DETAILED ACTION
Receipt is acknowledged of Applicant’s Response, dated 2 March 2026, which papers have been made of record.
Claims 1-10 and 12 are currently presented for examination, of which claims 1-7 have been withdrawn from consideration.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 .
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 2016/02330791 to Albach et al. (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 (rectangular aperture at 3); an anti-rotation portion (retaining element 8) connected to the sleeve (2; see Fig. 2 and paragraph [0049], retaining element 8 acts anti-rotatingly with a secondary fastener 4 at least at side portions 45); and a secondary fastener (4) having a fastener anti-rotation portion (rectangular end at insertion end 49 extending to flexed arm portion at 53; see Fig. 1) configured to be received in the second corresponding anti-rotation portion (see paragraph [0045]) for anti-rotation, wherein the secondary fastener 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 (rectangular aperture at 3); an anti-rotation portion (retaining element 8) connected to the sleeve (2; see Fig. 2 and paragraph [0049], retaining element 8 acts anti-rotatingly with a secondary fastener 4 at least at side portions 45); and a secondary fastener (4) having a fastener anti-rotation portion (rectangular end at insertion end 49 extending to flexed arm portion at 53; see Fig. 1) configured to be received in the second corresponding anti-rotation portion (see paragraph [0045]) 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 (aperture 3) 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); 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 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 filed 2 March 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Claims 8-12 were previously rejected as anticipated by Albach.
Applicant notes that the independent claims have been amended. Applicant asserts that claims 8 and 9 recite “a secondary fastener having a fastener anti-rotation portion configured to be received in the second corresponding anti-rotation portion for anti-rotation” and that independent claim 10 has been amended to recite “the secondary fastener includes a fastener anti-rotation portion, and the fastener anti-rotation portion is connected to a second corresponding anti-rotation portion of the sleeve for preventing the secondary fastener from rotating relative to the sleeve.” Applicant notes that the Office Action of 2 December 2025 cited receptacle part 2 and receiving aperture 3 of Albach as corresponding to the sleeve and the second corresponding anti-rotation portion, respectively, with the insertion part 4 and insertion end 49 interpreted as the secondary fastener and fastener anti-rotation portion. Applicant asserts that “as shown in Fig. 6 of Albach, the insertion end 49 of the insertion part 4 projects out of the frame 16 of the receptacle part 2. It is clear that the insertion end 49 … of the insertion part is not configured to be received in/connected to the receiving aperture 3.”
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Nevertheless, in the interest of advancing prosecution, the examiner has identified a middle portion of the fastener 4 to more clearly read on Applicant’s interpretation of the feature. For completeness, the examiner notes that the instantly examined claims are not method claims, such that the anti-rotation portion of the secondary fastener must be capable of being received within the anti-rotation of the fastener and preventing rotation. There is a time between the configuration shown in Albach Figure 4 where the secondary fastener is entirely outside of the sleeve 2 and Figure 6 where the secondary fastener is in a secured configuration wherein the tip portion 4 has passed through the rectangular aperture 3 and is positioned on the far side of the sleeve in which rotation would be inhibited by the rectangular shape.
Regardless, in the fully seated or secured configuration, there is a portion of the secondary fastener body illustrated in Figure 6 as engaging the rectangular portions of the aperture in the sleeve 2, such that rotation is understood to be prevented. The current rejection is understood to cite the portions of the fastener body 4 which engage the sides of the aperture 3 in a manner that prevents rotation.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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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/D.C.F/Examiner, Art Unit 3726
/SARANG AFZALI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726 05/28/2026
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