DETAILED ACTION
This Non-Final Office Action is in response to the above identified patent application filed on March 25, 2024. Claims 1 – 20 are pending and currently being examined.
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
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, 10, 11 & 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by (U.S. Patent Number 6,161,741) to French.
Regarding claim 1, French discloses the mounting apparatus (10) for pivotably securing an item, comprising:
the central body (18) defining a raised slot (i.e. Slot Gap b/w (74 & 76) in Figure 1) and an aperture (68) on the- front face (78) (See Figure 1); and
the locking assembly (See Figure 1) comprising:
the pivotable plate (40) insertable within the raised slot (i.e. Slot Gap b/w (74 & 76) in Figure 1) of the central body (18) and defining the locking slot (54) and an item receptacle (52);
the locking pin (56) insertable through the aperture (68) of the central body (18) and towards the locking slot (44) of the pivotable plate (40) to limit rotation of the pivotable plate (40); and
the forward biasing member (60) providing the force to bias the locking pin (56) towards the locking slot (44),
wherein the item (12) is coupled to the item receptacle (52) to rotate with the pivotable plate (40) (See Figures 1, 3B, 4A, 4B & 4C).
Regarding claim 10, French discloses wherein the central body further includes a plurality of elongated side elements defining one or more slots (front and rear sides of 26) for insertion of a threadable material (24).
Regarding claim 11, French discloses the rotatable mounting system (10) comprising:
the polygonal protrusion (42) extending laterally from the mount; and
the mounting apparatus (See Figure 1) comprising:
the central body (18) defining the raised slot (74) and an aperture (66) on the front face (76); and
the locking assembly (See Figure 1) comprising:
the pivotable plate (40) receivable within the raised slot (74) of the central body (18) and defining the locking slot (62) and an item receptacle (52) sized to receive the polygonal protrusion (42); and
the locking pin (64) insertable through the aperture (66) and towards the locking slot (62) to limit rotation of the pivotable plate (40) within the raised slot (74) (See Figure 1).
Regarding claim 14, French discloses wherein the polygonal protrusion (42) and the item receptacle (52) are gear-shaped (See Figure 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 – 9, 12 &13 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.
Claim 15 – 20 are allowed.
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 LESTER L VANTERPOOL whose telephone number is (571)272-8028. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathan J. Newhouse can be reached at 571-272-4544. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/L.L.V/Examiner, Art Unit 3734
/NATHAN J NEWHOUSE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3734
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