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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: reference character “230” in the Abstract, should be deleted since 230 refers to the neck.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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Claims 1-3, 9, 11-13 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(1) as being anticipated by Chern (2019/0015964).
Chern discloses all of the limitations of claim 1, i.e., a hand tool comprising:
a head portion 50 configured to interface with a fastener via jaws 51;
a shaft 10 having a grip portion at which an operator is enabled to hold the hand tool during operation; and
a flexible interface 40 configured to operably couple the shaft 10 and the head portion 50 in a locked state Fig. 4 and an unlocked state Fig. 6, and to enable the head portion to pivot relative to the shaft about a pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the shaft Fig. 8,
wherein, in the unlocked state Fig. 6, an angle of the head portion is pivotable relative to the pivot axis and, in the locked state Fig. 4, the angle of the head portion is fixed, wherein the flexible interface 40 comprises a locking assembly including an actuator 44 having a locked position defining the locked state and an unlocked position defining the unlocked state Figs. 4 and 6, and
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wherein the flexible interface 40 further comprises a retention assembly 442, 441, 42 configured to retain the actuator in each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position.
CLAIM 11
Chern discloses all of the limitations of claim 11, i.e., a flexible interface 40 operably coupling a head portion 50 and a shaft 10 of a hand tool to enable the head portion to pivot relative to the shaft about a pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the shaft Fig. 8, the flexible interface comprising:
a locking assembly including an actuator 44 having a locked position defining a locked state Fig. 4 for the hand tool and an unlocked position defining an unlocked state Fig. 6 for the hand tool; and
a retention assembly 441, 442, 42, wherein, in the unlocked state Fig. 6, an angle of the head portion is pivotable relative to a pivot axis Fig. 8 and, in the locked state, the angle of the head portion is fixed Fig. 4, and
wherein the retention assembly is configured to retain the actuator in each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position Figs. 4 and 6.
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Regarding claims 2 and 12, PA (prior art, Chern) meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a push button 44 that is disposed in an actuator cavity 22 that extends through a proximal end of the shaft Fig. 2 relative to the head portion substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis.
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Regarding claims 3 and 13, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 2, wherein the retention assembly comprises a first retention cavity 441 disposed at a middle portion of a first side of the actuator similar to instant application, e.g., Fig. 5, and a second retention cavity 442 disposed adjacent to the first retention cavity between the first retention cavity 441 and a longitudinal end of the actuator on the first side of the actuator defined at the top surface of 44.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 1, wherein the locking assembly is configured to interface with a first side of the actuator LF, Fig. 4 to define the locked state and the unlocked state, and
wherein the retention assembly is configured to interface with a second side RT, Fig. 4 of the actuator opposite the first side to retain the actuator in the each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 9, 10, 11-13, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu (6,216,567) in view of Chen (6,877,404).
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Hu discloses all of the limitations of claim 1, i.e., a hand tool comprising Fig. 1:
a head portion 50 configured to interface with a fastener via driver 51;
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a shaft 10 having a grip portion at which an operator is enabled to hold the hand tool during operation; and
a flexible interface 30, 40 configured to operably couple the shaft 10 and the head portion 50 in a locked state Fig. 3A and an unlocked state Fig. 4A, and to enable the head portion to pivot relative to the shaft about a pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the shaft,
wherein, in the unlocked state Fig. 4A, an angle of the head portion is pivotable relative to the pivot axis Fig. 6 and, in the locked state Fig. 3A, the angle of the head portion is fixed, wherein the flexible interface 30, 40 comprises a locking assembly including an actuator 30 having a locked position defining the locked state and an unlocked position defining the unlocked state Figs. 3A and 4A, except for
the flexible interface to further comprise a retention assembly configured to retain the actuator in each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position.
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Chen teaches a multi-joint wrench having a flexible interface 50, Fig. 3 partially shown here operably coupling a head portion 50 and a shaft 30 of a hand tool to enable the head portion to pivot relative to the shaft about a pivot axis 39 that extends substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the shaft Fig. 2, the flexible interface comprising:
a locking assembly including an actuator 51 having a locked position defining a locked state Fig. 3 for the hand tool and an unlocked position defining an unlocked state Fig. 4 for the hand tool; and
a retention assembly 512, 511, 54, 55, wherein, in the unlocked state Fig. 4, an angle of the head portion is pivotable relative to a pivot axis and, in the locked state Fig. 3, the angle of the head portion is fixed, and wherein the retention assembly is configured to retain the actuator in each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position Figs. 3 and 4 retention assembly 54, 55 wherein the retention assembly comprises a retention spring 54 and a retention ball 55, and wherein the retention spring urges the retention ball into the first retention cavity 512 in the locked position, Fig. 3 and into the second retention cavity 511 in the unlocked position Fig. 4.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective date of the invention, to modify the invention of Hu by providing a retention assembly as taught by Chen to positively retain the head in a selected position.
