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 § 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.
The term “firmly connected” in claim 8 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “firmly connected” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The examiner notes connected is generally sufficient to imply fixed connection, and if applicant is concerned that relative rotation might occur between hand grip and rotating disc, applicant may try language such as “connected, such that the hand grip and rotating disc rotate together” are available.
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) 1-2, 5-10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EP 2,510,995 to Pelagagge (P1) in view of CN 104405689 to Zeng et al. (Z1).
In Re Claim 1:
P1 teaches:
A filter unit(2), (title abstract) comprising:
A housing (Fig. 1, 220, 1, Fig. 6, 20) [Examiner notes the outer rods project through apportion of outer wall(220) while housing elements 1 and 20 provide coverage for the interior locking structures.]
A filter(2) arranged
A holding mechanism (Fig. 4, 230, 23, 240, 241, 203, 11, 4 ) with at least a first rod(23) and a moveable shift unit(240) which is connected to an inner end of the first rod (231), [Examiner notes the rotate structure and projecting rods described in Col. 5-6, ¶28-35.]
Wherein in a locking position (Fig. 4) an outer end of the first rod projects from the housing with a first protruding length, [Seen in Fig. 4 the affixed ends of the rods include protruding locking elements projecting into a hood(5) securing structure.]
And wherein in a mounting position of the shift unit, the first protruding length is smaller than the first protruding length in the locking position, [in Fig. 5, to move the filter unit into and out of the structure the shift unit is rotated to pull the arms inward along the cam structure pulling the ends of the rods with their stop/latch tips inward to a lower degree of protrusion.]
And wherein the holding mechanism has a first end stop by which the locking position is determined. [Examiner notes the rotating disc(240) includes guides(241 which determine the mounting and securing points when the are stopped from further rotation by the pin.]
P1 does not teach:
Wherein the filter unit is a filter fan unit, and that the housing has a fan to blow air from an inlet to an outlet, and wherein the filter is arranged at the outlet.
Z1 teaches:
It is known to pair filters with fan units as FFU’s for the purpose of providing improved filtrated ventilation. This is done by providing a casing/box (1) which is secured by telescopic arms(3, 33) with the fan inside, and the filter(4) located at the outlet. [This is seen in Fig. 1, 2, 5, and 6. Abstract notes the boxy body with the telescoping lock should include the fan for locking and applying, such that filtered clean air can be provided in various locations hard to secure using the easy locking structure. First two pages of provided machine translation.]
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 invention of P1, to apply its boxed filter and locking structure to include a fan, as taught by Z1, to make it suitable for use in securing a desirable fan/filter unit with telescoping to hard to access locations for improved ventilation in said situations. [See Z1, Fig.res 1, 2, 5, and 6, and Pages 1-2 including abstract.] This would yield the housing of P1 including a fan, the filter arranged at the outlet of the fan designed to draw air through it as taught by Z1, with the further expectation of applying the easy install/attach method of P1 to fan filter units known to rely on such cam guided rotation devices, for ease of installation and to provide improved use of said fans with easier instillation in a wider of array of structures. This would yield the limitation of the filter unit being a fan filter unit, the fan blowing air from an inlet to an outlet of the housing as shown in Z1, with the filter arranged at the outlet, and the telescope arms of the filter structure projecting through said attached housing as shown in P1 to secure the casing for instillation. This would provide the advantages without requiring the additional element (5) needed by Z1 for further fan securing as well reducing instillation requirements.
In Re Claims 2, 5-10, and 12:
P1 as modified by Z1 teaches:
The filter fan unit of claim 1, wherein:
(Claim 2) a second end stop determines the mounting position. [It can be seen in P1, Fig. 5, that at the end stop of groove 241, closest to the fan center, the fan rods are retracted allowing mounting/dismounting.]
(Claim 5) wherein the shift unit (P1, 240) is designed as a rotating disc mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation. [It can be seen in Figs. 4 and 5 of P1, the disc rotates about the central axis, to pull the arms in/out. Z1, Fig. 2 shows a similar feature.]
(Claim 6) claim 5, the rotating disc is rotatably attached to an air distribution plate at the air outlet. [Per P1, the rotating disc is attached to lowermost plate(1) facing the ground, via handle(11) and the cylinder(203). As air flows past this plate on its way out per the modification, this is an air distribution plate.]
(Claim 7) claim 6, wherein a spacer defines a distance between eh rotating disc and the air distribution plate. [It can be seen inP1, Fig. 6 that handle 11, and cylinder (203) serve to space the rotating disc(240) from plate(1).]
(Claim 8) claim 5, the rotating disc is firmly connected to a hand grip. [It is noted in P1, that 11 is a gripping means that is connected via the pin(4) integral with the release flange (240) that rotates as a disc. [Col. 5-6, ¶28-32 and Fig. 4-6. As a gripping means can be gripped by a hand this is a hand grip in so far as that term is limiting, and see 112 above for “firmly” connected.]
