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
Claims 2, 4-6, and 9-11 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/4/2026. Claims 1, 3, 7, and 8 are prosecuted below.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because of the following:
Figures 1, 3-7, 9-10, 19, and 24 each have a numeral “1” or “3” that is underlined without a lead line. Examiner suggests removing the underlining and providing a lead line for each instance.
Figure 29 shows numeral “33” without a lead line.
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 § 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.
Claims 1, 3, 7, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Suzuki (US 2012/0291240).
Re Clm 1: Suzuki discloses a fastening structure (10), applicable to a first object (100), the fastening structure comprising: an anti-rotation segment (11) for preventing the fastening structure from rotating relative to the first object (complementary rectangular shapes prevent relative rotation); and a joining segment (elements 22-27) adapted to be fitted to the first object, the joining segment being a fastening segment, a riveting portion, an expanded connection portion, a soldering portion, a welding portion, a locking portion, or a resilient fastener segment. Examiner notes the elements 22-27 read on a fastening segment, and expanded connection portion, a locking portion, and a resilient fastener segment.
Re Clm 3: Suzuki discloses wherein the anti-rotation segment and the first object prevent each other from rotating, allowing the anti-rotation segment to be expandedly connected to the first object by an expansion aperture, or wherein the fastening structure has another fastener body having an another fastener body anti-rotation segment, allowing the another fastener body anti-rotation segment and the fastening structure to constrain each other or prevent each other from rotating, or wherein the fastening structure has another fastener body having another anti-rotation segment, allowing the another anti-rotation segment and another object to constrain each other or prevent each other from rotating, or further comprising a joining segment being the fastening segment, or the fastening structure having a handle segment, or the fastening structure having a wheel component, an assisting component, an another fastener body, or an another fastening structure with a rotational body, or the joining segment being a fastening segment, or further comprising a body segment, with the joining segment being disposed at the body segment, the anti-rotation segment being positioned at the joining segment or the body segment, or the joining segment having a pressing segment, a material holding space and a restriction segment, the pressing segment pressing the first object, allowing a material of the first object to flow into or enter the material holding space, with the restriction segment confining the fastening structure to the first object, and the anti-rotation segment limiting a limiting direction of the fastening structure, or the fastening structure further comprising a fastener segment with a neck segment, the neck segment having a limiting segment for limiting an engagement direction of a corresponding limiting segment of a snap-engagement object, or the fastening structure further comprises a fastener segment with a neck segment for limiting a pair of fastener segments, or the fastening structure further comprising a fastener segment with a limiting segment for limiting an engagement direction of a corresponding limiting segment of a snap-engagement object, or the fastening structure further comprising a fastener segment, the fastener segment being movably positioned at the body segment.
Examiner notes that the structural elements 22-27 of Suzuki reads on at least one of the many broad alternative claim limitations outlined above.
Re Clm 7: Suzuki discloses wherein the fastening structure further comprising a fastener segment (segment of 10 that is inside and below the first object 100), with the anti-rotation segment positioned at the fastener segment and adapted to limit a rotation prevention direction (via complementary rectangular shapes) or an engagement direction of a corresponding anti-rotation segment of a snap-engagement object (as shown with elements 22-27).
Re Clm 8: Suzuki discloses wherein the anti-rotation segment is a flat surface portion, step portion, knurled portion, inclined surface portion, dented portion, raised portion, arcuate surface, or curved surface.
Examiner notes that the structural elements 22-27 of Suzuki reads on at least one of a flat surface, a step surface, an inclined surface portion, dented portion, raised portion, arcuate surface, and curved surfacer of the alternative claim limitations outlined above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN PETER MASINICK whose telephone number is (571)270-3060. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8a-5p EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber Anderson can be reached at (571)270-5281. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JONATHAN P MASINICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
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