DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamazaki (6,966,735) in view of Rast (1,457,749) and further in view of Hattan (4,545,104). Yamazaki discloses a method of forming an eccentric fastener including first and second locking fasteners comprising polyhedron hex washers (Figs. 4A,4B) and hex nuts (18; Fig. 10) which are configured to be rotatable relative to one another eccentrically (col. 16, lines 21-28). Yamazaki discloses (col. 16, lines 6-16) that a pair of nuts (18; Fig. 10) include a drilled circular section axial hole (18, col. 6, line 11) and each include a first vertical surface (7, left Fig. 10), a spiral surface (6) and a second vertical surface (7, right Fig. 10) with a gap (bounding 6,6,7,7; Fig. 10) formed during relative rotation of the nuts defined by the spiral surface (6; col. 16, lines 12-13) between the first vertical surface (7) and the second vertical surface (7). Yamazaki discloses that a tap (20) is used to create a female screw thread in the nuts (18) after they are rotated to the gap position (Fig. 10; col. 16, lines 18-20). Regarding step (b), directions of upward, downward, counterclockwise and clockwise are not set forth in the claim but the first surface (7) of Yamazaki extends vertically upward and the spiral surface (6) extends in a counterclockwise direction (left of first surface 7; Fig. 10). shoulder 7). Yamazaki discloses that a cutting operation is used to form the spiral surface (6) and first vertical surface (7; col. 12, lines 9-12) but does not disclose that the first surface and the spiral surface are cut in an integral nut blank. Rast teaches cutting a groove (4) in a nut blank (1) prior to threading (page 1, col. 1, lines 43-48) and that a first nut portion (2) and a second nut portion (1) are separated into separate nuts (2,3) when they are relatively rotated (page 1, col. 2, lines 66-70). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to cut the first surface and spiral surface of Yamazaki into a nut blank as taught by Rast in order to manufacture two nut portions from a single nut blank so that the cut surfaces on each nut portion match. Yamazaki discloses that the first and second fastener portions are fixed together by adhesive tape (col. 5, lines 12-37) but does not disclose welding. Hattan teaches (col. 4, lines 19-25) that a first nut portion (18) and a second nut portion (19) have faces (22,23) that are attached by welding (24). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to weld the first and second nut portion of Yamazaki together as taught by Hattan in order to hold the nut portions in place.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6-23-2005 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Yamazaki discloses that a polyhedron body comprises a pair of nuts (18) that include a spiral surface (6) and vertical surfaces (7) which are formed by cutting (col. 12, lines 9-12) and Rast teaches forming a pair of nut portions (1,2) from an integral blank (page 1, col. 1, lines 42-45) by cutting a groove (4) into the integral blank and rotating the pair of nut portions to separate them (page 1, col. 2, lines 65-70). It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan to cut the pair of nuts of Yamazaki from an integral polyhedron blank as taught by Rast. Yamazaki discloses that the nut portions are held together by adhesive tape and Hattan teaches that nut portions are held together by welding, it is an obvious design choice to use welding or adhesion to hold two parts together.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWARD THOMAS TOLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4525. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5.
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/EDWARD T TOLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725