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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 06/03/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 9 of the Remarks filed 06/03/2026, with respect to the Fukuhiro no longer anticipating the amended independent claims have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of newly-found prior art.
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 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.
Claims 1-5, 7-10, 13-14, and 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Castronovo (US 9,463,465).
Regarding Claim 1, Castronovo discloses (Figures 1-2, 6, and 13-16) a declassification apparatus (machine 1) comprising: a feed chute (feed guide 20) comprising a first opening (slot 4) configured to receive a storage media (disk D); an adjustable portion (cut bar 12; col. 7 lns 18-19: cut bar 12 is pivotable about a small angle, i.e. adjustable) positionable on the feed chute and comprising a side wall (side wall of cut bar 12), wherein the adjustable portion is operable to guide the storage media (col. 7 lns 15-17); a cutting drum (cutter 2) mechanically coupled to a drive source (motor 6), wherein the cutting drum comprises: an annular surface (seen in Figure 1); and a plurality of cutters extending in a staggered arrangement across the annular surface (col. 6 lns 4-8), wherein the staggered arrangement comprises a first cutter of the plurality of cutters spaced from a second cutter of the plurality of cutters across the annular surface by a lateral width and by a longitudinal width (seen in Figure 1); and an enclosure (enclosure formed by interior surface of screen 5 and bottom surfaces of cut bar 12 and feed roller 14) partially surrounding the cutting drum (seen in Figures 15-16), the enclosure comprising: a second opening (space between cut bar 12 and feed roller 14) configured to receive the storage media, wherein a rotational axis of the cutting drum is vertically aligned with the first opening of the feed chute and with the second opening of the enclosure (clearly seen in Figures 13-16), the second opening comprising: a leading edge (lower edge of cut bar 12) vertically aligned with the side wall of the adjustable portion, wherein the second opening is configured to bias the storage media against the leading edge to thereby constrain the storage media in a shearing engagement with the cutting drum to shear a portion of the storage media into severed fragments and to direct the severed fragments into the enclosure (col. 7 lns 29-36); a cyclic pathway within the enclosure configured to redirect the severed fragments exceeding a maximum particle size to the cutting drum for successive agitation (col. 6 lns 38-43; col. 1 lns 20-42 describes the maximum particle size requirements); and a screen (screen 5) configured to extend longitudinally parallel to the rotational axis of the cutting drum and configured to receive the severed fragments of the storage media, wherein a size of the severed fragments of the storage media is based on a rotational movement of the cutting drum and a tolerance between the cutting drum and an inner surface of the enclosure (col. 6 lns 36-51), and wherein the lateral width and the longitudinal width of the staggered arrangement are each defined based on the maximum particle size (col. 9 lns 45-56).
Regarding Claim 2, Castronovo discloses (Figures 6 and 15-16) the cutting drum (cutter 2) is configured to be rotated responsive to mechanical actuation by the drive source (motor 6; col. 7 lns 7-8) to sever fragments of the storage media (disk D) against the screen (screen 5).
Regarding Claim 3, Castronovo discloses (Figure 1) the screen (screen 5) comprises a sizing regulator having a plurality of apertures (clearly seen in figure), each aperture being defined based on the maximum particle size (col. 5 lns 53-57: only particles smaller than the maximum particle size can pass through screen 5).
Regarding Claim 4, Castronovo discloses (Figures 15-16) the screen (screen 5) is disposed near the cutting drum (cutter 2) based on the tolerance (col. 6 lns 44-51).
Regarding Claim 5, Castronovo discloses (Figures 1 and 15-16) the screen (screen 5) is a sieving entity having an array of apertures (clearly seen in Figure 1), wherein a screen tolerance of the screen is based on an interference between the cutting drum (cutter 2) and the sieving entity configured to shear the severed fragments of the storage media unable to pass through the array of apertures (col. 6 lns 36-51).
Regarding Claim 7, Castronovo discloses (Figures 15-16) a size of the severed fragments is based on a feed speed and a rotation speed (col. 7 ln 51 – col. 8 ln 6, col. 10 lns 4-9: a size of the severed fragments is based on the controlled feed speed of the feed roller, which is coordinated with a rotation speed of cutter 2 via mechanical linkage), and wherein a size of the severed fragments of the storage media passable through the screen is based on an aperture size of the screen (col. 5 lns 53-57: only fragments smaller than the aperture size can pass through screen 5).
