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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore:
The embodiment of claim 2 where the dual offset actuators are comprised of a weight and spring system and dual offset torsion springs
The embodiment of claim 3 where the dual offset actuators are comprised of a weight and spring system and dual helical tension springs
The embodiment of claim 17 where the dual offset actuators are comprised of dual offset torsion springs and dual helical tension springs
The embodiment of claim 18 where the dual offset actuators are comprised of dual offset torsion springs and a weight and spring system
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 2, 3, and 17-19 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.
Claim 2, lines 1-2, recites “wherein the dual offset actuators comprise dual offset torsion springs” which is indefinite because it is unclear how the dual offset torsion springs from claim 2 are related to the weight and spring system from claim 1, line 14. Are the dual offset actuators comprised of a weight and spring system and dual offset torsion springs that are separate elements from the weigh and spring systems? Should claim 2 be amended to recite --wherein the weight and spring system comprises dual offset torsion springs--?
Claim 3, lines 1-2, recites “wherein the dual offset actuators comprise dual helical tension springs” which is indefinite because it is unclear how the dual helical tension springs from claim 3 are related to the weight and spring system from claim 1, line 14. Are the dual offset actuators comprised of a weight and spring system and dual helical tension springs that are separate elements from the weigh and spring systems? Should claim 3 be amended to recite --wherein the weight and spring system comprises dual helical tension springs--?
Claim 17, lines 1-2, recites “wherein the dual offset actuators comprise dual helical tension springs” which is indefinite because it is unclear how the dual helical tension springs from claim 17 are related to the dual offset torsion springs from claim 13, line 20. Are the dual offset actuators comprised of dual offset torsion springs and dual helical tension springs at the same time?
Claim 18, lines 1-2, recites “wherein the dual offset actuators comprise a weight and spring system” which is indefinite because it is unclear how the weight and spring system from claim 18 is related to the dual offset torsion springs from claim 13, line 20. Are the dual offset actuators comprised of a weight and spring system and dual offset torsion springs that are separate elements from the weigh and spring systems?
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 5-15, and 20 are allowed over the prior art of record.
Claims 2, 3, and 17-19 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, see the Remarks, filed June 22, 2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 11 and 13-20 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), claim 5 under 35 U.S.C. 112(d), claims 1, 3, 5-7, 11, 13, 14, 17, and 20 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1), and claims 1, 3, 5-7, 11-15, 17 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADAM D ROGERS whose telephone number is (571)272-6561. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 6AM-2:00PM 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, John Olszewski can be reached at (571)272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ADAM D ROGERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
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