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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 3, 5-8, 10-14 and 16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on January 20, 2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 2, 4, 9 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Number 7,748,606 to Mikolajczyk et al.
Mikolajczyk et al. disclose a double safe (100) comprising: an exterior, primary housing (110) defining a primary interior space configured to receive articles to be stored; a primary door (130, 140) pivotally coupled to said primary housing; a primary lock (900, 950) coupled to said primary door for locking and unlocking said primary door; wherein the combination of said primary housing, said primary door, and said primary lock forms a primary safe (first 1); an interior, secondary housing (131, 141) positioned within said primary housing and configured to receive articles to be stored, said secondary housing defining a secondary interior space separate and apart from said primary interior space (figure 80); a secondary door (220) pivotally coupled to said primary door; a secondary lock (920) coupled to said secondary door for locking and unlocking said secondary door, and wherein the combination of said secondary housing, said secondary door, and said secondary lock forms a secondary safe coupled to said primary safe (figure 9), as in claim 1.
Mikolajczyk et al. also disclose said secondary housing is coupled directly to said primary door (via 250, 255), as in claim 2, as well as said secondary lock includes a remote access portion (500 allows for secondary access), as in claim 4.
Mikolajczyk et al. further disclose a double safe (100) comprising: a cabinet (110) having a front surface, a rear surface opposite said front surface, and two oppositely disposed side surfaces extending between aid front surface and said rear surface; the front surface at least partially including a primary door (130, 140) and a secondary door (220), said primary door being pivotal between an open position and a closed position (figures 1 and 9), said secondary door being pivotal between an open position and a closed position; an externally accessible primary locking mechanism (900, 950) for locking said primary door in its closed position; an externally accessible secondary locking mechanism (920) for locking said secondary door in its closed position, as in claim 9.
Mikolajczyk et al. additionally disclose said secondary door is pivotally coupled to said primary door (via 250, 255), as in claim 15.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following patents are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to multi-compartment safes:
U.S. Patent Number 11,972,650 to Rambadt et al.; U.S. Patent Number 10,480,241 to Rude; U.S. Patent Number 10,472,879 to Galler; U.S. Patent Number 5,163,745 to Zagata; U.S. Patent Number 3,822,925 to Osroff; U.S. Patent Number 1,551,902 to Nelson; U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2015/0159426 to Kallay; U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2012/0280605 to Nettles et al.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER J BOSWELL whose telephone number is (571)272-7054. The examiner can normally be reached M-R: 9-4; F 9-12.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Fulton can be reached at 571-272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER J BOSWELL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
CJB /cb/
February 26, 2026
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