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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 4/1/2026 has been entered.
Priority
Examiner thanks Applicant for their efforts in order to convert the instant application from a CON of U.S. Application No. 16/273,912, which is a CON of 15/590,486, now U.S. Patent 10,201,884, which claims benefit of provisional application 62/333,587. However, the status of the application has not been updated to reflect Applicant’s efforts to convert the instant application. Examiner recommends requesting a new filing receipt to correct the status of the application. See MPEP 211.02(a) and 211.03.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 4/1/2026 that the updated amended claims overcome the prior art rejection(s) of record are persuasive, as Examiner concurs that the prior art does not anticipate, teach, or suggest the subject matter recited in independent claims 15 and 18 (wherein independent claim 11 was already previously indicated as allowable). However, outstanding issues remain, including correcting priority to a prior filed application(s) as indicated above, as well as claim recitations which require amendments. Please see below for further details.
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 15-21 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.
Regarding claims 15, 17, 18, 20, and 21, claim limitations recited in each identified claim either create indefinite metes and bounds as a result of the limitations being unclear as to what is being imparted within the context of the claimed invention, or recite antecedent basis issues. In an effort to expedite prosecution, Examiner has provided proposed amendments in order to resolve the outstanding issues within the claims. Please see below.
Any claim listed as rejected above but not specifically addressed above has inherited the rejection of a claim specifically addressed above due to dependency therefrom.
15. (Proposed Amendment) A method of sharpening a blade of a knife, the method comprising:
securing the knife to a clamp so that when the knife is secured in the clamp, the blade of the knife defines a plane;
rotating a pair of opposing rotatable dials so that a honing guide attached (1) in between the pair of opposing rotatable dials and (2) to respective outer circumferences of the opposing rotatable dials changes an angle of incident of a honing bar relative
wherein the honing guide is configured to support the honing bar and is configured to sharpen the blade in a sawing motion in a first direction,
wherein each of the pair of opposing rotatable dials moves the honing bar so as to change the angle of incident, and wherein a longitudinal length of the honing guide is oriented in a second direction different from the first direction, and
sharpening the blade of the knife by moving the honing bar while the honing bar is simultaneously supported by the honing guide and in contact with both the honing guide and the blade.
17. (Proposed Amendment) The method of claim 15, wherein the honing bar is allowed to slide on the honing guide and blade of knife to maintain[[ a ]] the same angle of incident between the honing guide and blade of knife, for a length of the blade of the knife.
18. (Proposed Amendment) A method of sharpening a blade of a knife, the method comprising:
securing the knife to a clamp so that when the knife is secured in the clamp, the blade of the knife defines a plane;
providing a pair of opposing rotatable dials;
providing a honing guide that is: (1) attached in between the pair of opposing rotatable dials, and (2) directly attached to respective outer circumferences of the opposing rotatable dials;
rotating the pair of opposing rotatable dials so that respective ends move relative
sharpening the blade of the knife by moving the honing bar while the honing bar is simultaneously supported by the honing guide and in contact with both the honing guide and the blade.
20. (Proposed Amendment) The method of claim 18, wherein the honing bar is allowed to slide on the honing guide and blade of knife to maintain[[ a ]] the same angle of incident between the honing guide and blade of knife, for a length of the blade of the knife.
21. (Proposed Amendment) The method of claim 18, wherein the honing guide is configured to support the honing bar and is configured to sharpen the blade in a sawing motion in a first direction, wherein each of the pair of opposing rotatable dials moves the honing bar so as to change the angle of incident, and wherein a longitudinal length of the honing guide is oriented in a second direction different from the first direction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15 and 18 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. Please see the suggested claim amendments provided above. Examiner notes that the dependent claims identified above also require amendments in order to place the application in condition for allowance.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding independent claim 15, Emmanuel (US 1,386,001) previously taught the claimed invention as elucidated in the previous office action, however, Emmanuel does not anticipate, teach, or disclose wherein the honing guide is configured to support the honing bar and is configured to sharpen the blade in a sawing motion in a first direction, and wherein a longitudinal length of the honing guide is oriented in a second direction different from the first direction. The movement of the sharpening device (14) is sawing back and forth along the rod (10), i.e. the sawing movement is oriented in the same direction as the longitudinal length of the rod (10). Thus, Applicant’s amendments have been considered to overcome the prior art.
Regarding independent claim 18, McRae (US 4,229,910) discloses a honing guide (20) attached in between a pair of opposing rotatable dials (50/ 60, Figure 1), and wherein the honing guide is attached in between the pair of opposing rotatable dials (Figure 1), and (2) directly attached to respective outer circumferences of the opposing rotatable dials (Col. 3, lines 3-13);
rotating the pair of opposing rotatable dials so that respective portions of the honing guide that are directly attached to the respective outer circumferences of the opposing rotatable dials moves radially along the respective outer circumferences of the pair of opposing rotatable dials, which, in turn, changes an angle of incident (Col. 3, lines 3-30).
McRae does not teach or disclose a clamp for the knife disposed as recited in the claimed invention, as well as wherein the honing guide is configured to support the honing bar, and sharpening the blade of the knife by moving the honing bar while simultaneously supported by and in contact with the honing guide and the blade. The sharpening stone (22) is not supported by the bar (20), nor is the sharpening stone moved in order to sharpen the knife; rather, the knife is displaced in order to impart sharpening.
McGeoch (US 4,217,735) discloses a clamp for a blade (see Figures 12 and 13), rotatable opposing dials (16, 17), a honing guide (22/23), rotating the pair of opposing rotatable dials so that respective portions (18, 19, 20, 21) of the honing guide (22/23) that are directly attached to the respective outer circumferences of the opposing rotatable dials (16, 17, see Figure 8) moves radially along the respective outer circumferences of the pair of opposing rotatable dials (Col. 3, lines 6-31).
However, McGeoch does not disclose or teach rotation of the opposing dials and thereby movement of the guiding guide in turn, changes an angle of incident of a honing bar relevant to the clamped blade of the knife, wherein the honing guide is configured to support the honing bar, sharpening the blade of the knife by moving the honing bar while simultaneously supported by and in contact with the honing guide and the blade. The honing bar (3) is not moved as a result of the rotation of opposing dials, rather, the clamped knife is moved in order to impart sharpening.
The prior art does not anticipate, teach, or suggest the combination of elements disposed in and functioning as required by the claimed invention(s). Thus, the subject matter of independent claims 15 and 18 has been found allowable, as indicated herein.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAKENA S MARKMAN whose telephone number is (469)295-9162. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00 am-6:00pm.
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/MAKENA S MARKMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723