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 1-14 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.
Upon further consideration of the drawings and specification, it is determined that the shape of element 30, in claim 1 (original claim 3), is not clear. The drawing figures have odd shapes on the ends that aren't consistent and don't reflect the actual element, (for ex, the odd curved portion at the very top and then the right side having the triangle but the left side not). In addition, the shape in the claims doesn't reflect the hole in the actual element. Accordingly, the claim limitation is not clearly understood and the claim 1-14 are therefore examined “as best understood”. In response to this rejection, please describe the shape in words.
In view of the reconsideration, this action is non-final.
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)(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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, 13, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GB625 in view of Zhang US 10,851,563 (hereinafter Zhang).
Re Claim 1.
Zhang discloses an anti-detection combination lock, comprising: a lock seat (Figs.5,6,7,14), comprising a base (54/56) and a lock core (118) installed on the base; a plurality of numeral wheels (48), arranged spacedly on the base (on posts 54), each numeral wheel (48) comprising a lower gear (48) and an upper gear (62) stacked coaxially, and part of a periphery of the lower gear (48) protruding from one side of the base (Figs. 5-6); an anti-detection piece (80), arranged on the base (54/56), comprising a main rod (central portion of 80) and a plurality of branch rods (at 88) connected to the main rod, and each branch rod located on one side of each upper gear (62); wherein the anti-detection piece is structured in a shape of “土”; a panel (54), covering the base (56), a plurality of numeral holes (for wheels 48) and an opening (Figs. 5,6) defined on the panel, and the numeral holes disposed corresponding to the numeral wheels; and a knob (40), arranged on one side of the anti-detection piece (80), connected to the lock core and protruding from the opening (Fig.6); wherein the knob (40) is being rotated to push the anti-detection piece (80) move toward the numeral wheels (62) to make the branch rods (88) abut against each upper gear (62) to make a plurality of lower gears (48) be nonrotatable (Fig.14).
Re Claim 2.
Zhang discloses the combination lock according to claim 1, wherein the base () comprises a positioning plate (82), a plurality of through holes (to receive posts 58) are defined on the positioning plate, and each numeral wheel (48) is disposed on each through hole (posts 58).
Re Claim 4.
Zhang discloses the combination lock according to claim 2, wherein each branch rod comprises a latch portion (88) located on a side thereof facing each upper gear (62), and each upper gear is pressed by the latch portion (88) to be nonrotatable.
Re Claim 5.
Zhang discloses the combination lock according to claim 4, wherein the latch portion (88) is a curved arc surface.
Re Claim 13.
Zhang discloses the combination lock according to claim 2, but fails to teach wherein the panel comprises a plurality of positioning posts disposed on an inner wall thereof facing the numeral wheels, and the positioning posts are inserted in the numeral wheels.
However, Zhang discloses a panel (54) including a plurality of positioning posts (58) disposed on an inner wall thereof (and in openings on the base 60) facing the numeral wheels (48), and the positioning posts are inserted in the numeral wheels (48).
Re Claim 14.
As discussed above with respect to claim 13, Zhang discloses the combination lock according to claim 13, wherein the panel (54) comprises a center column (within opening for knob (40) disposed on an inner wall thereof facing the numeral wheels, and the center column passes through the positioning plate (82) and the anti-detection piece (80).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-20 (New) are allowed.
Claims 6-12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
In response to applicant’s amendment filed 10/9/25, the claims including the “shape” of element 30 are now rejected under 35 USC 112(b) as set forth above. It is requested that the shape be described in words.
Claims 1-14 stand rejected.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUZANNE DINO BARRETT whose telephone number is (571)272-7053. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8AM-6:30PM.
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SUZANNE DINO BARRETT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3675B
Sdb
/SUZANNE L BARRETT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675