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 .
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.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the unlock button and lock button being separate from the lock and unlock switch, as recited in claim 7, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Each instance of the phrase “a motor” and “the motor” should be changed to “a motor assembly” and “the motor assembly.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-3, 5-7, and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In regards to claim 1, line 1, the phrase “for multi-point slam lock, comprising” should be changed to “for a multi-point slam lock, the smart motor-drive mechanism comprising,” in line 2, a comma should be inserted after the phrase “an inner unit,” in line 3, the phrase “a motor, the outer side” should be changed to “a motor assembly, an outer side,” and in lines 4 and 5, each instance of the phrase “the motor” should be changed to “the motor assembly.”
In regards to claim 2, line 2, the phrase “the top” should be changed to “a top,” in line 5, the phrase “a concave part of operating cam arranged on the side wall” should be changed to “a concave part of the operating cam is arranged on a side wall,” in line 7, the phrase “the axle center” should be changed to “an axle center,” in line 8, the phrase “the outer side” should be changed to “an outer side,” in line 9, the phrase “the axle center” should be changed to “an axle center,” in line 10, the phrase “the side wall” should be changed to “a side wall,” in line 11, the phrase “the end” should be changed to “an end,” in lines 11 and 12, the phrase “the outer sides of the first driving head and the cutch operating part” should be changed to “the outer side of the first driving head and an outer side of the clutch operating part,” in line 13, the phrase “the concave part of operating cam” should be changed to “a concave part of the operating cam,” and in line 15, the phrase “operating camto” should be changed to “operating cam to” and the phrase “the first driving head and the clutch operating part” should be changed to “the first driving head or the cutch operating part.”
In regards to claim 3, line 4, the phrase “a cylinder drive bar assembly” should be changed to “the cylinder drive bar assembly” and a comma should be inserted after the phrase “a spring.”
In regards to claim 5, line 3, the phrase “the side wall” should be changed to “a side wall” and the phrase “the other end” should be changed to “another end,” and in lines 3 and 4, the phrase “the side wall” should be changed to “a side wall.”
In regards to claim 6, line 2, the phrase “a numeral buttons” should be changed to “numeral buttons” and a comma should be inserted after the phrase “a locking button.”
In regards to claim 7, line 2, the phrase “the inner side” should be changed to “an inner side.”
In regards to claim 9, line 2, the phrase “the motor” should be changed to “the motor assembly,” in lines 2 and 3, the phrase “the inner side” should be changed to “an inner side,” and in line 4, the phrase “when operating” should be changed to “when the motor assembly is operated.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 limitation "the outer side" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. See claim objections above.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the top" in line 2, the limitation “the side wall” in line 5, the limitation “the axle center” in line 7, the limitation “the outer side” in line 8, the limitation “the axle center” in line 9, the limitation “the side wall” in line 10, the limitation “the end” in line 11, the limitation “the outer side” of the clutch operating part in lines 11 and 12, and the limitation “the concave part” in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. See claim objections above.
In regards to claim 2, the use of the term “and” between the phrases “the first driving head” and “the clutch operating part” in line 15 does not coincide with the alternative or “or” language of line 14. For examination purposes, the claim will be examined as reciting “through the first driving head or the clutch operating part” such that the claim language is consistent. See claim objections above.
In regards to claim 3, where applicant acts as his or her own lexicographer to specifically define a term of a claim contrary to its ordinary meaning, the written description must clearly redefine the claim term and set forth the uncommon definition so as to put one reasonably skilled in the art on notice that the applicant intended to so redefine that claim term. Process Control Corp. v. HydReclaim Corp., 190 F.3d 1350, 1357, 52 USPQ2d 1029, 1033 (Fed. Cir. 1999). The term “telescopic” in the claim is used by the claim to mean “movable,” while the accepted meaning is “to slide or pass one within another like the cylindrical sections of a collapsible hand telescope” or “to be compressed or condensed.” The term is indefinite because the specification does not clearly redefine the term. It is understood from the specification that the “telescopic head” of the device does not include structure that would “telescope” per its accepted meaning. For examination purposes, the claim will be examined as reciting a movable head.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the side wall" in line 3, the limitation “the other end” in line 3, and the limitation “the side wall” in lines 3 and 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. See claim objections above.
In regards to claim 7, the claim language suggests that the device includes a lock and unlock switch separate from the lock button and the unlock button, however, the drawings show this structure to be a single item. It is understood in the art that a button is associated with a switch that is actuated by the pressing of the button, and therefore, the claim will be examined as best understood in the art.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the inner side" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. See claim objections above.
