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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I: Figs. 1-16 and 25-27 in the reply filed on 05/01/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities:
It is unclear what the applicant meant in claim 6 by the phrase “the first internal thread on the inner surface of the first slot and the second internal thread formed on the inner surface of the second slot are distributed without over a semicircle in a circumferential direction”. The term “without” is unclear to the examiner and the phrase appear to make sense without the term it.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-2 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Espinosa US10018216 (hereinafter, Espinosa) in view of Hoppe et al., US20200262034 (hereinafter, Hoppe).
Regarding claim 1, Espinosa teaches a slotted nut for hold down threaded rods similar to a quick install nut (2, see Fig. 3) comprising: an entrance end (end towards opening 20 in Fig. 3), an exit end (end towards opposite end 18), a half-shell first threaded portion 26 corresponding to the entrance end, and a half-shell second threaded portion 24 corresponding to the exit end and connected with the first threaded portion (see Fig. 3); wherein the first threaded portion includes a first slot (FS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 3), a segment of first internal thread formed on an inner surface of the first slot (see segments of first internal thread 26 formed in inner side of the nut 2), and a first relief space (FRS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 3) communicating with a radial opening (see opening in at entrance end at 20) of the first slot; wherein the second threaded portion 24 is composed of a second slot (SS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 3), a segment of second internal thread (see segments of second internal thread 24 formed in inner side of the nut 2 in Fig. 3) formed on an inner surface of the second slot (see Fig. 3), and a second relief space communicating with a radial opening of the second slot; wherein the first slot and the second slot are disposed on a central axis 22 of the quick install nut in a staggered manner (see Fig. 3) so that the radial openings of the first and the second slots are in opposite directions with a 180-degree angle between the radial openings (see Figs. 3-4).
Espinosa fails to teach wherein a compression wall is formed on the first threaded portion.
Hoppe teaches a nut (300, see Fig. 12) having a compression wall (CW, as indicated in annotated Fig. 12) formed on the first threaded portion (302, see Fig. 12).
It is the examiner’s position that it is common and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified the nut in Espinosa to have a compression wall as taught by Hoppe so the nut can be rotated to an angled position to align the cut-away position 306 with the length of the threaded shaft 310 for effective mounting and dismounting of the nut. Further, bigger compression wall makes the mounting and dismounting of the nut easier using hand or a tool.
PNG
media_image1.png
340
353
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Annotated Fig. 3
PNG
media_image2.png
338
414
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Annotated Fig. 12
Regarding claim 2, Espinosa in view of Hoppe teaches and/or make obvious of the quick install nut as claimed in claim 1, wherein Espinosa further teaches the first threaded portion 26 and the second threaded portion 24 have a distance 32 on the central axis 22 between them and connected with each other by a connecting portion 30.
Regarding claim 6, Espinosa in view of Hoppe teaches and/or make obvious of the quick install nut as claimed in claim 1, as best understood, Espinosa further teaches wherein the first internal thread 26 on the inner surface of the first slot (see Fig. 3) and the second internal thread 24 formed on the inner surface of the second slot are distributed without over a semicircle (see shape of the interior and exterior region of the threaded portion in Fig. 3 appear to be semicircular) in a circumferential direction (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 7, Espinosa in view of Hoppe teaches and/or make obvious of the quick install nut as claimed in claim 1, wherein Hoppe further teaches the compression wall (see annotated Fig. 12 above) of the first threaded portion 302 is U-shaped (see Fig. 12 showing semicircular shaped compression wall) and provided a slanting surface (SLS, as indicated in annotated Fig. 12), but fails to teach wherein slanting surface is formed on each of two ends of the compression wall.
However, it is the examiner’s position upon given that Espinosa teaches only single slanting surface, that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have slanting surface formed on each of two ends of the compression wall for effective rotation of the nut during installation, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. (see MPEP 2144.05)
Regarding claim 8, Espinosa in view of Hoppe teaches and/or make obvious of the quick install nut as claimed in claim 1, wherein Espinosa in view Hoppe in embodiment in Fig. 12 fails to teach an outer peripheral wall of the first threaded portion is provided with a mounting-and-locking peripheral wall for allowing a wrench tool to mount and hold.
However, Hoppe in embodiment shown in Fig. 15 teaches an outer peripheral wall 332 of the first threaded portion (see top threaded portion in Fig. 15) is provided with a mounting-and-locking peripheral wall (see flat hexagonal wall in Fig. 15) for allowing a wrench tool to mount and hold).
It is the examiner’s position that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the outer peripheral wall of nut disclosed by Espinosa to have a mounting-and-locking peripheral wall as taught by Hoppe in embodiment shown in Fig. 15 so the drive surfaces 332 are configured to receive a tool to rotate the nut 300 or 320 (see para. [0075])
Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Espinosa in view of Hoppe, in further view of LI et al., US20090297294 (hereinafter, LI).
Regarding claim 3, Espinosa in view of Hoppe teaches and/or make obvious of the quick install nut as claimed in claim 2, but fails to teach wherein the connecting portion includes two connection ribs correspondingly connected with two corresponding sides of the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion; a crossing space is defined among the connection ribs and adjacent area for communicating with the first slot, the first relief space, the second slot, and the second relief space.
However, LI teaches a quick fastening nut having a first ring member 10 and second ring member 20, wherein first ring member having ribs (17, see Figs. 6-7) connection portion 14 includes two ribs correspondingly connected with two corresponding sides of the first threaded portion and the second threaded portion (see Fig. 6 having two sides threads opposite to each other in interior region of the fastening portion 14); a crossing space (see empty space between connecting portions 14 in Fig. 6) is defined among the connection ribs and adjacent area for communicating with the first slot 12, the first relief space and the second relief space (see spaces between connection portion 14 in either side of the ring member 10 in Fig. 6).
It is the examiner’s position that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified the nut in Espinosa to have two connection ribs as disclosed in LI so the user may hold the protrusions/ribs to turn the quick fastening nut (see para. [0020]) and/or the ribs may function as deformable portion designed to bend as intended by the user (see para. [0021]).
Regarding claim 4, Espinosa in view of Hoppe, in further view of LI teaches and/or make obvious of the quick install nut as claimed in claim 3, wherein LI teaches each of the connection rib 17 is provided with a pulled surface (see each side of the connection 17 in Fig. 6) for manual turning and operation (see para. [0020-0021]).
Regarding claim 5, Espinosa in view of Hoppe, in further view of LI teaches and/or make obvious of the quick install nut as claimed in claim 3, wherein LI further teaches the connection rib 17 is further extending and connected to outer wall surfaces on two opposite sides of the second threaded portion (see threaded portion in interior region of the fastening portion 14 and ribs 17 in two opposite sides).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Espinosa in view of Hoppe, in further view of Durrani US6134986 (hereinafter, Durrani).
Regarding claim 9, Espinosa in view of Hoppe teaches and/or make obvious of the quick install nut as claimed in claim 8, but fails to teach wherein a plurality of teeth for mounting and locking is formed on the mounting-and-locking peripheral wall.
However, Durrani teaches a gear nut (see Fig. 1) having outer peripheral wall having a plurality of teeth 46 for mounting and locking (see Fig. 1).
It is the examiner’s position that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the outer peripheral wall in nut disclosed by Espinosa to have a plurality of teeth as taught by Durrani so the teeth may engage with the complementary worm tool which allow the work tool to support the greater output load.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIL K MAGAR whose telephone number is (571)272-8180. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:30.
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, Christine Mills can be reached at (571) 272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DIL K. MAGAR/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
Prosecution Insights