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 § 102
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 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 person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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.
Claim(s) 22 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fahy US20170002854 (hereinafter, Fahy).
Regarding claim 22, Fahy discloses a method (see claims 8-16) of mounting a floating fixing component (26, see Fig. 7a) to an object 4, the floating fixing component including an anti-rotation section 5 and at least a stop section (SS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 7a below) and an application section (AS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 7a below), comprising the following steps: aligning the anti-rotation section with a matching anti-rotation section provided on the object (see page 3, claim 8, column 2, lines 1-4), such that the anti-rotation section and the matching anti-rotation section are not rotatable relative to one another (page 3, claim 8, column 2, lines 5-11), and abutting the stop section against the object to prevent the floating fixing component from separating from the object (page 3, claim 8, column 2, lines 1-4); wherein a floating space (FS, as indicated in annotated Figs. 6a & 6b) is existed between the anti-rotation section and the matching anti-rotation section after the floating fixing component has been mounted to the object, such that the floating fixing component can float and shift on and relative to the object (page 3, claim 8, column 2, lines 1-11),
wherein the floating fixing component further comprises at least one engaging section 7, the at least one engaging section under pressure of a force (see Figs. 6a & 6b) is expanded to form a material storage space (MSS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 7a) for receiving a partial material of the stop section (the Examiner considers the phrase in italic font to be intended use), bringing the stop section to engage with the at least one engaging section (see Figs. 6a, 6b and 8 where tool 20 force the engaging section 7 to engage with stop section when the object 4 is clamped in storage space).
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Annotated Fig. 7a
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Annotated Fig. 6a & 6b
Regarding claim 25, Fahy teaches a method (see claims 8-16) of mounting a floating fixing component 26 to an object 4, the floating fixing component including an anti-rotation section 5 and at least a stop section (SS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 7a) and an application section (AS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 7a), comprising the following steps: aligning the anti-rotation section with a matching anti-rotation section provided on the object, such that the anti-rotation section and the matching anti-rotation section are not rotatable relative to one another, and abutting the stop section against the object to prevent the floating fixing component from separating from the object (page 3, claim 8, column 2, lines 1-4); wherein a floating space (FS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 6a & 6b) is existed between the anti-rotation section and the matching anti-rotation section after the floating fixing component has been mounted to the object, such that the floating fixing component can float and shift on and relative to the object (see Figs. 6a, 6b and 8),
wherein the floating fixing component further comprises at least one engaging section 7, the at least one engaging section provides a material storage space (MSS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 7a); and wherein the stop section SS is sideward engaged (see Figs. 6b and 8 where the engaging section 7 is forced down by the tool 20 and sidewardly engaged with the material storage space) with the material storage space MSS of the at least one engaging section 7.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 09/04/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues it is clear that Fahy fails to disclose “aligning the anti-rotation………..separating from the object” (emphasis added) recited in claims 22 and 25 of the present application.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant’s remarks.
The Applicant fails to provide any evidence in detail to show how the prior art fails to show the claimed method steps. Line 1 of claim 8 clearly states “a method of affixing a fastener to a panel”. Further, claim 8 meets the requirement of the claim expressly, disclosing the engagement between the fastener and the object wherein the fastener 26 is able to move laterally due to floating space, but the full rotation of the fastener is prevented with respect to the object.
Figs. 7a-7b and 8 along with claim 8 discloses all the requirement of present claims 22 and 25.
Therefore, rejections in previous Office Action related to claims 22 and 25 stands.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIL K MAGAR whose telephone number is (571)272-8180. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Mills can be reached at (571) 272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DIL K. MAGAR/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675