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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-12, 14-15 and 17 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Teaching references have been introduced to teach the amendments.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in the United Kingdom on March 31st 2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the GB2304800.2 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The previous drawing objections have been overcome by the present amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-10, 14-15, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pilotelli US 20090211318 A1 (hereinafter Pilotelli) in view of Engel et al. US 20100225128 A1 (hereinafter Engel), Eller et al. US 20050023846 A1 (hereinafter Eller).
In regards to claim 1, Pilotelli teaches a rose for a door handle, the rose comprising a body (52) comprising a first face (52a); a rotatable member (40) configured to rotate about a first axis, the rotatable member comprising an outer perimeter (see fig 2); a plurality of spindle receiving apertures extending along the first axis (see fig 2), wherein one of the spindle receiving apertures extends through guide the body (see fig 2) and another one of the spindle receiving apertures extends through the rotatable member (square hole of 40); and a resilient member (42) coiled about the first axis, the resilient member comprising a fixed end (portion engaging 62, para 43) and a free end (other end) extending from the resilient member in a radial direction (at least a component of its extension) away from the first axis (see fig 3), wherein the fixed end is fixed to the body and the free end is coupled to the rotatable member (para 36 and para 43); wherein the body comprises a recess defined by an inner perimeter (see fig 2), the recess defining a portion of the spindle receiving aperture of the body and is configured to house the resilient member and the rotatable member (see fig 2); wherein the resilient member biases the rotatable member to a first position (resting position), wherein the rotatable member is configured to be housed between the inner perimeter of the recess and the resilient member (as the resilient member is within 40; see fig 2).
However, Pilotelli does not teach wherein the first face of the body has a star-shaped cross-section.
Engel teaches a similar first face (face of 84 with a star shaped cross section (see fig 10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided Pilotelli’s first face with a star shaped cross section such as in Engel in order to prevent turning of the body (Engel para 41).
Additionally, Pilotelli does not teach guide members protruding from the rotatable member and configured to be received by the body.
Eller teaches guide members (68 and 70) protruding from the rotatable member and configured to be received by the body (see figs 1 and 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided Pilotelli with guide members protruding from the rotatable member and configured to be received by the body (in order to prevent over rotation (see Eller para 48)
Additionally, Pilotelli is silent on if and in the first position an angle between the free end and the fixed end relative to a center of the coiled resilient member is at least 90 degrees. Although Pilotelli’s angle appears to be roughly 90 degrees.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have in the first position an angle between the free end and the fixed end relative to a center of the coiled resilient member is at least 90 degrees, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.05.
In regards to claim 2, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 1, wherein the rose comprises a front plate (Pilotelli 70) and the front plate is configured to wholly cover a portion of the first face of the body between the outer perimeter of the rotatable member and the inner perimeter of the recess (Pilotelli see fig 2) such that the front plate occludes the recess (Pilotelli see fig 2).
In regards to claim 3, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 1, wherein the rose comprises a front plate (Pilotelli 110) and the front plate is configured to wholly cover the first face of the body (Pilotelli see fig 1).
In regards to claim 4, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 1, wherein the rose of claim 2, wherein the front plate is configured to interlock with the body (via 74, see para 46).
In regards to claim 6, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 1, wherein the resilient member is a spring comprising at least 1.5 turns (Pilotelli see fig 2).
In regards to claim 8, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 2, wherein another one of the spindle receiving apertures extends through the front plate (Pilotelli: see fig 2), the spindle receiving apertures through each of the body and the front plate are configured to have a clearance fit with a spindle (Pilotelli: square pin in para 2; the handles wouldn’t be movable if there want a clearance fit) received by each of the spindle receiving apertures (Pilotelli: see fig 2), wherein the body and the front plate are not coupled to the spindle received by each of the spindle receiving apertures (Pilotelli: as Pilotelli biases the handle; if it were coupled to the handle it would not be able to rotate).
In regards to claim 9, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 1, wherein the rotatable member comprises a blocking member (Eller 110 and 112) configured to inhibit rotation of the rotatable member beyond a second position (Eller: para 48).
In regards to claim 10, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 9.
However, Pilotelli is silent on wherein in the second position the rotatable member is rotated 30˚ from the first position.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have in the second position the rotatable member is rotated 30˚ from the first position, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.05.
In regards to claim 14, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 2, wherein the front plate has an annulus shaped cross-section (Pilotelli 70; see fig 2).
In regards to claim 15, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 1.
However, Pilotelli does not teach wherein the rotatable member comprises a bearing configured to aid rotation of the rotatable member.
Eller teaches a similar device where a rotatable member (16) comprises a bearing configured to aid rotation of the rotatable member (para 74 and para 11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have provided Pilotelli’s rotatable member with a bearing in order to reduce friction and provide a smooth feeling (para 11).
