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 § 103
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.
Claims 1-6, 8-11, 13-19 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zagula (US Publication 2020/0192029) in view of Ducret (US Patent 9,748,748) and further in view of Bilbrey et al (US Patent 3,665,603). Regarding claim 1, Zagula discloses a tool for scoring cable sheathing on a cable having a length along a lateral direction, comprising: a blade housing assembly having: a blade housing; a blade housing opening; a blade disposed in the blade housing opening; and a blade housing carrier having a blade housing carrier opening wherein the blade housing is rotatably secured in the blade housing carrier opening; a cable support member moveable towards and away from the blade housing assembly, the cable support member includes stationary first and second surfaces secured at an angle to one another so that the cable, when positioned in the cable support member, is in contact with the stationary first and second surfaces; [a] frame disposed between the cable support member and the blade housing assembly for adjusting the cable support member toward and away from the blade housing assembly for scoring various diameter cables, the blade housing carrier secured to one end of the frame the frame extending through two guide openings in edges of the cable support member so that as the cable support member assembly is moved the cable support member is supported by the frame at three points of contact between the frame and each of the two guide openings [[Ducret US 9,748,748) col. 3, line 57 – col. 4, line 11]]; and a threaded adjustment rod rotatably secured to the blade housing carrier, the threaded adjustment rod extending through an opening in the cable support member with the threaded adjustment rod threadably engaged to the cable support member whereby rotating the threaded adjustment rod moves the cable support member toward or away from the blade housing assembly; wherein the blade is adjustable within the blade housing opening toward and away from the cable support member for controlling a depth of the blade into the cable sheathing, and wherein the blade is rotatable for scoring the cable sheathing in a circular direction, the lateral direction, and a spiral direction.
Regarding claim 2, Zagula discloses the cable support member includes a thread release button to allow slideable coarse adjustment of the cable support member toward and away from the blade housing assembly.
Regarding claim 3, Zagula discloses an adjustment knob disposed on an end of the threaded adjustment rod wherein rotating the adjustment knob in one direction moves the cable support member toward the blade housing assembly and rotating the adjustment knob in a second direction opposite the one direction moves the cable support member away the blade housing assembly.
Regarding claim 4, Zagula discloses a cable support member frame support for strengthening connecting edges of the first and second surfaces.
Regarding claim 5, Zagula discloses 5 the blade housing is rotatable to a first position which guides the scoring tool along the cable in the spiral direction when the device is rotated about the cable and to a second position which guides the scoring tool around the cable preventing movement of the scoring tool along the lateral direction of the cable when the scoring tool is rotated about the cable.
Regarding claim 6, Zagula discloses the blade housing is rotatable to a third position which guides the scoring tool along the cable in the lateral direction.
Regarding claim 8, Zagula discloses an adjustment knob secured to an end of the threaded adjustment rod wherein rotating the adjustment knob rotates the threaded adjustment rod, moving the cable support member toward or away from the blade housing assembly.
Regarding claim 9, Zagula discloses a rotational locking screw adjustable in the blade housing assembly for locking the blade housing in the blade housing carrier opening.
Regarding claim 10, Zagula discloses the blade housing assembly includes a blade sleeve disposed in the blade housing opening for supporting the blade in the blade housing.
Regarding claim 11, Zagula discloses method of scoring a cable sheathing having a length along a lateral direction, comprising: providing a tool for scoring cable sheathing on a cable, the tool having a blade housing assembly including a blade housing, a blade housing opening, a blade disposed in the blade housing opening and a blade housing carrier having a blade housing carrier opening wherein the blade housing is rotatably secured in the blade housing carrier opening, the tool including a cable support member, a frame disposed between the cable support member and the blade housing assembly for adjusting the cable support member toward and away from the blade housing assembly for scoring various diameter cables, the blade housing carrier secured to one end of the frame and a threaded adjustment rod rotatably secured to the blade housing carrier, the threaded adjustment rod extending through an opening in the cable support member with the threaded adjustment rod threadably engaged with the cable support member whereby rotating the threaded adjustment rod moves the cable support member toward or away from the blade housing assembly wherein the blade is adjustable within the blade housing opening toward and away from the cable support member for controlling a depth of the blade into the cable sheathing and wherein the blade is rotatable for scoring the sheathing in a circular direction, the lateral direction, and spiral direction; providing a cable having a sheathing; ensuring the tool is in an open position with the cable support member moved away from the blade housing assembly; placing the cable in contact with stationary first and second surfaces secured at an angle to one another of the cable support member; moving the cable support member toward the tool blade housing until the blade housing contacts the cable sheathing, wherein the moving comprises sliding the cable support member along the frame so that two sliding members of the frame pass through two guide openings in edges of the cable support member to maintain three points of contact between the cable support member and the frame; adjusting the direction of the blade to the desired angular direction; adjusting the blade in a depth direction toward the cable until the blade slices into the cable sheathing to the desired depth; moving the cable to slice the cable sheathing; moving the cable support member away from the tool blade housing until the cable is releasable from the cable support member; and releasing the cable from the cable support member.
