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 .
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-5 and 7-11 have been amended. Claim 12 has been cancelled. Therefore, claims 1-11 and 13-18 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the Drawings, Specification, and Claims have overcome a majority of objections and each and every 112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed November 7, 2025. However, the Examiner respectfully notes a Drawing objection, as previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed November 7, 2025, with respect to reference character “25x” appears to have been partially addressed; accordingly, the respective Drawing objection is maintained and is as set forth below.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 25x in Fig 7B. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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. 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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-11 and 13-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi et al. (JP2014009697A), hereinafter "Yamaguchi", in view of Burke (US2244823A), hereinafter "Burke".
Regarding claim 1, Yamaguchi teaches a screw fastening structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) comprising:
a screw fastener (Fig 5, screw 2) having a threaded portion (Fig 5, portion 2a); and
a fastening assist member (Fig 5, member 1) having a flanged screw hole (Fig 7(c), hole 1j), a through-hole (Fig 7(c), hole 1i) through which the threaded portion (2a) of the screw fastener (2) passes (see Figs 5 and 7(c), Paragraph 0054), and a folded part (Fig 7(c), portion 1e) folded back (see Fig 7(c)) such that the flanged screw hole (1j) and the through-hole (1i) face each other (see Figs 5 and 7(c), Paragraph 0054), wherein:
a flange (Fig 7(c), portion 1c) of the flanged screw hole (1j) projects (see Fig 7(c)) toward a side (see Fig 7(c)) opposite (see Fig 7(c)) to a side (see Fig 7(c)) of the through-hole (1i); and
the threaded portion (2a) of the screw fastener (2) is fastened (see Figs 5 and 7(c), Paragraph 0054) to the flanged screw hole (1j) after passing (see Figs 5 and 7(c), Paragraph 0054) through the through-hole (1i).
Yamaguchi fails to teach a body part with an axially extending part, the axially extending part extending from an end of the folded part and extending along an axis parallel to an insertion axis of the screw fastener.
However, Burke teaches it is known to provide a body part (see Fig 1, Pg 1, Col 2, lines 14-25, Examiner notes branches 2, upstanding with respect to the base portion as a body part) with an axially extending part (Fig 1, branches 2), the axially extending part (2) extending (see Fig 1) from an end (see Fig 1, Pg 1, Col 2, lines 14-25, Examiner notes an end of a fold of base portion 1 adjacent shoulder 5 as an end) of the folded part (Fig 1, base portion 1, Pg 1, Col 2, lines 14-25) and extending (see Fig 1) along an axis (see Fig 1, Examiner notes an axis of the nut perpendicular to shoulder 5 as an axis) parallel (see Fig 1, Pg 1, Col 2, lines 14-25, Examiner notes upstanding with respect to the base portion as parallel) to an insertion axis (see Fig 1, Examiner notes the axis of the nut perpendicular to shoulder 5 as an insertion axis) of the screw fastener (Pg 1, Col 1, lines 1-13, Burke indicates a screw or bolt is inserted).
Therefore, as evidenced by Burke, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine an adequately sized and shaped body part with an axially extending part, the axially extending part extending from an end of the folded part and extending along an axis parallel to an insertion axis of the screw fastener as taught by Burke to Yamaguchi. The rationale for supporting this conclusion of obviousness is to aid the fastener in retaining itself on one of a plurality of members to be secured together in order to avoid the necessity of holding the fastener in place or against rotation when a screw or bolt is inserted therein and aid the fastener in serving as a locating means for relatively positioning a plurality of members to be secured together (Burke, Pg 1, Col 1, lines 1-13).
Regarding claim 2, modified Yamaguchi teaches the screw fastening structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) according to claim 1 and further teaches wherein an edge (see Fig 7(c), Examiner notes an inner edge of hole 1i as an edge) of the through-hole (1i) faces (see Fig 7(c)) a bending root portion (see Fig 7(c), Examiner notes a portion of portion 1c facing the inner edge of hole 1i as a bending root portion) of the flange (1c) of the flanged screw hole (1j).
Regarding claim 3, modified Yamaguchi teaches the screw fastening structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) according to claim 2 and further teaches wherein a diameter (Fig 7(a), diameter D1) of the through-hole (1i) is equal (see Fig 7(a), Paragraph 0049) to a diameter (Fig 7(a), diameter D1) of the flanged screw hole (1j).
Regarding claim 4, modified Yamaguchi teaches the screw fastening structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) according to claim 1 and further teaches wherein:
the folded part (1e) has one portion (see Fig 7(c)) provided with the flanged screw hole (1j) and an other portion (see Fig 7(c)) provided with the through-hole (1i); and
the one portion (see Fig 7(c)) and the other portion (see Fig 7(c)) are laid on (see Fig 7(c)) each other (see Fig 7(c)) such that at least a peripheral portion (see Fig 7(c)) of the flanged screw hole (1j) and a peripheral portion (see Fig 7(c)) of the through-hole (1i) are in contact (see Fig 7(c)) with each other (see Fig 7(c)).
Regarding claim 5, modified Yamaguchi teaches the screw fastening structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) according to claim 4 and further teaches wherein the folded part (1e) is folded back (see Fig 7(c)) such that the one portion (see Fig 7(c)) and the other portion (see Fig 7(c)) are in contact (see Fig 7(c)) with each other (see Fig 7(c)) over an entire area (see Fig 7(c)) where the one portion (see Fig 7(c)) and the other portion (see Fig 7(c)) face each other (see Fig 7(c)).
Regarding claim 6, modified Yamaguchi teaches the screw fastening structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) according to claim 1 and further teaches comprising a member to be fastened (Fig 7(c), fastened member 3) to the folded part (1e) of the fastening assist member (1) with the screw fastener (2),
wherein the member to be fastened (3) has a large-diameter through-hole (Fig 7(c), hole 3a) having a greater diameter (see Fig 7(c), Paragraph 0046) than the through-hole (1i).
Regarding claims 7-11, modified Yamaguchi teaches an assembly structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) comprising:
a member to be fastened (Fig 7(c), fastened member 3) having a large-diameter through-hole (Fig 7(c), hole 3a) through which a threaded portion (Fig 5, portion 2a) of a screw fastener (Fig 5, screw 2) passes (see Figs 5 and 7(c), Paragraph 0054); and
the screw fastening structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) according to [claim 7: claim 1 (see claim 1); claim 8: claim 2 (see claim 2); claim 9: claim 3 (see claim 3); claim 10: claim 4 (see claim 4); claim 11: claim 5 (see claim 5)], the screw fastening structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) being configured to fasten (see Fig 7(c)) the member to be fastened (3) to the fastening assist member (1) with the screw fastener (2).
Regarding claims 13-18, modified Yamaguchi teaches an image forming apparatus (Fig 1, image forming apparatus 100) comprising the screw fastening structure (see Figs 5 and 7(c)) according to [claim 13: claim 1 (see claim 1); claim 14: claim 2 (see claim 2); claim 15: claim 3 (see claim 3); claim 16: claim 4 (see claim 4); claim 17: claim 5 (see claim 5); claim 18: claim 6 (see claim 6)].
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 teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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/J.W./Examiner, Art Unit 3675 /KRISTINA R FULTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675