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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/22/2026 was considered by the examiner. Examiner notes the IDS includes a typographical error for the country code of foreign reference 3, the code is listed as EP but should be FR as on the included reference. Examiner annotated the IDS to indicate the correct country code is FR
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 21.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 29’, 128, 128’, 130, 130’, 131. Examiner notes the 100 series reference numerals appear to be typos for 28, 28’, 30, 30’, and 31 as there is no 100 series embodiment shown (i.e. figures 2 and 3 include only singe and double digits, figure 4 includes 400s, and figure 5 includes 500s).
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. 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 Interpretation
The claims include the limitations “rollo screen” and “rollo guides”. While “rollo” is not a term of art per se, it is clear from the disclosure that the term should be interpreted as roller or the parts of the roller blind, i.e. roller screen and roller guides.
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) 1-15 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FR 2556403 to Jose (from IDS of 4/22/2025, hereinafter Jose) in view of WO 2017/198376 to Tran (hereinafter Tran).
Regarding claim 1, the roller blind assembly (vehicle intended use) is shown in Jose in
a winding tube (2) configured to be directly driven by a motor (per page 2 8th full paragraphs of translation attached herewith tube can be driven “by all suitable means, manual or motorized”, which would encompass direct motor drive);
a rollo screen (1) configured to be wound up and off the winding tube (2) at one side and having an operating beam (4) at an opposite side;
wire pulleys (7,8) on opposite outer ends of the winding tube (2);
a springlike element (18) having a wire return element (12,13) arranged on each respective outer end; and
tensioning wires (5,6) connected at first ends to one of the respective wire pulleys (7,8) and connected at second ends to the operating beam (4), wherein the tensioning wires (5,6) run along the wire return elements (12,13) of the springlike element (18) such that the springlike element (18) tensions the tensioning wires (5,6).
However, Jose does not show rollo guides.
Rollo guides are shown in Tran in figures 1-6 with a pair of parallel rollo guides (4) for guiding the rollo screen (2), the rollo screen (2) being movable along the rollo guides (4) between a closed position and an opened position by driving the winding tube (9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the roller blind of Jose with the rollo guides of Tran because rollo guides provided the known benefit of improved guiding of the edges of the roller screen (as opposed to free edges).
If applicant disagrees that Jose teaches direct motor driving, examiner notes the direct motor driving is shown in Tran in figures 1-6 where motor (7) directly drives (via gear unit) the shaft (9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the roller blind of Jose with the direct motor drive of Tran because direct motor drives provided the known benefit of simple and compact driving of the winding shaft.
Regarding claim 2, the blind includes reversal pulleys (16,17) at a front (lower in figure 1) end in Jose and, when provided with the rollo guides of Tran, the reversal pulleys would be near the front end of the rollo guides.
Regarding claim 3, the blind includes at least two pairs (9,10 and 14,15) of wire guiding elements configured to guide the tensioning wires (5,6) from a respective wire pulley (7,8) along the rollo guides, when provided with Tran, via the wire return elements (12,13) of the springlike element (18) towards the outer end of the operating beams (4) in Jose.
Regarding claim 4, the blind includes reversal pulleys (16,17) c at a front (lower in figure 1) end in Jose and , when provided with the rollo guides of Tran, the reversal pulleys would be near the front end of the rollo guides, the blind includes reversal pulleys (16,17) configured to reverse the tensioning wires (5,6) coming from the wire pulleys (7,8) towards the operating beam (4) in Jose.
Regarding claim 5, the reversal pulley (16,17) and wire guide element (9,10 and 14,15) on a same side of the rollo screen (1) are configured as separate elements in Jose.
Regarding claim 6, the reversal pulleys (16,17) and wire guide elements (9,10 and 14,15) are on opposite ends of the screen (1) in Jose (i.e. Jose encompasses present embodiment of figure 5 not present figure 3) and thus cannot be integral with one another.
The placement of the reversal pulleys and wire guides on the same end of the screen (i.e. the front end) would be design choice reversal of parts and on the same side use of a single integral pulley instead of separate pulleys would be design choice integration of parts.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the roller blind of Jose, having the rollo guides (and direct drive) of Tran, with integral reversal and wire guide pulley on the same side of the screen because the tensioning device would function equally well with either pulley configuration and the integral pulley (i.e. single pulley with two grooves forming two guides) would simplify installation by limiting the number of parts (see also MPEP 2144.04 VI Section A reversal of parts obvious and 2144.04 V Section B integration of parts obvious).
Regarding claim 7, Jose does not teach a frame part for the winding tube having a roll off edge.
A frame part is shown in Tran in figures 1-6 where winding tube (9) has a frame part (5) with a roll off edge (figure 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the roller blind of Jose, having the rollo guides (and direct drive) of Tran, with the frame with roll off edge of Tran because frames provided the known benefit of facilitating mounting and support of the winding tube.
Regarding claim 8, the springlike element (18) is on a rear end (i.e. toward winding tube 2) in Jose.
The placement of the placement of the springlike element (and rearrangement of pulleys accordingly) on the front end of the screen would be design choice reversal of parts.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the roller blind of Jose, having the rollo guides (and direct drive) of Tran, with the springlike element on the front end of the screen because the tensioning device would function equally well with either spring and pulley configuration (see also MPEP 2144.04 VI Section A reversal of parts obvious).
