DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to amendments filed March 27, 2026.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Status of claims
Claims 1-16 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 5-8, 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the protrusion engages with a recess of the another coupling member such that the coupling members are connectable” in lines 14-16 of the claim. This is new matter within the claims and subject matter that was not described in Applicant’s disclosure at the time of filing. Applicant’s disclosure shows that the second section (200) has a protrusion (210, 210a-i) and that the first section (100) has a recess (113, 113a-i), wherein the protrusion engages with the recess of the first section (see Fig. 5-12 and [0020]-[0041]). There is no where within Applicant’s disclosure or specification that states that the protrusion of the second section engages with a recess of any other component that is not the corresponding first section.
Claims 6-8, 13-16 are rejected as they depend from claim 5.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hirano (US 9,341,210).
Regarding claim 1, Hirano discloses a fitting structure comprising:
a first section (14) including a shaft portion (see Annotated Fig. 1 below) and a diameter-enlarged portion (see Annotated Fig. 1) provided at one end of the shaft portion (see Annotated Fig. 1); and
a second section (12) enclosing the first section from the outside in a radial direction of the shaft portion (see Fig. 4),
wherein the first section and the second section of the fitting structure are provided in a single component (see Fig. 4 showing the first section 14 and second section 12 forming a single component 10),
wherein a diameter of the diameter-enlarged portion is larger than a diameter of the shaft portion (see Annotated Fig. 2 below),
wherein the shaft portion includes a recess (59) recessed inward in the radial direction of the shaft portion (see Fig. 3-4, 7),
wherein the second section extends in the radial direction of the shaft portion (see Fig. 3-4) and is elastically deformable at least in the radial direction of the shaft portion (see elastic deformation of the second section in the radial direction between Fig. 3-4), and
wherein the second section includes a protrusion (42) corresponding to the recess (see Fig. 4), and the protrusion engages the recess (see protrusions 42 engaging with 56A within the recess 59 in Fig. 4).
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Annotated Figure 1 Annotated Figure 2
Regarding claim 2, Hirano discloses wherein the shaft portion includes a first curved portion (see Annotated Fig. 3 below), and
wherein the second section (12) includes a second curved portion (see Annotated Fig. 3) corresponding to the first curved portion and adjacent to the protrusion (see Fig. 3-4 showing the second curved portion adjacent the protrusion 42, see Fig. 3 showing the first curved portion is received within, i.e. corresponds with, the second curved portion).
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Annotated Figure 3
Regarding claim 3, Hirano discloses wherein a surface of the diameter-enlarged portion opposite a surface side connected to the shaft portion is tilted outward in the radial direction of the shaft portion (see tilted surface of the diameter-enlarged portion in Annotated Fig. 4 below that is opposite surface 56A, which is connected to the shaft portion, and tilted outward in the radial direction).
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Annotated Figure 4
Regarding claim 4, Hirano discloses wherein the first section (14) and the second section (12) are held such that the second section does not rotate relative to the first section in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the shaft portion in a state in which the protrusion (42) engages with the recess (recess 59; Col. 5 lines 43-49 states the first and second sections are locked relative to one another due to portions 60 of the first section received within portions 40 of the second section).
Regarding claim 5, Hirano discloses a coupling member (10) configured to be connected to another coupling member (comprising 16, 18), the coupling member comprising:
a first section (14) including a shaft portion (see Annotated Fig. 1) provided at one end in a vertical direction of the coupling member (shaft portion extends in a vertical direction from first end 50) and having an axis (14B) parallel to the vertical direction (see Fig. 3-4) and a diameter-enlarged portion provided at one end of the shaft portion (see Annotated Fig. 1); and
a second section (12) provided at the other end in the vertical direction of the coupling member (see Fig. 3, the second section is provided at the location of second end 14a),
wherein a diameter of the diameter-enlarged portion is larger than a diameter of the shaft portion (see Annotated Fig. 2),
wherein the shaft portion includes a recess (59) recessed inward in a radial direction of the shaft portion (see Fig. 3-4, 7),
wherein the second section extends in the radial direction of the shaft portion (see Fig. 3-4) and is elastically deformable at least in the radial direction of the shaft portion (see elastic deformation of the second section in the radial direction between Fig. 3-4), and
wherein the second section includes a protrusion (second section has protrusions 42 and 34, where protrusions 34 extend downward from portion 26 of the second section) corresponding to the recess (see Fig. 4 showing protrusions 42 correspond and engaging with 56A within the recess 59 in Fig. 4), and the protrusion engages with a recess of the another coupling member such that the coupling members are connectable (see Fig. 4 showing protrusions 34 engaging within a recess formed by holes 20, 22 in 16 and 18, thereby coupling the coupling member to the another coupling member).
Regarding claim 6, Hirano discloses wherein the shaft portion includes a first curved portion (see Annotated Fig. 3), and
wherein the second section (12) includes a second curved portion (see Annotated Fig. 3) corresponding to the first curved portion and adjacent to the protrusion (see Fig. 3-4 showing the second curved portion adjacent the protrusion 42, see Fig. 3 showing the first curved portion is received within, i.e. corresponds with, the second curved portion).
