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 following correspondence is a non-final Office Action for application # 19200704, entitled: DUCT HANGER FOR VIBRATION CONTROL, filed on 05/07/2025. Claims 1-8 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (U.S> Pub. 20170138510).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a duct hanger 100 for vibration control comprising: a rod 110 coupled to the ceiling 10; a holder 180 coupled to the duct (as depicted in Fig. 2); and a connector 123,150 rotatably connecting the rod 110 and the holder 180 about a rotational axis parallel to the duct, where the connector 123,150 comprises a vibration damping portion 120,130 configured to damp vibration transmitted from the rod 110 or the holder 180.
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 (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 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) 2-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. in view of Zhang (U.S. Pat. 8376287).
Regarding claim 2, Kim teaches the duct hanger 100 for vibration control, where the connector 123,130 comprises: a connection member 150; and an adjuster 123 connecting the connection member 150 and the rod 110 and screwed to the rod 110 to allow an installation height of the connection member 150 to be adjusted.
With regards to claim 2, Kim is discussed above, and teaches the duct hanger 100. However, Kim fails to teach where the connection member 150 is rotatably coupled to a boss of the holder 180 about the rotational axis. Zhang teaches a pipe clamp 10 comprising a connection member 16 rotatably coupled to a boss 12, about a rotational axis (as seen in Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the connection member of Kim to have the boss of Zhang, in order to provide a means for securely retaining the pipe in place and to allow for easily removal of the hanger when changing pipes, as taught to be desirable by Zhang (see discussion in col. 1, lines 28-31).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses the duct hanger 100 for vibration control, where the connection member 150 comprises a connection member top plate 152 rotatably coupled to the adjuster 123 about a vertical axis passing through a center of the rod 110 and a connection member side plate 154 extending from the connection member top plate 152 toward the boss and rotatably coupled to the boss about the rotational axis.
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses the duct hanger 110, where the connection member top plate 152 has a coupling hole 152a into which an undercut formed on the adjuster 123 is press- fitted (via spring 122).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses the duct hanger 100 for vibration control, where the connection member side plate 154 comprises: a first connection member side plate 154 extending from one side of the connection member top plate 152 toward one side of the boss and having a through-hole coaxial with a shaft hole formed in the boss 12 (see 18 in Fig. 3 of Zhang); and a second connection member side plate 154 extending from the other side of the connection member top plate 152 toward the other side of the boss 12 and having a fastening hole coaxial with the shaft hole 18 formed in the boss 12.
Claim(s) 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Zhang as applied to claims 1 and 5 above, and further in view of Thomas (U.S. Pub. 20120318934).
Regarding claim 6, Kim and Zhang teach the duct hanger 100 for vibration control, where the vibration damping portion comprises: a shaft member forming the rotational axis (as seen in Fig. 2 below) and an elastic member (see 54 in Zhang). The Examiner submits that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an elastic member with the damping portion of Kim, in order to aid in removal of the shaft, as taught to be desirable by Zhang (see discussion in col. 2, lines 33-37). However, Kim and Zhang fail to teach a friction member movably coupled to the shaft member in a longitudinal direction of the shaft member and having a friction surface facing a contact surface of the boss 12 formed on the holder 180; and where the elastic member elastically presses the friction member towards the boss 12 such that the friction surface is brought into close contact with the contact surface. Thomas teaches a duct hanger 10 comprising a rod 27 and a connection member 11 for supporting a holder 12. Thomas further teaches a friction member 26 movably coupled to a shaft member 13 in a longitudinal direction of the shaft member 13; where the elastic member 54 (of Zhang) elastically presses the friction member 26 towards the boss 12 such that the friction surface is brought into close contact with the contact surface.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the damping portion of the duct hanger taught by Kim and Zhang to have a friction member, in order to make the installation process easier, faster, and eliminate the need for extra tools, as taught to be desirable by Thomas (see discussion in para. [0029], lines 5-8).
Regarding claim 7, Thomas further teaches the duct hanger 100, where the vibration damping portion comprises: a shaft member (as seen in Fig. 2 of Kim below) forming the rotational axis and having a threaded portion at one end thereof (see Fig. 2 below), the threaded portion being screwed to the fastening hole after passing through the through-hole and the shaft hole; a head (also shown in Fig. 2 below) coupled to the other end of the shaft member; a first friction member 26 movably coupled to the shaft member in a longitudinal direction of the shaft member and having a first friction surface facing the contact surface of the boss 12; and an elastic member 54 (taught by Zhang) coupled to the shaft member to be disposed between the head and the first friction member 26, the elastic member 54 elastically pressing the first friction member 26 toward the boss 12 such that the first friction surface is brought into close contact with the contact surface, where friction force between the contact surface and the first friction surface varies depending on a degree of screw engagement between the threaded portion and the fastening hole.
Regarding claim 8, Thomas teaches the duct hanger, where the vibration damping portion further comprises a second friction member 26 movably coupled to the shaft member in the longitudinal direction of the shaft member between the head and the elastic member 54 and having a second friction surface facing the contact surface of the head.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. In addition to the reference to Kim et al., Zhang, and Thomas above, the Examiner submits the Notice of References Cited (PTO-892). U.S. Pats. 11359747 to Belen et al., 7793893 to Opperthauser, and 7325776 to Shibuya teach duct hangers for suspending duct from an upper fixed surface.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL D MCDUFFIE whose telephone number is (571)272-3832. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8AM-4:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Michael McDuffie/Examiner, Art Unit 3632 22-Jun-26
/TERRELL L MCKINNON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3632
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