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 .
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 hooks, knots, and carabiner (claim2), a side release buckle (claim 3) is shown in figure 2, but only being attachable to the belay connection element not the belt loop as would be required by the claim, 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
Claims objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2: the terms “as hooks” “as knots” “as carabiner” is grammatically incorrect.
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 1-18 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.
Regarding claims 1 and 18, it is unclear if “each” in line 2 is referring to “at least one chest connection belt” or all the elements that preceding “each,” rendering the claim indefinite.
Regarding claim 3, the term “alamari” is indefinite as this appears to be a non-English term that is not found in the dictionary. The meaning of every term should be apparent and if the applicant intended to be their own lexicographer term must specifically be defined, which is currently not done as the specification describes “basically” what the element could be (see MPEP 2173.05(a)).
Regarding claim 4, it is unclear what defines the chest loop connection element and how “an eyelet” could/would be attached to both the belay connection element and the belt loop, it appears this would need to be at least two separate eyelets.
Regarding claim 14, “the chest loop connector” lacks proper antecedent basis. It appears the claim should depend from 13.
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, 2, 5-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li (CN109603027).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a harness comprising a belt loop (009), a chest loop (006), at least one chest loop connection element (012; fig.3), at least one chest connection belt (011), each having a first chest loop connection end (adjacent to where 011 interacts with 3) and an opposite second chest loop connection end (adjacent 012), and a belay connection element (10 between 006 and 009), wherein: the belt loop and the chest loop are connected to one another via the belay connection element, each first chest loop connection end and the chest loop are connected to one another, and the belt loop and the belay connection element are configured for alternatively and detachably connecting with the respective second chest loop connection end via the respective at least one chest loop connection element (the hook 012 is capable of attaching to either of the previously described belay connection element or the belt loop, i.e. this is placing a hook over a strap).
Regarding claim 2, Li discloses wherein the at least one chest loop connection element as a hook (012).
Regarding claim 5, Li discloses wherein the respective first chest loop connection end is connected to a backside of the chest loop and the belay connection element is connected to an opposite frontside of the chest loop (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Li discloses wherein the belay connection element is connected to a front side of the belt loop (fig.3) and the belt loop is capable of being connected on an opposite back side via the respective at least one chest loop connection element.
Regarding claim 7, Li discloses wherein two first chest loop connection ends (adjacent to where 011 interacts with 3) are distantly connected from the chest loop (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, Li discloses two shoulder belts (10; fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Li discloses wherein the two shoulder belts are distantly connected with respective opposite ends to a backside and a front side of the chest loop (10 spaced apart as shown in fig. 3).
Regarding claim 10, Li discloses wherein each shoulder belt is provided as one-piece with one of the at least one chest connection belt (fig.3 shows the harness formed as a single unit, i.e. one-piece).
Regarding claim 11, Li discloses wherein the belt loop comprises a belt loop connection area (where 10 extends down and connects with 009) for connecting the belay connection element.
Regarding claim 12, Li disclose, wherein the belt loop connection area is provided as belt connection loop connecting the belay connection element (the entire belt 009 is a loop and the belay connection element is connected to it).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Li discloses wherein the chest loop comprises a first chest loop end, an opposite second chest loop end and a chest loop connector buckle (008) for detachably connecting the first chest loop end and the second chest loop end.
Regarding claim 15, Li disclose wherein at least one of the belt loop, the at least one chest connection belt, the belay connection element and the chest loop are provided as flat webbing (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 16 and 17, Li discloses two leg loops (016 and 015) distantly connected to the belay connection element (fig. 3).
Claim(s) 1 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Diplphys (DE 3632537)
Regarding claims 1 and 18 Diplphys discloses a method for putting on a harness comprising a belt loop (14), a chest loop (18), at least one chest loop connection element (24), at least one chest connection belt (21), each having a first chest loop connection end (23) and an opposite second chest loop connection end, and a belay connection element (16), wherein: each first chest loop connection end and the chest loop are connected to one another (fig. 1), and comprising the steps of: connecting the belt loop and the chest loop via the belay connection element together (shown connected in figure 1), and detachably connecting each second chest loop connection end via the respective at least one chest loop connection element alternatively to the belt loop (fig. 2-5 disclose the element being alternatively connected to the belt loop) or to the belay connection element.
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (CN109603027) in view of Leggett (4,273,215).
Regarding claim 3, Li lacks disclosing the at least one chest loop connection element is a side release buckle.
Legett teaches that it is known in the art for a connection element (24) to include a side release buckle (30).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to use a buckle release connection element similar to Legett to increase safety by providing an attachment around 360 degree and reducing the chances of slipping off.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL TROY whose telephone number is (571)270-3742. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Thursday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Troy can be reached at 571-270-3742. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL J TROY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3637
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