Detailed Action
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.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Although it depends from claim 18, which recites a kit, claim 20 recites “the mockup engine block of claim 18.” Thus, the claim fails to further limit the claim upon which it depends.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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) A person shall be entitled to a patent unless—
(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 10 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by How To Make A Mini V8 Engine From Paper (as evidenced by Youtube.com and Cardboard_V8.pdf) (“CV8”).
Regarding claim 10, CV8 discloses a mockup engine block assembly kit comprising a first and second set of cylinder extension walls (pp. 8-9), first and second face plates (pp. 2-3), wherein the first and second set of cylinder extension walls are configured to be supported between the first and second face plates to form respective first and second cylinder heads (p, 9), and a set of motor mount extensions configured to be supported between the first and second face plates (pp. 4-6).
Regarding claim 16, CV8 discloses wherein the first and second set of cylinder extension walls are secured to and supported by the first and second face plates (pp. 8-9).
Regarding claim 17, CV8 discloses wherein the first and second set of cylinder extension walls are directly connected to the first and second face plates (pp. 8-9).
Regarding claim 18, CV8 discloses a bottom face plate configured to be supported between the first and second face plates (p. 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 and 19 are allowed. Claims 11-15 are 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. Claim 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, no identified reference discloses “supporting a second set of cylinder extension walls between the first face plate and the second face plate.” Regarding claim 19, no identified reference discloses “a second set of cylinder extension walls with tabs on respective ends that extend into a second set of openings of the first and second face plates.” Claims 11-15 are allowable because they depend from allowable independent claims.
Conclusion
The prior art considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and not relied upon is made of record on the attached PTO-892 form.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVE ROWLAND whose telephone number is (469) 295-9129. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th 10-8. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor Dmitry Suhol can be reached at (571) 272-4430. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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Applicant may choose, at his or her discretion, to correspond with Examiner via Internet e-mail. A paper copy of any and all email correspondence will be placed in the appropriate patent application file. Email communication must be authorized in advance. Without a written authorization by applicant in place, the USPTO will not respond via e-mail to any correspondence which contains information subject to the confidentiality requirement as set forth in 35 U.S.C. 122.
Authorization may be perfected by submitting, on a separate paper, the following (or similar) disclaimer:
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Recognizing that Internet communications are not secure, I hereby authorize the USPTO to communicate with me concerning any subject matter of this application by electronic mail. I understand that a copy of these communications will be made of record in the application file.
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See MPEP 502.03 for more information.
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/STEVE ROWLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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