In regards to claim 9, where applicant acts as his or her own lexicographer to specifically define a term of a claim contrary to its ordinary meaning, the written description must clearly redefine the claim term and set forth the uncommon definition so as to put one reasonably skilled in the art on notice that the applicant intended to so redefine that claim term. Process Control Corp. v. HydReclaim Corp., 190 F.3d 1350, 1357, 52 USPQ2d 1029, 1033 (Fed. Cir. 1999). The term “motor” in the claim is used by the claim to mean “motor assembly,” while the accepted meaning is “a rotating machine that transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy.” The term is indefinite because the specification does not clearly redefine the term. The term “motor” refers to the mechanism that imparts the mechanical energy to the blade receiver via the driving disk. The driving disk and fourth mating hole are part of a motor assembly that includes the motor, and are not part of the motor, as suggested by the claim language. For examination purposes, claims 1 and 9 will be examined as reciting “a motor assembly.” See claim objections above.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the inner side" in lines 2 and 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. See claim objections above.
In regards to claims 4, 6, and 8, these claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) because they depend from claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sahuquillo de León (WO 2004/009938 A1) in view of Kusanale et al. (US-11443572).
In regards to claim 1, Sahuquillo de León discloses a smart motor-drive mechanism for a multi-point slam lock, the smart motor-drive mechanism comprising an outer unit (at reference character 13, Figure 1), an inner unit 24, and an operating cylinder assembly (assembly at reference character 1, Figure 1) arranged between the outer unit and the inner unit, wherein the inner unit is provided with a motor assembly (motor 16 and mechanical connections between the motor and component 21 within housing of inner unit 24, Figure 1), an outer side of the inner unit is provided with a thumb turn 20 matched with the motor assembly through a blade receiver (recess in the thumb turn in which component 21 is received, Figure 1), a control mechanism connected with the motor assembly (Paragraphs 1 and 41 of the Computer Generated Translation), the operating cylinder assembly comprises a cylinder body 1 and a cylinder drive bar assembly 3, 21 arranged on the cylinder body, and the blade received is matched and connected with the cylinder drive bar assembly (matched and connected via component 21, Figure 1). Sahuquillo de León fails to disclose that the inner unit is provided with a battery holder and that the control mechanism is arranged in the inner unit. Kusanale et al. teaches a lock mechanism having an inner unit 300 with a battery holder 314 and a control mechanism 322 arranged in the inner unit to cooperate with a motor assembly 340. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s invention to include a battery holder to hold batteries associated with providing power to the device and to locate the control mechanism in the inner unit, with reasonable expectation of success, since it is known to utilize batteries to provide power to an electromechanical lock and to locate the control mechanism in the inner unit so as to provide a more compact device.
In regards to claim 2, Sahuquillo de León discloses that the cylinder body is provided with a penetrating cylinder hole (hole in which components 2 and 10 are located, Figure 1), a top of the cylinder body is provided with an operating cam slot (slot in which cam 4 is located, Figure 1) extending downwards from the cylinder hole, an operating cam 4 is arranged in the operating cam slot, the operating cam comprises a third mating hole (hole in which components 5 and 6 are located, Figure 1) and a concave part of the operating cam arranged on a side wall of the third mating hole (concave portion that cooperates with components 5 and 6, Figure 1), a first driving head 6 and a clutch operating part 5 are arranged in sequence in the operating cam from left to right (when viewing the device from the side opposite the one shown in Figure 1), an axle center of the first driving head is provided with a first mating hole (hole for component 11, Figure 4), an outer side of the first driving head is provided with a first engaging tongue 8, an axle center of the clutch operating part is provided with a second mating hole (hole for component 11, Figure 4), a side wall of the clutch operating part is provided with a second engaging tongue 7, an end of the clutch operating part is provided with a mating groove (horizontal groove at righthand end, Figure 3), the outer side of the first driving head and an outer side of the clutch operating part are matched with the third mating hole (Figure 1), and the concave part of the operating cam is matched with the first engaging tongue or the second engaging tongue, so as to control the extension or retraction of the latch bolt by driving the operating cam to rotate through the first driving head or the clutch operating part (Paragraphs 36, 38-40, and 47 of the Computer Generated Translation).
In regards to claim 3, Sahuquillo de León discloses that one side of the cylinder hole near the outer unit is provided with a key barrel 2, a slot for inserting a key 12 is arranged in the key barrel (Figure 1), and one side of the cylinder hole near the inner unit is provided with the cylinder drive bar assembly (Figure 1), a spring 10, and a movable head 11 in sequence; and the spring is sleeved on the movable head (sleeved on at least an end of the head extending out from component 6, Figure 1, and when the head is moved to the right in Figure 1 by insertion of key 12 such that the key engages with the mating groove in the clutch operating part), the movable head comprises a connecting shaft matched with the first mating hole and the second mating hole (Figure 4), and an end of the connecting shaft is provided with an end cap (cap or washer at reference character 11, Figure 3).
