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 Group I, claims 1-19 in the reply filed on 13 February 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1 and 8-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chiang (7,424,839) in view of Bridges (1,849,069) and Mesenhoeller (4,794,829).
Chiang meets all of the limitations of claim 1, i.e., a tool comprising:
a handle 11;
PNG
media_image1.png
338
472
media_image1.png
Greyscale
a yoke @12 coupled to the handle, the yoke comprising:
a first arm 121 and a second arm 121 defining a receiving portion 14 therebetween, and
a through hole 15A defined by the first and second arms, wherein the portion of the through hole defined by the second arm 121 RT, Fig. 2 comprises:
a first portion @1211 proximal to the receiving portion 14, wherein the first portion, @23, Fig. 3 has a first diameter and a first
PNG
media_image2.png
304
627
media_image2.png
Greyscale
a second portion head of 30A distal to the receiving portion, wherein the second portion has a second diameter and second
a head 20 disposed within the receiving portion 14 such that the pivots aligns with the through hole in the yoke, except for first and second threaded dimensions and a head defining a bore aligning with the hole.
PNG
media_image3.png
614
355
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Bridges teaches a socked rod with a threaded assembly comprising a first threaded portion 15 separated from a second threaded portion 16 by a non-threaded friction locking section 14, threadably coupled to a threaded hole defining a first threaded portion 21 having a different diameter and thread dimension than the second threaded 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 through holes 15A of Chiang with the threaded arrangement and through hole as taught by Bridges such that the head and the yoke are self-locked against accidental unscrewing of the parts.
PNG
media_image4.png
161
444
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Mesenhoeller teaches an angularly adjustable wrench having a head 1 disposed within the receiving portion of a yoke having a bore Fig. 7 that the aligns with the through hole in the yoke Fig. 1. 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 Chiang and Bridges with the pivoting head as taught by Mesenhoeller for a ratchet wrench adapted to engage and drive sockets.
CLAIM 16
Chiang meets all of the limitations of claim 16, i.e., a tool comprising:
a handle 11;
PNG
media_image1.png
338
472
media_image1.png
Greyscale
a yoke @12 coupled to the handle, the yoke comprising:
a first arm 121 and a second arm 121 defining a receiving portion 14 therebetween, and
a through hole 15A defined by the first and second arms, wherein the portion of the through hole defined by the second arm 121 RT, Fig. 2 comprises:
a first portion @1211 proximal to the receiving portion 14, wherein the first portion @23, Fig. 3 has a first diameter and a
PNG
media_image2.png
304
627
media_image2.png
Greyscale
a second portion head of 30A distal to the receiving portion, wherein the second portion is greater than the first portion Fig. 3; and
a head 20 disposed within the receiving portion 14 such that the pivots aligns with the through hole in the yoke, except for first and second threaded dimensions and a head defining a bore aligning with the hole.
PNG
media_image3.png
614
355
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Bridges teaches a socked rod with a threaded assembly comprising a first threaded portion 15 separated from a second threaded portion 16 by a non-threaded friction locking section 14, threadably coupled to a threaded hole defining a first threaded portion 21 having a different diameter and thread dimension than the second threaded 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 through holes 15A of Chiang with the threaded arrangement and through hole as taught by Bridges such that the head and the yoke are self-locked against accidental unscrewing of the parts.
PNG
media_image4.png
161
444
media_image4.png
Greyscale
Mesenhoeller teaches an angularly adjustable wrench having a head 1 disposed within the receiving portion of a yoke having a bore Fig. 7 that the aligns with the through hole in the yoke Fig. 1. 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 Chiang and Bridges with the pivoting head as taught by Mesenhoeller for a ratchet wrench adapted to engage and drive sockets.
Regarding claim 8, PA (prior art, Chiang modified by Bridges and Mesenhoeller) meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 1, wherein the first arm further comprises a countersink or a counterbore, wherein the counter sink or counter bore is distal to the receiving portion Fig. 3 Chiang.
Regarding claim 9, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 1, wherein the through hole defined by the first arm further comprises a threaded portion 15A proximal to the receiving portion Fig. 3 Chiang.
Regarding claim 10, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 9, wherein the threaded portion of the first arm has a thread orientation the same as the first portion of the second arm Fig. 1, Bridges.
PNG
media_image5.png
374
206
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 11, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 9, wherein the threaded portion of the first arm has a thread pitch the same as the first portion of the second arm Fig. 1, Mesenhoeller.
Regarding claim 12, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 1, further comprising a fastener 6 disposed in the through hole and the bore, wherein the fastener couples the head to the first and second arms Fig. 1, Mesenhoeller.
Regarding claim 13, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 12, wherein the fastener comprises a smooth shank section 14 and a threaded end section Fig. 1, Bridges.
Regarding claim 14, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 13, wherein the smooth shank section 14 engages with the threads on the first portion of the second arm upon deflection of the second arm and the threaded end section couples with the second portion of the second arm Fig. 3, Mesenhoeller.
Regarding claim 15, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 13, wherein the through hole 15A defined by the first arm further comprises a threaded portion proximal to the receiving portion, and wherein upon deflection of the first arm the smooth shank section further engages with the threaded portion of the first arm Fig. 3, Mesenhoeller
Regarding claim 17, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 16, further comprising a fastener 6 disposed in the through hole and the bore, wherein the fastener couples the head to the first and second arms, and wherein the fastener comprises a smooth shank section head/middle and a threaded end section Fig. 1, Mesenhoeller.
Regarding claim 18, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the tool of claim 17, wherein the threaded end section couples with the second portion of the second arm, and wherein upon deflection of the second arm the smooth shank section engages with the knurled pattern on the first portion Fig. 3, Mesenhoeller.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7 and 19 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 tool comprising a handle, a yoke with arms each defining a through hole and a receiving portion therebetween, wherein the first diameter of the second arm close to the receiving portion is larger than the second diameter, or knurled pattern engaging the smooth shank, together in combination with the rest of the limitations as recited in the cited claims.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not relied upon at this time, are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Lee and Mizuno et al. are cited to show related inventions.
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.
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, 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.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Hadi Shakeri/
May 29, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
Prosecution Insights