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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 22-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
There are several combinations of 2 or 3 items from a group of 5 items. It is unclear which combinations the Applicant tries to claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 2, 5-14, 16-19, and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ho (2014/0053408).
Regarding claim 1, Ho teaches a two-in-one knife comprising:
a handle 10;
a head 20 operatively coupled to the handle; the head having a first side 21 and a second side 22; and
a single retainer 40 the retainer adapted to secure a first type of blade 50 to the first side of the handle and adapted to secure a second type of blade 50 to the second side of the handle, the second type of blade being different from the first type of blade, further including at least one of the following features a) through e)
a) said single retainer selectively retaining said first type of blade and said second type of blade (see Fig. 1):
b) said single retainer being reversible for selectively retaining said first type of blade and said second type of blade;
c) said single retainer for preventing movement of the first type of blade and the second type of blade in a direction from said handle to said head;
d) said single retainer having a projection for restricting movement of said retainer relative to the head;
e) said single retainer having two different apertures therethrough, each aperture configured to retain a different type of blade.
See Figs. 1 and 5.
Alternately, the entire front head of the knife can be considered a single retainer and the single retainer has protrusions 15 or apertures (recesses on elements 20) for retaining the blades.
Regarding claim 2, the blades 50 are utility blades.
Regarding claim 5, recesses (21, 22) are best seen in Fig. 1.
Regarding claims 6 and 7, elements (43, 44) define a plate shape and has two apertures (441, 431). See Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 8, an elongate slot (the space between elements 43 and 44) is best seen in Fig. 1.
Regarding claims 9 and 10, an aperture of on the handle for receiving element 30 and an aperture at a rear end of the handle are best seen in Figs. 1 and 9. Or the handle has apertures for connecting two halves of the handle. See Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 11, the L-shaped recess of the channel 14 defines a projection and a notch for engaging with element 41 of the retainer. See Fig. 1.
Regarding claims 12 and 13, the handle having two projections 15 on the same side is best seen in Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 14, the handle having two projections 15 and 16 on opposite side of the handle is best seen in Fig. 5.
Regarding claim 16, the retainer having a projection 41 and the handle having a recess 14 for receiving the projection are best seen in Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 17, Ho teaches a two-in-one knife comprising:
an elongated handle 10 having first and second ends; said handle having first and second blade-receiving heads (both sides of element 20); and
a retainer (15, 20, 40), said retainer adapted to secure a first type of blade 50 to the first blade receiving head and adapted to secure a second type of blade 50 to the second blade receiving head, the second type of blade being different from the first type of blade, said retainer being reversible for selectively retaining said first type of blade and said second type of blade, said retainer having a projection 15 for preventing movement of the first type of blade and the second type of blade in a direction from said handle to said head.
See Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 18, the blade heads at the same end of the handle are best seen in Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 19, the blade heads on both sides of the handle are best seen in Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 21, Ho teaches a two-in-one knife having a head 20 and a handle 10,
the head is operatively coupled to the handle;
the head having a first side and a second side; and
the retainer (15, 20, 40) adapted to secure a first type of blade to the first side of the handle and adapted to secure a second type of blade to the second side of the handle.
See Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 22, the knife in Ho can perform items (a) and (c).
Regarding claim 23, the knife in Ho can perform items (a), (b), and (c).
Regarding claim 24, the knife in Ho can perform items (a)-(e).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/06/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding Applicant’s argument with respect to Ho, the term “single retainer” broad since there is no structure of the element. Therefore, there are many interpretations of the term. For example, element 40 or a combination of elements (20, 40) or the front head section of knife can be considered “a single retainer”. They all retain the blades. When the front head section of the knife is considered “a single retainer”, it contains protrusions 15 or apertures (two recesses areas on element 20 as viewed from front-rear direction) for receiving the blades.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 PHONG H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4510. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Boyer Ashley can be reached at 571-272-4502. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHONG H NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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