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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because claimed features such as the functional clearance of claim 1 and the first plane secant to the second plane of claim 3 are not identified in the drawings. 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.
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.
Claims 1-9 are 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 1 recites “the second contact area” and “the first contact area”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. It is also unclear if they correspond to the first and second contact surfaces.
Claim 1 recites “a functional clearance in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roller to reduce the mechanical stress on the second rotation shaft.” The drawings do not provide a reference # showing this feature, nor is it apparent what it is.
Claim 4 recites “wherein the fourth contact area is formed at least by the ratchet element or by the flyweight portion.” It is not clear what “at least by” is intended to convey. It is not clear if the at least applies only to the ratchet element or to both alternatives of the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Oddou et al (US# 2014/0262611) disclose a clamp including; a support 120 defining a U-shaped groove; a body 140 mounted movable with respect to the support (note pivot 146); a first rotation shaft 172 fixed to the body; a roller 162 mounted rotating around the first rotation shaft (shaft at 172, the first rotation shaft defining a first axis of rotation for the roller, the roller having an additional groove (at 128, figure 7) designed to receive a wire element 110; the U-shaped groove and the roller defining a ring 128 designed for passage of a wire element having one wall formed by the roller so that sliding of the wire element in the ring causes rotation of the roller; a clamp 168/170 fixed to the body and having a first contact surface 168/170; at least one member 164 fixed to the roller so as to rotate around the first axis of rotation in an annular volume arranged between the first axis of rotation and the clamp, the at least one member having a second contact surface (radial outer surface complimentary to 168), the at least one member 164 being mounted movable with respect to the first axis of rotation between a first member position (figures 5, 9) in which a first distance between the first axis of rotation and a distal part of the second contact area is smaller than a second distance between the first axis of rotation and a proximal part 170 of the first contact area 168 and a second member position (figures 6, 10 ) in which the first distance is larger than the second distance, rotation of the roller generating a centrifugal force designed to move the second contact surface away from the first axis of rotation to increase the value of the first distance so that the second contact surface is in contact with the first contact surface when the speed of rotation of the roller reaches a threshold speed of rotation (figures 6, 10 [0032]) the clamp blocking one direction of rotation of the roller when the first contact surface is in contact with the second contact surface; wherein at least parts of the roller 162 are hollow and the roller is provided with a stop (portion of 162 receiving the curved portion of 164) mounted fixedly on the roller so that the stop rotates around the first axis of rotation, the stop having a fourth contact area (curved portion of 162 receiving curved portion of 164) arranged in the hollow. Oddou lack the disclosure of the clamp being located inside the roller and, in the second member position, the member is pressing on an inner side wall that delineates the hollow in the roller.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY T KING whose telephone number is (571)272-7117. The examiner can normally be reached 10:30-5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi can be reached at 571 272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BRADLEY T KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
BTK