DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is in response to the claims filed on 02/24/2025.
Claims 45-64 are currently pending and have been examined below.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because:
Par. 86 defines 38 as the internal surface of the leg 27, however figure 5 shows the lead line of 38 pointing to an empty space within the frame.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following feature(s) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Claim 48 - “the lip is separately secured to the edge portion”.
Claim 63 - “wherein the locking member is formed of increasing thickness”.
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:
In par. 73, “FIG. 3 is a cross section of a side section of the frame shown in FIG. 1” should be amended to add disclosure such as --a side section of the frame shown in FIG. 1 with the sheet element and locking member removed--.
Appropriate correction is required. Above provides non-limiting examples, the applicant(s) must find and correct all issues similar to those discussed above.
The abstract of the disclosure (filed on 02/24/2025) does not commence on a separate sheet in accordance with 37 CFR 1.52(b)(4) and 1.72(b). A new abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text.
Claim Objections
Claims 45-48, 53-54, 57, and 59-64 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 10 of claim 45, “an orientation which is at an acute angle to the planar portion” should read --an orientation which is at the acute angle to the planar portion--. Note that this issue is also present in claim 48.
In lines 1-2 of claim 46, “partially, substantially or entirely” should read --partially, substantially, or entirely--. Note that this issue is also present in claim 47.
In line 2 of claim 53, “surface thereof” should be amended to --surface of the locking member--.
In lines 2-4 of claim 53, “the internal surface of the inner flange” should read --an internal surface of the inner flange-- or applicant can amend claim 53 to depend to claim 51.
In lines 2-3 of claim 54, “the thickness of the sheet element and the locking member” should read --a thickness of the sheet element and the locking member--.
In line 1 of claim 57, “the distance” should read --a distance--.
In lines 1-2 of claim 57, “between the channel and an inner surface of the external surface” seems that it should read --between the channel and an internal surface of the external flange--. Note that this suggestion is based from figure 3 and line 2 of par. 86 discussing the placement of the internal surface of the external flange.
In line 5 of claim 59, “provides a lip spaced from the leg” should read --provides a lip configured to be spaced from the leg--. Note that the positive recitation requires the lip 56 to always be spaced from the leg 27, however as shown in figure 5, the lip is not spaced from the leg. Note that this issue is also present in claims 60 and 64.
In line 10 of claim 59, “an acute angle to the sheet element” should read --the acute angle to the sheet element--.
In lines 8-9 of claim 60, “an acute angle” should read --the acute angle--. This issue is also present in claim 64.
In line 3 of claim 61, “an other side face of the channel” is awkwardly written it seems that it should read --one side face of the channel--or --a side face of the channel--. Also, there is no initial or first side face of the channel has been introduced therefore reciting “an other” seems unnecessary. Note that claim 62 also recites “an other” on lines 2-3 and claim 63.
In line 2 of claim 64, “the security screen” should read --a security screen--.
In line 4 of claim 64, “open portion across which spans the sheet element,” seems that it should read --open portion, which spans the sheet element,--.
Appropriate correction is required. Above provides non-limiting examples, the applicant(s) must find and correct all issues similar to those discussed above.
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 62-63 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.
Claim 62
Recitations such as “wherein the locking member substantially fills a space defined within the channel between the lip and the inner edge, between an other face of the sheet element and an other side face of the channel” is indefinite because it is unclear what is applicant attempting to claim. Is the space defined between: (i) the lip and the inner edge, (ii) an other face of the sheet element and an other side face of the channel? Perhaps the space is defined between (i) and (ii) above? Note that there is no corresponding drawing character for the space.
Recitations such as “an other side face of the channel” on line 3 is indefinite because it is unclear how is the intangible element (i.e., channel) have a side face.
All claims depending from a rejected claim are rejected for including the 112 issues of the claim from which it depends.
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.
Claims 45-64 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh Chung (KR 20130000467) in view of Kyung-soo (KR 20110000265).
