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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the specification recites a snap ring item 38 on page 6, however this appears to be item 36 in figure 3 of the drawings. 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 Objections
Claims 1, 7 and 13 are objected to because of the following informalities: It is suggested that “an adapter housing includes a bearing bore” be amended to “an adapter housing, said adapter housing includes a bearing bore” in order to enhance the clarity of the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Onodera (CN207063545U, a machine translation is provided).
Regarding claim 1, Onodera teaches a concrete vibrator adapter for driving a concrete vibrator cable with a rotary device (annotated figure provided below, the cable and rotary device are considered intended use), comprising: an adapter housing (housing part item 4) includes a bearing bore formed in one end (see annotated figure 1, square denoting the bearing bore) and a shaft hole formed through a bottom of said bearing bore (see opening in output end of shaft is housed); at least one of a bushing or a bearing (see annotated figure for the bearing); and a drive shaft includes an input end and an output end (see annotated figure 1, output end and drive end which is considered reading on an input end), said drive shaft is inserted through said at least one of a bushing or a bearing (see annotated figure1, the drive shaft extends through the area denoted as the bearing bore), said at least one of a bushing or a bearing is retained in said bearing bore (the bearings are in the space denoted bearing bore in the annotated figure), said input end extends through said shaft hole (drive end of the vibrator in figure 1), wherein said input end is retained in the rotary device (see drive end of the concreate vibrator cable shown in annotated figure 1), said output end is retained in a drive end of the concrete vibrator cable (see output end as shown in annotated figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Onodera teaches said drive shaft includes a bearing portion formed between said input end and said output end (see annotated figure 2 for input end and output end), said bearing portion includes a first bearing diameter (diameter of first bearing), a bearing flange (see annotated figure 2 for the bearing flange) and a second bearing diameter (diameter of second bearing).
Regarding claim 4, Onodera teaches said first bearing diameter is sized to receive a first bearing or bushing, said second bearing diameter is sized to receive a second bearing or bushing (see bearings in annotated figure 1 which each inherently have a diameter considered capable of receiving a bearing or bushing).
Regarding claim 6, Onodera teaches wherein a drive cavity (figure 1 item 5) is formed in said output end to receive a male projection of a concrete vibrator (figure 1 item 2).
Regarding claim 7, Onodera teaches a concrete vibrator adapter for driving a concrete vibrator cable with a rotary device (see annotated figure 1 provided below, the cable and rotary device are considered intended use), the concrete vibrator cable includes a threaded retention ring screw (screw thread 3 taught in page 2 description section of machine translation) comprising: an adapter housing (housing part item 4) includes a bearing bore formed in one end (see square denoting the bearing bore) and a shaft hole formed through a bottom of said bearing bore (see opening in output end of shaft is housed); a ring thread is formed around said adapter housing at bearing bore end (figure 1 internal thread 6); at least one of a bushing or a bearing (see annotated figure for the bearing); and a drive shaft includes an input end and an output end (see annotated figure output end and drive end which is considered reading on an input end), said drive shaft is inserted through said at least one of a bushing or a bearing (the drive shaft extends through the area denoted as the bearing bore), said at least one of a bushing or a bearing is retained in said bearing bore (the bearings are in the space denoted bearing bore in the annotated figure), said input end extends through said shaft hole (drive end of the vibrator in figure 1), wherein said input end is retained in the rotary device (see drive end of the concreate vibrator cable shown in annotated figure 1), said output end is retained in a drive end of the concrete vibrator cable (see output end as shown in annotated figure 1) the threaded ring is threaded on to said ring thread (item 3 is connected with shell 4 via internal thread 6).
Regarding claim 9, Onodera teaches said drive shaft includes a bearing portion formed between said input end and said output end (see annotated figure 2 for input end and output end), said bearing portion includes a first bearing diameter (diameter of first bearing), a bearing flange (see annotated figure 2 for the bearing flange) and a second bearing diameter (diameter of second bearing).
Regarding claim 10, Onodera teaches said first bearing diameter is sized to receive a first bearing or bushing, said second bearing diameter is sized to receive a second bearing or bushing (see bearings in annotated figure 1 which each inherently have a diameter considered capable of receiving a bearing or bushing).
Regarding claim 12, Onodera teaches wherein a drive cavity (figure 1 item 5) is formed in said output end to receive a male projection of a concrete vibrator (figure 1 item 2).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 2 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onodera (CN207063545U, a machine translation is provided) in view of Breeding (U.S. Patent 6,065,859).
Regarding claim 2, Onodera is silent to the chamfer shape. Regarding claim 2, Breeding teaches wherein a chamfer is formed on said input side of said adapter (figure 4 item 72 sleeve has a chamfer shape on its rightmost end). Regarding claim 2, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the shape of Onodera with the chamfer shape of Breeding in order to fit a corresponding rotary device’s shape.
Regarding claim 8, Onodera is silent to the chamfer shape. Regarding claim 8, Breeding teaches wherein a chamfer is formed on said input side of said adapter (figure 4 item 72 sleeve has a chamfer shape on its rightmost end). Regarding claim 8, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the shape of Onodera with the chamfer shape of Breeding in order to fit a corresponding rotary device’s shape.
