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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 609 (fig. 8A). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 10-11, 13, 17, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moon (US 20190191581 A1, and Moon hereinafter) in view of Gassaway (US 4858878 A, and Gassaway hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 10, Moon discloses a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
HVAC equipment comprising a housing (20, fig. 1A);
an electronic board (300, fig. 1A);
a bracket (100, fig. 3A) configured to mount the electronic board on the housing of the HVAC equipment in a plurality of installed configurations (figs. 1A-1B, e.g., 200 could be installed upside down), wherein each of the plurality of installed configurations corresponds to a respective mounting location of a plurality of mounting locations on the HVAC equipment (“the cover 100 of the assembly 30 is configured to couple to a component within an air handler 10, such as an internal or external wall (e.g., a side wall 21, upper wall 22, or internal wall 24”, [0022]), the bracket comprising:
a body (100, fig. 1B) comprising a first side (fig. 3A, top surface of 122a and 122b as shown in fig. 3A defining inner side facing interior space 101), and a second side (fig. 3A, bottom side of 122a and 122b defining outer side, i.e., surface abutting 21 in fig. 1B), wherein the first side is opposite the second side (fig. 1B and 3A), the first side is configured to couple with the electronic board (300, fig. 1B), and the second side is configured to face a mounting surface of the housing (fig. 1B); and
a mounting hole (152, fig. 3B) extending from the first side to the second side of the body (fig. 3B).
Moon does not explicitly disclose a fastener; and the mounting hole is configured receive the fastener therethrough to mount the bracket in a first installed configuration of the plurality of installed configurations, and wherein the mounting hole is configured to be aligned with an opening on the mounting surface and secured with the fastener in the first installed configuration.
Gassaway discloses a fastener (55-56, fig. 3); and a mounting hole (holes of 21 corresponding to 55-56, fig. 3) is configured receive a fastener (fig. 3) therethrough to mount a bracket (fig. 3) in a first installed configuration of a plurality of installed configurations (fig. 3), and wherein the mounting hole is configured to be aligned with an opening on the mounting surface (fig. 3) and secured with the fastener in the first installed configuration (fig. 6).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moon to incorporate the teachings of Gassaway so that the mounting hole is configured receive a fastener therethrough to mount the bracket in a first installed configuration of the plurality of installed configurations, and wherein the mounting hole is configured to be aligned with an opening on the mounting surface and secured with the fastener in the first installed configuration, in order to hold the bracket to the mounting surface (“On vertical walls and on certain substrates, bolt means will be passed through the base plate and through the substrate body, additionally to hold the base plate to the body”, Col. 2, ln. 38-41 of Gassaway). This modification would be implemented by adding fastener to each of the holes located in the mounting tabs of Moon (such as 150, 151 of fig. 3B). This modification would be implemented by adding fastener to each of the holes located in the mounting tabs of Moon (such as 150, 151 of fig. 3B) to couple them to the mounting surface of the housing (“one or more mounting tabs 150 configured to couple with the housing wall 21”, [0034] of Moon).
Moon/Gassaway does not explicitly disclose the housing comprises a first opening and a second opening separated from the first opening; wherein the first opening corresponds to a first mounting location of the plurality of mounting locations and the second opening corresponds to a second mounting location of the plurality of mounting locations.
However, a person of ordinary skill would have found that Moon implicitly discloses the housing comprises at least a first opening, wherein the first opening corresponds to a first mounting location (first opening would correspond to hole 152 of mounting tab, fig. 3B of Moon), in order to couple the housing wall with the cover 100 (Moon: figs. 1, and 3B in view of “the cover 100 comprises one or more mounting tabs 150 configured to couple with the housing wall 21”, [0034]). Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill would have found that having second opening separated from the first opening; wherein the second opening corresponds to a second mounting location of a plurality of mounting locations, would be equivalent to a mere duplication of parts. Absent disclosure of functional criticality, duplication of parts have been ruled to carry no patentable weight (In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) . See also MPEP § 2144.04, VI, B). A person of ordinary skill could have been motivated to implement said modification, for instance, to provide alternate mounting options in case one of the sidewalls gets damaged or removed during maintenance.
