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 § 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 3 recites the limitation "the cover" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the connected" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is assumed it should read “the connector” and will be examined accordingly.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Method claim 13 depends from product claim 1. It is assumed that claim 13 should depend from method claim 11 in order to further limit the method and will be examined accordingly. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 1 claims a panel system and claim 17 is directed towards a connector. It is assumed that claim 17 should depend from claim 16 in order to further limit the connector and will be examined accordingly. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 16, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yang (US PGPub No 2016/0108945).
Referring to claim 16: Yang teaches a front wall that includes a keyhole portion (items 11, 12, 13) having an external face and an internal face, the external face extending in a first plane and the internal face extending in a second plane (at item 133) that is angled relative to the first plane to form a draft angle; a slot extending through the external face and the internal face, the slot including a bow portion (item 12) having a first width and a shaft portion (item 13) having a second width, the first width being greater than the second width, the bow portion being configured to receive a head of an anchor fastener; and wherein moving the first and second panels relative to one moves the anchor fastener within the slot to cause the head of the anchor fastener to slidingly engage with the internal face of the keyhole portion to draw the first and second panels toward one another (figures 4A-4C).
Referring to claim 18: Yang teaches all the limitations of claim 16 as noted above. Additionally, Yang teaches further comprising a rear wall having at least one mounting hole (item 14) and at least one retaining hole (item 11), the at least one mounting hole being configured to receive a securing fastener that attaches the connector to the panel, the at least one retaining hole being configured to receive the anchor fastener.
Referring to claim 20: Yang teaches all the limitations of claim 16 as noted above. Additionally, Yang teaches a recessed portion (item 11) disposed about the bow portion, the recessed portion being configured for engagement with the head of the anchor fastener to facilitate alignment between the head and the bow portion.
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, 4, 6-8, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Liu (US Patent No 8,104,989).
Referring to claim 1: Yang teaches a connector comprising: a front wall that includes an external face and an internal face, the external face extending in a first plane and the internal face extending in a second plane that is angled relative to the first plane to form a draft angle (figure 3), and a slot extending through the external face and the internal face, the slot being configured to receive a head of an anchor fastener that is attached to an adjacent panel (items 11, 12, 13); wherein moving the first panel and the adjacent panel relative to one another moves the anchor fastener within the slot to cause the head to slidingly engage with the internal face to draw the first panel and the adjacent panel toward one another (figures 4A-4C). Yang does not teach a first panel having a recess; and a connector received in the recess. However, Liu teaches Yang does not teach a first panel having a recess (item 2); and a connector received in the recess (item 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to create the device taught by Yang with the panel taught by Liu in order to allow for a tight joint between adjacent panels.
Referring to claim 4: Yang and Liu teach all the limitations of claim 1 as noted above. Additionally, Yang teaches wherein the panel includes at least one minor side surface and at least one major side surface, the recess being provided on the at least one minor side surface, a front face of the connector being flush with the at least one minor side surface (figures 3 and 4A).
Referring to claim 6: Yang and Liu teach all the limitations of claim 1 as noted above. Additionally, Yang teaches wherein the slot includes a bow portion (item 12) having a first width and a shaft portion (item 13) having a second width, the first width being greater than the second width, the bow portion being configured to receive the head of the anchor fastener.
Referring to claim 7: Yang and Liu teach all the limitations of claim 6 as noted above. Additionally, Yang teaches wherein the connected further comprises a recessed portion (item 11) disposed about the bow portion, the recessed portion being configured for engagement with the head of the anchor fastener to facilitate alignment between the head and the bow portion (figure 2).
Referring to claim 8: Yang and Liu teach all the limitations of claim 1 as noted above. They do not specifically teach wherein the draft angle is in the range of one to five degrees. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to choose any specific angle that allows for somewhat easy assembly but still provides tension to the anchor fastener.
Referring to claim 10: Yang and Liu teach all the limitations of claim 1 as noted above. Additionally, Yang teaches a locating member in the recess, the locating member having a raised portion that nests within part of the connector to position the connector in the recess (figure 2).
Claim(s) 2, 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Liu and Perdue (US Patent No 6,158,176).
Referring to claim 2: Yang and Liu teach all the limitations of claim 1 as noted above. They do not teach a cover, the cover including a compressible layer and an outer layer. However, Perdue teaches a cover, the cover including a compressible layer (item 13) and an outer layer (item 12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to create the device taught by Yang and Liu with the cover taught by Perdue in order to create an acoustic panel out of the panel.
Referring to claim 3: Yang and Liu teach all the limitations of claim 1 as noted above. They do not teach a front face of the connecter is set back from an outer periphery of the cover. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to recognize that the front face of Yang when inset into Liu would be set back from the outer periphery in order to prevent the cover from being caught on or torn by the connector edges.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang.
Referring to claim 17: Yang teaches all the limitations of claim 16 as noted above. Yang does not specifically teach wherein the draft angle is in the range of one to five degrees. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to choose any specific angle that allows for somewhat easy assembly but still provides tension to the anchor fastener.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11, 12, and 15 are allowed.
Claims 5, 9, and 19 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.
Claim 13 and 14 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not teach the specific accessory and how it attaches, the locating member within the recess, and the plurality of clearance notches on the shaft portion. Additionally, the prior art of record does not teach the method securing a first connector in a first recess and a second connector in a second recess where both connectors have the same characteristics.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK J MAESTRI whose telephone number is (571)270-7859. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7-3.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Mattei can be reached at 571-270-3238. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK J MAESTRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3635
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