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 .
Response to Amendment
The following Office Action is in response to amendments filed on 05/04/2026. Claims 1-15 are pending in the application. Claims 1-15 have been examined as set forth below.
Drawings
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 “telescopic pipe structure comprising an outer pipe, and two inner pipes…having inner ends and outer ends” in claim 15 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the term “comprising” in line 2, needs to be changed to “comprising:”,
the phrase “leg member” in line 15 needs to be changed to “U-shaped leg member”,
the phrase “a corresponding side” in line 16, needs to be changed to “a corresponding horizontal side frame member”,
the phrase “two leg members” in line 21, needs to be changed to “two U-shaped leg members of the plurality of U-shaped leg members”,
the phrase “of side frame members” in line 23, needs to be changed to “horizontal side frame members”,
the phrase “the upper corner” in line 24, needs to be changed to “an upper corner”,
the phrase “each of the two of leg members” in line 26, needs to be changed to “each of the two U-shaped leg members”,
the phrase “the lower corner” in line 27, needs to be changed to “a lower corner”,
the phrase “to the attachment arrangement” in line 31, needs to be change to “to the attachment arrangements”,
the phrase “and the attachment arrangement for the lower corner of the at least one U-shaped support member is” in lines 32-33, needs to be changed to “and the attachment arrangements for the lower corners of the at least one U-shaped support member, are each”,
the phrase “the corner of the base frame of the trampoline than the fixing slot for the upper corner” in lines 34-35, needs to be changed to “a corner of the base frame of the trampoline than each of the fixing slots for the upper corners”, and
the phrase “end frame member” in line 37, needs to be changed to “horizontal end frame member”.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “upper corners” in line 2, needs to be changed to “the upper corners”,
the phrase “fixing slots” in line 3, needs to be changed to “the fixing slots”,
the phrase “side frame members” in each of lines 3 and 5, needs to be changed to “horizontal side frame members”, and
the phrase “the base frame forces” in line 4, needs to be changed to “the vertical forces of the base frame”.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “the tension” in line 1, needs to be changed to “tension”, and
the phrase “the shape” in line 2, needs to be changed to “a shape”.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “at least one attachment arrangement” in line 4, needs to be changed to “attachment arrangements”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “the support member” in line 3, needs to be changed to “the at least one U-shaped support member”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “the leg member” in line 1, needs to be changed to “the U-shaped leg member”,
the phrase “one horizontal pipe” in line 2, needs to be changed to “and one horizontal pipe”,
the phrase “the vertical pipes” in line 4, needs to be changed to “the two vertical pipes”, and
the phrase “the upper ends of the vertical pipes comprise a similar sleeve portion at which the upper ends of the vertical pipes are attached to the side frame members” in lines 4-6, needs to be changed to “each of the upper ends of the two vertical pipes, comprises an upwardly directed sleeve portion, the upper ends of the two vertical pipes attach at the upwardly directed sleeve portions to one of the plurality of horizontal side frame members”.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “the leg member” in each of lines 2 and 11, needs to be changed to “the U-shaped leg member”,
the phrase “fixing slot” in line 5, needs to be changed to “fixing slots”,
the phrase “the vertical pipes” in line 7, needs to be changed to “the two vertical pipes”, and
the phrase “removing the vertical” in line 8, needs to be changed to “removing the two vertical”,
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “the leg member” in lines 4-5, needs to be changed to “the U-shaped leg member”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “the connecting point” in lines 1-2, needs to be changed to “connecting point”, and
the phrase “the leg member” in each of lines 2 and 3, needs to be changed to “the U-shaped leg member”.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “four leg members and two support members” in line 2, needs to be changed to “four U-shaped leg members and two U-shaped support members”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “the side frame member” in lines 1-2, needs to be changed to “the horizontal side frame member”, and
the phrase “the leg member and the end frame member” in line 3, needs to be changed to “the U-shaped leg member and the horizontal end frame member”.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase “the side member” in line 4, needs to be changed to “the horizontal side frame member”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-15 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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for the following reasons:
Claim 1, lines 15-17, recites: “and leg member lies in a plane that is parallel to longitudinal axis of a corresponding side frame member”. However, it is unclear to which leg member of the plurality of U-shaped leg members, the “leg member” in line 15 is referring.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the two of side frame members" in line 23. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1, line 37, recites: “a vertical plane of the end frame member”, and it is unclear to which end frame of the plurality of horizontal end frame members, “the end frame member” in line 37 is referring.
Further clarification and appropriate corrections are respectfully requested.
Claims 2-15 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, by virtue of dependency upon claim 1.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the opposing side frame members" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for the following reason:
Claim 8, lines 1-2, recites: “wherein the leg member comprises two vertical pipes”. However, it is unclear to which leg member of the plurality of U-shaped leg members, “the leg member” in lines 1-2 is referring.
Further clarification and appropriate corrections are respectfully requested.
