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 § 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, 5-7 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kanaan (US 5944327).
Regarding claim 1, Kanaan discloses a collet (chuck) 10 for a tool 62. The collet comprises an outer nut 26 including a grip 50 and defining a collet bore configured to receive a chuck (collet) 22 therein, and having a collet engagement surface 43 engageable with the chuck to selectively secure a tool accessory. A spring 52 including an extension portion 54 is engageable with an external part of an output shaft (press-fit onto output shaft assembly 12/30) and provides feedback to a user regarding securement of the collet (Col. 5, Lines 10-30).
Regarding claim 2, Kanaan discloses the collet bore including a threaded portion (internal surface of the outer nut, including 27) configured to engage the output shaft.
Regarding claim 3, Kanaan discloses the outer nut defining one or more apertures (individual recesses 56) engageable by the spring.
Regarding claim 5, Kanaan discloses the outer nut including one or more apertures (individual recesses 56) and the spring including a corresponding quantity of extension portions 55, wherein the one or more apertures are defined in an unthreaded portion of the outer nut (i.e. a portion of the internal surface of the outer nut not occupied by threads 27).
Regarding claim 6, Kanaan discloses the feedback including an audible or tactile feedback (Col. 5, Lines 26-30).
Regarding claim 7, Kanaan discloses the extension portion being engageable (i.e. pressed into) a groove of the output shaft (the reduced diameter portion at shoulder 46 illustrated in Figs. 1-2) on rotation of the outer nut.
Regarding claim 11, Kanaan discloses a sleeve 60 being coupled to the outer nut and at least partially enclosing the spring (i.e. in the axial direction, see e.g. Fig. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 21-32 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 09/22/2026 with respect to claims 1-3, 5-7 and 11 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the chuck device of Kanaan does not disclose the claimed limitation ‘engageable with an external part of an output shaft of the tool’. This argument is respectfully traversed.
As outlined in the rejection above, Kanaan discloses the spring 52 being press-fit onto sleeve member 30 which is part of the output shaft 12 of the tool. As a press-fit requires an interference/engagement between the two parts, such an arrangement reads on the claim(s) as written. Within the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim(s), the Final Paragraph of claim 1 is interpreted to include a spring including an extension portion, said spring being engageable with an external part of an output shaft of the tool and providing the claimed feedback.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 26-32, filed 09/22/2026, specifically regarding the limitation of claim 4 being incorporated into new independent claim 26 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim 4 has been withdrawn and claim 26 is found to be Allowable.
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 Alan Snyder whose telephone number is (571)272-4603. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 7:00a - 5:00p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sunil K Singh can be reached at 571-272-3460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Alan Snyder/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3722
