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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/12/25 and 7/7/25 has been entered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because applicant has amended to add reference characters "230B-N" to designate the same part, which corresponds to a single gear. 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. 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 § 112
4. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
5. Claims 1-2 and 4-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
A) Applicant has amended the drawings and specification of the instant application to include having a “driven rotary gear (230O)”. The specification of the instant application as originally filed describes having a plurality of rotary gears (230A-N). From a review of the original specification, there appears to be no disclosure of having the combination of the plurality of gears including “230N” and a “driven rotary gear (230O)”. The newly recited limitations of having the plurality of gears including “230N” and a “driven rotary gear (2300)” is therefore considered new matter not supported by the original disclosure as filed.
B) Claims 2 and 4-16 are rejected as a result of being dependent on a rejected claim.
6. Regarding to Claims 1-2 and 4-16, the patentability of claims 1-2 and 4-16 cannot be determined at this time in view of the above 112(a) rejection.
Response to Arguments/Remarks
7. Applicant's arguments filed 7/7/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has amended the claims, drawings and specification in order to overcome the objections and rejections of record. However, applicant’s amendments have not resolved all issues, as objected and rejected above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIRVANA DEONAUTH whose telephone number is (571)270-5949. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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/NIRVANA DEONAUTH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726