Claim 45
(Oh Chung discloses) A security screen (figures 1-3) for securing an opening in a structure (figures 1-2), the security screen comprising a frame (1) defining an open portion (open portion of 1 that is closed by the screen 2) and a sheet element (2) received across the open portion of the frame, a frame member comprises a leg (1a) which extends inwardly from an inner edge (Annotated figure 2 below) away from the open portion, the sheet element comprises a planar portion and an edge portion (both shown in Annotated figure 2 below) which extends around at least part of the perimeter of the planar portion (figures 1-2), at least part of the edge portion provides a lip (3) which extends from a first side of the edge portion such that it is oriented to the planar portion of the sheet element (Annotated figure 2 below), the edge portion is received in a cavity in the frame whereby a second side of the edge portion (Annotated figure 2 below) cooperates with a locking member (4) to lock the edge portion of the sheet element in the cavity wherein the cavity enables the lip to maintain an orientation to the planar portion.
Oh Chung discloses the lip of the edge portion being bent, but fails to disclose:
(i) the lip which extends from the first side of the edge portion such that it is oriented at an acute angle to the planar portion of the sheet element;
(ii) an orientation which is at an acute angle to the planar portion.
(i) (However, Kyung-soo teaches) a lip (7; Kyung-soo figure 3) which extends from a first side of an edge portion (Annotated figure 3 below) such that it is oriented at an acute angle to the planar portion of the sheet element (Annotated figure 3 below; Excerpt 1 from page 4 below).
(ii) wherein a cavity (the cavity that receives the lip; Kyung-soo figure 3) enables the lip to maintain an orientation which is at an acute angle to the planar portion (Annotated figure 3 below).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the lip of Oh Chung such that it is oriented at an acute angle relative to the planar portion as taught by Kyung-soo for providing a hook feature to the sheet element therefore improving the retention of the sheet element to the frame.
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Excerpt 1
Claim 46
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 45, wherein the edge portion extends partially, substantially or entirely around the perimeter of the planar portion (figures 1-2; note that “or” clause was interpreted such that only one of the options were required to be taught by the prior art).
Claim 47
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 45, wherein the lip extends partially, substantially or entirely around the edge portion (figures 1-2).
Claim 48
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 45, wherein the planar portion, edge portion and lip are integrally formed from a single sheet material (figure 2) to provide the sheet element, alternatively the lip is separately secured to the edge portion so as to be at an acute angle to the planar portion (the ‘alternatively’ was interpreted such that it requires only one or the alternative option).
Claim 49
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 45, wherein the frame is formed from a plurality of frame members (note that Oh Chung only shows a partial cross-section of the security screen, but Oh Chung discloses a typical fixed security screen which the sheet element is inherently surrounded by the frame, and the frame members extend on the perimeter of the sheet element such that the sheet element closes the open portion) wherein each frame member comprises the inner edge which cooperates with the inner edge of the other frame members (same inner edge as shown in Annotated figure 2 above) to define the open portion of the frame, an external flange which provides an external surface of the security screen (Annotated figure 2 above), and an inner flange which provides an internal surface of the security screen (Annotated figure 2 above).
Claim 50
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 45, wherein the locking member is substantially rotatably fixed relative to the frame (figures 1-2).
Claim 51
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 49, wherein the cavity of the frame comprises a channel (Partial Annotated figure 2 below) for receiving the locking member, and a void (Partial Annotated figure 2 below) wherein the channel is defined by an aperture in the inner edge of the frame, an internal surface of the inner flange, an internal surface of the leg, the void, and a slot formed in an internal wall of the frame (Partial Annotated figure 2 below), wherein the void is defined by the channel, the internal wall, the external flange, the inner edge and the leg (Partial Annotated figure 2 below).
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Claim 52
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 51, wherein the locking member is of an elongate cross section (figure 2), wherein the cross-sectional length of the locking member is similar to the length of the channel (figure 1) such that when the locking member is received in the channel, a first end section of the locking member is received in the slot (Annotated figure 2 above and figure 1) and a surface of a second end section is substantially flush to or spaced inwardly from the inner edge of the frame (figure 1) wherein the slot houses the first end section of the locking member such that the first end section can only be withdrawn from the slot by moving the locking member outwardly from the channel in a direction which is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the channel (Annotated figure 2 and Partial Annotated figure 2 above).