Claims 9-11 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, by virtue of dependency upon claim 8.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for the following reasons:
Claim 9, lines 2-3, recites: “the leg member comprises a plurality of attachment arrangements to the lower corner of the at least one U-shaped support member”. However, similar to claim 8, it is unclear to which leg member of the plurality of U-shaped leg members, “the leg member” in line 2 is referring, and it is unclear to which lower corner of the at least one U-shaped support member, “the lower corner” in line 2 is referring.
It is also unclear whether “a plurality of attachment arrangements” recited in claim 9, are part of or in addition to “at least one attachment arrangement” recited in claim 1, upon which claim 9 indirectly depends.
Claim 9 recites the limitations “the fixing point” in line 10 and "the other attachment arrangement" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for each of these limitations in the claim.
Further clarification and appropriate corrections are respectfully requested.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for the following reason:
Claim 10, lines 4-5, recites: “the second end of the support bar is connected to the leg member”. However, it is unclear to which leg member of the plurality of U-shaped leg members, “the leg member” is referring.
Further clarification and appropriate corrections are respectfully requested.
Claim 11 is also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, by virtue of dependency upon claim 10.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the lower corner of the leg member" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for the following reasons:
Claim 12 recites: “wherein the frame structure comprises four leg members and two support member”. However, it is unclear whether “four leg members” recited in claim 12, are part of or in addition to “the plurality of U-shaped leg members” recited in claim 1, upon which claim 12 depends.
It is also unclear whether “two support member” recited in claim 12, are part of or in addition to “the at least one U-shaped support member” recited in claim 1.
Further clarification and appropriate corrections are respectfully requested.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for the following reasons:
Claim 14 recites: “wherein the side frame member further comprises to end parts and an intermediate part that is arranged between the two end parts and the end part comprises fitting for the leg member and the end frame member”. However, it is unclear to which side frame member of the plurality of horizontal side frame members, end part of the two end parts, leg member of the plurality of U-shaped leg members, and end frame member of the plurality of end frame members, each of “the side frame member”, “the end part”, “the leg member” and “the end frame member”, respectively, are referring.
Further clarification and appropriate corrections are respectfully requested.
Claim 15 is also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, by virtue of dependency upon claim 14.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-15 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. Please note that although the amendments have overcome some of the previous claim objections and rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b), they have not overcome all of those objections and rejections and have introduced further objections and indefiniteness (see above for details).
In response to applicant’s arguments stating that claim 1 now recites that the plurality of U-shaped leg members “are arrange substantially vertically below the plurality of horizontal side frame members and each leg member lies in a plane that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of corresponding side frame member”, thereby clarifying the previously-questioned “plane of the leg member” limitation and expressly linking each leg member to its corresponding side frame member, the Examiner respectfully disagrees and would like to mention that claim 1, does NOT recite: “each leg member lies in a plane that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of corresponding side frame member”. As such, applicant is arguing narrower than claimed.
In response to applicant’s argument that the amendments provide clear antecedent basis for “the leg member”, “the side frame member”, “the upper corner”, “the lower corner”, and “the fixing slots” and make explicit which specific members within the respective pluralities carry the fixing slots and attachment arrangements that cooperate with the at least one U-shaped support member, the Examiner would like to mention that although the amendments provide clarification for some of these limitations in some of the claims, the amendments fail to clarify these limitations throughout each and every claim (see above for details).
Applicant’s similar arguments regarding claims 8-14 are moot in view of the above provided explanation (see above for details).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the claim objections and rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Claims 2-15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the claim objections and rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
NOTE TO APPLICANT:
For the purposes of compact prosecution, upon correcting the Drawings to show the specific features of claim 15 (see Drawing objection above for details), Applicant is highly advised to use or incorporate the following Proposed Claim Amendments by the Examiner, in the future response to overcome the above cited claim objections and rejections and place the application in condition for allowance. Applicant is respectfully requested to thoroughly review the following proposed claim amendments and correct any potential grammatical errors, antecedent basis issues or any other issues inadvertently introduced in the claims, in the future response.
Proposed Claim Amendments:
Replace currently presented claim 1, with the following Claim 1.
1. A frame structure for a rectangular trampoline, the frame structure comprising:
a rectangular base frame comprising:
a pair of opposing horizontal side frame members; and
a pair of opposing horizontal end frame members interconnected with the pair of opposing horizontal side frame members to form the rectangular base frame, wherein the pair of opposing horizontal side frame members are longer than the pair of opposing horizontal end frame members;
a plurality of U-shaped leg members connected to and arranged vertically below the pair of opposing horizontal side frame members of the rectangular base frame, and in a plane that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the rectangular base frame, wherein the plurality of U-shaped leg members raise the rectangular base frame above the ground; and
at least one U-shaped support member having two upper corners and two lower corners, the at least one U-shaped support member supported by the pair of opposing horizontal side frame members of the rectangular base frame and the plurality of U-shaped leg members arranged below the pair of opposing horizontal side frame members, a part of the at least one U-shaped support member being parallel to the pair of opposing horizontal end frame members of the rectangular base frame,
wherein each of the pair of opposing horizontal side frame members comprises a fixing slot and each of the plurality of U-shaped leg members comprises at least one attachment arrangement, each attachment arrangement being lower and closer to a corner of the rectangular base frame than each fixing slot,
wherein the two upper corners of the at least one U-shaped support member are fixed to the fixing slots of the rectangular base frame and the two lower corners of the at least one U-shaped support member are fixed to the attachment arrangements of the plurality of U-shaped leg members, such that the at least one U-shaped support member is sloping downwards towards a vertical plane of a horizonal end frame member of the pair of opposing horizontal end frame members, and
wherein the rectangular base frame is connected to a rectangular mat by a plurality of spring elements, such that the rectangular base frame circumferentially surrounds the rectangular mat.
