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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 December 16, 2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-4 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuo et al. (2013/0319189 “Kuo”).
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Kuo discloses all of the limitations of claim 1, i.e., a wrench 100 comprising:
a head 300 provided at a front end portion; and
a handle 200 to be gripped by a user,
wherein
the handle 200 is formed with a lightening portion defined by depression 412 and a remaining portion 411 formed around the lightening portion Figs. 2A, B, the remaining portion includes:
a first inclined rib 411 intersecting an extending direction of the handle, and a second inclined rib annotated Fig. 2B intersecting the extending direction of the handle and also intersecting the first inclined rib,
in one or both of the first inclined rib and the second inclined rib, a respective first root portion annotated Fig. 2B on a rear end side is longer than a respective second root portion on a front end side, and
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (ROOT)][AltContent: textbox (ROOT)]the first inclined rib and the second inclined rib include a shared element annotated here, which forms a shaft shape along the extending direction of the handle, that is provided at a position where the inclined ribs intersect each other and is shared with each other.
Regarding claim 2, PA (prior art, Kuo) meets the limitations, i.e., the wrench according to claim 1, wherein the handle further includes a frame constituting an outer frame, and each of the first inclined rib and the second inclined rib includes the respective second root portion on the front end side towards the head and the respective first root portion on the rear end side connected to the frame Fig. 2B.
Regarding claim 3, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the wrench according to claim 2, wherein a length of the remaining portion between a first surface facing away from an
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[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arc][AltContent: textbox (BASE)]object to be tightened and a first back surface opposite to the first surface is smaller than a length of the frame between a second surface facing away from the object to be tightened and a second back surface opposite to the second surface annotated partial Fig. 2B.
Regarding claim 4, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the wrench according to claim 2, wherein the lightening portion 412 is surrounded by the frame, the first inclined rib 411, and the second inclined rib, and
the lightening portion 412 is wider on a front end side than on a base end side annotated above.
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (PARALLEL OUTER SURFACE)]Regarding claim 6, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the wrench according to claim 1, wherein the head 300 includes a tapered surface chamfered upper rim formed between a surface top facing away from an object to be tightened and an outer surface annotated Fig. 2A, partially shown here.
Regarding claim 7, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the wrench according to claim 1, wherein the head includes at least three outer flat surfaces top, bottom and side surface annotated above that are flat and constitute an outer surface.
Regarding claim 8, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the wrench according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of a neck defined by thickness connecting the head and the handle is a surface parallel to a rotation axis of the head annotated above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 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
Prior art made of record and not relied upon at this time, are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Henke et al. Fig. 2, Gross Fig. 1 and Russel Fig. 5 are cited to show related inventions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HADI SHAKERI whose telephone number is (571)272-4495. The fax phone number for forwarding unofficial documents for discussion purposes only is (571) 273-4495. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F.
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/Hadi Shakeri/
March 30, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723