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 .
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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Peot.
In regard to claim 1, Peot discloses [in Figs. 1-3] a trigger switch, comprising: a trigger [12] that moves in a pulling direction in response to pressure of a pulling operation and moves in an opposite direction to the pulling direction in response to being released from the pressure; a movable engagement member [32] that moves in conjunction with movement of the trigger [12]; and a restraint engagement member [26, 28] that prevents movement of the movable engagement member [32] in the opposite direction to the pulling direction by engaging with the movable engagement member [32], wherein the restraint engagement member [26, 28] allows movement of the movable engagement member [32] in the pulling direction, and engages with the movable engagement member [32] to prevent movement in the opposite direction from a position to which the movable engagement member [32] is moved in the pulling direction.
In regard to claim 2, Peot discloses [in Figs. 1-3] the trigger switch according to claim 1, wherein the movable engagement member [32] comprises ratchet teeth [pointed to at 32, Fig. 3] arranged along a movement direction, the restraint engagement member [26, 28] comprises a ratchet pawl [34], and the ratchet teeth of the movable engagement member [26, 28] and the ratchet pawl [34] of the restraint engagement member [26, 28] engage so that the movable engagement member [32] and the restraint engagement member [26, 28] engage.
In regard to claim 3, Peot discloses [in Figs. 1-3] the trigger switch according to claim 2, wherein the restraint engagement member [26, 28] comprises an urging member [28] that urges the ratchet pawl [34] toward the ratchet teeth.
In regard to claim 4, Peot discloses [in Figs. 1-3] the trigger switch according to claim 1, further comprising a release operation part [14] that receives an operation to release the movable engagement member [32] from engagement with the restraint engagement member [26, 28].
In regard to claim 5, Peot discloses [in Figs. 1-3] the trigger switch according to claim 2, further comprising a release operation part [14] that receives an operation to release the movable engagement member [32] from engagement with the restraint engagement member [26, 28].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sorenson [US 3,378,662] and Sato [US 10,134,542] disclose similar trigger switches.
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/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833