(Claim 9) the holding mechanism has a second rid with an inner end and an outer end, the inner end being connected to the shift unit and the outer end projecting out of the housing with a second protruding length when the shift unis is in the locking position. [P1, Figures 4-6 show two rods, at opposing ends attached to the disc that project outward.]
(Claim 10) claim 9, the outer end of the first rod projects from a first side wall of the housing, and the outer end of the second rod projects from a second side wall of the housing, the first side wall and the second side wall being opposite to one another. [P1 Fig. 1-6 show the two rods at opposite sides projecting through opposing ends of the flanged housing about the unit.]
(Claim 12) the holding mechanism has only one shift unit. [It can be seen in P1, there is only one rotating disc which meets the claim limitations of claim one for a shift unit.]
Claim(s) 3 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over P1 in view of Z1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 2019/0234630 to Stearns et al. (S1).
In Re Claim 3:
P1 as modified by Z1 teaches:
The fan filter unit according to claim 11, wherein, the at least first end stop comprises an elongated hole (P1, Fig. 4, 241) and a pin (231) which engages through the elongated hole and may be moved relative to the elongated hole. [Per P1, Fig. 4-5, it can be seen the disc rotates which moves the pin relative to the elongated hole in the cam disc.]
P1 as modified by Z1 does not teach:
Wherein the pin is a bolt.
S1 teaches:
When using fan system, one of ordinary skill would recognize that connecting pines (760) about which a cam system will move or turn, can be bolts. [Page 5, ¶44-45 notes for example, pivot pin(760) for the cam may be any appropriate fastener such as a shoulder bolt, and further, locking pin, also about which the cam system can be any appropriate fastener, which has been previously identified as screws, bolts, etc.]
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 invention of P1 and Z1, which utilizes a pin to attach the rod to the cam guide system, to use a shoulder bolt or other recognized bolt fastener in place of the pin as taught by S1, with the expectation of successful operation as these are obvious alternative in the art attachment methods that would be expected to perform as needed and are known variants to pins in cam lock and/or pivot pin arts. [S1, Page 5, ¶44-45.] This would yield the limitation of claim 3, given the pin would be a bolt projecting between the rod and the locking plate.
In Re Claim 4:
P1 as modified in claim 3 teaches:
The bolt is connected to the housing. [Given connected is board language, examiner notes the housing of P1, being the case bottom 1, the casing(20) and the outer flange casing(220) that holds the fan, the bolt is connected via the rod and cam to the outer casing(220) through the rod it is affixed to, to the lower casing(1) and (20) of P1 through the rotating disc connected to them via a pivoting connection.]
Claim(s) 11 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over P1 and Z1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of CN 105041166 to Gao (G1).
In Re Claim 11:
P1 as modified in claim 1 teaches:
The fan filter unit according to claim 9, having a first and second rod.
P1 as modified in claim 1 does not teach:
The unit having a third and fourth rod.
Examiner notes per the MPEP 2144.04f, Section IV, part B:
In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) (Claims at issue were directed to a water-tight masonry structure wherein a water seal of flexible material fills the joints which form between adjacent pours of concrete. The claimed water seal has a "web" which lies in the joint, and a plurality of "ribs" projecting outwardly from each side of the web into one of the adjacent concrete slabs. The prior art disclosed a flexible water stop for preventing passage of water between masses of concrete in the shape of a plus sign (+). Although the reference did not disclose a plurality of ribs, the court held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced.)
G1 teaches:
In the field of telescopic arms used to secure a structure by rotation about a cam shaft (See Fig. 1) The use of four arms is generally known, and does not produce an unexpected result ither than that four arms could rotate and result in four securing tabs over two, with an increase in securing tabs being an obvious result of increasing the number of arms attached to said tabs.
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 invention of P1 to utilize four securing tabs about a cam as taught by G1, by a mere duplication of parts precedent using G1 as a guide and evidence that the duplication would perform as expected, would have predictable results, and would not produce a new or unexpected result over the two arm securing method, given that it would add redundancy (expected) and additional force bearing arms/latches(expected) which are expected results form increasing the number of securing arms. This would yield the limitation of a third and fourth rod, positioned at evenly spaced ranges such as G1 provides for the known in the art manner of using four telescopic securing rods.
In Re Claim 13:
P1 as modified in claim 11, teaches:
Wherein the first rod and the third rod form an angle of about 90 degrees. [Examiner notes referring to G1, the arms that are not directly opposite (the second arm per P1 and claim 9) are a t 90 degrees to the two arms opposed to each other, therefore either arm as the third arm would be at about 90 degrees to either of the pair of opposed arms designated first and second per claim 9.]
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over P1 in view of Z1 and WO 2012/174156 to Avedon et al. (A1).
