DETAILED ACTION
In response to the Amendment filed June 8, 2026
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings objection as set forth in the Non-Final Office Action from March 9, 2026 has been withdrawn.
Abstract
The Abstract filed June 4, 2020 is accepted.
Specification
The amendment to the specification filed June 4, 2020 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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.
Claims 1 – 2 and 4 - 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP H0649906.
With respect to claim 1, JP discloses an assembly comprising a fixed mount (2), a mobile part (3) having at least one approximately circular face (See Figure 3a, 3b) mounted on the fixed mount (2) so that the part is mounted so as to be mobile in rotation around an axis approximately centered on the circular face (See specification cited below); a device (i.e. micrometer) arranged for the positional adjustment of the mobile part (3) in relation to the mount (2), the device including at least one first scale (21) located in an area linked to the fixed mount (2) and positioned on at least one portion of the periphery of the mobile part (See Figure 3a, 3b), the first scale (21) being a measuring scale, and at least one second scale (31) positioned on the circular face of the mobile part, the second scale (31) being a Vernier scale (See specification below), wherein the area associated with the mount bearing the first scale (21) constitutes a second part mounted so as to be mobile in rotation in relation to the mount, around a swivel pin (5) shared with a swivel pin of the mobile part (See Figures 3a, 3b).
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Referring to claim 2, JP sets forth the assembly wherein the at least one first scale (21) includes at least one mark corresponding to a reference value that is adjustable vis-a-vis a mark on the at least one second scale (31) of the mobile part in an immobile position.
In regards to claim 4, JP teaches an assembly wherein at least the mobile part (3) mounted so as to be mobile in rotation in relation to the mount (2) is combined with a braking mechanism (i.e. stopper 63) for the rotation of the mobile part (3).
With regards to claim 5, JP shows the assembly wherein at least the mobile part (3) mounted so as to be mobile in rotation in relation to the mount (2) is combined with an incrementation mechanism (i.e. along the axial direction A-A).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 is 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.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 3 is allowable because the prior art fails to teach or suggest an assembly wherein the area bearing the at least one first scale takes the form of a circular ring centered on a swivel pin of the mobile part bearing the at least one second scale in combination with the remaining limitations of the claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 – 2 and 4 - 5 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references are considered relevant but fail to teach the combination as claimed:
Fath (DE 4316583 A) discloses a template which is to be moved against the circumference of an abrasive wheel, fixed to the upper part of a template carrier consisting of a lower part, on which a middle part is mounted so as to be pivotable about a first horizontal axis.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YARITZA GUADALUPE-MCCALL whose telephone number is (571)272-2244. The examiner can normally be reached Mon -Thu, 8:00am - 6:00pm.
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, Laura E Martin can be reached at 571-272-2160. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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YARITZA GUADALUPE-MCCALL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2855
July 8, 2026
/YARITZA GUADALUPE-MCCALL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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