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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species II in the reply filed on 8 July 2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that it is not an undue burden to consider all claims in the single application and generic claim 1 is in condition for allowance. This is not found persuasive because generic claim 1 is not in condition for allowance and the different species require different fields of search because a search for one of the species is unlikely to identify references teaching another species due to the mutually exclusive characteristics recited in the claims to each species.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because in Figures 8 and 10, the line from reference character “210” does not lead to a power transmission shaft.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the fixed base assembly (1) including at least one positioning pin (11, 12) penetrating through at least one positioning slot (211, 221) on the slidable base assembly must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Figures 7 and 13 depict the positioning pins and positioning slots on the standing plates (21, 22), however neither illustrates the positioning pins positioned to or capable of penetrating through the positioning slot. Figures 8 and 10 depict a positioning slot (211) with two positioning pins (11, 12), but the arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 13 does not correlate with the arrangement in Figures 8 and 10. It is not clear where the drawings depict the fixed base assembly including at least one positioning pin penetrating through at least one positioning slot.
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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: in paragraph 0050, “slidable base assembly 33” should be --slidable base assembly 2--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim 7 is 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.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the second linking end" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For purposes of examination, the limitation will be interpreted in light of the disclosure as: the first linking portion (instead of the second linking portion) and the second linking portion (instead of the second linking end).
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 1-5, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bogdanov et al., US 2022/0145668 A1, in view of Stephenson, US 2017/0102058 A1.
Claim 1: Bogdanov discloses an unlocking transmission mechanism for an electric control system of an emergency exit door lock, the emergency exit door lock including a manual-operated press bar assembly (100), the unlocking transmission mechanism comprising:
a fixed base assembly (103, 460), fixed to a press-bar base of the emergency exit door lock ([0048]; Fig. 17);
a slidable base assembly (420), disposed at the fixed base assembly within a linear sliding stroke to be reciprocally movable in an unlocking-driving direction ([0072]);
a linear driving assembly (414, 426), to further drive the slidable base assembly to move in the unlocking-driving direction within the linear sliding stroke ([0072]);
a magnet (486), disposed on the slidable base assembly (Fig. 22; [0076]);
a transmission member (430), having a first pivotal shaft (470C) and a second pivotal shaft (470D), the first pivotal shaft being pivotally connected with the slidable base assembly (Fig. 19); wherein, when the slidable base assembly moves in the unlocking-driving direction within the linear sliding stroke ([0072]), the transmission member pivots about the first pivotal shaft to rotate the second pivotal shaft with respect to the first pivotal shaft (movement from Fig. 19 to Fig. 20);
a linkage member (114 and 440 form a linkage member), pivotally connected with the second pivotal shaft (shown by movement from Fig. 19 to Fig. 20) and the fixed base assembly (by pin 115A); wherein, when the second pivotal shaft rotates with respect to the first pivotal shaft (movement from Fig. 19 to Fig. 20), the linkage member pushes a manual-operated press bar assembly of the emergency exit door lock to unlock the emergency exit door lock ([0074]);
wherein, when an electromagnetic distance sensor of the electric control system (“Hall Effect sensor”) detects a distance of the magnet to ensure that the slidable base assembly has moved to an unlocked end position within the linear sliding stroke ([0076]), the electric control system has the power transmission shaft to stop driving the linear driving assembly ([0076]), a resilience provided by the manual-operated press bar assembly to move the slidable base assembly in a locking-driving direction opposite to the unlocking-driving direction to arrive at a locked end position within the linear sliding stroke ([0080]).
Bogdanov discloses a linear driving assembly drives the slidable base assembly, but is silent to a power transmission shaft of the electronic control assembly and a linear driving assembly driven by the power transmission shaft.
Stephenson teaches a power transmission shaft (62) and a linear driving assembly (70, 72) driven by the power transmission shaft ([0027-29]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the assembly disclosed by Bogdanov to include a power transmission shaft of the electronic control assembly, as taught by Stephenson, with a reasonable expectation of success to removably connect a linear driving assembly to be driven by a motor and reduce friction between components (Stephenson [0019], [0027]).
Bogdanov does not specifically disclose the resilience provided by the manual-operated press bar assembly drives sequentially the linkage member, the transmission member and the slidable base assembly to move the slidable base assembly in a locking-driving direction.
Stephenson further teaches a resilience provided by a manual-operation press bar assembly ([0044-45]) drives sequentially a linkage member (106A), a transmission member (94A’), and a slidable base assembly (90) to move the slidable base assembly in a locking-driving direction opposite to the unlocking-driving direction to arrive at a locked end position within the linear sliding stroke ([0019], [0044]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the assembly disclosed by Bogdanov so that the resilience provided by the manual-operated press bar assembly drives sequentially the linkage member, the transmission member and the slidable base assembly to move the slidable base assembly in a locking-driving direction, as taught by Stephenson, to automatically return the assembly for re-latching the door when the press bar is released (Stephenson [0044]; Bogdanov [0080]) and practice the assembly disclosed by Bogdanov. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand the linkage member is coupled to movement of the press-bar, the transmission member is coupled to movement of the linkage member, and the slidable base assembly is coupled to movement of the transmission member; therefore the resilience provided by a manual-operation press bar assembly taught by Bogdanov, in view of Stephenson, will drive sequential movement of the linkage member, the transmission member, and the slidable base assembly as a result.
