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 .
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 13-15 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.
Claims 13-15 are directed to “the follower of claim 7,” but claim 7 is not directed to a follower. Claims 1-6 are. Consequently, claims 13-15 either need to be changed to “the follower of claim [1 through 6]” or “the telescoping component unlocking system of claim [7 or later].” For purposes of examination, Examiner will assume claims 13-15 were intended to depend from claim 7.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 2, 4, 5, 7-11, and 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 5387048 to Kuo (hereinafter “Kuo”).
-From Claim 1: Kuo discloses a follower 1, comprising:
PNG
media_image1.png
724
655
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
888
786
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Reproduced from Kuo (Examiner Annotated)
at least one friction surface (shown above);
a neck 11;
at least one shelf (shown above); and
a slot 12, 13,
wherein the at least one friction surface and the at least one shelf extend from the neck 11, and the slot 12, 13 is adjacent to the neck.
-From Claim 2: Kuo discloses a head 16 between the neck and the at least one friction surface, wherein the at least one friction surface extends from the head and the head connects to the neck.
-From Claims 4 and 5: Kuo discloses a second friction surface, the second friction surface extending from the neck and disposed in a position opposite the first friction surface.
PNG
media_image3.png
888
786
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Reproduced from Kuo (Examiner Annotated)
-From Claim 7: Kuo discloses a telescoping component unlocking system, comprising:
a first telescoping component 3 having at least one locking hole 31;
a second telescoping component 4 having at least one buttonhole 41;
a follower 1 having at least one friction surface (shown above), a neck 11, at least one shelf (shown above), and a slot 12, 13, wherein the at least one friction surface and the at least one shelf extend from the neck, and the slot is adjacent to the neck; and
a button 2 having at least one button head 21 and at least one button tail 22, wherein the button head and the button tail extend from the button,
wherein the button is insertable into the slot of the follower (at 12, 13), both the button and at least a portion of the follower are attachable to the second telescoping component 4, and both the second telescoping component and at least a portion of the follower are attachable to the first telescoping component (see Figs. 2, 3).
-From Claim 8: Kuo discloses wherein the first telescoping component is a tube with a cross section having a shape that is at least one of square, rectangular, circular, and circular with an indentation.
-From Claim 9: Kuo discloses wherein the second telescoping component is a tube with a cross section having a shape that is at least one of square, rectangular, circular, and circular with an indentation.
-From Claim 10: Kuo discloses wherein the button 2 is a bent spring button.
-From Claim 11: Kuo discloses wherein the button incorporates a spring (i.e., the rounded portion of 2, which provides the spring force) disposed between the button and the at least one button head.
-From Claims 15 and 16: Kuo discloses a second friction surface, the second friction surface extending from the neck and disposed in a position opposite the first friction surface (See Annotated Figure above).
-From Claim 17: Kuo discloses wherein the first telescoping component 3 has a plurality of locking holes 31, 32.
-From Claim 18: Kuo discloses wherein the second telescoping component has a plurality of buttonholes 41, 42.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6, 12-14, 19, and 20 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:
As to Claims 3 and 14: it would not be obvious to modify the slot identified in Kuo (i.e., 12 and 13) by enclosing it with a tail on an end of the slot opposite the neck.
As to Claim 6: it would not be obvious to create a plurality of shelves in a single follower
As to Claim 12: it would not be obvious to modify Kuo by sloping the button heads with different angles (as the ends of the button 2 are designed to engage with balls 24)
As to Claim 13, it would not be obvious to add a head between the neck and the friction surface, wherein the friction surface extends from the head and the head connects to the neck.
As to Claim 19: it would not be obvious to modify the button so as to have a plurality of heads wherein a first side of each of the plurality of button heads is sloped at a lesser angle than a second side of each of the plurality of button heads.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, as the cited references include structure similar to that of the presently claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL J WILEY whose telephone number is (571)270-7324. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm PST.
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, Amber Anderson can be reached at 5712705281. 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.
/DANIEL J WILEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678 12/5/2025