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 .
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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 10, 11 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Oneon furniture mover pro set dolly with wheels sold on amazon.com dated 08/01/2023, https://www.amazon.com/ONEON-Furniture-Mover-Pro-Set/dp/B0CC4X14Q9?th=1 (hereinafter referred to as “ONEON”).
Regarding claim 1, ONEON discloses a moving foot base of furniture (page 1 roll-over image # 3) comprising: a base body (see annotated photo A below), wherein a center of the base body is provided with an accommodating cavity (see annotated photo A below); universal wheels (page 1 roll-over images # 1 and # 3, at least 4 wheels per dolly), wherein the universal wheels are mounted at a bottom portion of the base body ( page 1 roll-over images # 1, # 3 and # 4, and annotate photo A below), and the universal wheels are rotatably connected with the base body ( page 1 roll-over image # 4), and a tray (see annotated photo A below), wherein the base body and the universal wheels are all arranged on the tray (page 1 roll-over images # 1 and #2, note: as shown, one moving foot base has its wheels pointing upward while stacked onto other moving foot bases, so that the base body and wheels are all arranged on the tray).
Annotated photo A taken from ONEON
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Regarding claim 10, ONEON disclose wherein a bottom face of the tray is a plane (page 1, roll-over image # 4, honeycomb ends of the tray bottom appear to be sharing one same flat integral surface, thereby combined together forming a plane for direct contacting the upper surface of the base body when installed).
Regarding claim 11, ONEON disclose wherein the tray is made of a hard material (page 1, roll-over image # 4, tray is made of hard plastic material)
Regarding claim 13, ONEON discloses wherein a cushion pad is further arranged in the accommodating cavity (see video capture B below, there is a round cushion pad arranged in the cavity area).
Video capture B taken from ONEON
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2-4, 12 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oneon furniture mover pro set dolly with wheels sold on amazon.com dated 08/01/2023, https://www.amazon.com/ONEON-Furniture-Mover-Pro-Set/dp/B0CC4X14Q9?th=1 (hereinafter referred to as “ONEON”) in view of Stahl (CA3004402C, hereinafter referred to as “Stahl”).
Regarding claim 2, ONEON fails to disclose wherein the tray is provided with a limiting plate, and the limiting plate is provided with an inserting hole.
However, ONEON and Stahl combined teach the following: wherein the tray is provided with a limiting plate, and the limiting plate is provided with an inserting hole (ONEON, see annotated photo A above, tray; note: “is provided with” does not equate to “includes”, and is interpreted as “supplied with”, which implies that the limiting plate itself does not need to be physically integral with the tray. Instead, limiting plate can be a separate discrete element being “supplied with” the tray; Stahl: Fig 45, bail arm latch 670 is L-shaped plate which serves as a limiting plate, with a receiving hole (682), and can be “supplied with” tray of ONEON).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Stahl to ONEON based on the following rationale: referring to ONEON as shown in roll over images in page 1, each furniture slider is independently separated or stand alone. On the other hand, Stahl teaches features for securely connected or combining together multiple furniture sliders in Figs 38 and 41. Referring to advantages described in Stahl in [0006] of having increase surface for the joined two dollies to support larger load. [00103] last 4 lines in Stahl further describes of advantage of the connectable dolly can be connected together without removing the loads from the dollies. As a result, above discussed advantages of Stahl over ONEON serves as teaching, suggestion, or motivation, in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine and modify ONEON by Stahl there would have been reasonable expectation of success because both belong as analogous art in the field of rectangular dolly with wheels for support. In addition, referring to roll-over image # 4 in page 1 of ONEON, the tray has end pieces that extend out beyond the ends of the metal base body, so as to allow placement of bail arm latch 670 limiting plate and other components in Fig 42 of Stahl.
Regarding claim 3, ONEON fails to disclose further comprising a latch, wherein the latch penetrates through the limiting plate via the inserting hole.
However, Stahl teaches further comprising a latch (Figs 42 and 44, 658, 650), wherein the latch (650b) penetrates through the limiting plate (670) via the inserting hole (Fig 42, 682).
Regarding claim 4, ONEON fails to disclose wherein the latch comprises side inserting rods and a middle inserting rod; the inserting hole comprises side inserting ports and a middle inserting port; and the middle inserting rod penetrates through the middle inserting port, and the side inserting rods penetrate through the side inserting ports.
However, Stahl teaches wherein the latch (Fig 44, 650) comprises side inserting rods (Fig 44, 658) and a middle inserting rod (Fig 44, 654); the inserting hole comprises side inserting ports and a middle inserting port (Fig 42); and the middle inserting rod penetrates through the middle inserting port ([00126], 653 in Fig 43 serve as middle inserting port), and the side inserting rods penetrate through the side inserting ports (Fig 42, 650b penetrates through hole of dolly at surface 672, directly beneath hole 682).
Regarding claim 12, ONEON fails to disclose wherein a surface of the latch oriented to the universal wheels is cambered, so as to be fit with the universal wheels.
