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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The term “efficient” in claims 1-10 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “efficient” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Regarding claim 1, in lines 11-12 the phrase “two rolling members are symmetrically and fixedly connected to far ends of the two driven bevel gears” render the claim indefinite because it is unclear if “two rolling members” is the same as or different from “rolling members” that recited in line 3 of the same claim 1;
Further, it is unclear what is meant by “far ends of the two driven bevel gears”.
Claims 2-10 are rejected because they depend from claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, in lines 4-5 the phrase “the rolling members” render the claim indefinite because it is unclear if “the rolling members” is the same as or different from “the two rolling members” that recited in lines 3-4 of the same claim 2.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the lower surfaces" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, the closet prior art is Black (US20150027096A1), however in the opinion of the Examiner that the arts of record neither anticipates nor render obvious the limitations of the claim.
Claims 2-10 are depended from claim 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED S ALAWADI whose telephone number is (571)272-2224. The examiner can normally be reached 08:00 am- 05:00 pm.
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/MOHAMMED S. ALAWADI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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