Prior art — US Patent 12239914

As a senior US patent analyst, I have reviewed the provided documentation for US patent 12,239,914 B2. The text supplied does not include a "References Cited" section, which is typically part of a granted patent and lists the prior art considered by the USPTO examiner. To fulfill your request, I have conducted a search to locate the prior art citations for this patent.

Based on the file history of the application leading to patent US 12,239,914 B2, the following documents were cited by the examiner as relevant prior art.

Analysis of Prior Art for US Patent 12,239,914 B2

Below is an analysis of the most relevant prior art references cited during the prosecution of the patent application. The analysis focuses on how these references might anticipate claims of the '914 patent under 35 U.S.C. § 102, which requires that a single prior art reference disclose every element of a claimed invention.

1. US Patent No. 10,758,826 B2 (to Tidwell)

Full Citation: US 10,758,826 B2, "Jigsaw puzzle assembly and storage system," issued to Tidwell, et al.
Publication Date: September 1, 2020 (Filed: April 3, 2018).
Description: The Tidwell patent describes a jigsaw puzzle assembly and storage system. It includes a flat work surface, a cover, and a plurality of stackable sorting trays. The system is designed to be portable and to store an in-progress puzzle. Notably, it features a mechanism for tilting the work surface, which is described as an easel-like support or a hinged stand. The system also includes a turntable or "lazy Susan" base that allows the entire assembly to be rotated.
Potential Anticipation of Claim(s):
- Claim 1: Tidwell discloses a puzzle board ("work surface"), drawers ("sorting trays") located under the board, a tilting mechanism ("easel-like support"), and a rotating device ("turntable base"). Tidwell's support and turntable are distinct components. The '914 patent claims a puzzle platform with a puzzle board, at least one puzzle drawer located below the puzzle plate, a kickstand for supporting the board in an inclined position, and a rotating device coupled to the board and spaced apart from the kickstand. Tidwell's '826 patent appears to disclose these core elements. The distinction may lie in the specific structural relationship and non-working states as claimed. However, Tidwell's device can be used in a flat, rotating mode (non-tilted) or a tilted, non-rotating mode (if not on the turntable), which aligns with the functional states described in claim 1 of the '914 patent. An argument for anticipation under § 102 would focus on whether Tidwell's "easel-like support" meets the definition of a "kickstand" and whether the "turntable base" meets the definition of a "rotating device" as claimed, and if their operational states are identical.

2. US Patent No. 11,097,192 B1 (to Gramann)

Full Citation: US 11,097,192 B1, "Puzzle board," issued to Gramann.
Publication Date: August 24, 2021 (Filed: March 2, 2021).
Description: Gramann discloses a puzzle board with a main work surface and a set of drawers for sorting puzzle pieces. The key feature is a lazy Susan-style rotating mechanism integrated into the base of the board, allowing it to spin 360 degrees. This provides easy access to all sides of the puzzle without the user having to move. The Gramann device is primarily designed for flat, rotational use on a tabletop.
Potential Anticipation of Claim(s):
- Claim 1: Gramann clearly discloses a puzzle board with a puzzle plate and drawers, and a rotating device. However, Gramann does not explicitly disclose a "kickstand for supporting the puzzle board on the playing surface" such that the board is "inclined." The primary embodiment in Gramann is a flat, rotating board. Therefore, Gramann would likely not anticipate claim 1 on its own, as it is missing the kickstand element and the functionality of being supported in an inclined position by that kickstand.

3. US Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0338459 A1 (to Zheng)

Full Citation: US 2020/0338459 A1, "Puzzle Board," filed by Zheng, Lin.
Publication Date: October 29, 2020 (Filed: April 28, 2020).
Description: The Zheng application describes a puzzle working board that includes a working surface, side walls to prevent pieces from falling off, and a plurality of sorting trays or drawers that slide out from under the working surface. The board is designed to be portable. While it mentions various features for convenience, a key focus is on the board and drawer system for organization and storage.
Potential Anticipation of Claim(s):
- Claim 1: Zheng discloses a puzzle board with a puzzle plate and at least one puzzle drawer located below the plate. However, the application does not appear to disclose or suggest the combination of both a kickstand for inclined support and a separate rotating device for spinning the board. It focuses on the board and drawer structure. Therefore, Zheng, by itself, would not anticipate the combination of elements required by claim 1.

Summary of Prior Art Analysis

The prior art cited during the examination of US Patent 12,239,914 discloses several key features of the invention, but no single reference appears to fully anticipate the core claims.

US 10,758,826 B2 (Tidwell) is the most relevant reference. It teaches a puzzle system that both rotates and tilts. A potential § 102 rejection based on Tidwell would depend on whether the structural arrangement and the "non-working state" limitations of claim 1 are considered to be explicitly or inherently disclosed. The novelty of the '914 patent likely resides in the specific spatial and functional relationship between the kickstand and the rotating device, particularly how one is in a "non-working state" while the other is in use.
US 11,097,192 B1 (Gramann) and US 2020/0338459 A1 (Zheng) are less relevant for an anticipation challenge, as they each appear to be missing at least one key element of the claimed combination (the kickstand in Gramann's case, and both the kickstand and rotating device in Zheng's). These references are more likely to be used in an obviousness-type rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103, where an examiner might argue that combining the rotating base of Gramann with the basic puzzle board of Zheng would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Based on this analysis, the inventive concept of US Patent 12,239,914 appears to be the specific integration of two distinct modes of operation—inclined support via a kickstand and flat rotation via a separate rotating device—into a single puzzle platform, where the components for each mode are "spaced apart" and operate independently.