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 .
The examiner acknowledges applicant’s amendments to claims 1-4, 8, 13, and 15-19, the cancellation of claim 7, and the addition of new claims 20 and 21 filed December 29, 2025. Claims 5, 6, 9-12, and 14 are withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 21 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In regards to claim 1, lines 12 and 13, the phrase “on the door leaf” should be changed to “in the door leaf” since the preceding language of the claim discuss the door locking being inserted into the door leaf.
In regards to claim 21, lines 12 and 13, the phrase “on the door leaf” should be changed to “in the door leaf” since the preceding language of the claim discuss the door locking being inserted into the door leaf.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8, 13, 15, and 17-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Myers et al. (US-9580931).
In regards to claim 1, Myers et al. discloses a door assembly for installation in or on a wall opening of a wall; the door assembly comprising: a door frame (inherent frame for door 126 and for cooperating with dead bolt 130 and latch bolt 132 as is known in the art), a door leaf 126, which defines a first door-leaf surface and a second door-leaf surface spaced away from the first door-leaf surface in a door-leaf thickness direction (see Figure 4 below), wherein the door leaf is comprehensively delimited by a first longitudinal face side (side with recess 530, see Figure 38 below), a second longitudinal face side (side opposite the first longitudinal face side, see Figure 38 below), a first transverse face side (see Figure 38 below) and a second transverse face side (see Figure 38 below), and wherein the door leaf is moveably connected to the door frame, and a locking system, the locking system comprising: a door lock (Figure 1) with a lock case 104 and a locking and/or blocking mechanism (mechanism shown in Figure 15) that is disposed within the lock case (Figure 15), the door lock further including a lock follower 122, wherein the door lock is inserted into the door leaf in the first longitudinal face side and held in position in the door leaf (Figures 7, 8, 38, and 39), and a drive arrangement 106, 534 with an electrically driven drive unit 106 and with an electrical power source 534, wherein the electrically driven drive unit is mechanically connected to the locking and/or blocking mechanism via the lock follower (Col. 9, lines 19-39), the electrically driven drive unit being located outside the lock case and disposed in the door-leaf thickness direction to one side of and immediately adjacent to the lock case (Figures 1-4).
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In regards to claim 2, Myers et al. discloses that the electrically driven drive unit is arranged proximate one of the first door-leaf surface and the second door-leaf surface (Figures 1-4).
In regards to claim 3, Myers et al. discloses that the electrically driven drive unit is held in a fixed position on the lock case (Figures 3 and 4).
In regards to claim 4, Myers et al. discloses that a majority of the electrically driven drive unit is held in the door leaf between the first door-leaf surface and the second door-leaf surface in the door-leaf thickness direction (Figures 3 and 4).
In regards to claim 8, Myers et al. discloses that the electrically driven drive unit is covered by a cover element 102 on one of the first door-leaf surface and the second door-leaf surface (Figure 4).
In regards to claim 13, Myers et al. discloses that the electrical power source is designed as an electrical power storage device (Col. 10, lines 62-65) and the electrical power storage device is held in the door leaf (Figures 38 and 39).
In regards to claim 15, Myers et al. discloses that the door leaf comprises a receptacle recess 530 in the first longitudinal face side and the electrical power storage device is arranged in the receptacle recess (Figures 38 and 39).
In regards to claim 17, Myers et al. discloses that the locking system comprises an electrical connection device 502, which electrical connection device is arranged in the first door-leaf surface (arranged in the first door-leaf surface in Figure 4 because the device 502 in located in electrically driven drive unit 106) and is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the electrical power source (Col. 10, lines 59-65).
In regards to claim 18, Myers et al. discloses that the electrical power source is selected from the group consisting of: an accumulator, a battery, and a capacitor (Col. 10, lines 62-65).
In regards to claim 19, Myers et al. discloses that the drive unit arrangement comprises a first communication unit 501 and a second communication unit 502 configured to interact, the first communication unit being at least designed to receive commands generated by the second communication unit and transmit the commands to the electrically driven drive unit for operation of the electrically driven drive unit (Col. 9, lines 19-39).
In regards to claim 20, Myers et al. discloses that the locking system comprises a lock cylinder 302 that is spaced apart from the lock follower at a distance measured perpendicular to the door-leaf thickness direction (Figure 2).
In regards to claim 21, Myers et al. discloses a door assembly for installation in or on a wall opening of a wall; the door assembly comprising: a door frame (inherent frame for door 126 and for cooperating with dead bolt 130 and latch bolt 132 as is known in the art), a door leaf 126, which defines a first door-leaf surface and a second door-leaf surface spaced away from the first door-leaf surface in a door-leaf thickness direction (see Figure 4 on Page 4 of the current Office Action), wherein the door leaf is comprehensively delimited by a first longitudinal face side (side with recess 530, see Figure 38 on Page 5 of the current Office Action), a second longitudinal face side (side opposite the first longitudinal face side, see Figure 38 on Page 5 of the current Office Action), a first transverse face side (see Figure 38 below) and a second transverse face side (see Figure 38 on Page 5 of the current Office Action), and wherein the door leaf is moveably connected to the door frame, and a locking system, the locking system comprising: a door lock (Figure 1) with a lock case 104 and a locking and/or blocking mechanism (mechanism shown in Figure 15) that is disposed within the lock case (Figure 15), the door lock further including a lock follower 122, wherein the door lock is inserted into the door leaf in the first longitudinal face side and held in position in the door leaf (Figures 7, 8, 38, and 39), and a drive arrangement 106, 534 with an electrically driven drive unit 106 and with an electrical power source 534, wherein the electrically driven drive unit is mechanically connected to the locking and/or blocking mechanism via the lock follower (Col. 9, lines 19-39), and the locking system comprises a lock cylinder 302 that is spaced apart from the lock follower at a distance measured perpendicular to the door-leaf thickness direction (Figure 2), a majority of the electrically driven drive unit being held in the door leaf between the first door-leaf surface and the second door-leaf surface in the door-leaf thickness direction (Figures 3 and 4), the electrically driven drive unit being located outside the lock case and disposed in the door-leaf thickness direction to one side of and immediately adjacent to the lock case (Figures 1-4).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Myers et al. (US-9580931) in view of Shen (US-9787127). Myers et al. discloses the locking system as applied to claim 1, but fails to disclose that the locking system comprises a contactless electrical transmission device with a first transmission element and a second transmission element, and the first transmission element is arranged in the first longitudinal face side of the door leaf and, when the door leaf is closed, the second transmission element is arranged in the door frame located directly opposite the first longitudinal face side, and the first transmission element is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the electrical power storage device. Shen discloses a locking system comprising a contactless electrical transmission device 511 with a first transmission element 515 and a second transmission element 513, and the first transmission element is arranged in a first longitudinal face side 451 of a door leaf 439 and, when the door leaf is closed, the second transmission element is arranged in a door frame 491 located directly opposite the first longitudinal face side (Figure 5B), and the first transmission element is connected in an electrically conductive manner to an electrical power storage device 517 (Col. 12, lines 37-45). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s invention to include a contactless electrical transmission device, with reasonable expectation of success, in order to provide charging capabilities to the electrical power storage device.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. The new rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 set forth in the current Office Action have been made in light of applicant’s amendments to the claims.
In light of applicant’s amendments to the claims and applicant’s remarks, the objections to the drawings, the objections to the claims, and the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in the previous Office Action are withdrawn. In light of applicant’s amendments to the claims, new claim objections are set forth in the current Office Action.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 ALYSON MERLINO whose telephone number is (571)272-2219. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7 AM to 3 PM.
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/ALYSON M MERLINO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675 March 24, 2026