DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilson (5,099,058) in view of Heffe (8,567,025). Wilson discloses a roller tool comprising an adaptor plate (30) proximate an adapter end (at 30; Fig. 3), an arm (32) attached to the adaptor plate (30), the arm (32) comprising an adapter end (31) proximate the adaptor plate (30), the arm comprising a roller end (33,34) opposite the adapter end (at 30; Fig. 3), the arm (32) comprising a midspan portion (between 32,33; Fig. 3) between the adapter end (31) and the roller end (33,34), which is an offset formed in the arm (32) configured to prevent contact with a workpiece (12). A roller disk (37) is joined to the roller end (33,34; Fig. 3), the roller disk (37) configured to contact the workpiece (12; Fig. 1) and a fixture (10,11) supporting the workpiece (12). A roller disk support (35) is attached to the roller end (33,34) and comprises an interlock feature (screws and hub; Fig. 3) which attaches to the roller end (33,34).
Wilson does not disclose that the interlock feature is shaped with a concave surface that mates with a convex surface of the arm. Heffe teaches a support arm (4; Fig. 1) having a convex surface (11,14; Fig. 2) that curves outward from a recess (15; Fig. 2) that is a connection to a roller disk support (7) including a concave interlock feature (12,13) that curves inward (Fig. 1) to interlock with the outwardly curving convex surface (11,14) of the support arm. It would have been obvious to the skilled artisan prior to the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the hub and arm connection of Wilson to include a concave and convex interlock connection as taught by Heffe so that the roller disk hub is structured to make an interlocked and mated connection with the roller end arm.
Regarding claim 2, the stiffener limitation has no claimed structure and Wilson discloses a stiffener comprising a transition in thickness between (32,33; Fig. 3) which makes the top of the arm (at 32; Fig. 3) thicker and stiffer than the bottom of the arm (at 33; Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 3, Heffe discloses support in multiple directions (11,12,13,14) comprising truncated cone shaped convex arm surface (11,14) and concave interlock surface (12,13).
Regarding claim 4, Heffe teaches that the roller disk support (7) is a pin which is an integral axle part (Fig. 6) of a roller disk (1).
Regarding claim 5, Heffe teaches that the roller disk support (7) is tapered, truncated cone-shaped (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 6, Heffe teaches that the roller disk support (7) has a bore (Fig. 1) for a cap screw (8).
Regarding claim 7, the arm of Heffe has a curved feature comprising a truncated cone-shaped convex curved surface (11,14) and a curved recess (15; Fig. 2).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5-12-2026 have been fully considered. The references to Wilson and Heffe have been used to respond to Applicants’ amendment which appears to be directed to the embodiment of Figs. 27-31. It is an obvious modification to use the concave/convex connection of Heffe to connect to the support arm of Wilson since the arm of Wilson is a connection arm to a roller disk support and Wilson and Heffe are directed to mounting roller disk tools.
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 EDWARD THOMAS TOLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4525. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5.
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/EDWARD T TOLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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