Claim 53
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 49, wherein the locking member has a gripping means (the gripping teeth of 4) in a surface thereof such that the gripping means is adjacent the internal surface of the inner flange when the locking member is received in the cavity (figure 1) wherein the internal surface of the inner flange provides a complementary gripping means (the gripping teeth of the frame engaging the gripping teeth of 4) and is positioned such that it mates with the gripping means on the locking member when the locking member is received in the cavity (figure 1).
Claim 54
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 51, wherein the aperture in the inner edge of the frame is of suitable width to accommodate the thickness of the sheet element and the locking member (figure 1) such that when the locking member is received therein the sheet element is clampingly secured between the leg of the frame and the locking member (figure 1).
Claim 55
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 51, wherein a gap (Partial Annotated figure 2 above) is formed between a distal end of the leg from the inner edge of the frame, and an internal surface of the internal wall (Partial Annotated figure 2 above).
Claim 56
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 51, wherein the void receives the lip of the edge portion (Partial Annotated figure 2 above).
Claim 57
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 51, wherein the distance between the channel and an inner surface of the external surface is less than the length of the lip (Annotated figure 2 above; figure 1).
Claim 58
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 45.
Oh Chung does have a curve at the distal end of the leg, but it fails to disclose wherein the leg provides a ramped surface at a distal end of the leg.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art is expected to routinely experiment with parameters so as to ascertain the optimum or workable ranges for a particular use. Accordingly, it would have been no more than an obvious matter of engineering design choice, as determined through routine experimentation and optimization, for one of ordinary skill to modify they shape of the distal end such that it has a ramped surface for improving the attachment of the leg to the lip of the edge portion by providing more surface area to the leg for contacting the lip.
Claim 59
(Oh Chung discloses) A security screen (figures 1-3), the security screen comprising a frame (1) defining an open portion (open portion of 1 that is closed by the screen 2) and a sheet element (2) secured across the open portion of the frame (figure 1), the frame comprises a leg (1a) which extends inwardly from an inner edge of the frame away from the open portion (Annotated figure 2 above), the sheet element comprises an edge portion (Annotated figure 2 above) secured to the frame, the edge portion provides a lip (3) spaced from the leg and which extends away from a first side of the edge portion (Annotated figure 2 above), the edge portion is received in a cavity in the frame (Annotated figure 2 above), the cavity comprises a channel and a void (Partial Annotated figure 2 above), wherein a second side of the edge portion cooperates with a locking member (4) and the channel to lock the edge portion of the sheet element relative to the frame (figure 1).
Oh Chung discloses the lip of the edge portion being bent, but fails to disclose:
(i) such that it is oriented at an acute angle to the sheet element;
(ii) wherein the void retains the lip in an orientation which is at an acute angle to the sheet element.
(i) (However, Kyung-soo teaches) a lip (7; Kyung-soo figure 3) which extends away from a first side of an edge portion (Annotated figure 3 above) such that it is oriented at an acute angle to the sheet element (5; Annotated figure 3 above; Excerpt 1 from page 4 above).
(ii) wherein a void (the void that receives the lip; Kyung-soo figure 3) retains the lip in an orientation which is at an acute angle to the sheet element.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the lip of Oh Chung such that it is oriented at an acute angle relative to the sheet element as taught by Kyung-soo for providing a hook feature to the sheet element therefore improving the retention of the sheet element to the frame.
Claim 60
(Oh Chung discloses) A security screen (figures 1-2) for securing an opening, the security screen comprising a frame (1) defining an open portion (open portion of 1 that is closed by the screen 2) and a sheet element (2) received across the open portion of the frame, the frame comprises a leg (1a) which extends inwardly from an inner edge of the frame away from the open portion (Annotated figure 2 above), the sheet element comprises a planar portion and an edge portion which extends around the perimeter of the planar portion (both shown in Annotated figure 2 above), the edge portion provides a lip (3) spaced from the leg, the edge portion of the sheet element is received in a cavity in the frame (Annotated figure 2 above) and clampingly secured between the leg and a locking member (4), wherein a void of the cavity receives the lip (Partial Annotated figure 2 above).