Claim 2: Bogdanov, in view of Stephenson, teaches the unlocking transmission mechanism of claim 1, wherein the linear driving assembly includes:
a screw guide, driven by the power transmission shaft to rotate (Stephenson [0029] (“external recirculation tubes” correlates to a screw guide that is driven by the power transmission shaft); and
a screw bar (Stephenson 70), fixedly connected with the slidable base assembly (Bogdanov [0075] (note that, as modified, screw 70 of Stephenson corresponds to the screw 414 of Bogdanov)); wherein, when the screw guide sleeve is driven to rotate, the screw bar moves in the unlocking-driving direction within the linear sliding stroke (Stephenson [0029]), so as to drive the slidable base assembly synchronously to move in the unlocking-driving direction within the linear sliding stroke (movement from Bogdanov Figs. 19 to 20, as modified).
Claim 3: Bogdanov, in view of Stephenson, teaches the unlocking mechanism of claim 1, wherein the slidable base assembly is furnished with at least one positioning slot along the linear sliding stroke (Bogdanov 422), the fixed base assembly includes at least one positioning pin (Bogdanov 424), and the at least one positioning pin penetrates through the at least one positioning slot (Bogdanov Fig. 21), so as to limit a movement of the slidable base assembly in the unlocking-driving direction (Bogdanov [0073], [0075]).
Claim 4: Bogdanov, in view of Stephenson, teaches the unlocking transmission mechanism of claim 1, wherein the slidable base assembly includes two longitudinal standing plates (Bogdanov Fig. 21 depicts a longitudinal standing plate on each side of the push plate 426) and a horizontal standing plate (Bogdanov Fig. 21 depicts a horizontal standing plate connecting the two longitudinal plates), the two longitudinal standing plates are parallel to each other in the unlocking-driving direction (Bogdanov Fig. 21), each of the two longitudinal standing plates is furnished with a positioning slot (Bogdanov Fig. 21), the fixed base assembly includes at least one positioning pin (Bogdanov Fig. 19), and the at least one positioning pin penetrates through the positioning slot of each of the two longitudinal standing plates (Bogdanov Fig. 21), so as to limit a movement of the slidable base assembly in the unlocking-driving direction (Bogdanov [0073]); wherein the horizontal standing plate is crossly connected fixedly with the two longitudinal standing plates by being perpendicular to the unlocking-driving direction (Bogdanov Fig. 21).
Claim 5: Bogdanov, in view of Stephenson, teaches the unlocking transmission mechanism of claim 4, wherein the magnet is disposed at the horizontal standing plate (depicted in Bogdanov Figs. 22 and 24).
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Claim 7: Bogdanov, in view of Stephenson, teaches the unlocking transmission mechanism of claim 1, wherein the linkage member includes a first linking portion, a second linking portion and a middle linking portion disposed between the first linking portion and the second linking portion (Bogdanov Fig. 18, annotated above), the first linking portion is pivotally connected with a middle pivotal hole of the fixed base assembly Bogdanov Fig. 18, annotated above), and the middle linking portion is pivotally connected with the second pivotal shaft (Bogdanov Fig. 18, annotated above);
wherein, when the second pivotal shaft rotates with respect to the first pivotal shaft (shown by movement between Figs. 19-20 of Bogdanov), the second linking portion is rotated with respect to the middle pivotal hole and to push a lower press bar of the manual-operated press bar assembly so as to unlock the emergency exit door lock (when the second linking portion rotates about the middle pivotal hole, it pushes the lower press bar downward by transmitting force from the transmission member 430 to the portion 115B (Bogdanov [0074])).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lowe et al. (US 5011199 A) is related to an unlocking transmission mechanism comprising a power driven slidable base assembly with a slot, a transmission member, and a linkage member that pushes a press bar assembly, and a fixed base assembly.
Zawadzki et al. (US 3854763 A) is related to an unlocking transmission mechanism comprising a power driven transmission member connected to a linkage member that pushes a press bar assembly.
Kusanale et al. (US 2021/0040775 A1) is related to an unlocking transmission mechanism for an electronic control system of an emergency exit door lock comprising a magnet on a slidable base assembly and an electromagnetic distance sensor.
Geringer et al. (US 2015/0137528 A1) is related to an unlocking transmission mechanism comprising a slideable base assembly with a slot and two parallel plates connected by a horizontal plate and a linkage member connected with a middle pivotal hole of a fixed base assembly.
Tateishi et al. (US 2008/0092679A1) is related to a linear driving assembly comprising a screw guide sleeve driven by a power transmission shaft that rotates to linearly move a screw bar engaged with inner threads of the sleeve.
Cohrs, Jr. et al. (US 2004/0041412 A1) is related to an unlocking transmission mechanism for an electronic control system of an emergency exit door lock comprising a linkage member with a first linking portion connected to a pivotal hole of the base assembly, a middle linking portion connected to a second pivotal shaft, and a second linking portion coupled directly to the press bar.
Chang (GB 2541023 A) is related to a manual emergency exit door lock comprising a linkage member with a first linking portion connected to a pivotal hole of the base assembly, a middle linking portion connected to a second pivotal shaft, and a second linking portion coupled directly to the press bar.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Emily Gail Brown whose telephone number is (571)272-5463. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm EST.
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/EGB/ Examiner, Art Unit 3675 /KRISTINA R FULTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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