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
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 1-2, 7-9, 13, and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Oltman 2014/0263885.
Regarding claim 1, Oltman discloses a height-adjustable furniture leg (Figs 1 & 2, #14) , comprising:
a base (Fig 2, #50) configured to be mounted to an underside of a furniture frame;
a leg member (Fig 2, #14) having an upper end (Figs 1 & 2, #24) and a lower end (Fig 2, #28), the upper end (Figs 1 & 2, #24) being rotatably coupled to the base (Fig 2, #50);
an adjustment mechanism (threads) disposed at the upper end (Fig 1 & 2, #24) of the leg member (Figs 1 & 2, #14), the adjustment mechanism (threads) configured to selectively vary the height of the leg member (Fig 2, #14) relative to the base (Fig 2, #50); and
a concealment structure (Figs 1 & 6, #26) positioned at an interface between the base (Fig 2, #50) and the upper end (Figs 1 & 2, #24) of the leg member (Figs 1 & 2, #14), the concealment structure (Figs 1 & 6, #26) configured to or capable of obscuring a parting seam created by adjustment of the leg member (Fig 2, #14) from a normal viewing perspective when the furniture is in use.
Regarding claim 2, Oltman discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the adjustment mechanism (threads) comprises a threaded connection between the base (Fig 2, #50) and the leg member (Fig 2, #14), allowing for rotational height adjustment.
Regarding claim 7, Oltman discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the adjustment mechanism (threads) is manually operable without requiring tools.
Regarding claim 8, Oltman discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the adjustment mechanism (threads) includes a grip-enhancing surface (threads) on an exterior portion of the leg member (Fig 2, #14) to facilitate manual rotation.
Regarding claim 9, Oltman discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the leg member (Figs 1 & 6, #14) or (Fig 6, #22) comprises a cylindrical shape (Fig 6, #22).
Regarding claim 13, Oltman discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the concealment structure (Figs 1 & 6, #26) is configured to automatically reposition as the leg member (Figs 1 & 6, #14) is adjusted, maintaining coverage of the parting seam.
16. The height-adjustable furniture leg of claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism
includes a detent system that provides discrete height settings.
Regarding claim 17, Oltman discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the adjustment mechanism (threaded connection) is configured to provide a continuous range of height adjustment between a minimum and maximum position.
Regarding claim 18, Oltman discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the leg member (Figs 1 & 2, #14) further comprises a load-bearing foot (Fig 2, #22) at the lower end, the foot being configured to distribute weight evenly across a support surface.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 7-10, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Keun KR102333857.
Regarding claim 1, Keun discloses a height-adjustable furniture leg (Figs 2 & 3, #100), comprising: a base (annotated Fig 3 below) configured to be mounted to an underside of a furniture frame; a leg member (annotated Fig 3 below) having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being rotatably coupled to the base (annotated Fig 3 below); an adjustment mechanism (threads) disposed at the upper end of the leg member (annotated Fig 3 below), the adjustment mechanism (threads) configured to selectively vary the height of the leg member (annotated Fig 3 below) relative to the base (annotated Fig 3 below); and a concealment structure (annotated Fig 3 below) positioned at an interface between the base (annotated Fig 3 below) and the upper end of the leg member (annotated Fig 3 below), the concealment structure (annotated Fig 3 below) configured to obscure a parting seam created by adjustment of the leg member (annotated Fig 3 below) from a normal viewing perspective when the furniture is in use.
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Regarding claim 2, Keun discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the adjustment mechanism (threads) comprises a threaded connection between the base (annotated Fig 3 above) and the leg member (annotated Fig 3 above), allowing for rotational height adjustment.
Regarding claim 4, Keun discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the concealment structure (annotated Fig 3 above) comprises an overlapping flange extending from the base (annotated Fig 3 above), configured to cover the parting seam during adjustment.
Regarding claim 7, Keun discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the adjustment mechanism (threads) is manually operable without requiring tools.
Regarding claim 8, Keun discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the adjustment mechanism (threads) includes a grip-enhancing surface (threads) on an exterior portion of the leg member (annotated Fig 3 above) to facilitate manual rotation.
Regarding claim 9, Keun discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the leg member (annotated Fig 3 above) comprises a cylindrical shape.
Regarding claim 10, Keun discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the cylindrical shape includes a knurled or textured exterior surface (threads) to enhance grip for manual adjustment.
Regarding claim 13, Keun discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the concealment structure (annotated Fig 3 above) is configured to automatically reposition as the leg member (annotated Fig 3 above) is adjusted, maintaining coverage of the parting seam.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim KR102000073.