CLAIM 11
Hu meets all of the limitations of claim 11, i.e., a flexible interface 30, 40 operably coupling a head portion 50 and a shaft 10 of a hand tool to enable the head portion to pivot relative to the shaft about a pivot axis that extends substantially perpendicular to a direction of extension of the shaft Fig. 8, the flexible interface comprising a locking assembly including an actuator 30 having a locked position defining a locked state Fig. 4 for the hand tool and an unlocked position defining an unlocked state Fig. 6 for the hand tool; except for a retention assembly, wherein, in the unlocked state, an angle of the head portion is pivotable relative to a pivot axis and, in the locked state, the angle of the head portion is fixed and wherein the retention assembly is configured to retain the actuator in each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position.
Chen teaches a multi-joint wrench having a flexible interface 50 with a retention assembly 512, 511, 54, 55, wherein, in the unlocked state Fig. 4, an angle of the head portion is pivotable relative to a pivot axis and, in the locked state Fig. 3, the angle of the head portion is fixed, and wherein the retention assembly is configured to retain the actuator in each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position Figs. 3 and 4 retention assembly 54, 55 wherein the retention assembly comprises a retention spring 54 and a retention ball 55, and wherein the retention spring urges the retention ball into the first retention cavity 512 in the locked position, Fig. 3 and into the second retention cavity 511 in the unlocked position Fig. 4. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective date of the invention, to modify the invention of Hu by providing a retention assembly as taught by Chen to positively retain the head in a selected position.
Regarding claims 2 and 12, PA (prior art, Hu modified by Chen) meets the limitations, i.e., hand tool of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a push button 31 Hu that is disposed in an actuator cavity 24 that extends through a proximal end of the shaft Fig. 2, Hu relative to the head portion substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis.
Regarding claims 3 and 13, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 2, wherein the retention assembly comprises a first retention cavity 512, modified by Chen disposed at a middle portion of a first side of the actuator similar to instant application, e.g., Fig. 5, and a second retention cavity 511 Chen disposed adjacent to the first retention cavity 512 between the first retention cavity 512 and a longitudinal end of the actuator 51 on the first side RT side of the actuator Fig. 3 Chen.
Regarding claims 4 and 14, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 3, wherein the retention assembly further comprises a retention spring 54 and a retention ball 55, and wherein the retention spring urges the retention ball into the first retention cavity 512 in the locked position Fig. 3 Chen and into the second retention cavity 511 in the unlocked position Fig. 4 Chen.
Regarding claims 5 and 15, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 4, wherein the locking assembly comprises a locking pin 40 Hu disposed in a locking
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pin channel 26 extending substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis Fig. 2, Hu, partially shown here to intersect the actuator cavity @25, and wherein the actuator modified 30 comprises a locking cavity 331 Fig. 3A Hu disposed opposite the first retention cavity 512 modified by Chen and an unlock cavity 332 disposed opposite the second retention cavity 511 modified by Chen.
Regarding claims 6 and 16, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 5, wherein the unlock cavity 332, Hu extends deeper into a lateral side of the actuator than the locking cavity 331, Fig. 3A Hu.
Regarding claims 7 and 17, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 6, wherein the head portion 50, Hu comprises a neck narrow portion about 52, 53 configured to extend into a reception slot 23 Hu formed at the proximal end of the shaft, 10 the neck having a rounded periphery with a plurality of teeth 53, and wherein the locking pin 41, Hu comprises one or more engagement protrusions 43 configured to engage the teeth of the neck Fig. 3A Hu.
Regarding claims 8 and 18, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 7, wherein the locking pin 40, Hu is biased via a locking spring 44 to urge the locking pin into contact with the neck Fig. 3A Hu, and wherein, when the actuator 30 is in the locked position, the locking pin 40 is inserted into the locking cavity 331 to prevent movement of the locking pin out of engagement with the neck Fig. 3A, and wherein, when the actuator is in the unlocked position Fig. 4A, Hu, the locking pin 40 is aligned with the unlock cavity 332 to enable a force exerted to pivot the head portion to overcome biasing of the locking spring to move the locking pin into the unlock cavity to enable the head portion to pivot relative to the shaft.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 1, wherein the locking assembly 40 is configured to interface with a first side of the actuator 30, upper side, Fig. 3A Hu to define the locked state and the unlocked state Fig. 4A Hu, and wherein the retention assembly modified by Chen is configured to interface with a second side bottom side, Fig. 3A Hu of the actuator opposite the first side to retain the actuator in the each respective one of the locked position and the unlocked position.
Regarding claims 10 and 20, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the hand tool of claim 1, wherein the locking assembly 30, 40 Hu and retention assembly 50 Chen are configured such that both the locking assembly and the retention assembly simultaneously engage opposite sides of the actuator in the locked state Fig. 3 Chen, but only the retention assembly engages the actuator in the unlocked state Fig. 4A Hu.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not relied upon at this time, are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Lin and Lee are cited to show related inventions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HADI SHAKERI whose telephone number is (571)272-4495. The fax phone number for forwarding unofficial documents for discussion purposes only is (571) 273-4495. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Keller can be reached on 571 272 8548. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Hadi Shakeri/
December 8, 2025 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723