Regarding Claim 11, Moon/Gassaway discloses the HVAC system of claim 10, wherein the bracket comprises an additional mounting hole extending from the first side to the second side of the body (fig. 3B of Moon, hole located in 150), wherein the additional mounting hole is configured to receive the fastener to mount the electronic board in a second installed configuration of the plurality of installed configurations (figs. 1A-1B of Moon in view of fig. 3 of Gassaway. See also rejection of Claim 10 above), wherein the additional mounting hole is configured to be aligned with the opening on the mounting surface and secured with the fastener (fig. 6 of Gassaway) in the second installed configuration, the second installed configuration differing from the first installed configuration (See rejection of Claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 13, Moon/Gassaway discloses the HVAC system of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a left panel and a right panel (fig. 1A of Moon, housing wall 21 and instance opposite to it), and the plurality of mounting locations comprise an interior surface of the left panel, an interior surface of the right panel, an exterior surface of the left panel, and an exterior surface of the right panel (“the cover 100 of the assembly 30 is configured to couple to a component within an air handler 10, such as an internal or external wall (e.g., a side wall 21, upper wall 22, or internal wall 24”, [0022]).
Regarding Claim 17, Moon discloses a method, comprising:
coupling an electronic board to a bracket (figs. 1A-1B, board 300 couples to bracket 100), wherein the bracket is configured to mount the electronic board on a housing of heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) equipment (20, fig. 1A) in a plurality of installed configurations (figs. 1A-1B, e.g., 200 could be installed upside down), wherein each of the plurality of installed configurations corresponds to a respective mounting location of a plurality of mounting locations on the HVAC equipment (“the cover 100 of the assembly 30 is configured to couple to a component within an air handler 10, such as an internal or external wall (e.g., a side wall 21, upper wall 22, or internal wall 24”, [0022]), the bracket comprising:
a body (100, fig. 1B) comprising a first side (fig. 3A, top surface of 122a and 122b as shown in fig. 3A defining inner side facing interior space 101), and a second side (fig. 3A, bottom side of 122a and 122b defining outer side, i.e., surface abutting 21 in fig. 1B), wherein the first side is opposite the second side (fig. 1B and 3A), the first side is configured to couple with the electronic board (300, fig. 1B), and the second side is configured to face a mounting surface of the housing (fig. 1B); and
a mounting hole (152, fig. 3B) extending from the first side to the second side of the body (fig. 3B).
Moon does not explicitly disclose the mounting hole is configured receive a fastener therethrough to mount the bracket in a first installed configuration of the plurality of installed configurations, and wherein the mounting hole is configured to be aligned with an opening on the mounting surface and secured with the fastener in the first installed configuration; and mounting the bracket on the housing in the first installed configuration by: orientating the bracket to align the mounting hole with an opening on the mounting surface; and inserting the fastener through the mounting hole to secure the bracket.
Gassaway discloses a mounting hole (holes of 21 corresponding to 55-56, fig. 3) is configured receive a fastener (55-56, fig. 3) therethrough to mount a bracket (fig. 3) in a first installed configuration of a plurality of installed configurations (fig. 3), and wherein the mounting hole is configured to be aligned with an opening on the mounting surface (fig. 3) and secured with the fastener in the first installed configuration (fig. 6); and mounting the bracket on the housing in the first installed configuration by: orientating the bracket to align the mounting hole with an opening on the mounting surface (fig. 3); and inserting the fastener through the mounting hole to secure the bracket (figs. 3 and 6).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moon to incorporate the teachings of Gassaway so that the mounting hole is configured receive a fastener therethrough to mount the bracket in a first installed configuration of the plurality of installed configurations, and wherein the mounting hole is configured to be aligned with an opening on the mounting surface and secured with the fastener in the first installed configuration; and mounting the bracket on the housing in the first installed configuration by: orientating the bracket to align the mounting hole with an opening on the mounting surface; and inserting the fastener through the mounting hole to secure the bracket, in order to hold the bracket to the mounting surface (“On vertical walls and on certain substrates, bolt means will be passed through the base plate and through the substrate body, additionally to hold the base plate to the body”, Col. 2, ln. 38-41 of Gassaway). This modification would be implemented by adding fastener to each of the holes located in the mounting tabs of Moon (such as 150, 151 of fig. 3B) to couple them to the mounting surface of the housing (“one or more mounting tabs 150 configured to couple with the housing wall 21”, [0034] of Moon).
