DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure statement has been received and considered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the second axial abutments, as claimed in claim 1 and the limitation of “… each first abutment comprising a ring, centered on the pivot axis, extending from an external perimeter of one of the external elements projecting from the magnets…” and the first and second abutments w/ end faces must be shown and numerically identified or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 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 1,6 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 1 applicants should identify in the specification what structure applicants consider to be the “two external elements” and the “central element”. For instance in claim 1 top of the second page applicants claim “… the braking device comprises first axial abutments joined so as to rotate as one and in axial translation to the two external elements and second axial abutments joined so as to rotate and in axial translation to the central element to prevent a contact of the first faces with the second faces when the external elements are in the proximate position, the first braking surfaces are arranged on the first abutments and the second braking surfaces are arranged on the second abutments, each first abutment comprising a ring, centered on the pivot axis, extending from an external perimeter of one of the external elements projecting from the magnets and having a flat annular end face which extends perpendicularly to the pivot axis to form one of the first braking surfaces, and each second abutment comprising a ring, centered on the pivot axis, extending from an external perimeter of one of the second faces of the central element and having a flat annular end face which extends perpendicularly to the pivot axis to form one of the second braking surfaces.
It becomes unclear from this language (and from the specification) which of the first or second axial abutments w/ end faces is matched to the two external elements and the central element.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1,6 as best understood, would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112 1st paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER P SCHWARTZ whose telephone number is (571)272-7123. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 A.M.-7:00P.M..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rob Siconolfi can be reached at 571-272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER P SCHWARTZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
2/24/26