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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 07/17/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Examiner acknowledges the amendments to claims 1, 8, 10, 28-29, the addition of new claims 30-34 and the cancelation of claims 6, 17, 19 and 26-27.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
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 1-2, 4-5, 8-10, 12-14, 16, 24-25, and 28-34 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 claim 1, the claim states “wherein the razor head is configured to couple to two or more connecting adapters via the first bearing mechanism or the second bearing mechanism, the pair of bearing cavities being configured to receive a pair of bearing pins of a first connecting adapter such that a first arc-shaped bearing pin surface of the pair of bearing pins bears against the fourth arc-shaped bearing surface and a second arc-shaped bearing pin surface of the pair of bearing pins bears against the third arc-shaped bearing surface, and the pair of arc-shaped bearing sections being configured to receive a pair of arc-shaped bearing sections being configured to receive a pair of arc-shaped bearings of a second connecting adapter such that a bottom side of the pair of arc-shaped bearings bears against the first arc-shaped bearing surface and a top side of the pair of arc-shaped bearings bears against the second arc-shaped bearing surface in lines 20–30 of the claim. It appears the connecting adapters, first connecting adapter, second connecting adapter, pair of bearing pins, first arc-shaped bearing pin surface, second arc-shaped bearing pin surface, pair of arc-shaped bearings, and top and bottom side of the pair of arc-shaped bearings are attempting to further limit positively claimed structure but are not positively claimed themselves. As unclaimed indefinite intended uses are not limited to the structures presented in the instant disclosure and the Examiner is unsure if the applicant intends for these structures to be or not to be positively claimed. If the applicant intends for these structures to be positively claimed and as the instant disclosure supports only a single connector being attached to the razor head at a time the applicant should amend the claim to such that it is a kit or system which would allow for a second or more disconnected connectors. If the applicant does not intend for these structures to be positively claimed they should amend the claim to remove the dependence on the connectors and their associated structure.
Additionally, it is ambiguous as to what the scope of the structure for the connecting adapters, first connecting adapter and second connecting adapter, as claimed, may be as these structures may refer to separate structures, different parts of the same structure, or parts of some other unclaimed structures. The bounds of these structures are not defined by the claim which renders the scope of the claim uncertain.
Also, it is unclear if the two or more connecting adapters couple to the razor head separately, can be coupled to the razor head all at the same time or if there is some sequence. This renders the scope of the claim uncertain as it can not be determined if the limitations require a razor head capable of coupling to multiple connectors, multiple connectors at the same time, or coupled in some other unclaimed intended use.
Finally, it is unclear how the pins and bearings “bears” against the surfaces and the instant specification fails to supply a definition for the term. The common definition of bear is to support the weight or strain of, to assume or accept, to accept or ensure without succumbing, to have as a feature or characteristic, or to sustain. It is unclear what structure would cause the pins and bearings to “bear” against the surfaces and how the common definition would apply. As such, it is unclear how the pins and bearings would be capable of “bearing” against the surfaces as claimed.
Regarding claims 2, 4-5, 8-10, 12-14, 16, 24-25, and 28-34, these claims are rejected as indefinite due to their dependence on claim 1.
Claims
It is to be noted that claims 1-2, 4-5, 8-10, 12-14, 16, 24-25, and 28-34 have not been rejected over prior art. It may or may not be readable over the prior art but allowability cannot be determined at this time in view of the issues under 35 USC § 112. Where there is a great deal of confusion and uncertainty as to the proper interpretation of the limitations of a claim, it would not be proper to reject such a claim on the basis of prior art. As stated in In re Steele, 305 F.2d 859, 134 USPQ 292 (CCPA 1962), a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 should not be based on considerable speculation about the meaning of terms employed in a claim or assumptions that must be made as to the scope of the claims.
Response to Arguments
The applicant asserts that claim 10 has been amended such that is overcome the claim objection of record. The Examiner agrees and withdraws the claim objection of record.
The applicant asserts that claim 1 is allowable as the claim now recites some of the structures suggested by the Examiner in the previous office action. The Examiner disagrees, due to the way in which the applicant has claimed the structures as part of functional limitations it is unclear to the Examiner how to apply art to the instant invention as the bounds of the structures involved are now unclear.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Robert D Cornett whose telephone number is (571) 270-0182. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 am-5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Boyer Ashley can be reached at (571) 272-4502. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT D CORNETT/Examiner, Art Unit 3724 /BOYER D ASHLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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