Upon replacing currently presented claim 1, with the above provided claim 1, currently presented claims 2-15 have been amended as follows.
2. (currently amended) The frame structure according to the claim 1 , wherein the rectangular base frame is stiffened in a horizontal direction by the at least one U-shaped support member, and the plurality of U-shaped leg members are configured to carry vertical forces of the rectangular base frame.
3. (currently amended) The frame structure according to the claim 2, wherein a distance between the two upper corners of the at least one U-shaped support member is greater than a distance between the fixing slots of the pair of opposing horizontal side frame members, such that fixing the at least one U-shaped support member to the rectangular base frame forces the pair of opposing horizontal side frame members away from each other.
4. (previously presented) The frame structure according to the claim 3, wherein the rectangular base frame is kept rectangular by the tension of the spring elements
5. (currently amended) The frame structure according to claim 1, wherein an angle of each of the two lower corners of the at least one U-shaped support member is greater than 90 degrees, and fixing of the at least one U-shaped support member to the s tightens [[the]] fixture of the plurality of U- shaped leg members.
6. (previously presented) The frame structure according to claim 1, wherein the at least one U-shaped support member further comprises a tubular inner support and a tubular outer support that are interlinked by linkage bars to form a rigid lattice structure.
7. (currently amended) The frame structure according to the claim 1, wherein the at least one U-shaped support member further comprises an inner support, an outer support and a rigid plate that is fixed between [[an]]the inner support and [[an]]the outer support to stiffen the at least one support member.
8. (previously presented) The frame structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of U-shaped leg members :
two vertical pipes, each having an upper end, a lower endand an upwardly directed sleeve portion at the upper end, wherein the upper ends of the two vertical pipes are attached at the upwardly directed sleeve portions to one horizontal side frame member of the pair of opposed horizontal side frame members; and
one horizontal pipe having a first end, a second end, and an upwardly directed sleeve portion at each of the first end and the second endwherein the first end and the second end of the horizontal pipe are respectively attached at the upwardly directed sleeve portions to the lower ends of the two vertical pipes, and wherein the at least one attachment arrangement is positioned on the horizontal pipe
9. (currently amended) The frame structure to according to the claim 8, wherein:
the at least one attachment arrangement of each of the plurality of U-shaped leg members comprises two attachment arrangements
the two upper corners of the at least one U-shaped support member are pivotally fixed to the fixing slots of therectangular base frame to adjust a height of the frame structure and a distance between the rectangular base frame and the ground i) varying [[the]]a length of [[the]]each vertical pipeii) by removing the vertical pipes of the plurality of U-shaped leg members, attaching the horizontal pipes of the plurality of U-shaped leg members to the pair of opposed horizontal side frame members,each of the two lower corners of the at least one U-shaped support member from one attachment arrangement of the two attachment arrangements to the other attachment arrangement of the two attachment arrangements of each of the plurality of U-shaped leg members
10. (currently amended) The frame structure according to claim 8, wherein the frame structure further comprises an elongated support bar having a first end and a second end, the first end of the support bar is connected to the at least one U-shaped support member and the second end of the support bar is connected toone of the plurality of U-shaped leg members.
11. (previously presented) The frame structure according to the claim 10, wherein connected to the horizontal pipe of the one of the plurality of U-shaped leg members at a location close to the second end of the horizontal pipe which is further away from both ends of the trampoline
12. (currently amended) The frame structure according to claim 1, wherein the the plurality of U-shaped leg members comprises four U-shaped leg members and the at least one support member comprises two support members.
13. (currently amended) The frame structure according to claim 1, wherein the at least one U-shaped support member comprises two end elements and an intermediate element that is between the two end elements.
14. (currently amended) The frame structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair of opposed horizontal side frame members each end part comprises fittings for one U-shaped leg member of the plurality of U-shaped leg members and one of the pair of opposed horizontal end frame members
15. (currently amended) The frame structure according to the claim 14, wherein the intermediate part of each of the pair of opposed horizontal side frame members is a telescopic pipe structure comprising an outer pipe and two inner pipes, the inner pipes having inner ends and outer ends, the inner ends are arranged to be attached to the two end parts of a corresponding horizontal side frame member, the outer ends are fitted into the outer pipe and adapted to move relative to the outer pipe such that the size of the rectangular base frame can be adjusted by extending of each of the pair of opposed horizontal side frame members.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHILA JALALZADEH ABYANEH whose telephone number is (571)270-7403. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 3:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, LoAn Jimenez can be reached at (571)272- 4966. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHILA JALALZADEH ABYANEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3784
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