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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is a Non-final Office Action for application number 19/044,543 UNIVERSAL MOUNT PLATFORM SYSTEM WITH RING MOUNT PLATFORM filed on 2/3/2025. Claims 15, 16, 18 and 20-34 are pending. This is a second non-final action for reasons listed below.
Election/Restrictions
The applicant has argued with regards to withdrawn claims (stating that the specification shows that in Species A, Figure 3, that “first and second rings have a square cross section” (See Remarks, dated 12/9/2025, page 2) and that fastener is also discussed in the specification with regards to claim 3. This is persuasive and the election/restriction of claims 18, 22, 23, 32 and 33 have been rescinded. With regards to claim 21, the applicant has argued that the “metal tube” is shown in other varied non-elected species” (See Remarks, dated 12/9/2025, page 2). Since claim 20 has claimed a “solid bar”, the metal tube is withdrawn as a non-elected species. Claims 21, 26 and 29 are withdrawn. This requirement is made FINAL. The action above is non-final to address previously withdrawn claims that are no longer withdrawn as they have not been previously rejected.
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 16 and 18 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.
With regards to claim 16, the limitation that “the first ring rail and the second ring rail are rectangular in cross-section” is indefinite, because claim 15, (claim 16 depends from 15) has already limited that “the first ring rail is square in cross-section”. The “square” being narrower than “rectangular” because while a square is a rectangle a rectangle is not exclusively a square.
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 15, 16, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent No. 2020/0018478 to Moore et al (effective date 9/15/2019).
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow] With regards to claim 15, the publication to Moore et al. discloses a device having a first ring rail (280), wherein the first ring rail is square in cross-section (See 0048, “first and second burner rings 220 and 280 may be square, circular, rectangular, or any other shape”); a second ring rail (220/20), wherein the second ring rail has an outside radius that is smaller than an inside radius of the first ring rail (See Figure 8), wherein the second ring rail (220/20) is positioned inside the first ring rail (280); a ring mount slot
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between the first ring rail and the second ring rail; and a plurality of spacers positioned inside the ring mount slot wherein the first ring rail is coupled to the second ring rail by the plurality of spacers (See Figure 8).
With regards to claim 16, the publication to Moore et al. shows wherein the first ring rail (116) and the second ring rail (118) are rectangular in cross-section. (See 0048, “first and second burner rings 220 and 280 may be square, circular, rectangular, or any other shape”)
With regards to claim 18, the publication to Moore et al. shows wherein the second ring rail (118) is square in cross-section. (See 0048, “first and second burner rings 220 and 280 may be square, circular, rectangular, or any other shape”)
With regards to claim 20, Moore et al. teaches of wherein the first ring rail (280) is a solid bar.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 a)(1) as being anticipated by United
States Patent No. 3,858,529 to Salladay.
With regards to claim 25, Salladay teaches a top ring mount platform (2a); a
bottom ring mount platform (3a); and a plurality of double rail slot columns (4) coupled
between the top ring mount platform (102) and the bottom ring mount platform (104).
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 of this title, 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 22-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent No. 2020/0018478 to Moore et al.
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]With regards to claim 22, Moore et al. teaches fasteners
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Moore et al. does not teach the specific size of the fasteners and slot, but it has been held that the size of the object is a design choice which is obvious for the user to optimize.
With regards to claim 22, it would be obvious to make the ring mount slot wide enough allow passage of a shaft of a system fastener but not wide enough to allow a head of the system fastener to pass through as the fastening of the spacers to the device need to have the head of the fastener to not pass through in order to fasten the device.
With regards to claims 23 and 24, it is obvious to make the sizes as desired for optimum use of the device including wherein the system fastener has a 3/8 inch diameter shaft and/or wherein the ring mount slot (120) is 7/16 inch wide.
Claims 27, 28, 30-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being
unpatentable over United States Patent No. 3,858,529 to Salladay and in view of United
States Patent No. 9,883,739 to Chiles et al.
With regards to claim 27, Salladay teaches the basic inventive concept as shown
above with the exception that it does not teach wherein the top ring mount platform and
the bottom ring mount platform are dual rail ring mount platforms.
Chiles et al. teaches a ring mount platform that is a dual rail ring mount platform (40, 72) and it would be obvious to use a dual ring mount platform for the desired mounting.
With regards to claim 28, Salladay teaches the basic inventive concept as shown
above with the exception that it does not teach wherein the top ring mount platform and
the bottom ring mount platform are channel ring mount platforms.
Chiles et al. teaches a ring mount platform that is a dual rail ring mount platform
and it would be obvious to use a channel (52) ring mount platform for the desired mounting.
With regards to claim 30, from the combination, it is obvious that wherein the top
ring mount platform and the bottom ring mount platform are dual rail ring mount
platforms each with a first ring rail (40) and a second ring rail (72), the configuration used for the desired mounting.
With regards to claim 31, Chiles et al. teaches wherein the second ring rail (60)
has an outside radius that is smaller than an inside radius of the first ring rail (42),
wherein the second ring rail is positioned inside the first ring rail; further comprising a
ring mount slot (see above) between the first ring rail and the second ring rail; and
further comprising a plurality of spacers (70) positioned inside the ring mount slot.
With regards to claim 32, it would be obvious to make the ring mount slot wide enough allow passage of a shaft of a system fastener but not wide enough to allow a head of the system fastener to pass through as the fastening of the spacers to the device need to have the head of the fastener to not pass through in order to fasten the device.
With regards to claims 33 and 34, it is obvious to make the sizes as desired for optimum use of the device including wherein the system fastener has a 3/8 inch diameter shaft and/or wherein the ring mount slot (120) is 7/16 inch wide.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Amy J. Sterling at telephone number 571-272-6823 or to Supervisor Jonathan Liu at 571-272-8227 if the examiner cannot be reached. The examiner can normally be reached (Mon-Fri 8am-5:00pm). The fax machine number for the Technology center is 571-273-8300 (formal amendments), informal amendments or communications 571-273-6823. Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application should be directed to the Technology Center receptionist at 571-272-3600.
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/AMY J. STERLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631 1/13/26