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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is the Final Office Action for application number 18/572,467 SPRING CARRIER filed on 12/20/2023. Claims 16-35 are pending. This Final Office Action is in response to applicant’s reply dated 5/18/2026. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Applicant's amendment necessitated any new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/18/2026, 6/1/2026, 6/12/2026 and 6/17/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 16-18, 22-28, 31, 32 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent No. 7,845,056 to Chevallier.
With regards to claim 16, the patent to Chevallier teaches a spring carrier for receiving, retaining, and discharging of a coil spring in a manufacturing assembly process, the spring carrier having an elongate hollow body (10) defining an inner cavity (12) configured to receive the coil spring (13); an opening at a first proximal end of the hollow body for insertion of the coil spring into the inner cavity and extraction of the coil spring from the inner cavity; the hollow body including a second distal end opposite to the first proximal end; and at least one deflectable member (14) located proximate to the first proximal end of the hollow body and including a retaining portion which is configured to retain the coil spring when the coil spring is located within the inner cavity, wherein the at least one deflectable member is movable between a first unbiased position, whereby the retaining portion extends into the inner cavity to retain the coil spring within the inner cavity, and a second biased position, whereby the retaining portion is disposed outwardly to allow the coil spring to be extracted from the inner cavity through the opening.
With regards to claim 17, Chevallier teaches wherein the at least one deflectable member extends substantially parallel to a central axis of the hollow body in the first unbiased position. (See Figure 2)
With regards to claim 18, Chevallier teaches wherein the at least one deflectable member includes an actuation feature (24) for engagement with an actuator to deflect the at least one deflectable member from the first unbiased position to the second biased position.
With regards to claim 22, Chevallier teaches wherein the at least one deflectable member (14) includes an actuation feature for engagement with an actuator to deflect the at least one deflectable member from the first unbiased position (See Figure 4) to the second biased position (See Figure 2).
With regards to claim 23, Chevallier teaches wherein the hollow body includes a flange (10B) at the first proximal end of the hollow body and extending radially outwardly from the hollow body.
With regards to claim 24, Chevallier teaches wherein the flange extends uninterrupted around the perimeter of the hollow body. (See Figure 6)
With regards to claims 25 and 27, Chevallier teaches, wherein the hollow body includes a flared region (at 103) between the first proximal end and the second distal end such that the cross- sectional area of the inner cavity differs along an axial direction of the hollow body. (See Figure 2)
With regards to claims 26 and 28, Chevallier teaches wherein the at least one deflectable member (14) is disposed at the flared region of the hollow body.
With regards to claim 31, all of the limitations have been shown above including an elongate hollow body defining an inner cavity configured to receive a coil spring; an opening at a first proximal end of the hollow body for insertion of the coil spring into the inner cavity and extraction of the coil spring from the inner cavity; the hollow body including a second distal end opposite to the first proximal end; and at least one deflectable member located proximate to the first proximal end of the hollow body and including a retaining portion which is configured to retain the coil spring when the coil spring is located within the inner cavity, wherein the deflectable member is movable between a first unbiased position, whereby the retaining portion extends into the inner cavity to retain the coil spring within the inner cavity, and a second biased position, whereby the retaining portion is disposed outwardly to allow the coil spring to be extracted from the inner cavity through the opening; and an actuator configured for engagement with the at least one deflectable member and operable to move the at least one deflectable member from the first unbiased position to the second biased position.
With regards to claim 32, Chevallier teaches wherein the actuator (24) comprises a hollow elongate rod configured to be inserted into the opening at the first proximal end of the hollow body to cause the at least one deflectable member to be moved from the first unbiased position to the second biased position.
With regards to claim 35, Chevallier teaches the method steps of having an elongate hollow body defining an inner cavity, an opening at a first proximal end of the hollow body, a second distal end opposite to the first proximal end, and at least one deflectable member located proximate to the first proximal end of the hollow body and including a retaining portion, the method comprising: moving the at least one deflectable member from a first position whereby the retaining portion extends into the inner cavity, to a second position whereby the retaining portion extends outwardly, inserting the coil spring into the inner cavity through the opening at the first proximal end of the hollow body, and moving the at least one deflectable member from the second position to the first position such that the retaining portion extends into the inner cavity to retain the coil spring within the inner cavity. (See Figures 4 and 2)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19-21, 29, 30, 33 and 34 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.
With regards to claim 19, the prior art does not teach wherein the actuation feature comprises a contact surface disposed at an acute angle with respect to the central axis of the hollow body when the at least one deflectable member is in the first unbiased position.
With regards to claim 21, the prior art does not teach wherein the retaining portion comprises at least one projecting region extending inwardly from the at least one deflectable member into the inner cavity when the at least one deflectable member is in the first unbiased position.
With regards to claim 29, the prior art does not teach wherein the hollow body comprises one or more protrusions extending inwardly at least partially across a second opening at the second distal end of the hollow body.
With regards to claim 30, the prior art does not teach at least one window in at least one of a side wall of the hollow body or the at least one deflectable member to allow the coil spring located within the spring carrier to be visible from outside the spring carrier through the at least one window.
With regards to claim 33, the prior art does not teach wherein the actuator comprises a feed bore extending therethrough for alignment with the inner cavity of the hollow body such that the coil spring can be inserted into the inner cavity or extracted from the inner cavity through the feed bore when the actuator is engaged with the spring carrier.
With regards to claim 34, the prior art does not teach wherein the actuator comprises a feed bore extending therethrough for alignment with the inner cavity of the hollow body such that the coil spring can be inserted into the inner cavity or extracted from the inner cavity through the feed bore when the actuator is engaged with the spring carrier.
Response to Arguments
The applicant has argued “deflectable member” as shown in claim 16 and referenced as 14 in the Non-Final Office Action, dated 2/24/2026 is not a “deflectable member”…”movable between a first unbiased position, whereby the retaining portion extends in to the inner cavity”. (See Remarks, dated 5/18/2026, page 2) Chevallier recites, (paragraph 18) “In order to cause the constriction zone 14 to go from its stable state to its deformed configuration in which the article 13 can be inserted into the housing 12 or extracted therefrom, it is necessary for the two closer-together portions 14A and 14B to be spaced apart in order to release a larger space. To do this, said two farther-apart portions 14C and 14D are suitable for being moved towards each other so as to space apart the two closer-together portions 14A and 14B by elastically deforming the constriction zone 14. Since the deformed configuration is an unstable state, as soon as the pressure exerted on the farther-apart portions 14C and 14D is eliminated, the constriction zone 13 returns to its stable state.” The applicant’s arguments are not persuasive in that Chevallier discloses that the portion of the tube 14, is deflected/deformed either outwardly or inwardly in order to release or to keep the spring. The applicant has also argued that the area 14 is not considered to be “located proximate to the first proximal end of the hollow body”. The term “proximate” means “very near” or “close” (See Merriam Webster). This argument is not persuasive in the the deforming/deflecting portion 14 is considered “close” to either end.
Conclusion
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. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Amy J. Sterling at telephone number 571-272-6823 or to Supervisor Jonathan Liu at 571-272-8227, if the examiner cannot be reached. The fax machine number for the Technology center is 571-273-8300 (formal amendments) or 571-273-6823 (informal communications only). Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application should be directed to the Technology Center receptionist at 571-272-3600.
/AMY J. STERLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631 7/14/26
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