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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-9, 11-13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin (2011/0176860). Lin teaches an air-containment system beam (see annotated figure below), comprising: a body including a first channel (a) configured to receive a beam connector, a second channel (b) configured to receive an air-containment panel, a third channel (c) configured to receive at least one of a cabinet seal or a ceiling seal, and a fourth channel (d) configured to receive at least one of a cabinet support or a ceiling panel support. Further comprising a fifth channel (e) configured to receive at least one lighting support. Wherein the fifth channel is an open channel positioned at a corner of the body. Wherein the first channel is a closed channel positioned within a middle of the body. Wherein the second channel is an open channel positioned at a side of the body. Wherein the third channel is an open channel positioned at a top or a bottom of the body. Wherein the fourth channel is an open channel positioned at a top or a bottom of the body. Wherein the third channel includes at least one of an upwardly facing channel formed in the body and a downwardly facing channel formed in the body. Wherein the fourth channel includes at least one of an upwardly facing channel formed in the body and a downwardly facing channel formed in the body. Further comprising a connector (1) configured to secure a first beam to a second beam. Wherein the connector includes a straight connector (Fig. 5 right side) configured to connect mating ends of the first beam and the second beam along a common axis. Wherein the connector includes an angled connector (Fig. 5, left side) configured to connect mating ends of the first beam and the second beam, the second beam being perpendicular to the first beam.
Lin further inherently teaches a method of fabricating an air-containment system beam (9), the method comprising: forming a first channel (a) in an extruded body (beam 9 is extrusion aluminum frame; paragraph 0018), the first channel being configured to receive a beam connector; forming a second channel (b) in the body, the second channel being configured to receive an air-containment panel; forming a third channel (c) in the body, the third channel being configured to receive at least one of a cabinet seal or a ceiling seal; and forming a fourth channel (d) in the body, the fourth channel being configured to receive at least one of a cabinet support or a ceiling panel support. Wherein the first channel is a closed channel positioned within a middle of the body, the second channel is an open channel positioned at a side of the body, the third channel is an open channel positioned at a top or a bottom of the body, and the fourth channel is an open channel positioned at a top or a bottom of the body. Further comprising forming a fifth channel (e) in the body, the fifth channel being configured to receive at least one lighting support. Wherein the fifth channel is an open channel positioned at a corner of the body. Further comprising securing a connector (1) to a first beam and to a second beam. Wherein the connector includes at least one of a straight connector (Fig. 5, right side) configured to connect mating ends of the first beam and the second beam along a common axis and an angled connector (Fig. 5, left side) configured to connect mating ends of the first beam and the second beam, the second beam being perpendicular to the first beam.
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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 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (2011/0176860) in view of Price (2007/0163188). As stated above, Lin teaches the limitations of claim 1, including a beam. The beam being made of extruded aluminum (paragraph 0018). For claim 10, Lin fails to teach that the beam is fabricated from extruded PVC material. Price teaches that a beam can be made from either aluminum or PVC (paragraph 0012). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the beams of Lin by making them out of PVC material instead of aluminum, such as is taught by Price, to provide a stronger frame structure and/or for personal preferences.
Claims 1 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gosselin et al (2018/0132385) in view of Lin (2011/0176860). Gosselin teaches an air-containment structure made up of beams (18). For claims 1 and 14, Gosselin fails to teach the specific beam structure claimed. Lin teaches an air-containment system beam (see annotated figure above), comprising: a body including a first channel (a) configured to receive a beam connector, a second channel (b) configured to receive an air-containment panel, a third channel (c) configured to receive at least one of a cabinet seal or a ceiling seal, and a fourth channel (d) configured to receive at least one of a cabinet support or a ceiling panel support. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the beams of Lin as part of the structure of Gosselin, to provide specific the channel configuration present therein for desired attachments. Since these beams are functionally equivalent to each other, either would work equally well in the structure of Gosselin.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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Wilkens
August 26, 2026
/JANET M WILKENS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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