Regarding Claim 8, Castronovo discloses (Figures 1 and 15-16) the enclosure (enclosure formed by interior surface of screen 5 and bottom surfaces of cut bar 12 and feed roller 14) further comprises an output formed by the screen (screen 5) configured to dispose the severed fragments of the storage media (disk D) against a sieved surface (Figures 15-16 clearly show the output through screen 5 of the severed fragments which are disposed against it; sieved surface seen in Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 9, Castronovo discloses (Figures 13-16) a plunger (pressure bar 8; col. 7 lns 1-5: pressure bar 8 slides inwards and outwards and can thus be interpreted as a plunger).
Regarding Claim 10, Castronovo discloses (Figures 1-2, 6, and 13-16) a method comprising: inserting a mass storage device including a storage media (disk D) into a feed chute (feed guide 20) comprising a first opening (slot 4) configured to receive the storage media and an adjustable portion (cut bar 12; col. 7 lns 18-19: cut bar 12 is pivotable about a small angle, i.e. adjustable) positionable on the feed chute and comprising a side wall (side wall of cut bar 12), wherein the adjustable portion is operable to guide the mass storage device (col. 7 lns 15-17); directing the mass storage device into an enclosure (enclosure formed by interior surface of screen 5 and bottom surfaces of cut bar 12 and feed roller 14), wherein the enclosure comprises: an agitator (cutter 2) including an annular surface (seen in Figure 1) and a plurality of cutters extending in a staggered arrangement across the annular surface (col. 6 lns 4-8), wherein the staggered arrangement comprises a first cutter of the plurality of cutters spaced from a second cutter of the plurality of cutters across the annular surface by a lateral width and by a longitudinal width (seen in Figure 1); a second opening (space between cut bar 1 and feed roller 14) configured to receive the mass storage device, wherein a rotational axis of the agitator is vertically aligned with the first opening of the feed chute and with the second opening of the enclosure (clearly seen in Figures 13-16), the second opening comprising: a leading edge (lower edge of cut bar 12) vertically aligned with the side wall of the adjustable portion; and a screen (screen 5) extending longitudinally parallel to the rotational axis of the agitator and having a plurality of apertures (seen in Figure 1) defining a particle size (col. 5 lns 53-57: only particles smaller than the apertures can pass through screen 5); rotating the agitator in the enclosure (col. 7 lns 7-8: motor 6 drives cutter 2 to rotate), wherein the second opening is configured to bias the mass storage device against the leading edge to thereby constrain the storage media in a shearing engagement with the agitator to shear a portion of the storage media into severed fragments and to direct the severed fragments into the enclosure (col. 7 lns 29-36); receiving, by the screen, the severed fragments of the mass storage device (col. 5 lns 53-57), wherein a size of the severed fragments of the mass storage device is based on a rotational movement of the agitator and a tolerance between the agitator and an inner surface of the enclosure (col. 6 lns 36-52), wherein the lateral width and the longitudinal width of the staggered arrangement are each defined based on the size of the severed fragments of the mass storage device (col. 9 lns 45-56); passing the severed fragments of the mass storage device that are smaller than the particle size as declassified media particles through the screen (col. 5 lns 53-55); and redirecting the severed fragments of the mass storage device that are larger than the particle size into the enclosure for successive agitation (col. 6 lns 38-43).
Regarding Claim 13, Castronovo discloses (Figures 13-16) advancing the mass storage device (disk D), via a plunger (pressure bar 8; col. 7 lns 1-5: pressure bar 8 slides inwards and outwards to apply/release pressure to feed roller 14 and can thus be interpreted as a plunger), to the agitator (cutter 2) at a speed based on an intended size of the severed fragments (col. 7 ln 51 – col. 8 ln 6).
