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 .
This Office Action is in response to applicant’s RCE filed on 4/16/26.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat No 11,359,406 to Su in view of US Pat No 7,308,809 to Yu, US Pat No 3,439,515 to Gehrie and US Pat No 6,058,744 to Ling.
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Regarding claim 1, Su discloses an electronic device lock that comprises a lock (20) comprising a lock lever (13) and a plurality of number wheels (11) mounted on the lock lever. The number of wheels control the displacement of the lock lever.
The lock lever is moved by a switch control button (30) to form a connection or disconnection state between the lock and an electric device.
One end of the lock lever is sequentially equipped with an operating block (12) and a push pillar (13). A fitting hole (121) is recessed on one side of the operating block. The push pillar is a conical rod with a tip.
The lock comprises a housing composed of a two-piece symmetrical cover (20) that will cover the lock lever and the number of wheel. The housing is provided with a plurality of holes for partially exposing the number wheel for operation.
The housing is provided with a displacement space (21) and an arc-shaped ball chamber (22) connected to each other. The displacement space accommodates the operating block, and the ball chamber provides the penetration of the push pillar.
An opening is formed from the top of the ball chamber through the housing. An operating hole is aligned with the fitting hole in order to connect the switch control button to the operating block.
The lock comprises two fasteners (40) that are symmetrically provided with hemispherical arc parts (41) that are accommodated in the ball chamber.
An accommodation tank (42) is formed at one end of the arc parts and a buckle arm (44) at the end of the arc parts and passes out of the housing through the opening.
First, Su fails to disclose that the lock lever has a buckle part that corresponds with a buckle hole on the lock, and that an insert part of a cable is inserted into the buckle hole and secured by the buckle part.
Su discloses a cable (25) that comprises an insert part (251) at one end and collar part at the other end, wherein the insert part is fixedly connected to the lock at a connecting pin (24).
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Gehrie teaches that it is well known in the art to provide a lock (A) with a lock lever (D) that is moved by a switch control button (46), and a plurality of number wheels (22) mounted on the lock lever. The number of wheels control the displacement of the lock lever. The lock is configured so as to have the lock lever comprising a buckle portion (arm with notch 78) to secure a buckle part (82) of an insert part (80) of an inserting member (B).
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Lu teaches that it is well known in the art to provide the insert part (at 41) of a cable (4) removable secured to a lock (A) by means of being inserted into a buckle hole (523) and secured by a buckle part (612) of an operating block (61). The block further defines a pillar (613), and that the pillar and the buckle part are perpendicularly positioned with each other on the block.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lock lever described by Su with a buckle part that interact with an insert part, as taught by Gehrie, and to provide the cable as a removable cable from the lock, as taught by Lu, in order to allow the user to detach the cable at any desired time.
Su, as modified by Gehrie and Lu, will teach that the buckle part is protruding on the other side of the operating block and that the buckle hole and the operating hole can be configured to be positioned on opposite sides of the housing.
Further, Gehrie teaches that the end of the buckle part is protruding into the buckle hole.
Second, Su also fails to disclose that housing comprises a plurality of perspective holes used for viewing the number of wheel. Su discloses that the wheel numbers can be seen, but not specifically the desired number.
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Ling teaches that it is well known in the art to manufacture a housing (11, 12) of a lock (1) that comprises a plurality of perspective holes (15) used for viewing the number on the wheel.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the housing described by Su with perspective holes, as taught by Ling, in order to allow the user to just see a single distinctive number or symbol of the wheel.
As to claim 3, Ling teaches the use of a spring (54) under an operating block (53) of a lock lever (5) and between a number wheel (3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lock lever with a spring, as taught by Ling, in order to automatically move the lever to a desired position.
As to claim 4, Su discloses that a 1st annular groove (221) is recessed on the inner surface of the ball chamber. At least one slider (43) is protruding on the outside of the two arc parts. The slider can be slidably equipped in the 1st annular groove.
Two block parts (421) are symmetrically protruding inside the accommodation tank. The push pillar is tapered toward the direction of the operating block to for a tapered part.
When the tapered part presses against the block parts of the two fasteners, the two fasteners swing with the slider as the axis and the two buckle arms are relatively close to each other.
As to claim 6, Su discloses that a 2nd annular groove (222) is provided in the ball chamber adjacent the opening. A cover (26) is sandwiched between the 2nd annular groove and is provided with a through hole (261) through which the two-buckle arm can pass through.
Response to Arguments
The applicant now argues the rejection in view of Su, Gehrie and Lu, citing that the combination fails to disclose that the block further defines a push pillar and that the pillar and the buckle part are perpendicularly positioned with each other on the block.
As mentioned above, Lu teaches the new limitation. Lu illustrates that the block further defines a pillar, and that the pillar and the buckle part are perpendicularly positioned with each other on the block.
Therefore, the argument is not persuasive and the rejection is maintained.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS LUGO whose telephone number is (571)272-7058. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6pm.
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, 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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/Carlos Lugo/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3675
June 11, 2026
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