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 .
Claims 1-16 are pending in the current application.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-6, 8, 10-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Furey, US 2311043. Furey discloses a fitting #1 for securing a rope, comprising:
a) a body portion #9 having a cavity #15 adapted to receive a rope #19;
b) a first one or more threaded openings #17 in the body portion and a second one or more threaded (#16) openings #17 in the body portion, wherein the first one or more openings and the second one or more openings are in communication with the cavity (see Fig. 1) and are designed to receive threaded screws #18, the heads of the screws recessed (countersunk) below the plane of the body and
c) a first end portion #3 having an opening #14 that is in communication with the cavity.
Furey further discloses a second end portion of the fitting with a connector #8 which comprises openings (at least where pin 8 penetrates arms #6).
The examiner considers the longitudinal axis of the cavity #14 (cable receiving passage) to be perpendicular to the first one or more opening and second one or more openings. Furley further discloses an opening between the connector and the body portion (openings are between the pin #8 and the cross piece or yoke #7, and between the yoke #7 and the body #9.
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.
Claims 3, 7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Furey. Furey discloses the invention set forth above but does not explicitly disclose a plurality of first one or more openings or a plurality of second one or more openings, or that the screws are pointed, or that the longitudinal axis of the first one or more openings and the second one or more openings have offset longitudinal axis.
The examiner considers pointed screws, multiple first and second openings and offset longitudinal axis of the openings to be routine design choices made by an artisan when determining the retaining force needed to retain the rope in the body. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the rope fitting of Furey by using multiple first and second screw connections (axis of additional screw connections would obviously be offset as they are made around an elliptically shaped body) and to use pointed screws to more easily penetrate the cable or rope. Doing so provides greater retaining force to hold the rope in the body.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20150210372 discloses a furling system with a rope connecting terminal #9 comprising an end opening and cavity for receiving the rope and multiple first and second openings. However, the multiple first and second openings do not communicate with the cavity.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY D WIEST whose telephone number is (571)270-5974. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:00 - 3:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marc Jimenez can be reached at 571 272 4530. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANTHONY D WIEST/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615