However, Stahl teaches wherein a surface of the latch oriented to the universal wheels is cambered, so as to be fit with the universal wheels (Fig 42, latch (650a) appear to have cambered surface oriented to wheel shown).
Regarding claim 14, ONEON fails to disclose wherein one end of the latch has a chamfered structure.
However, Stahl teaches wherein one end of the latch has a chamfered structure (Fig 42, latch (650a, 650b) has chamfered end at 662).
Regarding claims 3, 4, 12 and 14, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine ONEON to Stahl based on same rationale previously discussed for claim 2 above, thereby omitted herein for brevity.
Claim(s) 5 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oneon furniture mover pro set dolly with wheels sold on amazon.com dated 08/01/2023, https://www.amazon.com/ONEON-Furniture-Mover-Pro-Set/dp/B0CC4X14Q9?th=1 (hereinafter referred to as “ONEON”) in view of Stahl (CA3004402C, hereinafter referred to as “Stahl”), and further in view of Liu (CN 106388393A, hereinafter referred to as “Liu”).
Regarding claim 5, ONEON fails to disclose wherein, when the latch completely penetrates through the limiting plate via the inserting hole, a wheel accommodating groove is formed among the middle inserting rod, the side inserting rods and the limiting plate, the universal wheels are limited in the wheel accommodating grooves, and the universal wheels are in a non-rollable state.
However, Stahl and Liu combined teach the following: wherein, when the latch completely penetrates through the limiting plate via the inserting hole (Stahl Fig 42. Latch (650b) penetrate (670) via hole (682)), a wheel accommodating groove is formed among the middle inserting rod (Liu: Fig 1, middle inserting rod (3), hollow housing 1 can be considered wheel accommodating groove for rolling wheel (7)), the side inserting rods (Liu Fig 1, 8) and the limiting plate (Liu Fig 1, 5), the universal wheels are limited in the wheel accommodating grooves, and the universal wheels are in a non-rollable state (Liu Fig 1, wheel (7) is retracted and non-rollable, and limited in housing 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further combine Liu to ONEON based on the following rationale: referring to ONEON as shown in roll over images in page 1, the rotating wheels cannot retract inside the housing but remain extending outward always. On the other hand, Liu teaches features for retracting each wheel inside the housing in Fig 1. In addition, English translation copy page 3 of Liu explains that the whole furniture slider setup can remain mounted to a sofa and the wheels can be retracted into the furniture slider housing to continue to support the sofa.
As a result, above discussed advantages of Liu over ONEON and Stahl serves as teaching, suggestion, or motivation, in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine and modify ONEON by Liu, and there would have been reasonable expectation of success because both belong as analogous art in the field of furniture support dolly with wheels.
Regarding claim 7, ONEON fails to disclose wherein, when the latch completely penetrates through the limiting plate via the inserting hole, a first edge of the latch is aligned with a first edge of the tray.
However, Stahl and ONEON combined teach the following: wherein, when the latch completely penetrates through the limiting plate via the inserting hole, a first edge of the latch is aligned with a first edge of the tray (Stahl: Fig 42. Latch (650b) penetrate (670) via hole (682); Figs 41 and 44, edge of latch (650) is parallel and aligned with edge of tray of ONEON).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further combine Stahl to ONEON based on same rationale previously discussed for claim 5 above, thereby omitted herein for brevity.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 6, 8 and 9 contain allowable subject matter. As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
None of cited prior art including ONEON, Stahl, and Liu, singularly or in any combination thereof, disclose or teach “the latch comprises a handle configured for manual removal when the universal wheels are in the non-rollable state; the tray comprises a pulling portion configured for manual removal when the universal wheels are in the non-rollable state; wherein removal of the latch and tray transitions the universal wheels to a rollable state” of claim 6. By virtue of dependency upon claim 6, dependent claims 8 and 9 also contain allowable subject matter.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments and declaration under 37 CFR 1.130(b) filed on 08/14/2025 to disqualify Kiss Core Slider and Kiss Core Pad as prior art with respect to rejections to pending claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Berna (US 7036833B1) discloses a platform dolly. Allen (US 10850920B1) discloses a wheeled platform. Geraghty (US 11629520B1) discloses a rectangular movable base assembly with wheels. Kao (US 9421835B2) discloses linkable movable structures with wheels. McMillan (US 11203369B2) disclose a dolly assembly. Walker (US 2707351) discloses a rectangular wheeled support stand. Symiczek (US 20080100015A1) discloses a dolly. Kern (US 5921566) discloses a dolly with one piece plastic frame and accommodating cavity. Rehrig (US 4824129) discloses a dolly with a rectangular accommodating cavity on the base body. Shitrit (USD711614S) discloses a wheeled dolly. Xing (US D1078182S) discloses a furniture dolly.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 DING Y TAN whose telephone number is (303)297-4271. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8:00am MT--5:00pm MT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DING Y TAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3632
/TERRELL L MCKINNON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3632