Claims 5, 11, 13, 15, 16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onodera (CN207063545U, a machine translation is provided) in view of Lim (KR-200473088 Y1, a machine translation is provided).
Onodera is silent to the language of claim 5. Regarding claim 5, Lim teaches a ring groove is formed at an entrance to said bearing bore (figure 2 space housing items 136 bearings), said ring groove is sized to receive a snap ring to retain said at least one of a bushing or a bearing (while the snap ring is considered intended use of the ring groove, retaining ring item 137 is considered reading on a snap ring). Regarding claim 5, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date to modify the vibrator of Onodera with the ring groove configuration in order to better secure the rotating shaft.
Onodera is silent to the language of claim 11. Regarding claim 11, Lim teaches a ring groove is formed at an entrance to said bearing bore (figure 2 space housing items 136 bearings), said ring groove is sized to receive a snap ring to retain said at least one of a bushing or a bearing (while the snap ring is considered intended use of the ring groove, retaining ring item 137 is considered reading on a snap ring). Regarding claim 11, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date to modify the vibrator of Onodera with the ring groove configuration in order to better secure the rotating shaft.
Regarding claim 13, Onodera teaches a concrete vibrator adapter for driving a concrete vibrator cable with a rotary device (see annotated figure 1 provided below, the cable and rotary device are considered intended use), the concrete vibrator cable includes a threaded retention ring screw (screw thread 3 taught in page 2 description section of machine translation) comprising: an adapter housing (housing part item 4) includes a bearing bore formed in one end (see square denoting the bearing bore) and a shaft hole formed through a bottom of said bearing bore (see opening in output end of shaft is housed); a ring thread is formed around said adapter housing at bearing bore end (figure 1 internal thread 6); at least one of a bushing or a bearing (see annotated figure for the bearing); and a drive shaft includes an input end and an output end (see annotated figure output end and drive end which is considered reading on an input end), said drive shaft is inserted through said at least one of a bushing or a bearing (the drive shaft extends through the area denoted as the bearing bore), said at least one of a bushing or a bearing is retained in said bearing bore (the bearings are in the space denoted bearing bore in the annotated figure), said input end extends through said shaft hole (drive end of the vibrator in figure 1), wherein said input end is retained in the rotary device (see drive end of the concreate vibrator cable shown in annotated figure 1), said output end is retained in a drive end of the concrete vibrator cable (see output end as shown in annotated figure 1) the threaded ring is threaded on to said ring thread (item 3 is connected with shell 4 via internal thread 6). Regarding claim 13, Onodera is silent to a bearing retention device, and said bearing retention device retains said at least one of a bushing or bearing in said bearing bore. Regarding claim 13, Lim teaches a bearing retention device (item 137 retaining ring) and said bearing retention device retains at least one of a bushing or bearing in said bearing bore (retaining ring 137 is used to secure bearing 136). Regarding claim 13, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to modify the mixer of Onodera with the bearing retention device of Lim in order to better secure the rotary shaft.
Regarding claim 15, Onodera teaches said drive shaft includes a bearing portion formed between said input end and said output end (see annotated figure 2 for input end and output end), said bearing portion includes a first bearing diameter (diameter of first bearing), a bearing flange (see annotated figure 2 for the bearing flange) and a second bearing diameter (diameter of second bearing).
Regarding claim 16, Onodera teaches said first bearing diameter is sized to receive a first bearing or bushing, said second bearing diameter is sized to receive a second bearing or bushing (see bearings in annotated figure 1 which each inherently have a diameter considered capable of receiving a bearing or bushing).
Onodera is silent to the language of claim 17. Regarding claim 17, Lim teaches a ring groove is formed at an entrance to said bearing bore (figure 2 space housing items 136 bearings), said ring groove is sized to receive a snap ring to retain said at least one of a bushing or a bearing (while the snap ring is considered intended use of the ring groove, retaining ring item 137 is considered reading on a snap ring). Regarding claim 17, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date to modify the vibrator of Onodera with the ring groove configuration in order to better secure the rotating shaft.
Regarding claim 18, Onodera teaches wherein a drive cavity (figure 1 item 5) is formed in said output end to receive a male projection of a concrete vibrator (figure 1 item 2).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onodera (CN207063545U, a machine translation is provided) in view of Lim (KR-200473088 Y1, a machine translation is provided) in further view of Breeding (U.S. Patent 6,065,859).
Regarding claim 14, Onodera is silent to the chamfer shape. Regarding claim 14, Breeding teaches wherein a chamfer is formed on said input side of said adapter (figure 4 item 72 sleeve has a chamfer shape on its rightmost end). Regarding claim 14, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the shape of Onodera in view of Lim with the chamfer shape of Breeding in order to fit a corresponding rotary device’s shape.
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANSHU BHATIA whose telephone number is (571)270-7628. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m..
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/ANSHU BHATIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774