Detailed Action
This is the final office action for US application number 17/724,719. Claims are evaluated as filed on April 23, 2026.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed April 23, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The rejections in this office action have been amended to address the amended claims. Examiner directs Applicant to the rejection below for a more in-depth description of the limitations.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required:
As to claim(s) 1, 3, 8-10, 15, and 21-24, the specification appears to lack proper antecedent basis for “a cam assembly of the housing” of claim 1 line 9. That is, there is no disclosure of the cam assembly being a feature of the housing, such was not originally claimed, and is contrary to the cam assembly 700 as shown in Fig. 3 to be a distinct element from housing 500. Thus, the specification fails to provide proper antecedent basis for “a cam assembly of the housing” of claim 1 line 9.
As to claim(s) 1, 3, 8-10, 15, and 21-24, the specification appears to lack proper antecedent basis for “a gear wheel of the housing” of claim 1 line 11. That is, there is no disclosure of the cam assembly being a feature of the housing, such was not originally claimed, and is contrary to the gear wheel 805 as shown in Fig. 3 to be a distinct element from housing 500. Thus, the specification fails to provide proper antecedent basis for “a gear wheel of the housing” of claim 1 line 11.
As to claim(s) 1, 3, 8-10, 15, and 21-24, the specification appears to lack proper antecedent basis for “a ratchet assembly” of claim 1 lines 13-14 that is in addition to “a gear wheel” of claim 1 line 11-12. That is, there is no disclosure of a ratchet assembly in addition to a gear wheel, such was not originally claimed, and is contrary to the gear wheel 805 being a part of the ratchet assembly as specifically disclosed in paragraph 46 and shown in Figs. 5A-6 according to paragraphs 25-27. Thus, the specification fails to provide proper antecedent basis for “a ratchet assembly” of claim 1 lines 13-14 that is in addition to “a gear wheel” of claim 1 line 11-12.
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 “a cam assembly of the housing” of claim 1 line 9, “a gear wheel of the housing” of claim 1 line 11, and “a ratchet assembly” of claim 1 lines 13-14 that is in addition to “a gear wheel” of claim 1 line 11-12 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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 8-10, 15, and 21-24 is/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 pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
As to claim(s) 1, 3, 8-10, 15, and 21-24, “a cam assembly of the housing” of claim 1 line 9 appears to be new matter. That is, there is no disclosure of the cam assembly being a feature of the housing, such was not originally claimed, and is contrary to the cam assembly 700 as shown in Fig. 3 to be a distinct element from housing 500. Thus, “a cam assembly of the housing” of claim 1 line 9 constitutes new matter.
As to claim(s) 1, 3, 8-10, 15, and 21-24, “a gear wheel of the housing” of claim 1 line 11 appears to be new matter. That is, there is no disclosure of the cam assembly being a feature of the housing, such was not originally claimed, and is contrary to the gear wheel 805 as shown in Fig. 3 to be a distinct element from housing 500. Thus, “a gear wheel of the housing” of claim 1 line 11 constitutes new matter.
As to claim(s) 1, 3, 8-10, 15, and 21-24, “a ratchet assembly” of claim 1 lines 13-14 that is in addition to “a gear wheel” of claim 1 line 11-12 appears to be new matter. That is, there is no disclosure of a ratchet assembly in addition to a gear wheel, such was not originally claimed, and is contrary to the gear wheel 805 being a part of the ratchet assembly as specifically disclosed in paragraph 46 and shown in Figs. 5A-6 according to paragraphs 25-27. Thus, “a ratchet assembly” of claim 1 lines 13-14 that is in addition to “a gear wheel” of claim 1 line 11-12 constitutes new matter.
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(s) 1, 3, 8-10, 15, and 21-24 is/are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim(s) 1 is/are unclear with regards to “a cam assembly of the housing” of line 9 and “a gear wheel of the housing” of line 11 and “the tool comprising: a housing....; a handle….; a plurality of pin assemblies...; a cam assembly of the housing .; a gear wheel of the housing…; and a ratchet assembly…” of lines 2-14 and how one can reasonably list the cam assembly and ratchet assembly as though they are distinct components that are in addition to the housing and yet be “of the housing”. Examiner is interpreting this broadly and suggests amending to clarify.
Claim(s) 1 is/are unclear with regards to “a gear wheel of the housing, aligned with the cam assembly, the gear wheel having” in line 11 and if the phrase “aligned with the cam assembly” is intended to modify/describe the housing or the gear wheel. Examiner is interpreting this broadly and suggests amending to clarify.
Claim(s) 3, 8-10, 15, and 21-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, for its/their dependence on one or more rejected base claims.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5-7, 12, 13, 16-18, and 20 are allowed.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMY SIPP whose telephone number is (313)446-6553. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Thursday, 6:30am-4pm EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kevin Truong can be reached on 571-272-4705. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AMY R SIPP/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3775
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