 5 is inserted laterally through the opening 4 into the socket 3 by deforming the highly elastic insert 5 by hand so that the lower edge 35 enters the opening 12 of the base flange 11”).
It 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 to have included wherein the pole ball tip engagement device comprises a molded plastic socket, said pole ball tip engagement device designed, sized and configured for snapping in place into the corner anchor coupler in the corner anchor of Lah in view of Ju and further in view of Singh according to the teachings of Dembowsky in order to allow for the socket to be replaced when worn out or damaged.
Claims 2 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lah (US20080142063) in view of Ju (US6681786) and further in view of Singh (US20220381053).
Regarding Claim 2, Lah discloses a corner anchor (Figs. 4-6) for securing an object to be anchored to the ground, said corner anchor comprising: a corner anchor coupler (200), including a first connection region (250) configured for connecting to a ground stake loop (251), said ground stake loop configured for connection to a ground stake inserted into the ground proximate an object to be anchored to the ground ([0048]: “A ring 251 is fitted into the through-hole 250 and engaged with a pack fixed to the ground to thereby fix the tent 110 to the ground”); said corner anchor coupler further including a second connection region (210) configured for connecting to a loop (113) disposed on said object to be anchored to the ground; and wherein said corner anchor coupler (200) further includes a pole ball tip engagement device (at 220) comprising a socket (220), said socket sized and configured for providing a snap fit with a ball element (121) provided on a distal end of a support pole ([0043]: “After the end of the pole 120 is positioned to the ball-receiving hole 220 of the fixer 200 attached to the edge of the tent 110, a force is applied to the pole 120 such that the ball 121 formed on the end of the pole 120 is coupled in the ball-receiving hole 220 through the engaging projections 223 formed on the inlet of the ball-receiving hole 220”).
Lah fails to disclose wherein the ground stake loop includes a ground stake loop tension adjustment portion.
Ju teaches, in the context of corner anchor couplers, wherein a ground stake loop (5b) includes a ground stake loop tension adjustment portion (4).
It 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 to have included wherein the ground stake loop includes a ground stake loop tension adjustment portion in the corner anchor of Lah according to the teachings of Ju in order to remove slack between the stake and the ground stake loop.
Lah in view of Ju fail to disclose said corner anchor coupler also including an elongated key opening, configured for engaging with an “H” hook connected to a covering element of said object to be anchored to the ground, said “H” hook including a distal end including a tip portion and a shank portion, said distal end of said “H” hook configured for being inserted into the elongated key opening such that the “H” hook tip portion extends below a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler, allowing the shank portion of the “H” hook to rest in the elongated key opening such that when the “H” hook is turned 90° after insertion into the elongated opening, wherein said tip portion of the “H” hook engages with a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler thereby locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between the “H” hook coupled to the covering element and the corner anchor.
Singh teaches in the context of corner anchors said corner anchor coupler (100, Fig. 1) including an elongated key opening (102), configured for engaging with an “H” hook (200) connected to a covering element of said object to be anchored to the ground ([0056]: “First tent fabric 26 may be one of an inner tent fabric and an outer tent fabric. Second tent fabric 28 may be the other of the inner tent fabric and the outer tent fabric. The outer tent fabric additionally or alternatively may be referred to herein as a fly, a rainfly, and/or a flysheet”), said “H” hook including a distal end (at 200) including a tip portion (204) and a shank portion (206), said distal end of said “H” hook configured for being inserted into the elongated key opening (102, Fig. 3) such that the “H” hook tip portion extends below a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler, allowing the shank portion of the “H” hook to rest in the elongated key opening such that when the “H” hook is turned 90° after insertion into the elongated opening (206, Fig. 5), wherein said tip portion of the “H” hook engages with a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler thereby locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between the “H” hook coupled to the covering element and the corner anchor.
It 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 to have included said corner anchor coupler also including an elongated key opening, configured for engaging with an “H” hook connected to a covering element of said object to be anchored to the ground, said “H” hook including a distal end including a tip portion and a shank portion, said distal end of said “H” hook configured for being inserted into the elongated key opening such that the “H” hook tip portion extends below a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler, allowing the shank portion of the “H” hook to rest in the elongated key opening such that when the “H” hook is turned 90° after insertion into the elongated opening, wherein said tip portion of the “H” hook engages with a bottom surface of the corner anchor coupler thereby locking the “H” hook in place while at the same time facilitating quick and easy removal of the connection between the “H” hook coupled to the covering element and the corner anchor in the corner anchor of Lah in view of Ju according to the teachings of Singh in order to better facilitate assembly and disassembly of the object.
Regarding Claim 7, Lah in view of Ju and further in view of Singh disclose the corner anchor of claim 2, wherein said support pole includes a tent pole (120, Figs.6-10 of Lah).
Claims 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lah (US20080142063) in view of Ju (US6681786) in view of Singh (US20220381053) and further in view of Dembowsky (EP0902198).
Regarding Claim 3, Lah in view of Ju and further in view of Singh fail to disclose the corner anchor of claim 2 wherein said corner anchor coupler pole ball tip engagement device comprising a molded plastic socket, said pole ball tip engagement device designed, sized and configured for snapping in place into the corner anchor coupler and appropriately sized and configured for providing a snap fit with a ball element provided on a distal end of said support pole.
Lah in view of Ju and further in view of Singh fails to disclose wherein the pole ball tip engagement device comprises a molded plastic socket, said pole ball tip engagement device designed, sized and configured for snapping in place into the corner anchor coupler.
Dembowsky teaches, in the context of ball and socket joints, wherein a pole ball tip engagement device (10) comprises a molded plastic socket (5), said pole ball tip engagement device designed, sized and configured for snapping in place (Dembowsky MT [0014]: “When assembling the plug-in coupling, the elastomeric insert 5 is inserted laterally through the opening 4 into the socket 3 by deforming the highly elastic insert 5 by hand so that the lower edge 35 enters the opening 12 of the base flange 11”).
It 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 to have included wherein the pole ball tip engagement device comprises a molded plastic socket, said pole ball tip engagement device designed, sized and configured for snapping in place into the corner anchor coupler and appropriately sized and configured for providing a snap fit with a ball element provided on a distal end of said support pole in the corner anchor of Lah in view of Ju and further in view of Singh according to the teachings of Dembowsky in order to allow for the socket to be replaced when worn out or damaged.
Regarding Claim 4, Lah in view of Ju in view of Singh and further in view of Dembowsky disclose the corner anchor of claim 3, wherein said object to be anchored to the ground is a tent (10, Figs. 1 and 2 of Lah).
Regarding Claim 5, Lah in view of Ju in view of Singh and further in view of Dembowsky the corner anchor of claim 4 wherein said tent is selected from the group of tents consisting of a pole tent (10, Figs. 1 and 2 of Lah), a frame tent, a cross cable tent, an inflatable tent and a pop up tent.
Regarding Claim 6, Lah in view of Ju in view of Singh and further in view of Dembowsky disclose the corner anchor of claim 4, wherein said covering element is a rain fly for said tent (see Singh at [0056]: “First tent fabric 26 may be one of an inner tent fabric and an outer tent fabric. Second tent fabric 28 may be the other of the inner tent fabric and the outer tent fabric. The outer tent fabric additionally or alternatively may be referred to herein as a fly, a rainfly, and/or a flysheet”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ben Pezzlo whose telephone number is (571)272-9656. The examiner can normally be reached M to Th 7 to 5.
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/BAP/Examiner, Art Unit 3634 /MARCUS MENEZES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634
