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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 2/24/2026 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Simons et al. (4,376,465)
Regarding claim 1, Simons et al. shows a sprinkler, comprising: a frame (37), comprising: a body (35) forming an internal passageway between an inlet and an outlet along a longitudinal axis; and a pair of frame arms (fig 8) extending from the body to a base; a deflector (40) coupled with the base; a seal (41) disposed in the outlet; and a trigger (43) coupled with the seal and the base, the trigger comprising: a first member (43) coupled with the seal (fig 9), the first member comprising a first end (46), a second end (47), and a curved portion (everything of 43 between the first end 46 and the second end 47) between the first end and the second end (fig 9), the first end to contact the seal, the second end comprising a plurality of receivers (60, 48) outward from the longitudinal axis (fig 9), the curved portion forming a groove (the groove for 54), the curved portion comprising a convex curvature between the first end and the groove (the surface of 43 has a concave section before and after the bump outs 51 and 53 that form the groove) and a concave curvature (the bends in 443 between 46 and 45) on an opposite side of the groove from the first end; a second member (55) having an edge coupled with the groove (fig 9); and a third member (57) coupled with the plurality of receivers and the second member ,the edge offset from the longitudinal axis (fig 9, the edge is not in the center of the groove which is the central axis).
Regarding claim 2, the plurality of receivers each comprise a slot (60) to receive the third member, the first member is at least one of an integral or monolithic from the first end to the second end (fig 9).
Regarding claim 3, the first member is disposed across the longitudinal axis (fig 9); and the third member is away from to the longitudinal axis (fig 9).
Regarding claim 5, a screw (39) received along the longitudinal axis in a channel of the base (fig 9), the screw comprising a screw end having one of a concave surface or a convex surface in contact with the second member to couple the second member with the base (fig 9); and the second member comprises a member end in contact with the screw end, the member end having the other of the concave surface or the convex surface (56).
Regarding claim 6, the seal comprises a button forming a receiver (49) to receive an end of the first member.
Regarding claim 7, the first member is positioned to cross the longitudinal axis at multiple points (fig 9).
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) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Simons et al. (4,376,465) in view of Ringer et al. (2014/0102729)
Regarding claim 4, Simons et al. shows all aspects of the applicant’s invention as in claim 1, including the third member is made of a fusible material (58 is a fusible material) to change state responsive to a temperature around the third member meeting or exceeding a threshold temperature,
But fails to disclose that the threshold temperature is at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
However Ringer et al teaches sprinkler with a fusible link 80 that has a threshold temperature is at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit [0061).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to make the threshold temperature of the fusible material at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit in order to detect a fire quickly.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Please see the above modified rejection of Simmons for details. The examiner is interpreting the bump outs that from the groove for element 55 to be the concave portion of the first member. These bump outs have both concave and convex surfaces.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON J BOECKMANN whose telephone number is (571)272-2708. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am to 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arthur Hall can be reached at (571) 270-1814. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON J BOECKMANN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752 5/6/2026
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