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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 10/03/2025 has been entered.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-7 in the reply filed on 02/13/2025 is acknowledged (claims 8-20 have been cancelled). Applicant has added new claims 21-33 that have similar subject matter of claims 1-7, thus, claims 1-7 and 21-33 are pending and examining below.
Specification
The lengthy specification (43 pages) has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claims 1-7 and 21-33 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1, the second paragraph “a first reduced diameter threaded exterior section” (emphasis added) is unclear what the language of “reduced diameter” refers to or compare to. Claims 21 and 27 have the same issue.
For examination purposes, as best understood, Examiner is interpreting the “issues above” as below and all claims dependent from claims 1, 21, 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being dependent from the rejected parent claims.
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.
Claims 1-7, 21-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dudek (US 4732221) in view of Bucsh (US 4648444A).
Regarding claim 1, Dudek shows a handle assembly (Figure 1) for a power operated trimming tool (see the title “pneumatic chipping hammer…”) “configured to be coupled to an interface portion of an end-of-arm tool connector of a robotic arm, the power operated trimming tool including a head assembly supporting a drive mechanism of the power operated trimming tool and the handle assembly attached to and extending from a proximal interface portion of a frame body of the head assembly, the handle assembly including a handle through bore (Figure 1 and Col. 3, lines 13-38) extending along a handle assembly longitudinal axis, the handle through bore configured for receiving a driver assembly of a shaft drive transmission (10, Figure 1. This tool has the handle and can be used or operated by a robotic arm), the driver assembly operatively coupled to the drive mechanism of the power operated trimming tool (17)”. Please note that as this preamble is written, this invention is directed to a handle assembly, structures of the power tool are considered and only given weight inasmuch as it infers structure in the handle assembly.
Wherein the handle assembly comprises:
a) a central core (47, Figure 9) extending along the handle assembly longitudinal axis between a distal end (the end of the casting 47, Figure 9 below) and a proximal end (an opposite end of the casting) and including a central through bore (Figures 7-8) defining a portion of the through bore of the handle assembly (emphasis added, as seen in Figure 1), the central core including a first distal interface portion (the portion where the references “49” or Figure 9 below) adjacent the distal end of the central core, a second central portion (see Figure 9 below) and a third proximal portion (an opposite portion from the distal end portion) adjacent the proximal end of the central core, the second central portion is spaced from the distal end and the proximal end (Figure 9 below), the first distal interface portion of the central core including a first reduced diameter threaded exterior section (see the issue above that is unclear what it is reduced diameter compared to, therefore, the 2nd central portion in figure 9 below has a diameter smaller or reduced compared to the polyurethane coating 48 and meets this limitation) and the second central portion of the central core including a second threaded exterior section (see threaded section below of the second central portion);
b) a connector engagement member (54, Figure 1) having a central opening extending along the handle assembly longitudinal axis (emphasis added, as seen in Figure 1) and including a first distal portion (faces to the handle, Figure 1) and a second proximal portion (faces to the tool 17), the connector engagement member including a threaded interior section (Figure 1) engaging the second threaded exterior section (Figure 1) of the second central portion of the central core to attach the connector engagement member to the central core (Figure 1);
c) a driver assembly retainer member (52, Figure 1) having the central opening (bore) extending along the handle assembly longitudinal axis (Figure 1), the driver retainer member including a first distal portion (where the reference “20”, Figure 1) and a second proximal portion (faces to the barrel assembly 15, Figure 1), however,
Dudek discusses a threaded interior section (inner threads 50, Figure 1) engaging the second threaded exterior section of the central core to attach the driver assembly retainer member to the central core.
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Busch shows a device (Figure 4B) that includes a tube connector (156) and an outer tube (154), wherein the tube connector has a reduced diameter threaded section at one end and a large diameter threaded section on the middle of the tube connector (where the reference “158” is in Figure 4B). Wherein the outer tube is engaged to the large diameter threaded section while coupled the tube connector and the outer tube together.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the central core and the driver assembly retainer member of Dudek to have an outer tube (and the driver assembly retainer member) engaged to the large diameter threaded section while coupled the tube connector and the outer tube together, as taught by Busch, since this is known alternative way for the same purpose of connecting or coupling two tube parts together.
Regarding claim 2, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows that the first distal interface portion of the central core extends distally beyond the front wall of the connector engagement member (Figure 1 of Dudek).
Regarding claim 3, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows that the first distal interface portion of the central core configured to engage the proximal interface portion of the frame body of the head assembly of the power operated trimming tool (see the modification above).
Regarding claim 4, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows that the second proximal portion of the driver assembly retainer member includes a back wall (an end wall handle, Figures 5-6 of Dudek) comprising an proximal end of the handle assembly.
Regarding claim 5, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows that the second proximal portion of the connector engagement member includes a back wall and the first distal portion of the driver assembly retainer member includes a front wall, the back wall of the connector engagement member contacting the front wall of the driver assembly retainer member (see Figure 1 of Dudek, the nut 54 contacts the handle 52, 46).
Regarding claim 6, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows that the central opening of the driver assembly retainer member defines a portion of the handle assembly through bore (see the discussion in claim 1 above and the discussion of the opening fluid port in figure 1 of Dudek for sliding a shaft 66).
Regarding claim 7, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows that the front wall of the first distal portion of the connector engagement member is planar (see the end wall of the nut 54 in Figure 1 of Dudek).
Regarding claims 21-26, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows all of the limitations as stated in claims 1-2, 4-7 above and see Figure 4B of Busch.
Regarding claims 27-29, 31-32, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows all of the limitations as stated in claims 1, 3-4, 6-7 above.
Regarding claims 30, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows all of the limitations in claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 33, the modified handle assembly of Dudek shows that the second proximal portion of the driver assembly retainer member including a back wall (Figure 1 below) comprising a proximal end of the handle assembly (Figure 1 below) and the distal end of the central core comprises a distal end of the handle assembly (Figure 1).
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to 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. See the combination of Dudek in view of Busch above.
However, if Applicant still believes that the claimed invention’s apparatus/method different from the prior art’s apparatus/method or needs to discuss the rejections above or suggestion amendments that can be overcome the current rejections, Applicant should feel free to call the Examiner to schedule an interview.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NHAT CHIEU Q DO whose telephone number is (571)270-1522. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM-5PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ADAM EISEMAN can be reached on 571-270-3818. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NHAT CHIEU Q DO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724 10/20/2025