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) 1-9 and 15-21 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The previous 112 rejections are overcome by the present amendments.
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 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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wei et al. US 20220056735 A1 (hereinafter Wei).
In regards to claim 1, Wei teaches a door handle assembly, comprising: a housing (102 or 110) comprising one or more housing plates (102 and 110); and a handle (104) connected to the housing, the handle comprising: a rigid section (128) that is configured to maintain a fixed position relative to the housing during operation of the door handle assembly (see figs 8 and 9), wherein the rigid section is offset from the one or more housing plates in a first direction (left wrt fig 7); and an actuatable section (see reference image 1) configured for actuation between a latched position (see fig 8) and an unlatched position (see fig 9) during operation of the door handle assembly, wherein the actuatable section is arranged adjacent to the rigid section when the actuatable section is in the latched position (see fig 8), wherein the actuatable section follows a surface profile of the rigid section when the actuatable section is in the latched position (see reference image 1), wherein the actuatable section is offset from the one or more housing plates in the first direction when the actuatable section is in the latched position (see reference image 1), wherein, when the actuatable section is in the latched position: the handle and the one or more housing plates define a contiguous gripping space configured to receive one or more user digits for gripping the rigid section or the actuatable section (see fig 3), a region between the rigid section and the one or more housing plates defines a first portion of the contiguous gripping space, and a region between the actuatable section and the one or more housing plates defines a second portion of the contiguous gripping space (see reference image 2).
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In regards to claim 2, Wei teaches the door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the surface profile comprises an at least partially planar profile or an at least partially curved profile (see fig 8; partially planar).
In regards to claim 3, Wei teaches the door handle assembly of claim 1, wherein, when in the latched position, the actuatable section and the rigid section form a continuous surface profile (see fig 8) except for a continuous gap (see fig 8) defined between the actuatable section and the rigid section.
Claim(s) 15-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tecirli WO 2021118513 A2 (hereinafter Tecirli)
In regards to claim 15, Tecirli teaches a door handle assembly, comprising: a housing (2) comprising one or more housing plates (see fig 1, considering the bottom of 3 a plate); and a latching assembly comprising: an actuatable section of a handle (5), wherein the actuatable section is configured for actuation between a latched position (see fig 1) and an unlatched position (see fig 4) during operation of the door handle assembly, wherein the actuatable section is offset from the one or more housing plates in a first direction (see reference image x) when the actuatable section is in the latched position , wherein, when the actuatable section is in the latched position, the actuatable section and the one or more housing plates define an opening that faces at least a second direction (see reference image x), wherein the second direction is transverse to the first direction (see reference image x); a first extension member (see reference image x) operatively connected to the actuatable section that extends transverse to the second direction in a third direction (see reference image x) when the actuatable section is in the latched position (see reference image x); and a second extension member that extends from the first extension member in a fourth direction (see reference image x; that is transverse to the third direction when the actuatable section is in the latched position , wherein the second extension member extends to and is operatively connected to a pivot (pivot 5 pivots about in figs 3-4), wherein the second extension member extends further from the first extension member in the fourth direction than the actuatable section of the handle extends from the first extension member in the fourth direction (5 extends in the fourth direction due to the curvature of the handle; see fig 1) when the actuatable section is in the latched position (see fig 1), and wherein rotation of the latching assembly about the pivot is configured to cause actuation of a latch (7; see figs 3-4).
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In regards to claim 16, Tecirli teaches the door handle assembly of claim 15, wherein the first direction is parallel to the third direction (see reference image x)
In regards to claim 17, Tecirli teaches the door handle assembly of claim 15, wherein the second direction is parallel to the fourth direction (see reference image x).
In regards to claim 18, Tecirli teaches the door handle assembly of claim 15, wherein the second direction is opposite a direction of an insertion direction of user digits for operating the latching assembly (see reference image x).
In regards to claim 19, Tecirli teaches the door handle assembly of claim 15, wherein the door handle assembly further comprises an exterior latching assembly (8) operatively connectable to the latch, and wherein the exterior latching assembly is configured to rotate about an exterior pivot (a portion of 6 8 contacts) that is offset from the pivot (at least axially).
In regards to claim 20, Tecirli teaches the door handle assembly of claim 15, wherein a portion of the second extension member is substantially coplanar with the one or more housing plates (see reference image .
In regards to claim 21, Tecirli teaches the door handle assembly of claim 15, wherein the pivot is positioned further from the first extension member in the fourth direction than the actuatable section of the handle is positioned from the first extension member when the actuatable section is in the latched position (see reference image x).
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) 4-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei.
In regards to claim 4, Wei teaches the door handle assembly of claim 3.
However, Wei does not teach wherein, when in the latched position, the continuous gap comprises a gap width of no more than 1 centimeter. Wei is silent on the dimensions of the gap.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have Wei have a gap width of less than 1cm as doing so would simply require a simple change in size/proportion (see MPEP 2144.04 IV. A).
In regards to claim 5, Wei teaches the door handle assembly of claim 3.
However, Wie does not teach wherein, when in the latched position, the continuous gap comprises a gap length of greater than 1 centimeter. Wei is silent on the dimensions of the gap.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have Wei have a gap length of greater than 1cm as doing so would simply require a simple change in size/proportion (see MPEP 2144.04 IV. A).
In regards to claim 6, Wei teaches the door handle assembly of claim 1
However, Wei does not teach wherein, when in the latched position, a shortest distance between the actuatable section and the rigid section is no more than 1 centimeter. Wei is silent on the dimensions of the gap.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have the shortest distance between the actuatable section and the rigid section is no more than 1 centimeter as doing so would simply require a simple change in size/proportion (see MPEP 2144.04 IV. A).
In regards to claim 7, Wei teaches the door handle assembly of claim 1.
However, Wei does not teach wherein, when in the latched position, a distance between the actuatable section and the rigid section along a continuous segment of an edge of the actuatable section is no more than 1 centimeter. Wei is silent on dimensions.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have a distance between the actuatable section and the rigid section is no more than 1 centimeter as doing so would simply require a simple change in size/proportion (see MPEP 2144.04 IV. A).
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In regards to claim 8, Wei teaches the door handle assembly of claim 7.
However, Wei does not teach wherein the continuous segment of the edge of the actuatable section is longer than 1 centimeter. Wei is silent on dimensions.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have the continuous segment of the edge of the actuatable section is longer than 1 centimeter as doing so would simply require a simple change in size/proportion (see MPEP 2144.04 IV. A).
In regards to claim 9, Wei teaches the door handle assembly of claim 7, the continuous segment comprises at least one straight segment and at least one curved segment (see reference image 3).
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