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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I in the reply filed on 12/7/25 is acknowledged.
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 (helical) channel formed in the exterior circumference must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). The drawings show a channel, but not that the channel is formed in the exterior circumference, implying a groove or recessed area into the circumference. Instead, the channel could be claimed as on the exterior circumference or just claim as a channel. 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.
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 following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 30-31, 40-42, 47-48 and 50 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brittingham, US Patent No. 7,610,710.
Regarding claim 30, Brittingham discloses a firearm accessory adapter comprising: a body (9) having a front end (muzzle direction/right side of figures 3, 5 and 6 for example) opposite a rear end (firearm/left side of figures 3, 5 and 6 for example) and a longitudinal axis extending from the front end to the rear end; a plurality of ridges (18) extending from an exterior circumference of the body, each ridge having a front face and a rear face (figure 5 shows interrupted threads 18 with front and rear facing surfaces); and a channel formed in the exterior circumference of the body (in as much as the applicant discloses a channel being formed in the exterior circumference, figures 3 and 5 broadly, yet reasonably, have a channel that is on the exterior circumference. The channel following the path of the treads and including the shoulder rear of the threads), the channel having a substantially continuous rear sidewall (forward facing surface of the shoulder in front of 5 as annotated below) and a front sidewall defined by the rear faces of the plurality of ridges (rear faces of 18 as annotated below for example), the front sidewall having a plurality of openings between the plurality of ridges (6); wherein the channel is configured to receive one or more interior ridges (13 as in figures 4 and 6) of a firearm accessory through one or more of the plurality of openings in the front sidewall, and is further configured such that rotation of the firearm accessory relative to the firearm accessory adapter draws the received one or more interior ridges toward the rear end and forces the one or more interior ridges into contact with the substantially continuous rear sidewall (3:56-4:6).
PNG
media_image1.png
555
501
media_image1.png
Greyscale
ANNOTATED FIGURE
Regarding claim 31, further discloses the channel is further configured to draw the one or more interior ridges into a locked configuration with less than 180 degrees of rotation of the firearm accessory relative to the firearm accessory adapter (the interrupted thread configuration only requires 90 degrees of rotation to lock the two components when properly installed)
Regarding claim 40, Brittingham further discloses internal threads (threads of 9 which receive threads on barrel 14 in figure 3) proximate the rear end.
Regarding claim 41, Brittingham further discloses the rear end of the body of the firearm accessory adapter is adjacent to a firing end of a barrel of a firearm (orientation shown in figure 3), and a second rear end the firearm accessory is adjacent to the front end of the body of the firearm accessory adapter (figure 6 broadly shows the rear end of the accessory/accessory mount 1 adjacent the forward end of the accessory adapter).
Regarding claim 42, Brittingham further discloses wherein the channel is helical (channel defined by threads 17 and 18 are helical).
Regarding claim 47, Brittingham discloses an adapter (9) for use with a firearm, comprising: a body having a front end, a rear end, and an exterior surface (figures 3, 5 and 6 for example), the front end configured to be received into a firearm accessory and the rear end configured to receive a firearm barrel (shown in figure 3 reasonably); a helical channel in the exterior surface (in as much as the applicant disclose a helical channel in the exterior surface, the interrupted threads 17/18 and rear wall annotated above form a channel that meets the limitation), the helical channel having a substantially continuous rear sidewall (annotated above); and a plurality of exterior ridges (17 and 18 protrusions of the interrupted threads) defining a discontinuous front sidewall of the helical channel (forward facing surface of the interrupted threads is interrupted/discontinuous), wherein at least one opening (6) between the plurality of exterior ridges is configured to receive, upon relative translational movement of the firearm accessory and the adapter, an interior ridge (13) of the firearm accessory, and further wherein relative rotational movement between the firearm accessory and the adapter causes the helical channel to draw the received interior ridge toward the rear end of the adapter and forces a rear face of the interior ridge against the substantially continuous rear sidewall (3:56-4:6).
Regarding claim 48, Brittingham further discloses the helical channel is configured to draw the firearm accessory into a locked configuration with less than 180 degrees of relative rotation of the firearm accessory and the adapter (the interrupted thread configuration only requires 90 degrees of rotation to lock the two components when properly installed)
Regarding claim 50, Brittingham further discloses the at least one opening comprises a plurality of openings (2 openings 6 disclosed), and the plurality of openings are configured to receive, upon relative translational movement of the firearm accessory and the adapter, a plurality of interior ridges (13) (3:45-4:6).
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) 32 and 49 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brittingham in view of Brittingham, US Patent Publication No. 2010/0139145, hereafter Brittingham Pub.
Regarding claims 32 and 49, Brittingham discloses a seating surface 11 which mates with a surface 15 of the accessory mounting element 1; however, Brittingham does not specifically disclose the mating surfaces are tapered. Nonetheless, Brittingham Pub teaches analogous art and specifically teaches seating surfaces 12 and 11 which are positioned similarly to surfaces 11 and 15 and surfaces 12 and 11 being tapered.
Thus it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify the mating surfaces of Brittingham to be tapered similar to that as taught by Brittingham Pub with a reasonable expectation of success in order to ensure the suppressor and adapters are properly centered as taught by Brittingham Pub in [0027] which would ensure safe and reliable performance.
Claim(s) 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brittingham as modified by Brittingham Pub in view of Graham, US Patent Publication No. 2010/02229712.
Regarding claim 33, Brittingham and Brittingham Pub discloses an interface between the tapered surface of the adapter and the opposing tapered surface of the firearm accessory (as detailed in the rejection of claim 32); however, the combination does not specifically disclose the interface forms a gas seal. Nonetheless, Graham teaches a similar structure with mating tapered surfaces which interface with one another and form a gas seal at 100.
Thus it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify or recognize the interface of Brittingham to form a gas seal similar to that as taught by Graham with a reasonable expectation of success in order to ensure the gases are contained in the suppressor attachment such that the suppressor is able to fully function as intended and in order to prevent debris from entering the threaded quick connection and affecting the ability to disconnect the components.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 34-39 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.
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 DERRICK R MORGAN whose telephone number is (571)272-6352. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-6:00.
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, Troy Chambers can be reached at 5712726874. 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.
/DERRICK R MORGAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3641