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 Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 13, at Line 1, change “for” to --of--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-13 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 9546704 to Yasui et al. (hereinafter “Yasui”).
-From Claim 1: Yasui discloses a grommet assembly for compressing a pliable component relative to a rigid component, the grommet assembly comprising:
a flexible grommet 60 having a grommet collar 61 and a flared sidewall structure 71, wherein the flared sidewall structure comprises a plurality of fin elements 72 and a plurality of gaps (i.e., the spaces between the fin elements 72); and
a compression sleeve 40 having a sleeve collar 41 and a vertical sidewall 51, wherein the compression sleeve is configured to receive the flexible grommet and to compress it via the vertical sidewall.
-From Claim 2: Yasui discloses wherein the compression sleeve 40 comprises one or more snap features 53 to engage the flexible grommet.
-From Claim 3: Yasui discloses wherein the one or more snap features are configured to retain the flexible grommet relative to the compression sleeve in a pre-assembled position (Examiner notes that the two pieces of the grommet assembly could be connected prior to, or independent of, being fully assembled with 20 or 12)
-From Claim 4: Yasui discloses wherein the grommet collar defines 61 a grommet opening 31 sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the rigid component.
-From Claim 5: Yasui discloses wherein the sleeve collar 41 defines a sleeve opening (inside 51) sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the rigid component.
-From Claim 6: Yasui discloses wherein each of the fin elements 72 defines a rib feature configured to bias the fin element inwardly toward a central axis of the grommet assembly.
-From Claim 7: Yasui discloses wherein each of the one or more snap features 53 is formed in a portion of the vertical sidewall.
-From Claim 8: Yasui discloses wherein each of the one or more snap features 53 comprises a cantilevered tab with a snap.
-From Claim 9: Yasui discloses wherein each of the fin elements 72 defines a first ledge feature (shown below) configured to couple with one of the one or more snap features 53 to retain the flexible grommet relative to the compression sleeve in a pre-assembled position (dashed surface engages with inclined surface of 53 during assembly).
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Reproduced from Yasui (Examiner Annotated)
-From Claim 10: Yasui discloses wherein each of the fin elements 72 defines a second ledge feature (shown below) configured to couple with one of the one or more snap features 53 to retain the flexible grommet relative to the compression sleeve in an assembled position (dashed surface engages with inclined surface of 53 during assembly).
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Reproduced from Yasui (Examiner Annotated)
-From Claim 11: Yasui discloses wherein the first ledge feature is positioned adjacent the grommet collar 61.
-From Claim 12: Yasui discloses wherein the second ledge feature is positioned adjacent a wider end of the flared sidewall structure 71 (that end being made wider by the presence of 72).
-From Claim 13: Yasui discloses wherein each of the plurality of fin elements 72 is separated from an adjacent one of the plurality of fin elements 72 via one of the plurality of gaps.
-From Claim 15: Yasui discloses wherein the grommet collar 61 and the sleeve collar 41 are circular.
-From Claim 16: Yasui discloses a snap grommet assembly comprising:
a flexible grommet 60 having a grommet collar 61 and a flared sidewall 71 structure,
wherein the flared sidewall structure comprises a plurality of fin elements 72 and a plurality of gaps (i.e., the spaces between the fin elements); and
a compression sleeve 40 having a sleeve collar 41 and a vertical sidewall 51,
wherein the compression sleeve is configured to receive the flexible grommet and to compress it via the vertical sidewall, and
wherein the compression sleeve comprises one or more snap features 53 formed in a portion of the vertical sidewall, each of the one or more snap features configured to retain the flexible grommet relative to the compression sleeve in a pre-assembled position.
-From Claim 17: Yasui discloses wherein each of the one or more snap features 53 comprises a cantilevered tab with a snap.
-From Claim 18: Yasui discloses wherein each of the fin elements 72 defines a rib feature configured to bias the fin element inwardly toward a central axis of the grommet assembly.
-From Claim 19: Yasui discloses a snap grommet assembly for compressing a pliable component relative to a rigid component, the snap grommet assembly comprising:
a flexible grommet 60 having a grommet collar 61 and a flared sidewall structure 71, wherein the flared sidewall structure comprises a plurality of fin elements 72 and a plurality of gaps, and wherein the grommet collar defines a grommet opening 31 sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the rigid component; and
a compression sleeve 40 having a sleeve collar 41 and a vertical sidewall 51, wherein the compression sleeve is configured to receive the flexible grommet and to compress it via the vertical sidewall,
wherein the sleeve collar defines a sleeve opening (inside 51) sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the rigid component, and
wherein the compression sleeve comprises one or more snap features 53 formed in a portion of the vertical sidewall, each of the one or more snap features configured to retain the flexible grommet relative to the compression sleeve in a pre-assembled position.
-From Claim 20: Yasui discloses wherein each of the fin elements 72 defines a rib feature configured to bias the fin element inwardly toward a central axis of the grommet assembly.
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) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasui.
-From Claim 14: Yasui does not disclose wherein the grommet collar and the sleeve collar are oval; rather, it is disclosed as having a generally circular/cylindrical shape. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make the grommet assembly ovule instead of round, since there is no invention in merely changing the shape or form of an article without changing its function except in a design patent. Eskimo Pie Corp. v. Levous et al., 3 USPQ 23.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, as the cited references include structure similar to that of the presently claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL J WILEY whose telephone number is (571)270-7324. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber Anderson can be reached at 5712705281. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL J WILEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678 12/16/2025