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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 February 10, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claim 1 has been amended. Therefore, claims 1, 6-7, and 9 remain pending in the application.
With respect to the Claim amendments filed February 10, 2026, the Examiner respectfully notes amendments to the Claims appear to have been made without appropriate status identifiers and appropriate markings showing changes, e.g. in claim 6, the status identifier should read “(Currently Amended)” and strike-through in lines 2-3 and 5 to indicate deleted subject matter; for the purpose of compact prosecution, the Examiner understands the claim amendments and will examine as is, however, the Examiner respectfully requests addressing such issues for all claims in future responses; see MPEP 714.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the claim limitations of "wherein the head part includes a first inclination of the accommodation portion located in a direction of the head part at the boundary portion between the head part and the threaded part, wherein the threaded part includes a second inclination of the accommodation portion located in a direction of the threaded part at the boundary portion between the head part and the threaded part, wherein the coupling recess is formed in the recess shape having the cross section corresponding to a screwdriver with one shaped head having one flat-head, and wherein the first inclination of the accommodation portion and the second inclination of the accommodation portion are coupled to the tool" in claim 1 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 6, lines 2 and 5, “the openings” should read “the two or more openings”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The term “close contact” in claim 7, line 3 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “close contact” 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. For the purpose of examination, claim 7 will be read as “contact”.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 6, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tschakaloff et al. (US20050152770A1), hereinafter "Tschakaloff", in view of Totsu (JP2010052089A), hereinafter "Totsu".
Regarding claim 1, Tschakaloff teaches a bolt (see Figs 1-4, Abstract, Examiner notes threaded device as a bolt) provided with openings (see Annotated Fig 3 below), the bolt (see Figs 1-4) comprising a head part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) and a threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) formed with a threaded outer surface (see Annotated Fig 3 below) and being fastened to a structure (Paragraphs 0004-0005) through the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) while being rotated by a tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021, Examiner notes turning the device and insertion instrument as rotated by a tool), the bolt (see Figs 1-4) further comprising:
a coupling recess (see Figs 3-4, Paragraph 0014, Examiner notes proximal openings of the passageways are designed for receiving an insertion instrument as a coupling recess) formed in a recess shape (see Figs 3-4, Paragraph 0014) having a cross section (see Figs 3-4, Paragraph 0014) corresponding (see Figs 3-4, Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) to that of the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021), and configured to extend (see Fig 3) to the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) through the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) and the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below), to provide coupling spaces (see Figs 3-4, Paragraph 0014) in the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) to be coupled (Paragraphs 0014-0015) to the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) that rotates (Paragraphs 0014-0015), and to allow the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) to be coupled (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) thereto; and
two or more openings (see Annotated Fig 3 below) formed in portions (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) of the coupling recess (see Figs 3-4) in hole shapes (see Figs 2-3), and configured to expose at least portions (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015, Examiner notes the passageways are placed so close to the margins of the threaded body of the device that they comprise openings directed to the side as configured to expose at least portions) of the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021), the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) being inserted (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) through the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) and coupled (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) to the coupling recess (see Figs 3-4), to be seen (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) through a boundary portion (see Fig 2) between the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) and the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below),
wherein the coupling recess (see Figs 3-4) comprises:
an entrance portion (see Annotated Fig 3 below) formed in the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 below), and configured to form entrances (see Annotated Fig 3 below) for accommodation (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) of the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021), and formed to have a width greater (see Annotated Fig 3 below) than that of the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below); and
an accommodation portion (see Annotated Fig 3 below) configured to extend (see Fig 3) from the entrance portion (see Annotated Fig 3 below) to the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below), to accommodate (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021), to extend (see Fig 3) to the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) through the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) such that the two or more openings (see Annotated Fig 3 below) are formed in portions (see Fig 3) of the accommodation portion (see Annotated Fig 3 below) allowing the at least portions (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) of the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) to be exposed (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) to be seen (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) through the two or more openings (see Annotated Fig 3 below) formed in the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) and the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below),
wherein the accommodation portion (see Annotated Fig 3 below) extends (see Fig 3) at a predetermined inclined angle (see Annotated Fig 3 below) so that a width (see Annotated Fig 3 below) thereof is narrowed (see Annotated Fig 3 below) in a direction (see Annotated Fig 3 below) from the entrance portion (see Annotated Fig 3 below) to the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below),
wherein the two or more openings (see Annotated Fig 3 below) are formed in the boundary portion (see Fig 2) between the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) and the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 below) while being formed (see Figs 2-3) through an inclination (see Annotated Fig 3 below) of the accommodation portion (see Annotated Fig 3 below),
wherein the coupling recess (see Figs 3-4) is formed in the recess shape (see Figs 3-4) having the cross section (see Figs 3-4) corresponding to a screwdriver (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) with a shaped head (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021).