Regarding claim 9, the wire guide elements on the same side (9,14 left side figure 1, 10,15 right side) are configured as separate elements in Jose.
Regarding claim 10, the springlike element (31) is configured to a rear (upper in figure 1) of the roller blind assembly and is positioned in rear of the winding tube (2) in Jose.
Regarding claim 11, the wire guide elements on the same side (9,14 left side figure 1, 10,15 right side) are configured as separate elements in Jose.
Regarding claim 12, the wire guide elements on the same side (9,14 left side figure 1, 10,15 right side) are separate elements in Jose.
The use of a single integral guide element instead of separate elements would be design choice integration of parts.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the roller blind of Jose, having the rollo guides (and direct drive) of Tran, with integral wire guide elements on the same side of the screen because the integral guide elements (i.e. single element with two grooves forming two guides) would simplify installation by limiting the number of parts (see also MPEP 2144.04 V Section B integration of parts obvious).
Regarding claim 13, when provided with the frame (5) with roll off edge of Tran, the springlike element (18) would be either above or underneath the roll off edge (i.e. the springlike element is to the rear side along with the winding tube, which is where the frame would also be) in Jose.
Regarding claim 14, the wire guide elements (9,10 and 14,15) have a substantially flat or disc-like shape (figure 1) and the wire guide elements are configured such that the tensioning wires (5,6) are guided in a plane (plane parallel with surface of screen 1) and the screen can cover horizontal surfaces (translation page 1, 2nd full paragraph of description, element can be for vertical, horizontal, or sloped surfaces) in Jose.
Regarding claim 15, the rollo guides (4) extend beyond the length of the screen (2) in the closed position (figure 1) in Tran.
Regarding claim 17, the roller blind assembly is shown in Jose in
a winding tube (2) configured to be directly driven by a motor (per page 2 8th full paragraphs of translation attached herewith tube can be driven “by all suitable means, manual or motorized”, which would encompass direct motor drive);
a rollo screen (1) configured to be wound up and off the winding tube (2) at one side and having an operating beam (4) at an opposite side;
wire pulleys (7,8) on opposite outer ends of the winding tube (2);
a springlike element (18) having a wire return element (12,13) arranged on each respective outer end; and
tensioning wires (5,6) connected at first ends to one of the respective wire pulleys (7,8) and connected at second ends to the operating beam (4), wherein the tensioning wires (5,6) run along the wire return elements (12,13) of the springlike element (18) such that the springlike element (18) tensions the tensioning wires (5,6).
However, Jose does not show rollo guides and is silent as to a roof assembly (blind on horizontal surface taught page 1 of translation as noted above).
A roof assembly and rollo guides are shown in Tran in figures 1-6 with a vehicle having a roof assembly with a transparent roof panel (per page 2 2nd full paragraph of translation provided herewith screen can be provided in a region of a transparent roof part) and a pair of parallel rollo guides (4) for guiding the rollo screen (2), the rollo screen (2) being movable along the rollo guides (4) between a closed position and an opened position by driving the winding tube (9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the roller blind of Jose with the roof assembly and rollo guides of Tran because the roof assembly use provided an additional market for the tensioning element for a blind of Jose and rollo guides provided the known benefit of improved guiding of the edges of the roller screen (as opposed to free edges).
If applicant disagrees that Jose teaches direct motor driving, examiner notes the direct motor driving is shown in Tran in figures 1-6 where motor (7) directly drives (via gear unit) the shaft (9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the roller blind of Jose with the direct motor drive of Tran because direct motor drives provided the known benefit of simple and compact driving of the winding shaft.
Regarding claim 18, the blind includes reversal pulleys (16,17) at a front (lower in figure 1) end in Jose and, when provided with the rollo guides of Tran, the reversal pulleys would be near the front end of the rollo guides.
Regarding claim 19, the blind includes at least two pairs (9,10 and 14,15) of wire guiding elements configured to guide the tensioning wires (5,6) from a respective wire pulley (7,8) along the rollo guides, when provided with Tran, via the wire return elements (12,13) of the springlike element (18) towards the outer end of the operating beams (4) in Jose.
Claim(s) 16 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jose and Tran as applied to claims 1 and 17 (as well as claims 2-15, 18, and 19) above, and further in view of CN 113978218 to Pan (hereinafter Pan).
Regarding claims 16 and 20, Jose is silent as to any motor control.
Motor control is taught in Pan with a vehicle with a transparent panel (skylight) and blind (roller shutter) therefor (page 2 3rd paragraph of Contents of the Invention of the translation provided herewith) where the blind has a controller (page 4 5th paragraph) that is configured to monitor an operating parameter indicative of speed of the winding tube (speed of motor page 4 3rd-5th paragraphs), detecting a threshold is exceeded (page 4 3rd paragraph threshold value), and generating a trigger signal for stopping the motor (motor is stopped page 3rd-5th paragraphs).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the roller blind of Jose, having the roof assembly and rollo guides (and direct drive) of Tran, with the control of Pan because controllers provided the known benefit of monitoring and controlling motor drives as taught in Pan and the speed monitoring can prevent pinching as taught in Pan.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CATHERINE A KELLY whose telephone number is (571)270-3660. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anita Coupe can be reached at 571-270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CATHERINE A KELLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
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