DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Status of claims
Claims 1-60 are pending.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: Reference character 144a in Fig. 5; Reference characters 1010, 1011, 1114, 2220 in Fig. 13-15. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 8, 15, 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 8, 15, 16 should be amended to recite --perpendicular to the axis of the shaft portion-- as the axis of the shaft portion is already defined within claim 5.
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.
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 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) 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 (42) corresponding to the recess (see Fig. 4), and the protrusion engages with the recess such that the coupling members are connectable (see protrusions engaging with 56A within the recess 59 in Fig. 4, thus securing 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO-892.
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.
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/KEVIN J BAYNES/Examiner, Art Unit 3678