Regarding claim 13, Zagula discloses an adjustment knob disposed on an end of the threaded adjustment rod wherein rotating the adjustment knob in one direction moves the cable support member toward the blade housing assembly and rotating the adjustment knob in a second direction opposite the one direction moves the cable support member away the blade housing assembly.
Regarding claim 14, Zagula discloses an adjustment knob secured to an end of the threaded adjustment rod wherein rotating the adjustment knob rotates the threaded adjustment rod, moving the cable support member toward or away from the blade housing assembly.
Regarding claim 15, Zagula discloses the step of adjusting the direction of the blade to the desired angular direction includes adjusting the direction of the blade to score the cable sheathing in the lateral direction and the step of moving the cable to slice the cable sheathing includes drawing the cable through the cable support member.
Regarding claim 16, Zagula discloses the step of adjusting the direction of the blade to the desired angular direction includes adjusting the direction of the blade to score the cable sheathing in the circular direction and the step of moving the cable to slice the cable sheathing includes rotating the cable in the cable support member.
Regarding claim 17, Zagula discloses the step of adjusting the direction of the blade to the desired angular direction includes adjusting the direction of the blade to score the cable in a spiral along the lateral direction of the cable and the step of moving the cable to slice the cable sheathing includes drawing the cable through the cable support member while rotating the cable in the cable support member.
Regarding claim 18, Zagula discloses the step of adjusting the direction of the blade to the desired angular direction includes adjusting the direction of the blade to score the cable sheathing in the spiral direction and the step of moving the cable to slice the cable sheathing includes drawing the cable through the cable support member while rotating the cable in the cable support member and subsequently adjusting the direction of the blade to score the cable sheathing in the circular direction to provide a clean circular termination of the cable sheathing and rotating the cable in the cable support member wherein the cable sheathing is removed by unwinding the spiral after the cable is removed from the tool and the cable sheathing falls off the cable leaving the clean circular termination of the cable sheathing a distance from an end of the cable .
Regarding claim 19, Zagula discloses the cable support member includes a thread release button to allow slideable coarse adjustment of the cable support member toward and away from the blade housing assembly and the step of moving the cable support member toward the tool blade housing until the blade housing contacts the cable sheathing includes depressing the button to slide the cable support member close to the blade housing assembly, releasing the button and rotating the threaded adjustment rod until the blade housing contacts the cable sheathing.
Regarding claim 24, Zagula discloses a tool for scoring cable sheathing on a cable having a length along a lateral direction, comprising: a blade housing assembly having a blade, the blade housing assembly being configured to increase or decrease a depth that a tip of the blade protrudes from a lower portion of the blade housing assembly and being configured to rotate the blade with respect to the cable support member for scoring the cable sheathing in a circular direction, the lateral direction, or a spiral direction; a cable support member having two guide openings defined at opposing edges; a frame having two sliding posts that are spaced from one another and extend from the blade housing assembly to a closed end, the cable support member being slidingly attached to the two sliding posts through the two guide openings; a threaded adjustment rod that extends between the two sliding posts, is rotatably secured to the blade housing carrier, and is threadably engaged to the cable support member so that rotation of the threaded adjustment rod slides the cable support member on the two sliding posts toward or away from the blade housing assembly while maintaining three points of contact between each of the two sliding posts and the two guide openings; and a thread release button on the cable support member, the thread release button being configured to selectively disengage the cable support member from the threaded adjustment rod so that the cable support member is installable on the two sliding posts from the closed end.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL ALLEN DAVIES whose telephone number is (571)270-1511. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday; 9am-5pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Boyer Ashley can be reached at (571)272-4502. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMUEL A DAVIES/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724 May 26, 2026
/BOYER D ASHLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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