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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20200070321 A1 to (Schulz).
Regarding Claim 1, (Schulz) discloses an anti-slip fastener and remover tool (tool 100, Fig. 1; bit 300, Fig. 3) comprises:
a torque-tool body (body, body portion 102, Fig. 1; bit 300, Fig. 3); a plurality of engagement features (engagement features, contoured portions around the perimeter of tool 100, Fig. 1 }; the torque-tool body comprising a first base and a second base; the first base being positioned opposite to the second base about the torque-tool body (bit 300 has opposing ends defining respective first and second bases, Fig. 3); a cross section for each of the plurality of engagement features comprising a convex section (convex section, including and between from one of curved portions 110a-f to an opposing one of curved portions 110b, encompassing respective corners 104a-f, Fig. 1), a concave section (concave section, including and between from one of curved portions 110a-f to an opposing one of curved portions 110a-f, encompassing respective flats 114, Fig. 1) and a plurality of gripping features (gripping features, either curved portions 110a-f and respective corners 104a-f therebetween, or, alternatively, second curved portion 112a and third curved portion 112b, on opposing sides of corners 104a-f, Fig. 1); the plurality of engagement features being radially distributed about a rotational axis of the torque-tool body (the
convex and concave sections are radially distributed around the rotational axis, Fig. 1 ); the convex section and the concave section being connected adjacent to each other (the convex and concave sections are connected and adjacent, Fig. 1 ); the plurality of gripping features being integrated about the convex section (curved portions 110a-f and corners 104a-f or, alternatively, second curved portions 112a and third curved portions 112b, are "integrated about" the convex section, Fig. 1); and, the concave section of an arbitrary feature being connected adjacent to the convex section of an adjacent feature, opposite to the concave section of the arbitrary feature, wherein the arbitrary feature and the adjacent feature are any pair of features from the plurality of engagement features (there are six pairs of concave and convex sections, Fig. 1; "It will be appreciated that each of the first through sixth corners 104a-f has the same geometry, and each of the first through sixth sidewalls 106a-f has the same geometry.", Para. 0020).
Regarding Claim 2, (Schulz) discloses the anti-slip fastener and remover tool as claimed in claim 1: the torque-tool body being outwardly extended from the rotational axis to the plurality of engagement features (tool engagement portion
302 extends radially beyond body portion 102, Figs. 3, 4).
Regarding Claim 3, (Schulz) discloses the anti-slip fastener and remover tool i:IS claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gripping features is a gripping protrusion (curved portions 110a-f and corners 104a-f are each outermost curved portions around the perimeter, thereby constituting protrusions, Fig. 1 ).
Regarding Claim 4, (Schulz) discloses the anti-slip fastener and remover tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gripping protrusion is shaped to be a circular arc (curved portions 110a-f and corners 104a-f each have a radius, i.e. are each circular arcs, Fig. 1; "The first radius corresponds to the CR of the first corner 104a. The second radius corresponds the to the BRA of the first curved portion 110a.", Para. 0032).
Regarding Claim 5, (Schulz) discloses the anti-slip fastener and remover tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gripping features is a gripping recession (second curved portion 112a and third curved portion 112b, on opposing sides of comers 104a-f, constitute recessions, Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 6, (Schulz) discloses the anti-slip fastener and remover tool as claimed in claim 5, wherein the gripping recession is shaped to be a circular arc (second curved portions 112a and third curved portions 112b each have a radius, i.e. are each circular arcs "… a second curved portion 112a (also referred to as a second radius portion 112a).", Para. 0021; “…a third curved portion 112b (also referred to as a third radius portion 112b).", Para. 0022).
Regarding Claim 7, (Schulz) discloses the anti-slip fastener and remover tool as claimed in claim 1 comprising:
the plurality of gripping features comprising at least one first gripping feature and at least one second gripping feature; and, the at least one first gripping feature and the at least one second gripping feature being positioned offset from each other about the convex section (two of curved portions 110a-f on opposing sides of respective comers 104a-f are offset from each other, Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 8, (Schulz) discloses the anti-slip fastener and remover tool as claimed in claim 1 comprising:
the torque-tool body further comprising a first annular fillet; and, the first annular fillet being perimetrically integrated around the first base (first annular fillet, rightmost end of tool engagement portion 302, Fig. 4 ).
Regarding Claim 9, (Schulz) discloses the anti-slip fastener and remover tool as claimed in claim 1 comprising:
an attachment body; the attachment body being centrally positioned around and along the rotation axis; and, the attachment body being connected adjacent to the second base (attachment body, tool engagement portion 302, centrally positioned around the rotational axis and connected to the
second base, rightmost end of bit 300, Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 10, (Schulz) discloses the anti-slip fastener and remover tool as claimed in claim 9 comprising:
the attachment body comprising a second annular fillet; and, the second annular fillet being terminally integrated into the attachment body, opposite to the torque-tool body (second annular fillet, rightmost end of tool engagement portion 302, Fig. 4; note that this claim does not depend from claim 8, which recites a "first" fillet, consequently rendering the first and second fillets being reading on the same fillet).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, as describing features relevant to the present application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David B. Thomas whose telephone number is (571) 272-4497. The examiner’s e-mail address is: dave.thomas@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9:30-6:30.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Posigian can be reached on (. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/David B. Thomas/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/DBT/