In Re Claim 14:
P1 teaches:
A housing(Fig. 1, 220, 1, Fig. 6, 20) of a filter unit(2), (title abstract) comprising: [Examiner notes the outer rods project through apportion of outer wall(220) while housing elements 1 and 20 provide coverage for the interior locking structures.]
A holding mechanism (Fig. 4, 230, 23, 240, 241, 203, 11, 4 ) with at least a first rod(23) and a moveable shift unit(240) which is connected to an inner end of the first rod (231), [Examiner notes the rotate structure and projecting rods described in Col. 5-6, ¶28-35.]
Wherein in a locking position (Fig. 4) an outer end of the first rod projects from the housing with a first protruding length, on a supporting structure, [Seen in Fig. 4 the affixed ends of the rods include protruding locking elements projecting into a hood(5) securing structure.]
And wherein in a mounting position of the shift unit, the first protruding length is smaller than the first protruding length in the locking position, [in Fig. 5, to move the filter unit into and out of the structure the shift unit is rotated to pull the arms inward along the cam structure pulling the ends of the rods with their stop/latch tips inward to a lower degree of protrusion.]
And wherein the holding mechanism has a first end stop by which the locking position is determined. [Examiner notes the rotating disc(240) includes guides(241 which determine the mounting and securing points when they are stopped from further rotation by the pin.]
And wherein the housing is configured to accommodate a filter. [Title, Abstract, Fig. 1-6.]
P1 does not teach:
Wherein the filter unit is a filter fan unit, and that the housing has a fan to blow air from an inlet to an outlet, and wherein the filter is arranged at the outlet, and the locking structure is supported on a retaining bar of a ceiling grid.
Z1 teaches:
It is known to pair filters with fan units as FFU’s for the purpose of providing improved filtrated ventilation. This is done by providing a casing/box (1) which is secured by telescopic arms(3, 33) with the fan inside, and the filter(4) located at the outlet. [This is seen in Fig. 1, 2, 5, and 6. Abstract notes the boxy body with the telescoping lock should include the fan for locking and applying, such that filtered clean air can be provided in various locations hard to secure using the easy locking structure. First two pages of provided machine translation.]
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 invention of P1, to apply its boxed filter and locking structure to include a fan, as taught by Z1, to make it suitable for use in securing a desirable fan/filter unit with telescoping to reach and install at hard to access locations for improved ventilation in said situations. [See Z1, Fig.res 1, 2, 5, and 6, and Pages 1-2 including abstract.] This would yield the housing of P1 including a fan, the filter arranged at the outlet of the fan designed to draw air through it as taught by Z1, with the further expectation of applying the easy install/attach method of P1 to fan filter units known to rely on such cam guided rotation devices, for ease of installation and to provide improved use of said fans with easier instillation in a wider of array of structures. This would yield the limitation of the filter unit being a fan filter unit, the fan blowing air from an inlet to an outlet of the housing as shown in Z1, with the filter arranged at the outlet, and the telescope arms of the filter structure projecting through said attached housing as shown in P1 to secure the casing for instillation. This would provide the advantages without requiring the additional element (5) needed by Z1 for further fan securing as well reducing instillation requirements.
P1 as modified by Z1 does not teach:
The protruding length is supported on a retaining bar of a ceiling grid.
A1 teaches:
When installing fan systems in a ceiling (Fig. 11) one would know to use the ceiling grid retaining bars(112) as support for the fan. This permits the fans to be quickly incorporated into celling grid structures pre-existing by removing a grid cell to accommodate the fan. [Page 10, ¶42-43.]
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 invention of P1 and Z1, such that the attachment structure instead of a hanging feature of Z1, can be a ceiling grid structure as taught by A1, with the expectation of successfully providing a manner of incorporating the fan filter unit in a building celling grid for easy instillation and support. This would yield the limitation of the support arms resting on the celling grids.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. DE 102016009698 to Pemsel et al. shows that fan and filter units can be combined easily in the art, Fig. 4, wherein the filter(30) rests at an outlet end, and includes an air distribution plate(38/36). CN 105041166 to Gao et al. teaches an alternative reference to Z1 that again shows the common utility of placing a fan and filter in the same box (fig. 1, 1, 7, ) with an inlet at one end (8) and an outlet(5 and grill whereby rotating unit and telescoping rods(6, Figs. 2-3) can secure the entire fan/filter unit while the grill can allow easy quick filter switches, as shown in 2, but rotating clamps can be used for securing. US 2015/0096271 to Cole teaches an alternative known in the art filter access method whereby a rotating element(Fig. 4) can be used to pull rods inward unlatching the structure from the building to permit access to the filter.]
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSHUA R BEEBE whose telephone number is (571)272-9968. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathaniel Wiehe can be reached at 571-272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSHUA R BEEBE/Examiner, Art Unit 3745
/NATHANIEL E WIEHE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3745
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