Moon/Gassaway does not explicitly disclose the housing comprises a first opening and a second opening separated from the first opening; wherein the first opening corresponds to a first mounting location of the plurality of mounting locations and the second opening corresponds to a second mounting location of the plurality of mounting locations.
However, a person of ordinary skill would have found that Moon implicitly discloses the housing comprises at least a first opening, wherein the first opening corresponds to a first mounting location (first opening would correspond to hole 152 of mounting tab, fig. 3B of Moon), in order to couple the housing wall with the cover 100 (Moon: figs. 1, and 3B in view of “the cover 100 comprises one or more mounting tabs 150 configured to couple with the housing wall 21”, [0034]). Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill would have found that having second opening separated from the first opening; wherein the second opening corresponds to a second mounting location of a plurality of mounting locations, would be equivalent to a mere duplication of parts. Absent disclosure of functional criticality, duplication of parts have been ruled to carry no patentable weight (In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) . See also MPEP § 2144.04, VI, B). A person of ordinary skill could have been motivated to implement said modification, for instance, to provide alternate mounting options in case one of the sidewalls gets damaged or taken apart during maintenance.
Regarding Claim 19, Moon/Gassaway discloses the method of claim 17, wherein the bracket comprises an additional mounting hole extending from the first side to the second side of the body (fig. 3B of Moon, hole located in 150), wherein the additional mounting hole is configured to receive the fastener to mount the electronic board in a second installed configuration of the plurality of installed configurations (figs. 1A-1B of Moon in view of fig. 3 of Gassaway. See also rejection of Claim 17 above), wherein the additional mounting hole is configured to be aligned with the opening on the mounting surface and secured with the fastener (fig. 6 of Gassaway) in the second installed configuration, the second installed configuration differing from the first installed configuration (See rejection of Claim 17 above).
Regarding Claim 20, Moon/Gassaway discloses the method of claim 19, comprising: mounting the bracket on the housing in the second installed configuration (fig. 1 B of Moon, 300 installed upside down, see rejection of claim 17 above) by: orientating the bracket to align the additional mounting hole with an opening on the mounting surface; and inserting the fastener through the additional mounting hole to secure the bracket (figs. 1B and 3A of Moon in view of fig. 3 of Gassaway; all mounting holes oriented to align with openings on mounting surface and fastener inserted through them. See also, rejection of Claim 19 above).
Claims 14, 18, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moon in view of Gassaway, further in view of DeLoach et al. (US 11187418 B1, and DeLoach hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 14, Moon/Gassaway discloses the HVAC system of claim 10, but does not explicitly disclose the mounting hole comprises a quarter-turn nut.
DeLoach discloses a mounting hole comprises a quarter-turn nut (fig. 3, “flanges 22 with holes where screws or fasteners, such as quarter turn fasteners, can be inserted into the holes 26 of the mounting sleeve”, Col. 8, ln. 41-43).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moon and Gassaway to incorporate the teachings of DeLoach so that the mounting hole comprises a quarter-turn nut, in order to reduce the amount of time driving the fastener through the hole.
Regarding Claim 18, Moon/Gassaway discloses the method of claim 17 but does not explicitly disclose rotating the fastener by 90 degrees to lock the fastener in place within the mounting hole, wherein the mounting hole comprises a quarter-turn nut.
DeLoach discloses rotating the fastener by 90 degrees to lock the fastener in place within the mounting hole, wherein the mounting hole comprises a quarter-turn nut (fig. 3, “flanges 22 with holes where screws or fasteners, such as quarter turn fasteners, can be inserted into the holes 26 of the mounting sleeve”, Col. 8, ln. 41-43; 90 degrees rotation to lock fastener in place inherently disclosed by quarter turn fastener).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moon and Gassaway to incorporate the teachings of DeLoach so that it further comprises rotating the fastener by 90 degrees to lock the fastener in place within the mounting hole, wherein the mounting hole comprises a quarter-turn nut, in order to reduce the amount of time driving the fastener through the hole.
Regarding Claim 21, Moon/Gassaway discloses the HVAC system of claim 10 but does not explicitly disclose the mounting hole comprises a fastener-retention structure configured to engage a corresponding feature of the fastener to secure the fastener relative to the bracket, wherein the fastener-retention structure comprises at least one of: (i) a threaded surface configured to engage a threaded fastener; and (ii) one or more grooves configured to receive one or more projections of the fastener.
