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.
Claim(s) 1, 13, 14, 16, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bantle (DE 102007005142).
Bantle discloses a turret including 1) a spindle or other first rotatable part (67) to adjust an optical or electronic element of an aiming device or other optical device, and 2) a knob (89) or other second rotatable part to rotate the spindle or other first rotatable part (67), the turret comprising: a rotatable drive device (71) having a rear end, a front end, and a length, the length arranged along an axis that is 1) non-coincident with an axis of rotation of the spindle or other first rotatable part (67), or of the knob (89) or other second rotatable part, the non-coincident axis 2) spaced apart from the axis of rotation (69); the rotatable drive device (71) rotatable from a first position (see Fig 8) to a second position (see Fig 9), and arranged to: in the first position (see Fig 8), cause the spindle or other first rotatable part (67) and the knob (89) or other second rotatable part to rotate together as a unit , and in the second position, disengage the knob (89) or from the spindle or other first rotatable part to allow the knob (89) or other second rotatable part to rotate relative to the spindle or other first rotatable part (see Fig 14).
Re claim 13, a sighting device (1) including the turret of claim 1.
Re claim 14, firearm, crossbow, air gun, or other ranged device (see Fig 19, including the turret of claim 1.
Re claim 16, an apparatus including 1) a spindle or other first rotatable part (67) to adjust an optical or electronic element of an aiming device or other optical device and 2) a knob (89) or other second rotatable part to rotate the spindle or other first rotatable part (67), the apparatus comprising: a rotatable drive device (71) having a rear end, a front end, and a length, the length arranged along an axis that is 1) non-coincident with an axis of rotation of the spindle or other first rotatable part (67), or of the knob (89) or other second rotatable part, the non-coincident axis 2) spaced apart from the axis of rotation (69); and an adjustment device (80) operably coupled to the rotatable drive device (71); the rotatable drive device (71) to translate the adjustment device (80) linearly along a guide hole responsive to rotation of the rotatable drive device (71) from a first position (see Fig 8) to a second position (see Fig 9); the adjustment device to: in a first position (see Fig 8) in the guide hole (7), cause the spindle or other first rotatable part and the knob (89)or other second rotatable part to rotate together as a unit, and in a second different position in the guide hole, disengage the knob or other second rotatable part from the spindle or other first rotatable part (67) to allow the knob (89) or other second rotatable part to rotate relative to the spindle or other first rotatable part (67).
Re claim 17, the adjustment device (80) is threadingly coupled to the rotatable drive device (71).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VICKY A JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)272-7106. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John R Olszewski can be reached at 571-272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VICKY A JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617