DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the election filed March 27, 2026. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Claims 1-22 are pending. Claims 4-7, 9, 11 and 18-21 are withdrawn as set forth below. Claims 1-3, 8, 10, 12-17 and 22 stand rejected as set forth below.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 4-7, 9, 11 and 18-21 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on March 27, 2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Species I in the reply filed on March 27, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the search will not place an undue burden on the examiner. This is not found persuasive because it would be both a search and examination burden due to the large number of species with mutually exclusive characteristics. While they may be in similar classes it would present a burden to try to search for so many different features that are not usable together and appear very different. In addition, it would present an examination burden as a piece of art that reads on one of the species will not read on all of the other species because they are so different, thus resulting in multiple strings of rejections with different references.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 1-3, 8, 10, 12-17 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US Pub 2023/0026773) (hereinafter Wang).
In regard to Claim 1, Wang discloses an adapter (200) for use to connect a connector to a safety harness (Fig 4a), the connector being adapted to connect a device to the safety harness, the safety harness including webbing and a D-shim, the D-shim including spaced slots through which each of two sections of the webbing pass, a D-ring being connected via a connector passage in the D-ring to the two sections of webbing passing between the spaced slots (Fig 1), the adapter comprising: an extending body adapted to maintain an open volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim so that a section of the connector may be passed through the open volume maintained between the two sections of the webbing to removably connect the connector to the safety harness (Figs 1,4) the extending body of the adapter being formed separately from the D-shim and from the D-ring (Fig 1), the extending body being configured to be placed into a looped volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the spaced slots and the upper surface of the D-shim with the D-ring connected to the two sections of the webbing extending between the spaced slots (Fig 1).
In regard to Claim 2, Wang discloses the adapter as described above, wherein the extending body comprises an extending base, an extending webbing support spaced from the extending base, and an intermediate member connected between the extending base and the extending webbing support (See annotated Fig 4a).
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In regard to Claim 3, Wang discloses the adapter as described above, wherein the intermediate member divides the open volume into a first volume on a first side of the intermediate member and a second volume on a second side of the intermediate member when the adapter is connected to the safety harness, a portion of the D-ring being positioned within the first volume (within 222) (Figs 1, 4a), wherein the connector may be passed through the second volume (within 210 ) (Figs 1, 4a).
In regard to Claim 8, Wang discloses the adapter as described above, wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the extending body of the adapter is configured to support the two sections of the webbing (Fig 1).
In regard to Claim 10, Wang discloses the adapter as described above, further comprising a first upward extending flange on a first lateral end of the portion of the upper surface and a second extending flange on a second lateral end of the portion of the upper surface (Fig 1).
In regard to Claim 12, Wang discloses the adapter as described above, further comprising at least one member (241, 242) extending downward from the extending body of the adapter which is configured to extend into at least one of the spaced slots (Fig 4a).
In regard to Claim 13, Wang discloses the adapter as described above, further comprising a first member (241) extending downward from the extending body of the adapter which is configured to extend into at least one of the spaced slots and a second member (242) extending downward from the extending body of the adapter which is configured to extend into another of the spaced slots (Figs 1, 2, 4).
In regard to Claim 14, Wang discloses a method of providing for removable connection of a connector to a safety harness (Fig 1), the connector being adapted to connect a device to the safety harness, the safety harness including webbing (21) and a D-shim (100) (Fig 1), the D-shim including two spaced slots through which each of two sections of the webbing pass to connect to a D-ring (12) via a connector passage in the D-ring (Fig 1), the method comprising: positioning an adapter (200) within a looped volume formed in the two sections of the webbing passing between the two spaced slots (Fig 1), the adapter comprising an extending body adapted to maintain an open volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the two spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim so that the connector may be passed through the open volume to removably connect the connector to the safety harness (Figs 1, 4a), the extending body of the adapter being formed separately from the D-shim and from the D-ring (Fig 1), the extending body being configured to be placed into the looped volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the two spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim with the D-ring is connected to the two section of webbing extending between the two spaced slots (Fig 1).
In regard to Claim 15, Wang discloses the adapter as described above, further comprising tightening the two sections of the webbing over the adapter after placing the connector into the looped volume (Fig 1).
In regard to Claim 16, Wang discloses the adapter as described above, wherein the extending body comprises an extending base, an extending webbing support spaced from the extending base, and an intermediate member connected between the extending base and the extending webbing support (See annotated Fig 4a).
In regard to Claim 17, Wang discloses the adapter as described above, wherein the intermediate member divides the open volume into a first volume on a first side of the intermediate member and a second volume on a second side of the intermediate member when the adapter is connected to the safety harness, a portion of the D-ring being positioned within the first volume (within 222) (Figs 1, 4a), and wherein the connector is passed through the second volume (within 210) (Figs 1, 4a).
In regard to Claim 22, Wang discloses a system (Fig 1), comprising: a safety harness comprising webbing (21) and a D-shim (100), the D-shim including two spaced slots through which each of two sections of the webbing pass (Fig 1), the safety harness further comprising a D-ring (12) connected between the D-shim and the two sections of webbing passing between the two space slots via a connector passage of the D-ring (Fig 1), each of the two section of the webbing passing through the connector passage (Fig 1), and an adapter (200) configured to form a connection with a connector, the connector being adapted to connect a device to the safety harness [0036], the adapter comprising an extending body adapted to maintain an open volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the two spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim so that the connector may be passed through the volume to removably connect the connector to the safety harness (Fig 1), the extending body of the adapter being formed separately from the D-shim and from the D-ring (Figs 1, 2), the extending body being configured to be placed into a looped volume between the two sections of the webbing extending between the two spaced slots and an upper surface of the D-shim with the D-ring connected to the two section of webbing extending between the two spaced slots (Fig 1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See list of references on PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Brian Mattei whose telephone number is (571)270-3238. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:00 to 5:00.
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/BRIAN D MATTEI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3635
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