Regarding Claim 14, Castronovo discloses (Figures 1-2, 6, and 13-16) a device comprising: an agitator (cutter 2) having an annular surface (seen in Figure 1) and a plurality of cutters extending in a staggered arrangement across the annular surface (col. 6 lns 4-8), wherein the staggered arrangement comprises a first cutter of the plurality of cutters spaced from a second cutter of the plurality of cutters across the annular surface by a lateral width and by a longitudinal width (seen in Figure 1), and wherein the agitator is configured to sever fragments of a media component (disk D); a feed opening (feed guide 20) comprising a wall (rightmost wall of feed guide 20 as seen in Figures 14-16) having a leading edge (lower edge of rightmost wall of feed guide 20) and configured to receive the media component and pass the media component into engagement with the agitator (clearly seen in Figures 14-16); an enclosure (enclosure formed by interior surface of screen 5 and bottom surfaces of cut bar 12 and feed roller 14) around the agitator comprising an input (space between cut bar 12 and feed roller 14) configured to receive the media component, wherein a rotational axis of the agitator is vertically aligned with the feed opening and with the input of the enclosure (clearly seen in Figures 13-16), wherein the input comprises an input wall (side wall of cut bar 12) and an input leading edge (lower edge of cut bar 12), wherein a force of the plurality of cutters biases the media component against the leading edge, the wall, the input leading edge, and the input wall as the agitator is rotated to thereby constrain the media component in a shearing engagement with the agitator (col. 7 lns 31-36; clearly seen in Figures 14-16); a screen (screen 5) extending longitudinally parallel to the rotational axis of the agitator and configured to receive the severed fragments of the media component (col. 5 lns 53-57), wherein the screen defines a sizing regulator configured to pass the severed fragments of the media component within a maximum particle size (col. 1 lns 20-42 describes the maximum particle size requirements) in a radial direction out of the enclosure (clearly seen in Figures 15-16), and wherein the lateral width and the longitudinal width of the staggered arrangement are each defined based on the maximum particle size (col. 9 lns 45-56); and an actuator (motor 6) connected to the agitator and configured to rotate the agitator in an agitating engagement with the media component (col. 7 lns 7-8).
Regarding Claim 16, Castronovo discloses (Figures 1 and 15-16) the screen (screen 5) is disposed adjacent the agitator (cutter 2) and aligned with the enclosure (enclosure formed by interior surface of screen 5 and bottom surfaces of cut bar 12 and feed roller 14), wherein the screen is configured to pass particles from the enclosure (seen in Figures 15-16), and wherein the screen includes apertures (seen in Figure 1) defining the maximum particle size (col. 5 lns 53-57: only particles smaller than the maximum particle size can pass through the apertures).
Regarding Claim 17, Castronovo discloses (Figure 1) the agitator comprises a cutting drum (cutter 2), wherein the plurality of cutters of the cutting drum define an interleaving arrangement of protrusions (clearly seen in figure).
Regarding Claim 18, Castronovo discloses (Figures 6 and 13-16) the actuator comprises a drive source (motor 6) connected to the agitator (cutter 2) and configured to rotate the agitator (col. 7 lns 7-8), and wherein the agitator is configured to engage the media component (disk D) in a severing communication against the enclosure (col. 7 lns 34-36).
Regarding Claim 19, Castronovo discloses (Figures 13-16) a conveyance drive (feed roller 14) configured to draw the media component (disk D) into engagement with the agitator (cutter 2; col. 7 ln 62 – col. 8 ln 6) and bias the particles through the screen (screen 5; col. 8 lns 15-26).
Regarding Claim 20, Castronovo discloses (Figures 13-16) the conveyance drive (feed roller 14) includes at least one of friction rollers, gaseous currents, magnetic or gravitational mechanisms (col. 7 lns 62-65: feed roller 14 is a knurled pinch roller which controls the feed speed of disk D via “biting” it, i.e. via friction).
Regarding Claim 21, Castronovo discloses (Figures 13-16) a size of the second opening (space between cut bar 12 and feed roller 14) is based on a size of the storage media (disk D; col. 7 lns 29-31: the size of the space between cut bar 12 and the feed roller 14 is the thickness of disk D).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERESA A GUTHRIE whose telephone number is (571)270-5042. The examiner can normally be reached M/Tu/Th, 10-6 ET.
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/TERESA A GUTHRIE/Examiner, Art Unit 3725
/BOBBY YEONJIN KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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