DeLoach discloses a fastener-retention structure configured to engage a corresponding feature of a fastener (fig. 3, “flanges 22 with holes where screws or fasteners, such as quarter turn fasteners, can be inserted into the holes 26 of the mounting sleeve”, Col. 8, ln. 41-43), wherein the fastener-retention structure comprises at least a threaded surface configured to engage a threaded fastener (quarter turn fastener would necessarily require corresponding threaded surface to work properly).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moon and Gassaway to incorporate the teachings of DeLoach so that the mounting hole comprises a fastener-retention structure configured to engage a corresponding feature of the fastener, wherein the fastener-retention structure comprises at least one of: (i) a threaded surface configured to engage a threaded fastener; and (ii) one or more grooves configured to receive one or more projections of the fastener, in order to allow the use of fasteners as removable fixing mechanisms. Furthermore, the use of threaded holes to secure fasteners relative to the element where the hole is located a common practice in the art. In this case since the bracket comprises the mounting hole, a person of ordinary skill would have found obvious to have the fastener-retention structure to secure the fastener relative to the bracket.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moon in view of Gassaway, further in view of Smith et al. (US 7412898 B1, and Smith hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 15, Moon/Gassaway/DeLoach discloses the HVAC system of claim 14, but does not explicitly disclose the fastener comprises a component assembly, and the quarter-turn nut is configured to secure the component assembly in a desired orientation when the fastener is fully engaged with the quarter-turn nut.
Smith discloses a fastener (100, fig. 1) comprises a component assembly (102, fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moon, Gassaway, and DeLoach to incorporate the teachings of Smith so that the fastener comprises a component assembly, in order to allow remote monitoring of the fastener tightness (“The present invention relates, in general, to determining and monitoring whether fasteners such as bolts are properly tightened, e.g., are under a proper pre-load or torque”, Background section of Smith). This modification would be implemented by attaching transponder 120 (fig. 1 of Smith) to the head of the quarter-turn fastener disclosed DeLoach. After said modification, due to the functional mechanism of the quarter-turn fastener and corresponding quarter-turn nut, the quarter-turn nut would necessarily be configured to secure the component assembly in a desired orientation when the fastener is fully engaged with the quarter-turn nut.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moon in view of Gassaway, DeLoach, and Smith, further in view of Schaff et al. (US 20160261695 A1, and Sschaff hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 16, Moon/Gassaway/DeLoach/Schaff discloses the HVAC system of claim 15, but does not explicitly disclose the component assembly comprises a Wi-Fi antenna assembly.
Schaff discloses a fastener including a component assembly comprising a Wi-Fi antenna assembly (“a fastener component that communicates information in additional to providing mechanical attachment”, Abstract section; “said fastener embodiment the electronics is wifi chip, electrical connection to a wifi chip, and optical transmission”, [0067]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moon, Gassaway, and DeLoach to incorporate the teachings of Smith so that the component assembly comprises a Wi-Fi antenna assembly, in order to allow remote monitoring of the fastener tightness (“The present invention relates, in general, to determining and monitoring whether fasteners such as bolts are properly tightened, e.g., are under a proper pre-load or torque”, Background section of Smith).
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moon in view of Gassaway, further in view of Merck et al. (US 20130206944 A1, and Merck hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 22, Moon/Gassaway discloses the HVAC system of claim 10 but does not explicitly disclose the mounting hole comprises a mounting sleeve surrounding the mounting hole and extending outwardly from the first side and the second side of the body, the mounting sleeve comprising a first sleeve portion extending outwardly from the first side of the body and a second sleeve portion extending outwardly from the second side of the body.
