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 .
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.
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Claims 1-4, 16 and 21 are finally rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kiefer, Jr. (4,546,676) in view of Wu (6,647,833).
Kiefer, Jr. meets all of the limitations of claim 1, i.e., a power tool, wherein the power tool comprises:
an input member 4 substantially constituting an annular shape Figs. 4, 5 and configured to be driven by a power source as defined per instant application, e.g., claim 16, wherein the power source is manual of the power tool to rotate in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction ratcheting motion, ratchet teeth 44 being disposed on an inner circumference of the input member Fig. 5;
an output member 5 surrounded by the input member Fig. 1 and configured to mount a tool head thereon via 53 to move the tool head, the output member 5 comprising a pawl 9 having a first pawl portion LF side (similar to instant application) and a second pawl portion RT side;
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[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (DIFFERENT
PORTIONS)]an actuating member 82 capable of abutting against different portions of the pawl different portions of the inward recess, annotated partial Fig. 5 to respectively cause the pawl to be positioned in a first position and a second position relative to the input member switching operation, wherein the actuating member 82 is offset at least partially pin being biased out of lower part of control 8 from a central axis of the input member defined by center of 5, meeting the narrative/functional language of, 9 is retained in the first position, the first pawl portion 92 is capable of engaging with the ratchet teeth 44 to only allow rotation of the input member in the first direction to be transmitted to the output member; when the pawl is retained in the second position, the second pawl portion is capable of engaging with the ratchet teeth to only allow rotation of the input member in the second direction to be transmitted to the output member ratcheting motions
except for the actuating member to include a first actuating member that abuts the first pawl portion and a second actuating member that abuts the second pawl portion.
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Wu teaches a ratchet wrench comprising an actuating member 50 including a first actuating member 51 that abuts a first pawl portion lower portion and a second actuating member 52 that abuts the second pawl portion upper portion, Fig. 1 partially shown here. 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 Kiefer Jr. with the actuating member as taught by Lin for a smooth operation preventing slippage when reversed.
Regarding claim 2, PA (prior art, Kiefer Jr. modified by Lin) meets the limitations, i.e., the power tool according to claim 1, including wherein the output member comprises a substantially cylindrical hollow output member main body 5, Fig. 5, a receiving groove 55 is provided on a side surface of the output member main body 5, and the pawl 9 is disposed in the receiving groove, and the actuating member 8, 82, 83 is located at least partially in the output member main body Fig. 5, except for the size of a wall thickness of the output member to be 5mm-9mm. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective date of the invention, to modify the invention with regards to dimension or desired size, e.g., 7mmn, for strength and rigidity in adapting the tool for a particular application, since such modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
In Gardnerv.TEC Syst., Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984), the Federal Circuit held that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device.
Regarding claim 3, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the power tool according to claim 1, wherein the power tool further comprises: an operation member 8 for a user to operate to drive the actuating member 82, wherein the actuating member 82 is configured to elastically apply a force on the pawl via 83.
Regarding claim 4, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the power tool according to claim 3, wherein the actuating member 82 abuts against the operation member 8.
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Regarding claim 16, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the power tool according to claim 1, wherein the power tool is a wrench torque multiplying hand wrench, the power source is a manual power source 2 or an electric power source, wherein the input member 4 swings alternately in the first direction and the second direction Figs. 7 and 8 via cam member 60, and wherein an eccentric transmission mechanism is disposed between the power source and the input member Figs. 4 and 5.
[AltContent: textbox (C)]
Regarding claim 21, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the power tool according to claim 1, wherein the actuating member 82 is movable in a direction that does not intersect the central axis of the input member offset 82 pushed by spring 83, partial Fig. 4.
Claim 9 is finally rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PA in view of Hu (7,938,042).
PA (prior art, Kiefer Jr. modified by Lin) as applied to claim 1 above meets all of the limitations of the claim 9, as best understood, i.e., the power tool according to claim 4, wherein the operation member is a knob annotated Fig. 5, except for two recessed portions formed on a bottom surface of the knob and an elastic protrusion as best understood, being provided on a top surface of the output member main body such that when the elastic protrusions are partially placed in the recessed portions, the knob is fixed relative to the output member to retain the actuating members in place.
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Hu teaches a ratchet wrench comprising a pin 252 biased by a spring 251 into a recess 43, Fig. 3 of a control member 40. 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 PA with the recess and elastic protrusion as taught by Hu to releasably retain the pawl in a chosen position.
Claims 14 and 15 are finally rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PA in view of Crocker (625,149).
PA (prior art, Kiefer Jr. modified by Lin) as applied to claim 1 above meets all of the limitations of the claim 14, except for the power tool to comprise a replacement operation assembly operable to allow the tool head to be replaced, wherein both ends of the tool head have different dimensions, and the power tool allows the tool head to be mounted on the power tool with different ends as output.
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Crocker teaches a ratchet wrench with a release latch E to remove the tool head B with different ends as outputs H, H’. 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 PA with the release latch as taught by Crocker to allow similar parts with different size wrench-openings to be interchanged therewith.
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[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (INWARD
RECESS)]Regarding claim 15, PA (prior art, Kiefer Jr., modified by Lin and Crocker) meets the limitations, i.e., the power tool according to claim 14, wherein a portion of the tool head B extending out of the output member has a cylindrical section partial Fig. 3 that is radially inwardly recessed relative to portions at its both axial side annotated, and the replacement operation assembly comprises a tongue annotated partial Fig. 2, a distal end of the tongue is a concave arc adapted to the cylindrical portion partial Fig. 2, and the tongue is configured to extend towards and retract from the cylindrical portion spring S’, wherein, when the tongue is engaged on the cylindrical portion, the tool head is allowed to rotate but axial movement of the tool head is limited Fig. 3; when the tongue is disengaged from the cylindrical portion, the tool head is allowed to moved axially to be replaced 66-70.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7 and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: art of record considered as a whole, alone or in combination, neither anticipates nor renders obvious a power tool comprising an input member, an output member, an actuating member, an operating member, wherein the actuating member comprises two actuating members, each of the actuating members comprises an arcuate structure extending about an axis of the input member, a spring and a rigid force- applying section in direct contact with the pawl; or the operation member being exposed from a top of the power tool, an actuating member groove extending in a plane perpendicular to the central axis and allowing the actuating member to move therein is disposed in the output member main body, the operation member having an extension section extending towards a bottom side to the actuating member groove, the extension section being configured to abut against the actuating member in a circumferential direction, together in combination with the rest of the limitations as recited in claims 5 or 7.
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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 7, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The argument regarding the rejection of claim 1, i.e., actuating member having two actuating members, are acknowledged. However, this limitation is met by the teaching of Lin that provides two-armed actuating member that prevents back-sliding.
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/
October 13, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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