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a height-adjustable furniture leg (Figs 1 & 2), comprising:
a base (Figs 1 & 2, #2) configured to be mounted to an underside of a furniture frame;
a leg member (Figs 1 & 2, #31) having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being rotatably coupled to the base (Figs 1 & 2, #2);
an adjustment mechanism (threads) disposed at the upper end of the leg member (Figs 1 & 2, #31), the adjustment mechanism (threads) configured to selectively vary the height of the leg member (Figs 1 & 2, #31) relative to the base (Figs 1 & 2, #2); and
a concealment structure (annotated Fig 2 below) positioned at an interface between the base (Figs 1 & 2, #2) and the upper end of the leg member (Figs 1 & 2, #31), the concealment structure (annotated Fig 2 below) configured to or capable of obscuring a parting seam created by adjustment of the leg member (Figs 1 & 2, #31) from a normal viewing perspective when the furniture is in use.
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Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the adjustment mechanism (threads) comprises a threaded connection between the base (Figs 1 & 2, #2) and the leg member (Figs 1 & 2, #31), allowing for rotational height adjustment.
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the threaded connection includes a locking mechanism (Figs 1 & 2, #5) to prevent unintentional height changes.
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keun KR102333857 in view of Kim KR102000073.
Regarding claim 3, Keun has been discussed above but does not explicitly teach wherein the threaded connection includes a locking mechanism to prevent unintentional height changes.
Kim discloses a height-adjustable furniture leg (Figs 1 & 2) wherein comprising a threaded connection (Fig 1, #21 & #31) includes a locking mechanism (Figs 1 & 2, #5) to prevent unintentional height changes.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a locking mechanism (Kim, Figs 1 & 2, #5) to the threaded connection of Keun in order to further secure the leg member (Leun, annotated Fig 3 above) of Leun to the base (Leun, annotated Fig 3 above) of Leun.
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oltman 2014/0263885 in view of Kim KR20200092134.
Regarding claims 11 and 12, Oltman has been discussed above but does not explicitly teach the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the base is secured to the
furniture frame using a plurality of fasteners arranged circumferentially around the base (claim 11); wherein the base includes pre-formed mounting holes to receive the plurality of fasteners (claim 12).
Kim discloses a height-adjustable furniture leg (Figs 1 & 2, #10) wherein a base (Figs 1-3, #12) is secured to a furniture frame (Fig 3, #40) using a plurality of fasteners (annotated Fig 3 below) arranged circumferentially around the base (Figs 1 & 2, #12) (claim 11); wherein the base (Figs 1-2, #12) includes pre-formed mounting holes (annotated Fig 1 below) to receive the plurality of fasteners (annotated Fig 3 below) (claim 12).
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form pre-formed mounting holes (Kim, annotated Fig 1 above) in the base (Oltman, Fig 2, #50) of Oltman and insert fasteners (Kim, annotated Fig 3 above) in the pre-formed mounting holes (Kim, annotated Fig 1 above) to fasten the base (Oltman, Fig 2, #50) of Oltman to the furniture frame (Oltman, Fig 2, #12) of Oltman in order to further secure the base (Oltman, Fig 2, #50) of Oltman to the furniture frame (Oltman, Fig 2, #12) of Oltman and prevent the base (Oltman, Fig 2, #50) of Oltman from inadvertently falling off the furniture frame (Oltman, Fig 2, #12) of Oltman.
Claims 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oltman 2014/0263885 in view of Davies 2002/0021502.
Regarding claim 14, Oltman has been discussed above but does not explicitly teach the height-adjustable furniture leg wherein the leg member is composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, steel, and an alloy
thereof.
Davies discloses a furniture leg member (Fig #20) that is composed of a metal material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, steel, and an alloy
thereof [0019].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to fabricate the leg member (Oltman, Fig 2, #14) of Oltman from aluminum as taught by Davies since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. Further aluminum is well known in the art for being inexpensive, durable, light weight, and easily accessible.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keun KR102333857 in view of Meyer 6,407,351.
Regarding claim 15, Keun discloses the height adjustable furniture leg wherein the concealment structure (annotated Fig 3 above, 2nd Interpretation) is configured to allow for seamless coverage of the parting seam.
Keun has been discussed above but does not explicitly teach wherein the concealment structure is composed of a flexible material.
Meyer discloses a furniture leg (Fig 2A, #28) comprising a concealment structure (Fig 2A, #24) that is composed of a flexible material (col 2,line 66).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to fabricate the concealment structure (Keun, annotated Fig 3 above, 2nd Interpretation) from a flexible material as taught by Meyer since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. Further flexible materials are well known in the art for being inexpensive, light weight, and easily accessible.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, 19, and 20 are allowed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEVIN K BARNETT whose telephone number is (571)270-1159. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am-6pm.
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/DEVIN K BARNETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
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