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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is the first non-final office action on the merits. Claims 1-10 are currently pending.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. CN202310840450.0, filed on 07/07/2023.
Drawings
The drawings are accepted.
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.
Claim 3 is 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 3 recites the limitations “the two reset magnets on the left and the right” in lines 2-3 and “between the two reset magnets” in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if the applicant is referring to the singular “reset magnet” recited in claim 1, which claim 3 depends on. It is further unclear what “the left and the right” are referring to. For examination purposes, “the two reset magnets on the left and the right” has been construed as “two reset magnets on the left and the right of the magnetic toggle wheel”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 are rejected under 35 USC § 112 second paragraph, but would be allowable if all rejections in view of 35 USC § 112 second paragraph are overcome.
Claims 1-2 and 4-10 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1 and its depending claim(s) 2-10, the closest prior art reference Tang et al. (US 10556773 B2) teaches (Fig. 1-7): A cable winding structure (cord winding module), comprising: a bottom shell (rotary wheel cover 14), a rotating disc (rotary wheel 9), and a surface shell (fixing cover 6) that are sequentially arranged opposite to each other (Fig. 1), wherein the surface shell (6) covers the bottom shell (14)(Fig. 1-2); an accommodating space (space for cord 10), formed between the bottom shell (14) and the rotating disc (9) and configured to accommodate a wound cable (cord 10)(Fig. 1); a limiting track (ratchet 9-1) of a preset length (Fig. 4), distributed on an inner wall (wall of cover 6 facing the bottom cover 14) of the surface shell (6)(Fig. 3); and a magnet (second magnet 5) and a magnetic toggle wheel (stop button 4)(Fig. 2-3), wherein when the cable (10) is pulled by an external force, the magnetic toggle wheel (4) rotates with the rotating disc (9)(col. 6, lines 53-67; Fig. 4), and abuts against the limiting track (9-1) that the magnetic toggle wheel (24) passes (when the rotating disc 9 rotates clockwise, the ratchet 9-1 pushes the stop button 4 to rotate clockwise relative to pin 2; col. 5, lines 1-5; Fig. 4).
However, Tang fails to teach the following limitations:
The reset magnet and the magnetic toggle wheel are arranged on a surface of the rotating disc;
The magnet is a reset magnet configured to adjust a swing position of the magnetic toggle wheel that abuts against an end of the limiting track to a position the same as that at which the magnetic toggle wheel does not abut against the end of the limiting track.
While Tang et al. (US 10556773 B2) teaches (Fig. 1-7): a magnet (second magnet 5) and a magnetic toggle wheel (stop button 4 with a first magnet 3) that rotates with a rotating disc (9)(col. 6, lines 53-67; Fig. 4), and abuts against the limiting track (9-1) that the magnetic toggle wheel (24) passes (when the rotating disc 9 rotates clockwise, the ratchet 9-1 pushes the stop button 4 to rotate clockwise relative to pin 2; col. 5, lines 1-5; Fig. 4), the examiner finds no obvious reason to modify Tang such that the magnet and the magnetic toggle wheel are both arranged on a surface of the rotating disc. Such a modification would require improper hindsight reasoning. It is noted that Tang’s magnet 5 is arranged on a surface of the fixing cover 6 (Fig. 2-3) and the magnetic toggle wheel 4 is mounted on a side of the fixing cover 6 (Fig. 5). It would not be obvious to place both components on a surface of the rotating disc 9 instead.
While Tang et al. (US 10556773 B2) further teaches (Fig. 1-7): the magnet (second magnet 5) configured to adjust a swing position of the magnetic toggle wheel (4) that abuts against an end of the limiting track (9-1), the examiner also finds no obvious reason to modify Tang such that the magnet is a reset magnet configured to adjust the swing position of the toggle wheel that abuts against an end of the limiting track to a position the same as that at which the magnetic toggle wheel does not abut against the end of the limiting track. Such a modification would require improper hindsight reasoning. It is noted that Tang’s magnetic toggle wheel 4 is attracted to the magnet 5 for the toggle wheel to abut the end of the limiting track 9-1, instead of resetting the toggle wheel to remove its contact with the limiting track (Tang, Fig. 3-4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure of a cable winding structure with a rotating disc and magnetic toggle wheel: US-3378214-A, US-3528624-A, US-3596849-A, US-3630466-A, US-3848827-A, US-6484958-B1, US-20030057047-A1, US-20050155830-A1, US-20070045073-A1, US-20130153701-A1, US-20140299704-A1, US-8882016-B1, US-20170275133-A1, CN-2804026-Y, CN-207149817-U, KR-102549037-B1, US-20190382230-A1, US-10707668-B2.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHENG XI LIN whose telephone number is (571)272-6102. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. through Fri. 9:00am to 6:00pm EST.
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, Samuel (Joe) Morano can be reached at 5712726684. 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.
/CHENG LIN/Examiner, Art Unit 3615