DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 4 and 5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 2 (line 2) “formed” should recite –formed on--.
In claim 2 (line 14) “said fixing hole” should recite –a fixing hole--.
In claim 4 (line 3) “two first limiting walls, the” should recite –a first limiting wall, one of--.
In claim 4 (line 4) “the said two guide ramps and the” should recite –one of said two guide ramps and one of--.
In claim 5 (line 3) “the center” should recite –a center--.
For the purpose of examining the application, it is assumed that appropriate correction has been made.
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 1-5 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 1 (lines 19-21) recites “a sliding member fixed through said through hole of said fixing member with at least one end thereof stopped against said second positioning groove to form positioning”.
It is unclear as to what is meant by the limitations of the end of the sliding member being stopped against said second positioning groove “to form positioning”. It appears that such clause is incomplete; it is unclear as to whether Applicant intended to recite that the end of the sliding member is stopped against said second positioning groove “to form an extended locking position of the fixing member”, and/or whether Applicant intended to recite that the end of the sliding member is stopped against said second positioning groove “in a movable repositionable manner”. Claims 2-5 depend from claim 1 and are likewise rejected as being indefinite.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As to claim 1 as best understood, Wehner (US 4,113,221) in view of Wu et al. (US 10,132,345) discloses the claimed directional fixing device with the exception of comprising a socket comprising an accommodating cavity set outside said barrel, an operation indication structure formed on a top side thereof, a pointing convex portion protruding from said operation indication structure toward one side and at least one lifting structure recessed inside said operation indication structure, said lifting structure being formed from top to bottom with at least a first positioning groove, a guide ramp and a second positioning groove located at a hollow side wall of said socket; wherein rotating said operation indication structure of said socket to form an action in which said socket rotates but said base is immovable, and drives said sliding member to move along said guide ramp into said first positioning groove or said second positioning groove, so that said positioning block of said fixing member extends into or out of a fixing hole of a preset second board member to form a locking or unlocking action.
There is no teaching or suggestion, absent the applicant’s own disclosure, for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the directional fixing device disclosed by Wehner in view of Wu et al. to have the above mentioned elemental features. Furthermore, such modifications would not be obvious.
Conclusion
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01/02/26
/MICHAEL P FERGUSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619