Regarding claim 7, Hirano discloses wherein a surface of the diameter-enlarged portion opposite a surface side connected to the shaft portion is tilted outward in the radial direction of the shaft portion (see tilted surface of the diameter-enlarged portion in Annotated Fig. 4 that is opposite surface 56A, which is connected to the shaft portion, and tilted outward in the radial direction).
Regarding claim 8, Hirano discloses wherein the first section (14) and the second section (12) are held such that the second section does not rotate relative to the first section in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft portion in a state in which the protrusion (42) engages with the recess (recess 59; Col. 5 lines 43-49 states the first and second sections are locked relative to one another due to portions 60 of the first section received within portions 40 of the second section).
Regarding claim 9, Hirano discloses wherein a surface of the diameter-enlarged portion opposite a surface side connected to the shaft portion is tilted outward in the radial direction of the shaft portion (see tilted surface of the diameter-enlarged portion in Annotated Fig. 4 that is opposite surface 56A, which is connected to the shaft portion, and tilted outward in the radial direction).
Regarding claim 10, Hirano discloses wherein the first section (14) and the second section (12) are held such that the second section does not rotate relative to the first section in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the shaft portion in a state in which the protrusion (42) engages with the recess (recess 59; Col. 5 lines 43-49 states the first and second sections are locked relative to one another due to portions 60 of the first section received within portions 40 of the second section).
Regarding claim 11, Hirano discloses wherein the first section (14) and the second section (12) are held such that the second section does not rotate relative to the first section in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the shaft portion in a state in which the protrusion (42) engages with the recess (recess 59; Col. 5 lines 43-49 states the first and second sections are locked relative to one another due to portions 60 of the first section received within portions 40 of the second section).
Regarding claim 12, Hirano discloses wherein the first section (14) and the second section (12) are held such that the second section does not rotate relative to the first section in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the shaft portion in a state in which the protrusion (42) engages with the recess (recess 59; Col. 5 lines 43-49 states the first and second sections are locked relative to one another due to portions 60 of the first section received within portions 40 of the second section).
Regarding claim 13, Hirano discloses wherein a surface of the diameter-enlarged portion opposite a surface side connected to the shaft portion is tilted outward in the radial direction of the shaft portion (see tilted surface of the diameter-enlarged portion in Annotated Fig. 4 that is opposite surface 56A, which is connected to the shaft portion, and tilted outward in the radial direction).
Regarding claim 14, Hirano discloses wherein the first section (14) and the second section (12) are held such that the second section does not rotate relative to the first section in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft portion in a state in which the protrusion (42) engages with the recess (recess 59; Col. 5 lines 43-49 states the first and second sections are locked relative to one another due to portions 60 of the first section received within portions 40 of the second section).
Regarding claim 15, Hirano discloses wherein the first section (14) and the second section (12) are held such that the second section does not rotate relative to the first section in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft portion in a state in which the protrusion (42) engages with the recess (recess 59; Col. 5 lines 43-49 states the first and second sections are locked relative to one another due to portions 60 of the first section received within portions 40 of the second section).
Regarding claim 16, Hirano discloses wherein the first section (14) and the second section (12) are held such that the second section does not rotate relative to the first section in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft portion in a state in which the protrusion (42) engages with the recess (recess 59; Col. 5 lines 43-49 states the first and second sections are locked relative to one another due to portions 60 of the first section received within portions 40 of the second section).
Response to Arguments
The amendments to the claims, drawings, and specification filed March 27, 2026 have been received. The prior objections to the claims and the drawings have been overcome.
As to Applicant’s amended claims, Applicant argues that claim 1 overcomes the prior art of Hirano, as claim 1 now states that “wherein the first section and the second section of the fitting structure are provided in a single component”. Examiner respectfully disagrees.
It can be seen in Fig. 4 of Hirano that when the first section (14) and the second section (12) are assembled together, they form a single component (10). As such, based upon Examiner’s interpretation of the prior art, and when giving the claims their broadest reasonable interpretation, Hirano does disclose that “the first section and the second section of the fitting structure are provided in a single component”.
Additionally, an alternative interpretation of Hirano could point to Fig. 4, which shows that the first section (14) and the second section (12) are both received within an opening (20) of component (16), thereby presenting the first and second sections being “provided” in the component (16).
Examiner does note with respect to claim 1 that if the language were to recite “wherein the first section and the second section of the fitting structure are integrally connected together”, such language would overcome the prior art of Hirano.
As to claim 5, Applicant argues that the newly added language of the protrusion of the second section “engages with a recess of the another coupling member” overcomes the prior art of Hirano. Examiner respectfully disagrees.
As stated above, the amendment to claim 5 contains new matter within the claims, as the protrusion of the second section is only disclosed as engaging or being configured to engage with a recess of the first section. Further, even if such were presented Applicant’s disclosure, Hirano discloses of such language. See the 102 rejection of claim 5 above.
Conclusion
8. 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN J BAYNES whose telephone number is (571)270-1852. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30AM-4:30PM EST.
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, Amber Anderson can be reached on 571-270-5281. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K.J.B./Examiner, Art Unit 3678
/AMBER R ANDERSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3678