Tschakaloff fails to teach a coupling recess configured to extend to the threaded part through a center of the head part and the threaded part, to provide one coupling space in the center of the head part, the tool being inserted through the center of the head part, an entrance portion configured to form one entrance for accommodation of the tool, wherein the head part includes a first inclination of the accommodation portion located in a direction of the head part at the boundary portion between the head part and the threaded part, wherein the threaded part includes a second inclination of the accommodation portion located in a direction of the threaded part at the boundary portion between the head part and the threaded part, wherein the coupling recess is formed corresponding to a screwdriver with one shaped head having one flat-head or one cross-head, and wherein the first inclination of the accommodation portion and the second inclination of the accommodation portion are coupled to the tool.
However, Tschakaloff in Paragraph 0021 and Fig 8, teaches it is possible to adapt the proximal openings to normal, commercial available screwdrivers. Thus, Tschakaloff teaches a coupling recess (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0015, Examiner notes proximal opening in the middle threaded, turning device, i.e. threaded, turning device having r2, as a coupling recess) configured to extend to the threaded part (Paragraph 0021, Examiner notes extending through the body of the device as configured to extend to the threaded part) through a center (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0015, Examiner notes the central point as a center) of the head part (see Fig 8) and the threaded part (Paragraph 0021), to provide one coupling space (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0015, Examiner notes the proximal opening in the middle threaded, turning device, i.e. threaded, turning device having r2, as provide one coupling space) in the center (see Fig 8) of the head part (see Fig 8), the tool (Paragraph 0021) being inserted (Paragraph 0021) through the center (see Fig 8) of the head part (see Fig 8), an entrance portion (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0015, Examiner notes the proximal opening in the middle threaded, turning device, i.e. threaded, turning device having r2, as an entrance portion) configured to form one entrance (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0015, Examiner notes the proximal opening in the middle threaded, turning device, i.e. threaded, turning device having r2, as configured to form one entrance) for accommodation (Paragraph 0021) of the tool (Paragraph 0021), and wherein the coupling recess (see Fig 8) is formed corresponding (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0021) to a screwdriver (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0021) with one shaped head (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0021) having one flat-head (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0021) or one cross-head.
Therefore, as evidenced by Tschakaloff in Paragraph 0021 and Fig 8, 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 proximal openings and passageways of Tschakaloff in Figs 1-4 with an adequately sized and shaped coupling recess configured to extend to the threaded part through a center of the head part and the threaded part, to provide one coupling space in the center of the head part, the tool being inserted through the center of the head part, and an adequately sized and shaped entrance portion configured to form one entrance for accommodation of the tool, and wherein the coupling recess is formed corresponding to a screwdriver with one shaped head having one flat-head or one cross-head as taught by Tschakaloff in Paragraph 0021 and Fig 8. The rationale for supporting this conclusion of obviousness is to provide a threaded device having a proximal opening and passageway adapted for commercially available screwdrivers (Tschakaloff, Paragraph 0021).
Modified Tschakaloff fails to teach wherein the head part includes a first inclination of the accommodation portion located in a direction of the head part at the boundary portion between the head part and the threaded part, wherein the threaded part includes a second inclination of the accommodation portion located in a direction of the threaded part at the boundary portion between the head part and the threaded part, and wherein the first inclination of the accommodation portion and the second inclination of the accommodation portion are coupled to the tool.
However, Totsu teaches it is known to provide wherein the head part (Fig 6, head 20a) includes a first inclination (Fig 6, portion 24a) of the accommodation portion (Fig 6, groove 22) located (see Fig 6) in a direction (see Fig 6) of the head part (20a) at the boundary portion (see Fig 6, Examiner notes a portion between head 20a and neck 20b as the boundary portion) between (see Fig 6) the head part (20a) and the threaded part (see Fig 6, Examiner notes a shank including neck 20b of screw 20 extending from head 20a as the threaded part), wherein the threaded part (see Fig 6) includes a second inclination (Fig 6, portion 25) of the accommodation portion (22) located (see Fig 6) in a direction (see Fig 6) of the threaded part (see Fig 6) at the boundary portion (see Fig 6) between (see Fig 6) the head part (20a) and the threaded part (see Fig 6), and wherein the first inclination (24a) of the accommodation portion (22) and the second inclination (25) of the accommodation portion (22) are coupled (see Fig 8, Paragraph 0037, Examiner notes being matched as are coupled) to the tool (Fig 8, bit 10).
