DETAILED ACTION
Receipt is acknowledged of Applicant’s Response, dated 1 September 2026, which papers have been made of record.
Claims 1-10 and 12 are currently presented for examination, of which claims 1-7 are withdrawn from consideration.
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1 September 2026 has been entered.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 8-10 and 12
Claims 8-10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent Application Publication 2016/0230791 to Albach (hereinafter “Albach”).
Regarding claim 8, Albach discloses a fastener structure (see Figs. 1-8; paragraph [0041]), for arranging a second object on a first object (see paragraph [0041]; trim part on a vehicle, for example), the fastener structure comprising: a sleeve (2) having a second corresponding anti-rotation portion (retaining element 8); an anti-rotation portion (ribs 15 surrounding aperture at 3) connected to the sleeve (2; see Fig. 2 and paragraph [0049], anti-rotatingingly with a second component 2), wherein the anti-rotation portion (15) protrudes outward from the sleeve for anti-rotation against the first object (ribs 15 shown projecting from end face of sleeve; see Fig. 2 and Fig. 5); and a secondary fastener (4) having a fastener anti-rotation portion (rectangular end at insertion end 49 extends to flexed arm portion at 53; see Fig. 1) configured to be received in the second corresponding anti-rotation portion (8; see paragraph [0045]; see Figs. 4 and 6) for anti-rotation, wherein the secondary fastener (4) moves longitudinally relative to the sleeve (see paragraph [0048; insertion along direction of receptacle part).
Regarding claim 9, Albach discloses a fastener structure (see Figs. 1-8; paragraph [0041]), for arranging a second object on a first object (see paragraph [0041]; trim part on a vehicle, for example), the fastener structure comprising: a sleeve (2) having a second corresponding anti-rotation portion (retaining element 8); an anti-rotation portion (ribs 15 surrounding aperture at 3) connected to the sleeve (2; see Fig. 2 and paragraph [0049], anti-rotatingingly with a second component 2), wherein the anti-rotation portion (15) protrudes outward from the sleeve for anti-rotation against the first object (ribs 15 shown projecting from end face of sleeve; see Fig. 2 and Fig. 5); and a secondary fastener (4) having a fastener anti-rotation portion (rectangular end at insertion end 49 extends to flexed arm portion at 53; see Fig. 1) configured to be received in the second corresponding anti-rotation portion (8; see paragraph [0045]; see Figs. 4 and 6) for anti-rotation, wherein a cross-section of the fastener anti-rotation portion (portion from insertion end 49 to flex arms 53) is not circular (see Fig. 2), and a shape of the second corresponding anti-rotation portion (retaining element 8) corresponds to the cross-section of the fastener anti-rotation portion (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 10, Albach discloses a fastener structure (see Figs. 1-8; paragraph [0041]), for arranging a second object on a first object (see paragraph [0041]; trim part on a vehicle), the fastener structure comprising: a sleeve (2) assembled to the first object (see paragraph [0048]; frame 16 of sleeve 2, see Fig. 1, connects to rails of trim part); an anti-rotation portion (ribs 15, surrounding aperture at 3 of sleeve 2) connected to the sleeve (2) for anti-rotation against the first object (see Figs. 2 and 5), a secondary fastener (4) movably assembled to the sleeve (2; see Figs. 1 and 5) wherein the secondary fastener (4) includes a secondary anti-rotation portion (portion at 48; see paragraph [0045]), and the secondary anti-rotation portion is connected to a third corresponding anti-rotation portion (see paragraph [0045]; keyhole-like design in component of the vehicle) of the second object (motor vehicle body) for preventing the secondary fastener (4) from rotating relative to the second object (key and keyhole interaction understood to prevent relative rotation between components), wherein the anti-rotation portion (ribs 15) and the secondary anti-rotation portion (portion at 48) are disposed on the same side of the sleeve (3; see Fig. 1 and Fig. 6, ribs and secondary anti-rotation portion extend at lower half of sleeve in assembled configuration), wherein the secondary fastener (4) includes a fastener anti-rotation portion (rectangular end at insertion end 49 extending to flexed arm portion at 53; see Fig. 1), and the fastener anti-rotation portion (rectangular end at insertion end 49 extending to flexed arm portion at 53; see Fig. 13) is connected to a second corresponding anti-rotation portion (rectangular aperture at 3) of the sleeve (2) for preventing the secondary fastener from rotating relative to the sleeve (see Fig. 6; components shown in secured configuration such that relative rotation therebetween is prevented).
Regarding claim 12, Albach discloses that the sleeve (2) includes an anti-rotation portion (rectangular exterior of housing portion 6; see paragraph [0042] and frame 16; see paragraph [0048]), the anti-rotation portion is connected to a first corresponding anti-rotation portion (rails) of the first object (trim part) for preventing the sleeve (2) from rotating relative to the first object (see paragraph [0048] and Fig. 1; frame 16 of sleeve 2 connects to rails of trim part, see also paragraph [0042]).
Response to Arguments
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Applicant’s arguments, see Response, filed 1 September 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 8-10 and 12 under 35 USC 102 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 Albach.
Claims 8-10 and 12 were previously rejected as anticipated by Albach.
Applicant notes that independent claims 8, 9, and 10 have been amended. The previous Office Action interpreted member 8 within the sleeve 2 as being the second anti-rotation element. Applicant asserts that structure 8 does not protrude from the exterior of the sleeve.
The examiner agrees. A new rejection is presented interpreting a different structure (ribs 15) as the secondary anti-rotation portion.
Regarding claim 10, Applicant notes that the claim has been amended to require “wherein the anti-rotation portion and the secondary anti-rotation portion are disposed on the same side of the sleeve.” Applicant asserts that the fastening element 48 was previously identified as the secondary anti-rotation portion of claim 10, and the anti-rotation portion 16 was identified as the first object. Applicant asserts that both elements 48 and 16 are located on different sides of the sleeve part 2.
The examiner agrees. A new rejection is presented interpreting the anti-rotation portion connected to the sleeve as being rib elements 15.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
United States Patent 6,499,714 to Wike teaches a sleeve (body 25) having an upper end and a lower end, with a fastener assembly (41) assembled to the sleeve for securing a body (15) in a secure configuration.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARRELL C. FORD whose telephone number is (313)446-6515. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM, Monday to Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hong can be reached at (571) 272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DARRELL C FORD/Examiner, Art Unit 3726
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