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:
The reference line for first capstan 250A in figure 3 points to a portion of the housing 210, not a capstan. Examiner notes first capstan 250A is not visible in figure 3 as it is hidden by the housing. As first capstan is visible and labeled in figures 4 and 5 there is no need for the capstan to be labeled in figure 3.
The same issue occurs in figure 6, however, in figure 6 both first 250A and second 250B capstans are hidden but labeled. As the second capstan 250B is clearly shown and labeled in figures 3-5 there is no need for either capstan to be labeled in figure 6.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 9, 13, and 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US patent 9957750 to Lin (hereinafter Lin).
Regarding claim 1, the covering is shown in Lin in figures 1-10 with
a covering (7) movable between a retracted position and an extended position;
a spring motor assembly (11,31) configured to provide a force to raise the covering (7); and
first (27a,27b) and second (29a,29b) lift cords operatively coupled to the covering and the spring motor assembly;
wherein:
the spring motor assembly (11,31) includes an output spool (15 or 17, one is output other take up as further taught in column 13 lines 19-34), one or more take-up spools (other or 15 or 17), first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools, and first (37 in 31a) and second (37 in 31b) capstans;
each of the one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17) including a spring (13) coupled to the output spool (15 or 17), the spring (13) configured to wrap about the output spool during extension of the covering and unwrap from the output spool during retraction of the covering (as further taught column 13 lines 19-34); and
the first (37 in 31a) and second (37 in 31b) capstans each include a central longitudinal axis that is angled (perpendicular, figure 3) relative to a central longitudinal axis of the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools.
Regarding claim 2, the central longitudinal axis (vertical axis, see figure 3) of the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools are parallel to a central longitudinal axis (vertical axis) of the output spool (15 or 17) and a central longitudinal axis (vertical axis) of the one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17) in Lin.
Regarding claim 3, the central longitudinal axis of the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools, the central longitudinal axis of the output spool (15 or 17) and the central longitudinal axis of the one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17) are parallel to a front surface (vertical surface figure 1) of the covering (7) in Lin.
Regarding claim 5, a housing (32,unnumbered housing portion shown in figure 3, further taught in column 13 lines 35-36), the output spool (15 or 17), the one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17), the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools, and the first (37 in 31a) and second (37 in 31b) capstans are positioned within the housing (32,unnumbered portion) in Lin.
Regarding claim 9, a bottom rail (5) coupled to a lower end of the covering (7), the first (27a,27b) and second (29a,29b) lift cords including a lower end associated with one of the covering (7) and the bottom rail (5) and an upper end operatively coupled to the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools so that during extension and retraction of the covering, the first and second lift cords are selectively wrapped and unwrapped from the first and second cord storage spools in Lin.
Regarding claim 13, the one or more take- up spools (other of 15 or 17) includes a first take-up spool positioned on one side of the output spool (15 or 17), the first cord storage spool (20) positioned on one side of the first take-up spool (when 15 is the take up spool), the second cord storage spool (21) positioned on one side of the output spool (when 17 is the output spool), and the first (37 in 31a) and second (37 in 31b) capstans positioned on either side of the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools.
Regarding claim 15, the covering is shown in Lin in figures 1-10 with
a covering (7) movable between a retracted position and an extended position;
a spring motor (11,31) assembly configured to provide a force to raise the covering (7); and
first (27a,27b) and second (29a,29b) lift cords operatively coupled to the covering (7) and the spring motor assembly (11,31);
wherein:
the spring motor assembly (11,31) includes a housing (32,unnumbered housing portion shown in figure 3, further taught in column 13 lines 35-36), an output spool (15 or 17, one is output other take up as further taught in column 13 lines 19-34) positioned within the housing (in unnumbered portion), one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17) positioned within the housing (in unnumbered portion), first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools positioned within the housing (in unnumbered portion), and first (37 in 31a) and second capstans (37 in 31b) positioned within the housing (in 32); and
each of the one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17) including a spring (13) coupled to the output spool (15 or 17), the spring (13) configured to wrap about the output spool during extension of the covering and unwrap from the output spool during retraction of the covering (further taught in column 13 lines 19-34).
Regarding claim 16, the first (37 in 31a) and second (37 in 31b) capstans each include a central longitudinal axis that is angled (perpendicular, figure 3) relative to a central longitudinal axis of the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools in Lin.
Regarding claim 17, the covering is shown in Lin in figures 1-10 with
a covering (7) movable between a retracted position and an extended position;
a spring motor (11,31) assembly configured to provide a force to raise the covering (7); and
first (27a,27b) and second (29a,29b) lift cords operatively coupled to the covering (7) and the spring motor assembly (11,31);
wherein:
the spring motor assembly (11,31) includes a housing (32,unnumbered housing portion shown in figure 3, further taught in column 13 lines 35-36), an output spool (15 or 17, one is output other take up as further taught in column 13 lines 19-34), one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17), first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools, and first (37 in 31a) and second capstans (37 in 31b);
each of the one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17) including a spring (13) coupled to the output spool (15 or 17), the spring (13) configured to wrap about the output spool during extension of the covering and unwrap from the output spool during retraction of the covering (further taught in column 13 lines 19-34);
the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools each include a central longitudinal axis (vertical axis, see figure 3) that is parallel to a central longitudinal axis (vertical axis) of the output spool (15 or 17) and a central longitudinal axis (vertical axis) of the one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17); and
the central longitudinal axis of the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools, the central longitudinal axis of the output spool (15 or 17) and the central longitudinal axis of the one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17) are parallel to a front surface (vertical surface figure 1) of the covering (7)
Regarding claim 18, the first (37 in 31a) and second (37 in 31b) capstans each include a central longitudinal axis that is angled (perpendicular, figure 3) relative to a central longitudinal axis of the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools in Lin.
