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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/16/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Preliminary Amendment
Preliminary amendment of disclosure filed on 4/7/2025 has been entered. Accordingly, the amended disclosure is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wei et al. (US 2019/0373991, hereinafter Wei).
In regards to claim 21, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, an umbrella (Fig. 7) comprising: a support extending upwardly (200); and an umbrella canopy assembly coupled to the support (see Fig. 7) and comprising at least one tray (220), a first plurality of ribs (300) extending from the at least one tray (see Fig. 7), and a canopy (500) carried by the first plurality of ribs (Par. [0052], see Fig. 7), each first rib (each instance of 300) comprising a body comprising first and second L- shaped arms (12), a light transparent body aligned with the body (23) and comprising first and second longitudinal arms defining a slot (231), and first and second grooves respectively receiving the first and second L-shaped arms (see Fig. 2) to define a tongue and groove coupling interface (see Fig. 2), the slot being between the first and second grooves (see Fig. 2), and a light source (22) carried within the slot (see Fig. 2) and configured to transit visible radiation through the light transparent body and under the canopy (Par. [0037], Figs 1-2 and 7-8).
In regards to claim 22, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, the slot is between the first and second L-shaped arms (see Fig. 2).
In regards to claim 23, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, each of the first and second longitudinal arms comprises a curved arm (the transition from 23 to 231 is interpreted as curved, there being no structural details of said curve claimed).
In regards to claim 24, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, each of the first and second longitudinal arms comprises a straight arm (231 is considered straight, see Fig. 2).
In regards to claim 25, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, each of the first and second longitudinal arms comprises an L-shaped arm (the transition from 23 to 231 is interpreted as L-shaped).
In regards to claim 26, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, the light source (22) comprises a strip of light emitting devices positioned within the slot (see Fig. 1, Par. [0035])
In regards to claim 27, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, each first rib comprises first and second end covers (30A, 50A) respectively positioned on first and second ends of a respective rib (Par. [0049]).
In regards to claim 28, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, the umbrella canopy assembly comprises a photovoltaic cell (at 240), and a battery (Par. [0041]) coupled to the photovoltaic cell and the light sources of the first plurality of ribs (Par. [0041, 0052]); and wherein the photovoltaic cell is carried by the at least one tray (240 is carried by 220, Par. [0052]).
In regards to claim 29, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, the at least one tray (220) comprises a first tray coupled to the first plurality of ribs (see Fig. 7), a second tray (230) below the first tray (see Fig. 7), and a second plurality of ribs (400) coupled between the second tray and the first plurality of ribs (see Fig. 7).
In regards to claim 30, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, an umbrella (Fig. 7) comprising: a support extending upwardly (200); and an umbrella canopy assembly coupled to the support (see Fig. 7) and comprising at least one tray (220), a first plurality of ribs (300) extending from the at least one tray (see Fig. 7), and a canopy (500) carried by the first plurality of ribs (Par. [0052], see Fig. 7), each first rib (each instance of 300) comprising a body comprising first and second L- shaped arms (12), a light transparent body aligned with the body (23) and comprising first and second longitudinal arms defining a slot (231), and first and second grooves respectively receiving the first and second L-shaped arms (see Fig. 2) to define a tongue and groove coupling interface (see Fig. 2), the slot being between the first and second grooves (see Fig. 2), and a strip of light emitting devices (22, see Fig. 1, Par. [0035]) carried within the slot and configured to transit visible radiation through the light transparent body and under the canopy (Par. [0037], Figs 1-2 and 7-8), a photovoltaic cell (at 240), and a battery (Par. [0041]) coupled to the photovoltaic cell and the strips of light emitting devices of the first plurality of ribs (Par. [0041, 0052]).
In regards to claim 31, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, the slot is between the first and second L-shaped arms (see Fig. 2).
In regards to claim 32, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, each of the first and second longitudinal arms comprises a curved arm (the transition from 23 to 231 is interpreted as curved, there being no structural details of said curve claimed).
In regards to claim 33, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, each of the first and second longitudinal arms comprises a straight arm (231 is considered straight, see Fig. 2).
In regards to claim 34, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, each of the first and second longitudinal arms comprises an L-shaped arm (the transition from 23 to 231 is interpreted as L-shaped).
In regards to claim 35, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, each first rib comprises first and second end covers (30A, 50A) respectively positioned on first and second ends of a respective rib (Par. [0049]).
In regards to claim 36, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, the photovoltaic cell is carried by the at least one tray (240 is carried by 220, Par. [0052]).
In regards to claim 37, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, the at least one tray (220) comprises a first tray coupled to the first plurality of ribs (see Fig. 7), a second tray (230) below the first tray (see Fig. 7), and a second plurality of ribs (400) coupled between the second tray and the first plurality of ribs (see Fig. 7).
In regards to claim 38, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, a method of making an umbrella (Abstract, see Fig. 7), the method comprising: forming a support (200) to extend upwardly (Par. [0050], see Fig. 7); and coupling an umbrella canopy assembly to the support (see Fig. 7), the umbrella canopy assembly comprising at least one tray (220), a first plurality of ribs (300) extending from the at least one tray (see Fig. 7), and a canopy (500) carried by the first plurality of ribs (Par. [0052], see Fig. 7), each first rib (each instance of 300) comprising a body comprising first and second L- shaped arms (12), a light transparent body aligned with the body (23) and comprising first and second longitudinal arms defining a slot (231), and first and second grooves respectively receiving the first and second L-shaped arms (see Fig. 2) to define a tongue and groove coupling interface (see Fig. 2), the slot being between the first and second grooves (see Fig. 2), and a light source (22) carried within the slot (see Fig. 2) and configured to transit visible radiation through the light transparent body and under the canopy (Par. [0037], Figs 1-2 and 7-8).
In regards to claim 39, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, the slot is between the first and second L-shaped arms (see Fig. 2).
In regards to claim 40, Wei discloses in Figures 1-2 and 7-8, each of the first and second longitudinal arms comprises one of a curved arm (the transition from 23 to 231 is interpreted as curved, there being no structural details of said curve claimed), a straight arm (231 is considered straight, see Fig. 2), and an L-shaped arm (the transition from 23 to 231 is interpreted as L-shaped).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please review the cited references found on the attached PTO-892, too numerous to list here, which teach either alone or in combination umbrellas with illuminating ribs similar in structure to that which is currently claimed above.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER K GARLEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3599. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Han can be reached at 571-272-2078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALEXANDER K GARLEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896