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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 22, 2023 and May 6, 2025 were filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed November 22, 2023 are accepted.
Abstract
The Abstract filed November 22, 2023 is accepted.
Specification
The specification filed November 22, 2023 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.
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Adeokun (GB 2523727 A).
With respect to claim 1, Adeokun discloses an apparatus (See Figure 1) for aligning a handlebar of a muscle-powered vehicle (i.e. bicycle, figures 1.1, 2 and 3) to a component of the muscle-powered vehicle, comprising an arrangement device (1) for arranging the apparatus at two arrangement spots (left and right mounts 1), which are spaced-apart to one another, at the handlebar (See Figure 3); and a component pointer (6) providing a positioning location for positioning the component pointer (6) at the component; wherein the positioning location, in a state of the apparatus arranged at the handlebar, is substantially equally spaced-apart from the two arrangement spots.
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Referring to claim 3, Adeokun sets forth an apparatus configured for aligning the handlebar to two different components of the muscle-powered vehicle (i.e. perpendicular to front wheel and with respect to the stem of the bicycle frame as shown in figure 3); the component pointer (6) provides at least one positioning location for positioning the component pointer at the two components (See Figure 3); and the at least one positioning location, in the state of the apparatus arranged at the handlebar, is substantially equally spaced-apart from the two arrangement spots (See Figure 3).
Claims 1, 2 and 6 - 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Braunlich (EP 4 394 312 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Braunlich discloses an apparatus (See Figure 4) for aligning a handlebar of a muscle-powered vehicle (i.e. bicycle, figure 3) to a component of the muscle-powered vehicle, comprising an arrangement device (1’) for arranging the apparatus at two arrangement spots (left and right mounts 21’ and 22’ ), which are spaced-apart to one another, at the handlebar (See Figure 3); and a component pointer (5’) providing a positioning location for positioning the component pointer (53) at the component; wherein the positioning location, in a state of the apparatus arranged at the handlebar, is substantially equally spaced-apart from the two arrangement spots.
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Referring to claim 2, Braunlich sets forth an apparatus wherein the arrangement device (1’) is configured for pivotably arranging the apparatus at the two arrangement spots (21’ and 22’); and the arrangement device (1’), in the state of the apparatus arranged at the handlebar (Figure 3), is pivotable about a pivot axis (29, 30) which extends through the two arrangement spots or runs parallel to the two arrangement spots.
In regards to claim 6, Braunlich teaches an apparatus further comprising two legs (21’ and 22’) which are connected via a rotating joint (29, 30); wherein the component pointer (53) provides the positioning location on an axis of rotation of the rotating joint; and wherein the arrangement device is arranged at the two legs (See Figure 4).
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Regarding claim 7, Braunlich shows an apparatus wherein the two legs (21, 21’, 22, 22’) are connected with a tensioning mechanism (4, for example) which, in the state of the apparatus arranged at the handlebar, causes the apparatus to be tensioned at the handlebar via the arrangement device (by means of a form-fitting and force-fitting manner, as recited in claim 1).
With regards to claim 8, Braunlich discloses an apparatus wherein the component pointer (52, 53) comprises a mandrel (4, 4’), and a mandrel tip of the mandrel provides the positioning location (Figures 2 and 4).
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Referring to claim 9, the method for aligning a handlebar (11) of a muscle-powered vehicle (i.e. bicycle) to a component of the muscle-powered vehicle by means of the apparatus (1, 1’) comprising the steps of arranging the arranging device of the apparatus at two arranging spots (21, 21’, 22, 22’) which are spaced-apart to one another, at the handlebar (Figures 1 and 3); positioning the component pointer (52, 53) of the apparatus at the component; and adjusting a connection mechanism connecting the handlebar with the component will be achieved by the regular operation of the apparatus disclosed by Braunlich.
In regards to claim 10, the method wherein in the step of positioning the component pointer (52, 53) is positioned at a deflectable component (i.e. front wheel) of the muscle-powered vehicle; and in the step of adjusting, a deflection-side connection mechanism is adjusted, which is configured to non-rotatably connect the handlebar with a fork shaft of the muscle-powered vehicle (Figures 1 and 3) will be achieved by the regular operation of the apparatus disclosed by Braunlich.
Regarding claim 11, the method wherein the deflectable component of the muscle-powered vehicle is a front wheel (See Figures 1 and 3) will be achieved by the regular operation of the apparatus disclosed by Braunlich.
With respect to claim 12, the method wherein in the step of positioning the component pointer (52, 53) is positioned at a frame-side component of the muscle-powered vehicle; and in the step of adjusting, a frame-side connection mechanism is adjusted, which connects a fork shaft of the muscle-powered vehicle with the frame-side component and is configured to adjust a relative deflection of the fork shaft to the frame-side component will be achieved by the regular operation of the apparatus disclosed by Braunlich (See specification below).
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Referring to claim 13, the method wherein the frame-side component of the muscle-powered vehicle is a top tube or a saddle (See Figures 1 and 3) will be achieved by the regular operation of the apparatus disclosed by Braunlich.
In regards to claim 14, the method wherein the step of adjusting is performed after the step of positioning for aligning the handlebar to the deflectable component; and subsequently, as further steps in the positioning the component pointer (52, 53) is positioned at a frame-side component of the muscle-powered vehicle (i.e. bicycle); and then in a further step of adjusting, a frame-side connection mechanism (13) is adjusted, which connects a fork shaft of the muscle-powered vehicle with the frame-side component and is configured to adjust a relative deflection of the fork shaft to the frame-side component will be achieved by the regular operation of the apparatus disclosed by Braunlich.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claims 4 – 5 are allowable because the prior art fails to teach or suggest a teaches an apparatus wherein the arrangement device is configured for arranging the apparatus at two handlebar end sections of the handlebar and wherein the arrangement device comprises two arrangement elements, each of which comprises a funnel-shaped receptacle for centrically receiving one of the two handlebar end sections in combination with the remaining limitations of the claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references are considered relevant but fail to teach the combination as claimed:
Respass et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0146890 A1)
Hamilton (US Pub. No. 2015/0323315 A1)
Kettle (US Pub. No. 2014/0375993 A1)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YARITZA GUADALUPE-MCCALL whose telephone number is (571)272-2244. The examiner can normally be reached Mon -Thu, 8:00am - 6:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Laura E Martin can be reached at 571-272-2160. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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YARITZA GUADALUPE-MCCALL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2855
January 9, 2026
/YARITZA GUADALUPE-MCCALL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855