Oh Chung discloses the lip of the edge portion being bent, but fails to disclose:
(i) the lip which is at an acute angle to the planar portion;
(ii) wherein a void of the cavity receives the lip such that it maintains the lip at an acute angle to the planar portion regardless of an impact thereon.
(i) (However, Kyung-soo teaches) a lip (7; Kyung-soo figure 3) which is at an acute angle to the planar portion (Annotated figure 3 above; Excerpt 1 above).
(ii) wherein a void (the void that receives the lip; Kyung-soo figure 3) of a cavity (Kyung-soo figure 3) receives the lip such that it maintains the lip at an acute angle to the planar portion regardless of an impact thereon (intended use; figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the lip of Oh Chung such that it is oriented at an acute angle relative to the planar portion as taught by Kyung-soo for providing a hook feature to the sheet element therefore improving the retention of the sheet element to the frame.
Claim 61
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 60, wherein the locking member is fixed in a channel of the frame at least in part (Partial Annotated figure 2 above) , through a frictional inter-engagement between the locking member and an other side face of the channel (the locking member and one of the side face defining the channel have gripping means which are interpreted as the ‘frictional inter-engagement’) alternatively, wherein the locking member is fixed in the channel at least in part through the frictional inter-engagement of complementary formations provided on the other side face of the channel and an opposed face of the locking member (figures 1-2).
Claim 62
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen of claim 60, wherein the locking member substantially fills a space (the space between 1a and the gripping means of the frame) defined within the channel between the lip and the inner edge, between an other face of the sheet element and an other side face of the channel (figures 1-2; this was interpreted as best understood by the examiner).
Claim 63
(Oh Chung discloses) The security screen according to claim 62, wherein the locking member is formed of increasing thickness (see thinner first end section and thicker second end section in Partial Annotated figure 2 above) such that, once assembled, the locking member is wedgingly engaged between an other side face of the channel and an other face of the sheet element (figure 2).
Claim 64
(Oh Chung discloses) A security screen fastening system (figures 1-2) for securing an edge portion of a sheet element (2; Annotated figure 2 above), such as a mesh sheet, to a frame portion (1) of the security screen, the frame portion comprises a leg (1a) which extends inwardly from an inner edge of the frame portion away from an open portion (open portion of 1 that is closed by the screen 2) across which spans the sheet element (Annotated figure 2 above; figures 1-2), the edge portion provides a lip (3) which is spaced from the leg, the edge portion is received in a cavity in the frame portion (Annotated figure 2 above), the cavity comprises a channel and a void (Partial Annotated figure 2 above), the edge portion cooperates with the leg and a locking member (4) to lock the edge portion of the sheet element in the cavity (figure 1).
Oh Chung discloses the lip of the edge portion being bent, but fails to disclose:
(i) a lip which is oriented at an acute angle to the sheet element;
(ii) wherein the void receives and retains the lip in an orientation which is at an acute angle to the sheet element.
(i) (However, Kyung-soo teaches) a lip (7; Kyung-soo figure 3) which is oriented at an acute angle to a sheet element (5; Annotated figure 3 above; Excerpt 1 above).
(ii) wherein a void (the void that receives the lip; Kyung-soo figure 3) receives and retains the lip in an orientation which is at an acute angle to the sheet element (5; Kyung-soo figure 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the lip of Oh Chung such that it is oriented at an acute angle relative to the sheet element as taught by Kyung-soo for providing a hook feature to the sheet element therefore improving the retention of the sheet element to the frame.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK B PONCIANO whose telephone number is (571)272-9910. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Cahn can be reached at (571) 270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK B. PONCIANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/DANIEL P CAHN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3634
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