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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of specie I in the reply filed on 6/8/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the species have considerable overlapping subject matter is not persuasive since the species require different and specific structural limitations that need different searches. This is not found persuasive because different concentrated searches are needed for different species. Claims 8-15 and 20 are withdrawn.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Perugini (US. 4925353).
Perugini discloses a fastener for fastening circuit card assemblies to metal castings, the fastener comprising a head (e.g. 51) having a first radius (e.g. radius of 51), a pin (e.g. 53) having a second radius smaller than the first radius (e.g. see figure 10), the pin extending from the head along a longitudinal axis (e.g. see figure 10), the pin comprising an outer surface (e.g. outer surface having 54) circumferentially surrounding the longitudinal axis and a surface feature (e.g. 54) extending on the outer surface from the head toward a tip (e.g. tip opposite to the head 51) of the pin, the surface feature comprising a helical knurl having a plurality of knurls (e.g. knurls 54) extending from the head toward the tip of the pin, the plurality of knurls forming a helix wherein each of the plurality of knurls at least partially circumferentially surrounds the longitudinal axis (e.g. see figure10 and see figures stating helical splines).
Regarding claim 2: The tip comprises a chamfer (e.g. chamfer at the tip, see figure 10). The chamfer having an angle relative to longitudinal axis.
Regarding claim 3: The fastener further comprising a length of the pin that does not include the surface feature positioned between the surface feature and the tip of the pin (e.g. see portion between tip and the knurl surface, figure 10).
Regarding claim 4: Wherein a length of the surface feature is greater than a length of the portion of the pin that does not include the surface feature (e.g. see figure 10 which shows this).
Regarding claim 5: Wherein the fastener is formed of a steel (e.g. steel material of fastener).
Regarding claim 6: Wherein the plurality of knurls comprises at least 10 knurls (e.g. see figures).
Claim(s) 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sun et al (US. 20200011367).
Sun discloses a circuit card assembly comprising a circuit card (e.g. 22 which is a printed circuit board ) comprising a first opening (e.g. opening in 22), a metal casting (e.g. metal casting 20) comprising a second opening (e.g. opening in 20) and a fastener (e.g. figures 1-2) comprising a head (e.g. head having 11) and a pin (e.g. pin having knurl shanks 17) extending from the head, the pin comprising an outer surface circumferentially surrounding the longitudinal axis and a surface feature (e.g. 17) extending on the outer surface from the head toward a tip of the pin configured to couple the circuit card to the metal casting when the pin is positioned in the first opening and the second opening, and the fastener completes a ground path between the circuit card and the metal casting when positioned in the first opening and the second opening (e.g. that is the case since the fastener contacts both the first and second openings). The knurls having an angle relative to the longitudinal axial (e.g. see angle of 17)
Regarding claim 17: Wherein the surface feature comprises a helical knurl having a plurality of knurls (e.g. 17) extending from the head toward the tip of the pin, the plurality of knurls forming a helix and wherein each of the plurality of knurls at least partially circumferentially surrounds the longitudinal axis (e.g. see figures).
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) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perugini.
Perugini discloses the claimed invention except the angle between 25° and 40°. Discovering an optimum range of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Kulling, 895 F.2d 1147, 14 USPQ 2d 1056. Without the showing of some unexpected result. Since applicant has not shown some unexpected result the inclusion of this limitation is considered to be a matter of choice in design. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the angle to be between 25 and 40 degrees with reasonable expectation of success as a matter of design choice.
Claim(s) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perugini in view of Casazza (US. 4824279).
Perugini discloses the invention as claimed above but fails to disclose the angle between 25° and 40° relative to the longitudinal axis. Casazza discloses a fastener with a tip (e.g. 103) having an angle between 30 to 70 degrees (e.g. column 11, lines 34-35). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the angle of Perugini to be in the range of 25 to 40 degrees as taught by Casazza with reasonable expectation of success for easy of insertion and provide optimal contact with hole the fastener to be placed in (e.g. see description of 103 in Casazza and also figure 12).
Claim(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perugini in view of Harney (US. 20080005994.
Perugini discloses the invention as claimed above but fails to disclose the fastener being made of steel with zinc coating. Harney discloses a fastener made of steel and having a zinc coating (e.g. paragraph 0018). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the steel of Perugini be coated with zinc as stated by Harney with reasonable expectation of success to prevent corrosion (e.g. paragraph 0018 of Harney).
Claim(s) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perugini in view of Cho (US.9995329).
Perugini discloses the invention as claimed above but fails to disclose at least one of the plurality of knurls is disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and the angle is between 25° and 40°. Cho discloses a fastener with knurls (51) with at least one of the knurls having an angle between 25 to 40 degrees. It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have at least one of the knurls of Perugini to have an angle between 25 to 40 degrees as taught by Cho with reasonable expectation of success to provide superior connection (e.g. see description of “angle” in Cho).
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun.
Sun discloses the claimed invention except that the knurls are at least 10. Discovering an optimum range of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Kulling, 895 F.2d 1147, 14 USPQ 2d 1056. Without the showing of some unexpected result. Since applicant has not shown some unexpected result the inclusion of this limitation is considered to be a matter of choice in design. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the knurls to be at least 10 with reasonable expectation of success as a matter of design choice. Furthermore when using more knurls will provide a predictable result of better connection.
Claim(s) 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun in view of Oswald (US.20020071741).
Sun discloses the invention as claimed above but fails to disclose that the angle is between 25 to 40 degrees. Oswald disclose a fastener with knurls and the knurls having an angle of 26 degrees (e.g. see relationship of angle to material to be connected and also thickness of the material). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine have the angle of Sun be changed as one see fit based on materials to be connected as taught by Oswald with reasonable expectation of success to provide binding connection that is strong (e.g. see paragraph 0040 of Oswald).
Conclusion
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/VISHAL A PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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