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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election without traverse of Species B (figs.17-23) in the reply filed on 06/23/2026 is acknowledged.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 “a block and a reciprocal protrusion” in claim 1 and “a stop part receiving slot” in claim 7 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 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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)(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) 1-2,5-6,10-15 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Baruch (US 20200298392 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Baruch teaches a module connection structure comprising (fig.12 shows the module connection structure):
a first connection part located on a first module, the first connection part comprising (see annotated fig.7 below for a first connection part locked on a first module):
a mounting part (see annotated fig.7 mounting part);
a locking part movable relative to the mounting part (see annotated fig.4 for the locking part that is movable relative to the mounting part); and a first elastic member positioned between the locking part and the mounting part (see annotated fig.4 below), wherein the first elastic member retains the locking part in a resting position within the mounting part (see annotated fig.4 below where the elastic member retains the locking part in a resting position within the mounting part);
a second connection part located on a second module, the second connection part comprising a mating part configured to receive the locking part (fig.12 show the two modules on top of each other and second connection part on the second module where the first connection part is attached as seen in fig.13 at 57a ); and
a stop part comprising a block and a reciprocal protrusion, wherein the block is configured to abut the reciprocal protrusion (see annotated fig.4 below for the stop part comprising a block and a reciprocal protrusion and since the block and protrusion interact with each other they are capable of abutting);
wherein when the block and the reciprocal protrusion are in abutment, the locking part is prevented from engaging with the mating part, such that the first connection part and the second connection part remain unlocked (see annotated fig.4 below where the block and reciprocal protrusion in abutment can prevent the locking part from engaging with mating part and two connection parts stay unlocked).
Annotated fig.7 of Baruch
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768
907
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Annotated fig.4 of Baruch
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715
743
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Regarding claim 2, the references as applied to claim 1 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches wherein the block of the stop part is provided on the locking part, such that the locking part and the block are movable with respect to the mounting part while the reciprocal protrusion remains in a fixed position (see annotated fig.4 where the block of the stop part is provided on the locking part and capable of locking part and block are movable with respect to the mounting part which the protrusion inn fixed position).
Regarding claim 5, the references as applied to claim 2 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches wherein the reciprocal protrusion is provided on the first connection part (see annotated fig.4 above for the protrusion provided on the first connection part).
Regarding claim 6, the references as applied to claim 2 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches wherein the reciprocal protrusion is provided on the second connection part (see annotated fig.4 above where the protrusion can be provided on the second connection part if the connection of the latch is reversed).
Regarding claim 10, the references as applied to claim 1 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches wherein the locking part is a sliding latch configured to move horizontally relative to the mounting portion (fig.13-14 shows the locking part as a sliding latch capable of moving horizontally relative to the mounting portion).
Regarding claim 11, the references as applied to claim 1 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches wherein the locking part is a flip latch or a rotary latch (see annotated figures above for the locking part as a rotary latch).
Regarding claim 12, the references as applied to claim 1 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches 1 modular storage system comprising two or more storage boxes comprising the module connection structure of claim 1, wherein each storage box of the two or more storage boxes comprises the first connection structure and the second connection structure, the first connection structure and the second connection structure being positioned on opposite ends of a side face of the storage box (see figure 12 that show the two or more storage boxes which comprises the module connection structure of claim 1 and each of the boxes will have two connection structures and they are positioned on opposite end od side face of the boxes).
Regarding claim 13, Baruch teaches a storage box assembly comprising (Fig.12 shows the module connection structure):
a first storage box providing a first connection part, the first connection part comprising (see annotated fig.7 above for a first connection part locked on a first module):
a mounting part (see annotated fig.7 above);
a locking part movable relative to the mounting part (see annotated fig.4 and 7 above); and a first elastic member positioned between the locking part and the mounting part, wherein the first elastic member retains the locking part in a resting position within the mounting part (see annotated fig.4 and 7 above);
a second storage box comprising a second connection part, the second connection part comprising a mating part configured to receive the locking part (fig.12 show the two modules on top of each other and second connection part on the second module where the first connection part is attached as seen in fig.13 at 57a); and
a stop part comprising a block and a reciprocal protrusion, wherein the block is configured to abut the reciprocal protrusion (see annotated fig.4 above for the stop part comprising a block and a reciprocal protrusion and protrusion is capable of abutting the block; it is noted this is a capable to limitation it is not positively claimed);
wherein, when the block and the reciprocal protrusion are in abutment, the locking part is prevented from being received within the mating part, such that the first connection part and the second connection part remain unlocked (see annotated fig.4 below where the block and reciprocal protrusion in abutment can prevent the locking part from engaging with mating part and two connection parts stay unlocked).
Regarding claim 14, the references as applied to claim 13 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches wherein the block of the stop part is provided on the locking part, such that the locking part and the block are movable with respect to the mounting part while the reciprocal protrusion remains in a fixed position (see annotated fig.4 where the block of the stop part is provided on the locking part and capable of locking part and block are movable with respect to the mounting part which the protrusion inn fixed position).
Regarding claim 15, the references as applied to claim 14 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches wherein when the first connection part and the second connection part are in an unlocked state, the block is in the first position, and wherein when the first connection part and the second connection part are in a locked state, the block is in the second position (see fig.4 above and figs. 13-14 for the first and second connection part in an unlocked and locked state when block is in two different positions i.e. rotation)
Regarding claim 19, the references as applied to claim 13 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches wherein the locking part is a sliding latch configured to move horizontally relative to the mounting portion (see fig.13 and 14 where the locking part is a sliding latch capable of moving horizontally relative to the mounting portion).
Regarding claim 20, the references as applied to claim 13 above discloses all the limitations substantially claimed. Baruch further teaches wherein the locking part is a flip latch or a rotary latch (see annotated figures above for the locking part as a rotary latch).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, 7-9 and 16-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
See PTO-892 for the prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ANTHONY STASHICK can be reached on (571)272-4561. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PRINCE PAL/Examiner, Art Unit 3735
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