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) 6, 11, 12, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin.
Regarding claim 6, the housing (32,unnumbered portion) is coupled to a headrail (3) of the architectural-structure covering in Lin
However, the housing of Lin is in three parts and thus cannot be coupled by a single fastener.
A single unitary housing would be a design choice integration of parts. When provided with the design choice unitary housing the housing could be coupled by a single fastener (Lin is silent as to the fastening, however, a single housing requires only a single fastener for attachment).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the covering of Lin with a single unitary housing coupled by a single fastener because the unitary housing provided the known benefit of easier installation (i.e. only one piece to install instead of multiple) and the single fastener provided the known benefit of limiting material costs (see also MPEP 2144.04 V Section B making integral obvious).
Regarding claim 11, the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools positioned on either side of the output and take- up spools (15 and 17), and the first (37 in 31a) and second (37 in 31b) capstans positioned on either side of the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools in Lin.
However, there is only one take up spool.
Two take up spools would be a design choice duplication of parts. When provided with two take up spools, the spools would be on opposite sides of the output spool, similar to the mirrored positions of first and second cord storage spools and first and second capstans in Lin.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the covering of Lin with two take up spools because two take up spools provide the benefit of allowing for a second spring to better balance the spring bias of the spring motor.
Regarding claim 12, when provided with two take up spools, during extension of the covering (7), the first (27a,27b) and second (29a,29b) lift cords unwrap from the first (20) and second (21)cord storage spools, which rotates the first and second cord storage spools, which rotates the first and second take-up spools (other of 15 or 17), which rotates the output spool (15 or 17) causing the springs (13) to wrap about the output spool (further taught in column 13 lines 19-34); and during retraction of the covering, the spring unwraps from the output spool, which rotates the output spool, which rotates the first and second take-up spools, which rotates the first and second cord storage spools, which wraps the first and second lift cords about the first and second cord storage spools in Lin.
Regarding claim 14, a geartrain (gear 18,19 and toothed portions 15a,17a,20a,21a) arranged and configured to transmit forces from the output spool (15 or 17) to the one or more take-up spools (other of 15 or 17) to the first (20) and second (21) cord storage spools in Lin.
However, Lin is silent as to what type of gears/teeth are used (appear to be straight toothed gears but drawings not required to be to scale.
Examiner takes Official Notice that helical gears were old and well-known
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the covering of Lin with the known helical gears/teeth because both straight and helical gears were known and one of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted one known element for another, using known methods with no change in their respective functions. Such a substitution would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made, since the elements perform as expected and thus the results would be expected.
Claim(s) 7 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of US patent 7025107 to Ciuca (hereinafter Ciuca).
Regarding claim 7, each of the first (37 in 31a) and second (37 in 31b) capstans include a rotatable hub (37), the rotatable hub configured to be freely rotatable during extension (further taught column 15 lines 55-67) of the covering (7) and semi-rotatable (further taught column 16 lines 1-16) during retraction of the covering in Lin .
However, the hub has limited rotation, not no rotation.
A one-way only rotation is shown in Ciuca in figures 1-9 where capstan (62 has only one way rotation (via ratchet teeth 76 and pawl 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the covering of Lin with the one way rotation of Ciuca because Lin already contemplates very little rotation (no more than half a revolution) and one way only rotation was a well-known type of limited rotation in the covering art as shown by Ciuca.
Regarding claim 8, each of the first (37 in 31a) and second (37 in 31b) capstans include a rotatable hub (37), the rotatable hub configured to be freely rotatable during retraction (further taught column 16 lines 40-46, second direction retraction taught column 16 lines 2-6) of the covering (7) and semi-rotatable (further taught column 16 lines 40-46, first direction extension taught column 15 lines57-61) during extension of the covering in Lin.
However, the hub has limited rotation, not no rotation.
A one-way only rotation is shown in Ciuca in figures 1-9 where capstan (62 has only one way rotation (via ratchet teeth 76 and pawl 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the covering of Lin with the one way rotation of Ciuca because Lin already contemplates very little rotation (no more than half a revolution) and one way only rotation was a well-known type of limited rotation in the covering art as shown by Ciuca.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 10 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Examiner notes US patent 1863620 to Caruso (hereinafter Caruso) teaches a capstan (25) at an angle that is not perpendicular to a spool (19) and US PG Pub 2021/0254400 to Lin (hereinafter Lin2) teaches a cord guide (20) for a covering at a small acute angle relative to the axis of a cord spool (18). However, neither Caruso nor Lin2, either individually or together, in combination with Lin appear to motivate the angle of 3-7 degrees of claim 4.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CATHERINE A KELLY whose telephone number is (571)270-3660. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30am-5:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anita Coupe can be reached at 571-270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CATHERINE A KELLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
Prosecution Insights