Merck discloses a mounting hole (1135, fig. 21) comprises a mounting sleeve surrounding the mounting hole and extending outwardly from a first side (fig. 22 curved portion surrounding 1135 that has a thickness in a direction parallel to that of sidewalls 1107 and 1108) and a second side (fig. 27) of a body (1103, fig. 19), the mounting sleeve comprising a first sleeve portion extending outwardly from the first side of the body and a second sleeve portion extending outwardly from the second side of the body (figs. 21 and 27).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Moon and Gassaway to incorporate the teachings of Merck so that the mounting hole comprises a mounting sleeve surrounding the mounting hole and extending outwardly from the first side and the second side of the body, the mounting sleeve comprising a first sleeve portion extending outwardly from the first side of the body and a second sleeve portion extending outwardly from the second side of the body, in order to provide structural reinforcement around the mounting hole because portions surrounding holes are subject to increased mechanical stress during fastening.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5 and 8-9 are allowable. Claim 12 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding independent claim 1 and dependent claim 12, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “bosses … configured to slide along crossed tracks of a … frame to facilitate transitioning the … bosses between different configurations for coupling to a variety of types of the electronic board”. The closest art of record is provided in the previous office action. In addition, Ribbich (US 20160327299 A1), Young (US 20090025975 A1), Hermann (US 20240353132 A1), Sakai (US 20080135636 A1), Wallaert (US 8802981 B2), and Novotny (US 9423805 B2) are also cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a bracket, an electronic board, a mounting surface, mounting hole, fastener, and/or bosses. However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
For instance, Moon (cited in Non-Final rejection dated 06/11/2026) discloses a bracket (fig. 1B, including 100 and 200) for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system, wherein the bracket is configured to mount an electronic board on a housing of HVAC equipment (20, fig. 1A) in a plurality of installed configurations (figs. 1A-1B), wherein each of the plurality of installed configurations corresponds to a respective mounting location of a plurality of mounting locations on the HVAC equipment ([0022]), the bracket comprising: a body (100, fig. 1B) comprising a first side (fig. 3A, top surface of 122a and 122b as shown in fig. 3A, defining inner side facing interior space 101), and a second side (fig. 3A, bottom side of 122a and 122b defining outer side, i.e., surface abutting 21 in fig. 1B), wherein the first side is opposite the second side (fig. 1B and 3A), the first side is configured to couple with the electronic board (300, fig. 1B), and the second side is configured to face a mounting surface of the housing (fig. 1B); and a mounting hole (152, fig. 3B) extending from the first side to the second side of the body (fig. 3B). Moon lacks the mounting hole is configured receive a fastener therethrough to mount the bracket in a first installed configuration of the plurality of installed configurations, and wherein the mounting hole is configured to be aligned with an opening on the mounting surface and secured with the fastener in the first installed configuration, wherein the body further comprises one or more mounting bosses disposed on the first side configured to secure the electronic board to the bracket and the one or more mounting bosses are configured to slide along crossed tracks of a mounting frame to facilitate transitioning the mounting bosses between different configurations for coupling to a variety of types of the electronic board. Gassaway (cited in No-Final rejection dated 06/11/2026) discloses a mounting hole (holes of 21 corresponding to 55-56, fig. 3) is configured receive a fastener (55-56, fig. 3) therethrough to mount a bracket (fig. 3) in a first installed configuration of a plurality of installed configurations (fig. 3), and wherein the mounting hole is configured to be aligned with an opening on the mounting surface (fig. 3) and secured with the fastener in the first installed configuration (fig. 6). Spann (cited in No-Final rejection dated 06/11/2026) discloses bosses (95, fig. 10) configured to slide along tracks of a mounting frame (38, fig. 2); however the tracks of Spann are not crossed, consequently Spann lacks bosses configured to slide along crossed tracks of a (mounting) frame to facilitate transitioning the (mounting) bosses between different configurations for coupling to a variety of types of the electronic board. Ribbich discloses an electronic board (114, fig. 8) and bracket body (120, fig. 8B) comprising one or more mounting bosses (242 and 244, fig. 8B); however, Ribbich lacks the one or more mounting bosses configured to slide along crossed tracks of a mounting frame to facilitate transitioning the mounting bosses between different configurations for coupling a variety of types of the electronic board. Therefore, neither Gassaway, Span nor Ribbich cure the deficiencies cited above regarding the one or more mounting bosses disposed on the first side of the body.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 1 of Applicant Arguments/Remarks, filed 08/24/2026, with respect to claim 1 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim 1 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 1 of Applicant Arguments/Remarks, filed 08/24/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 10 and 17 under 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of the amended limitations representing a duplication of parts that would be considered obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (see rejection of claims 10 and 17 above for more details).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Martin A Asmat-Uceda whose telephone number is (571)270-7198. The examiner can normally be reached 8 AM - 5 PM.
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/ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/MARTIN ANTONIO ASMAT UCEDA/ Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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