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 with traverse of Group III directed to Claims 13-21 in the reply filed on 26 February 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no serious search burden and that the claims do not comprise separate species. This is not found persuasive because the claims are restricted as not comprising a special technical feature over the prior art. Applicant has not demonstrated that the claims share the same special technical feature.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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.
Claim 21 is 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.
Claim 21 ends with “cleaners; and” and there is no period at the end of the claim. It is unclear whether the claim is intended to end as such and what the full claim limitations are which renders the claim indefinite. For the purposes of examination the semi-colon is considered to be a period for this claim.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 13-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (CN 110873010A).
With regards to Claim 13 Wang teaches:
A plastic intake manifold elastic buckle, hereinafter “buckle”, which reads on applicant's claimed plastic connector which comprises a positioning column, part 21, bayonets, part 22, and a self-positioning stop rib, part 23, which collectively read on applicant’s claimed connector body wherein the bayonets, parts 22, read on applicants claimed guide rail. A main shell, part 1, which comprise a matching part hole, part 4, and corresponding clamping grooves, parts 5, which reads on applicant's claimed fastener having a circumferential wall which surrounds the corresponding clamping grooves, part 5, which reads on applicant's claimed pair of oppositely positioned openings. The clamping grooves, parts 5, of the fastener form a snap-fit connection with the guide rail of the connector body such that the connector body and the fastener form the plastic connector and such that the fastener is slidable along the guide rail. (See Wang Abstract and Fig. 1-3)
With regards to Claim 14 Wang teaches:
The openings, part 5, and a cross-section of the guide rail, part 22, each define a square shape. (See Wang Fig. 3)
With regards to Claim 15 Wang teaches:
The fastener is elastic, and in an oval shape which reads on applicant's claimed o-shape. (See Wang Fig. 3 and Abstract)
With regards to Claim 16 Wang teaches:
The bayonets, parts 22, of the connector body comprise triangular shaped ends which extend outwardly from the guide rail which reads on applicant's claimed body position limiters. (See Wang Abstract and Fig. 1-3)
With regards to Claim 17 Wang teaches:
The ends of the bayonets have a curvature which matches with a curved side of the fastener such that the pressing the side of the fastener would not detach the bayonets, parts 22. (See Wang Fig. 3)
With regards to Claim 18 and 19 Wang teaches:
The fastener includes fastener arms, the parts around the clamping grooves parts 5, which extend transversely at a non-zero angle inside the fastener circumferential wall and located under the pair of openings which reads on applicant's claimed position limiters which press against the guide rail and prevent the fastener arms from posing out of mounting holes of a mounting bracket by interacting with the triangular ends of the bayonets. (See Wang Fig. 3)
The fastener has a pair of fastener position limiters inside the fastener circumferential wall in opposite directions from opposite sides of the circumferential wall. (See Wang Fig. 3)
With regards to Claim 20 Wang teaches:
The fastener arms extend outwardly from opposite sides along a short axis of the fastener and the fastener arms have a lead-in angle at an end. (See Wang Fig. 3 around part 5)
With regards to Claim 21 Wang teaches:
The connector body includes frame legs, the bent portions of part 23, located at sides of the connector body such that the frame legs can be received into first mounting holes, part 62, of the air cleaners. (See Wang Abstract and Fig. 3)
Other Applicable Prior Art
All other art cited not detailed above in a rejection is considered relevant to at least some portion or feature of the current application and is cited for possible future use for reference. Applicant may find it useful to be familiar with all cited art for possible future rejections or discussion.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIT E ANBACHT whose telephone number is (571)272-9876. The examiner can normally be reached on M, T, R, F 11 am - 4 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Dieterle can be reached on (571) 270-7872. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-9876.
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/BRIT E. ANBACHT/Examiner, Art Unit 1776
BRIT E. ANBACHT
Examiner
Art Unit 1776
Prosecution Insights