Therefore, as evidenced by Totsu, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine wherein the head part includes a first inclination of the accommodation portion located in a direction of the head part at the boundary portion between the head part and the threaded part, wherein the threaded part includes a second inclination of the accommodation portion located in a direction of the threaded part at the boundary portion between the head part and the threaded part, and wherein the first inclination of the accommodation portion and the second inclination of the accommodation portion are coupled to the tool as taught by Totsu to modified Tschakaloff. The rationale for supporting this conclusion of obviousness is to improve torque transmission between the bit and the screw (Totsu, Paragraph 0037).
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Tschakaloff, Annotated Fig 3
Regarding claim 6, modified Tschakaloff teaches the bolt (see Figs 1-4) of claim 1 and further teaches wherein:
the accommodation portion (see Annotated Fig 3 above) extends through a medium (see Annotated Fig 3 above) of the openings (see Annotated Fig 3 above) with an angle (see Annotated Fig 3 above) of the inclination (see Annotated Fig 3 above) set (see Figs 2-3) to an angle (see Annotated Fig 3 above) passing through the boundary portion (see Fig 2) between the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 above) and the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 above); and
the openings (see Annotated Fig 3 above) expose (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) the at least portions (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) of the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) coupled (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) to along the inclination (see Annotated Fig 3 above) of the accommodation portion (see Annotated Fig 3 above) while allowing (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) the at least portions (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) of the tool (Paragraphs 0014-0015 and 0021) to protrude (see Figs 2-3, Paragraphs 0014-0015) out of the head part (see Annotated Fig 3 above) and the threaded part (see Annotated Fig 3 above).
Regarding claim 9, modified Tschakaloff teaches the bolt (see Figs 1-4) of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the entrance portion (see Fig 8) and the accommodation portion (see Annotated Fig 3 above) form only one space (see Fig 8, Paragraphs 0016 and 0021).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tschakaloff, in view of Gogolewski et al. (US5275601A), hereinafter "Gogolewski".
Regarding claim 7, modified Tschakaloff teaches the bolt (see Figs 1-4) of claim 1 but fails to teach further comprising at least one anti-loosening protrusion configured to protrude from a bottom surface of the head part and to prevent the threaded part from being loosened by coming into close contact with and being caught on the structure in response to fastening of the threaded part.
However, Gogolewski teaches at least one anti-loosening protrusion (Fig 1a, three-dimensional structure 4) configured to protrude (see Fig 1a, Col 5, lines 12-26, Examiner notes elevations and depressions of the corrugations as configured to protrude) from a bottom surface (see Fig 1a, Col 5, lines 12-26, Examiner notes the outer surface of the head portion 3 is provided over its full circumference with a three-dimensional structure 4 as a bottom surface) of the head part (Fig 1a, head portion 3) and to prevent the threaded part (Fig 1a, threaded shaft portion 1) from being loosened (Col 3, lines 14-17, Examiner notes avoidance of premature loosening as to prevent the threaded part from being loosening) by coming into close contact with and being caught (see Figs 1a and 3, Col, 5, lines 54-60, Examiner notes self-locking of said two three-dimensional structures 4 and 14 occurs upon insertion of the bone screw 10 into the screw hole 13 as by coming into close contact with and being caught) on the structure (Figs 2-3, plate 20) in response to fastening (Col, 5, lines 54-60) of the threaded part (1).
Therefore, as evidenced by Gogolewski, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine an adequately sized and shaped at least one anti-loosening protrusion as taught by Gogolewski to modified Tschakaloff. The rationale for supporting this conclusion of obviousness is to provide avoidance of premature loosening (Gogolewski, Col 3, lines 14-17).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOCK WONG whose telephone number is (571)270-1349. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 5:00pm (ET).
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/J.W./Examiner, Art Unit 3675 /KRISTINA R FULTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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