In regards to claim 17, Pilotelli teaches a handle system for a door, the handle system comprising a rose comprising: a body (52) comprising a first face (52a); a rotatable member (40) configured to rotate about a first axis, the rotatable member comprising an outer perimeter (see fig 2); a plurality of spindle receiving apertures extending along the first axis (see fig 2), wherein one of the plurality of spindle receiving apertures extends through guide the body (see fig 2) and another one of the spindle receiving apertures extends through the rotatable member (square hole of 40); and a resilient member (42) coiled about the first axis, the resilient member comprising a fixed end (portion engaging 62, para 43) and a free end (other end) extending from the resilient member in a radial direction (at least a component of its extension) away from the first axis (see fig 3), wherein the fixed end is fixed to the body and the free end is coupled to the rotatable member (para 36 and para 43); wherein the body comprises a recess defined by an inner perimeter (see fig 2), the recess defining a portion of the spindle receiving aperture of the body and is configured to house the resilient member and the rotatable member (see fig 2); wherein the resilient member biases the rotatable member to a first position (resting position), wherein the rotatable member is configured to be housed between the inner perimeter of the recess and the resilient member (as the resilient member is within 40; see fig 2).
However, Pilotelli does not teach wherein the first face of the body has a star-shaped cross-section.
Engel teaches a similar first face (face of 84 with a star shaped cross section (see fig 10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided Pilotelli’s first face with a star shaped cross section such as in Engel in order to prevent turning of the body (Engel para 41).
Additionally, Pilotelli does not teach guide members protruding from the rotatable member and configured to be received by the body.
Eller teaches guide members (68 and 70) protruding from the rotatable member and configured to be received by the body (see figs 1 and 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided Pilotelli with guide members protruding from the rotatable member and configured to be received by the body (in order to prevent over rotation (see Eller para 48)
Additionally, Pilotelli is silent on if and in the first position an angle between the free end and the fixed end relative to a center of the coiled resilient member is at least 90 degrees. Although Pilotelli’s angle appears to be roughly 90 degrees.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have in the first position an angle between the free end and the fixed end relative to a center of the coiled resilient member is at least 90 degrees, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.05.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller as applied to claims 1-6, 8-10, 14-15, and 17 above, and further in view of Totsti et al. WO 2012110936 A1 (hereinafter WO ‘936) and Uffner US 5433495 A (hereinafter US ‘495)
In regards to claim 5, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 1.
However, Pilotelli does not teach wherein the rose comprises a zinc aluminum alloy and a polycarbonate.
WO ‘936 teaches a zinc aluminum alloy being used in a door handle assembly (page 2 lines 3-7 and page 5 lines 19-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have used a zinc aluminum alloy in Pilotelli in order to reduce costs (WO ‘936 page 2 lines 3-7).
Additionally, US ‘495 teaches a polycarbonate use in a door handle assembly (Col 3 lines 58-Col 4 line 2) used in order to provide for a strong material.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have used polycarbonate in Pilotelli’s rose in order to provide for a strong material (US ‘495 Col 3 lines 58-Col 4 line 2).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller as applied to claims 1-6, 8-10, 14-15, and 17 above, and further in view of “Limits & Fits” NPL.
In regards to claim 7, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 1, wherein the spindle receiving aperture of the rotatable member is configured to have a fit with a spindle (Pilotelli “square pin” para 34 ) received in the spindle receiving aperture (square hole of 42), wherein the rotatable member is rotatably coupled to the spindle received in the spindle receiving aperture (see fig 3).
However, Pilotelli is silent on if the fit is a transitional fit or an interference fit.
“Limits & Fits” NPL teaches transitional fits and interference fits (see subheadings).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have a transitional or interference fit with a spindle in order to either provide for assembly with light force (NPL under Fixed fit subheading) or a fit good for transmitting rotational speed and power (in the case of transitional; NPL under interference fit subheading).
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller as applied to claims 1-6, 8-10, 14-15, and 17 above, and further in view of Olivari et al. IT 201900020056 (hereinafter IT ‘056).
In regards to claim 11, Pilotelli in view of Engel and Eller teaches the rose of claim 1.
However, Pilotelli does not teach wherein the rose comprises a visual indicator configured to indicate the configuration of the resilient member.
IT ‘056 teaches a visual indicator configured to indicate the configuration of the resilient member (see fig 3d).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have Pilotelli visual indicator configured to indicate the configuration of the resilient member such as in IT ‘056 in order to allow for easy installation (para 10).
In regards to claim 12, Pilotelli in view of Engel, Eller, and IT ‘056 teaches the rose of claim 11, wherein the visual indicator comprises one or more letters located on the body or rotatable member (IT ‘056 see fig 3d).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 PETER H WATSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5393. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 - 5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine M Mills can be reached at (571) 272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER H WATSON/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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