In regards to claim 4, Sahuquillo de León discloses that the cylinder drive bar assembly comprises a cylinder drive bar 21 and an internally hollow circular cavity (cavity in component 3 in which spring 10 is located, Figure 1), and the cylinder drive bar is matched and connected with the blade receiver (Figure 1).
In regards to claim 5, Sahuquillo de León discloses that the spring is arranged in the circular cavity, one end of the spring is abutted against a side wall of the circular cavity (Figure 1), and another end of the spring is abutted against a side wall of the first driving head and forces the first driving head and the clutch operating part to move away from the circular cavity (Figure 1).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sahuquillo de León (WO 2004/009938 A1) in view of Kusanale et al. (US-11443572) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Huang (CN 109695374 A). Sahuquillo de León in view of Kusanale et al. teaches the smart motor-drive mechanism of claim 1 above, with Kunsanale et al. teaching the use of numeral buttons 244 on the outer unit to input a code. Sahuquillo de León fails to disclose that the outer unit includes a locking button and a bell button. Huang teaches an outer unit (Figure 3) that includes a locking button 15, numeral buttons (Figure 3), and a bell button (button in bottom right corner of button section 5 having a bell symbol, Figure 3. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s invention to include a locking button and a bell button on the outer unit, with reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide a user with electronic means for placing the lock in a locked state from the outer unit and in order to allow the user to ring the bell or instruct the device to generate a bell sound, thereby allowing the user more notification options.
Claim(s) 7 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sahuquillo de León (WO 2004/009938 A1) in view of Kusanale et al. (US-11443572), further in view of Huang (CN 109695374 A) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Kim (KR 200340725 Y1).
In regards to claim 7, Sahuquillo de León in view of Kusanale et al. in view of Huang teaches the smart motor-drive mechanism of claim 7 above, but Sahuquillo de León fails to disclose that a lock and unlock switch is arranged below the thumb turn on an inner side of the inner unit, and the lock and unlock switch is provided with an unlocking button and a locking button. Kim teaches an inner unit having a thumb turn 230 and a lock and unlock switch (inherent switch associated with button 210, in same manner as applicant’s in Figure 1, for example) that is arranged below the thumb turn (located below the thumb turn when viewing the inner unit looking from component 110 and looking towards component 240 in Figure 2) on an inner side of the inner unit (Figure 2), and the lock and unlock switch is provided with an unlocking button (left side portion of the button 210 with the “open” indicia, Figure 2) and a locking button (right side portion of the button 210 with the “close” indicia, Figure 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s invention to include a lock and unlock switch and associated unlocking button and locking button on the inner unit, with reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide a user at the inner unit side of the device to control the locking and unlocking of the device.
In regards to claim 8, Kusanale et al. teaches that a battery set is accommodated in the battery holder (Col. 5, lines 52-54), and the battery set supplies power to a motor assembly 340 and various buttons and electrical components such that these buttons and electrical components are connected with the control mechanism and the motor assembly in sequence (buttons and other electrical components are connected to the control mechanism and the motor assembly in sequence, as shown in Figure 5, such that the actuation of at least the buttons provides the necessary signal to the control mechanism to actuate and control the motor assembly).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sahuquillo de León (WO 2004/009938 A1) in view of Kusanale et al. (US-11443572) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hordijk et al. (EP 0276037 A2). Sahuquillo de León discloses that the motor assembly drives the blade receiver to rotate through operation of the motor assembly (drives the blade receiver via component 21, Paragraph 37 of the Computer Generated Translation), with the motor assembly including a gear system connecting the motor of the motor assembly to component 21 (Paragraph 37 of the Computer Generated Translation) and the housing of the inner unit including a fourth mating hole of the motor assembly (hole in which component 21 is received, Figure 1) matched with the blade receiver (aligned with the blade receiver, Figure 1), but fails to specify that the gear system includes a driving disk provided at an inner side of the fourth mating hole, and the motor of the motor assembly drives the blade receiver to rotate through the driving disk. Hordijk et al. teaches a motor assembly 5 having a fourth mating hole (opening in the housing of assembly 5 in which element 21 extends, Figure 3) matched with a blade receiver (recess in thumb turn 7 in which element 21 is received, Figure 3), with an inner side of the fourth mating hole provided with a driving disk (see Figure 3 below), and a motor 20 of the motor assembly drives the blade receiver to rotate through the driving disk (Col. 5, lines 50-62 and Col. 6, lines 12-29). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s invention to specify that the motor assembly includes a driving disk cooperating with the motor to rotate component 21, with reasonable expectation of success, since it is known in the art to utilize driving or geared disks in a gear system to transmit movement from the motor to another component.
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Conclusion
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/ALYSON M MERLINO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675 October 7, 2025