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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “10110” has been used to designate both plurality of annular ridges in at least Fig 2 and plurality of spiral grooves in Fig 3. 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. 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:
In Pg 3, line 8, “shank 11” should read “shank 111”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-3 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claims 1 and 3, lines 4 and 2, respectively, “the annular ridges” should read “the plurality of annular ridges”
In claim 1, line 6, Examiner suggests amending “configured to dispose” to “configured to be disposed” for clarity
In claim 2, line 1, “the spiral grooves” should read “the plurality of spiral grooves”
In claim 2, line 2, Examiner suggests amending “each other” to “from each other” for clarity
In claim 3, line 2, Examiner suggests amending “configured to threadedly secure” to “configured to be threadedly secured” for clarity
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wilcox et al. (US20220120306A1), hereinafter "Wilcox".
Regarding claim 1, Wilcox teaches a fastener (Fig 1, fastener 100), comprising:
a bolt (Fig 1, mandrel 112) including a head (Fig 1, portion 118) and a threaded shank (Fig 1, region 122; Paragraph 0025, Wilcox indicates shank region 122 includes a threaded portion) having a conic, bare section (see Fig 1, Examiner notes a tapered portion between portion 118 and region 122 as a conic, bare section) proximate (see Fig 1) the head (118), a threaded section (see Fig 1, Paragraph 0025, Examiner notes shank region 122 includes a threaded portion as a threaded section) having a plurality of annular ridges (see Fig 1, Paragraph 0025, Examiner notes threads of shank region 122 including a threaded portion as having a plurality of annular ridges) and a plurality of spiral grooves (see Fig 1, Paragraph 0025, Examiner notes grooves between the threads of shank region 122 including a threaded portion as a plurality of spiral grooves) in the annular ridges (see Fig 1, Paragraph 0025); and
a hollow member (Fig 1, sleeve 102) including a head (Fig 1, collar 110) and a shank (Fig 1, portion 128);
wherein the hollow member (102) is configured to dispose (see Fig 1) on the bolt (112) with an end (Fig 1, end 104) of the shank (128) being urged (see Fig 2C, Paragraph 0029) by the conic, bare section (see Fig 1).
Regarding claim 2, Wilcox teaches the fastener (100) of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the spiral grooves (see Fig 1, Paragraph 0025) are spaced apart 90-degree each other (see Fig 1, Paragraph 0025, Examiner notes each turn of the threads of shank region 122 including a threaded portion being circumferentially spaced from each other as are spaced apart 90-degree each other).
Regarding claim 3, Wilcox teaches the fastener (100) of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the head (110) of the hollow member (102) is internally threaded (see Fig 2C, Paragraph 0036) and configured to threadedly secure (see Fig 2C, Paragraph 0036) to the annular ridges (see Fig 1, Paragraph 0025).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOCK WONG whose telephone number is (571)270-1349. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 5:00pm (ET).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Fulton can be reached at (571)272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.W./Examiner, Art Unit 3675 /KRISTINA R FULTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675