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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-4 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Li is no longer used to teach the optical coupler. Shi CN 107476670 A is now introduced. The examiner would also like to note with the modification Walsh would be able to determine the position of the latch as in order for the optical coupling induction piece to change positions the latch must be pressed in.
Drawings
The previous drawing objections are overcome by the present amendments.
Specification
The previous specification objections are overcome by the present specification amendments.
Claim Objections
The previous claim objections have been overcome by the present amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(a)
The previous 112a rejections have been overcome by the present amendments
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
The previous 112 rejections have been overcome by the present amendments
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Walsh et al. US 20040177663 A1 (hereinafter Walsh) in view of Li DE 102008063061 A1 (hereinafter Li), Shi CN 107476670 A (Hereinafter Shi), Liu CN 105937335 A (hereinafter Liu), and Frolov US 6286347 B1 (hereinafter Frolov).
In regards to claim 1, Walsh teaches a clutch module for electronic locks, comprising an upper clutch shell (51, considering to the left wrt fig 5 upper), an outer clutch shell (53) and a bottom clutch shell (55), wherein inside the outer clutch shell there are at least one motor (28, see figs 5 and 6), a rear clutch component (54; considering to the left wrt fig 6 the rear) and a front clutch component (56), on a motor shaft (shaft of 28; para 32) of the at least one motor is installed at least one motor shaft portion (portion connected to 64, note fig 4)., on the at least one motor shaft portion is provided at least one pusher spring (64), at least one pusher limit pin (drive pin described in para 32) and at least one latch push piece (61) for pushing at least one latch (58) and proximal the at least one latch (spring in para 31) is provided at least one latch return spring for driving the at least one latch to reset (para 31).
However, Walsh does not teach the rear clutch component is installed in the front clutch component and inside the outer clutch shell is installed at least one optical coupler cooperating with the at least one optical coupling induction piece.
Li teaches a rear clutch component (19) is installed in the front clutch component (20).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have provided Walsh’s rear clutch component inside the front clutch component, such as in Li, in order to prevent dust from entering and allow for easier assembly.
Also, Walsh fails to teach inside the outer clutch shell is installed at least one optical coupler cooperating with the at least one optical coupling induction piece and wherein the clutch module is configured such that when the at least one optical coupling induction piece reaches the position of the at least one optical coupler, the at least one optical coupler simultaneously feeds back information to the control module of the electronic lock, indicating that the at least one latch has completely entered the rear clutch component, at this point, the at least one motor stops working.
Shi teaches the outer clutch shell is installed at least one optical coupler (10 and/or 11) cooperating with the at least one optical coupling induction piece (see fig 3) and wherein the clutch module is configured such that when the at least one optical coupling induction piece reaches the position of the at least one optical coupler (of 10), the at least one optical coupler simultaneously feeds back information to the control module of the electronic lock, indicating that the at least one latch has completely entered the rear clutch component (as in order to reach that the position the latch must have entered the rear clutch component), at this point, the at least one motor stops working (since the motor stops rotating para 41).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided Walsh with at least one optical coupler cooperating with the at least one optical coupling induction piece and wherein the clutch module is configured such that when the at least one optical coupling induction piece reaches the position of the at least one optical coupler, the at least one optical coupler simultaneously feeds back information to the control module of the electronic lock, indicating that the at least one latch has completely entered the rear clutch component, at this point, the at least one motor stops working, in order to verify the travel finish condition and to recognize errors (Shi para 41).
Additionally, Walsh does not teach inside the front clutch component is installed at least one latch sleeve for fixing the at least one latch inside, the at least one latch sleeve is installed the at least one latch.
Liu teaches inside a front clutch component (210) is installed at least one latch sleeve (268) for fixing the at least one latch (see fig 5), inside the at least one latch sleeve is installed the at least one latch (see fig 5). This is in cooperation with a latch flange (261) to prevent extraction of the latch (para 47)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have provided Walsh’s front component with a latch sleeve inside (along with the latch flange) in order to prevent extraction of the latch (Liu para 47, the latch referred to as the clutch pin).
Additionally, Walsh does not teach the motor shaft portion is a motor shaft sleeve. This extremely common however.
Frolov teaches a similar device with a motor shaft (thin shaft projecting from 86) with a motor shaft sleeve (91).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have Walsh’s motor shaft motor portion be a motor shaft sleeve, in order for the device to use cheap conventional motors and to provide for a well-known way of connecting to a motor shaft.
In regards to claim 4, Walsh in view of Li, Shi, Liu, and Frolov teaches a clutch module clutch module for electronic locks according to claim 1, wherein the front clutch component is used for linking with front handles of a door lock (it’s capable of linking with handles; see fig 5, at least since different handles are capable of being connected i.e. clones of 14).
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Walsh in view of Li, Liu, Frolov and Lin as applied to claims 1 and 4-5 above, and further in view of Newbould et al. US 20060284424 A1 (hereinafter Newbould).
In regards to claim 2, Walsh in view of Li, Shi, Liu, Frolov and Lin teaches the clutch module for electronic locks according to claim 1, wherein a top portion of the outer clutch shell is installed to the upper clutch shell (see fig 5).
However, Walsh does not teach through buckle structures.
Newbould teaches installation using buckle structures (see figs 5-6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have the top portion of the outer clutch shell is installed the upper clutch shell through buckle structures in order to provide for a well-known easy and simple installation.
In regards to claim 3, Walsh in view of Li, Shi Liu, Frolov and Lin teaches the clutch module for electronic locks according to claim 1, wherein at a bottom portion of the outer clutch shell is installed to the bottom clutch shell (see figs 5 and 6).
However, Walsh does not teach through buckle structures.
Newbould teaches installation using buckle structures (see figs 5-6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have the top portion of the outer clutch shell is installed the upper clutch shell through buckle structures in order to provide for a well-known easy and simple installation.
Additionally, Walsh does not teach the outer clutch installing to the bottom clutch shell fixes the front clutch component. The examiner would like to note that since the outer clutch shell 53 is fixed to 51 it may cause a sandwich the front clutch component (52) such that is immovable along the axis c and thus fixed. This is very common in the art and Walsh is silent on this issue.
Liu teaches sandwiching a front clutch component (210) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the time of filing of the invention, to have Walsh fix the front clutch component, such as in Liu, in order to prevent incorrect operation, reduce redundant movement, and reduce noise.
For clarity, with the modifications above Walsh in view of Li, Liu, Frolov and Lin teaches wherein at a bottom portion of the outer clutch shell is installed the bottom clutch shell through buckle structures for fixing the front clutch component (Walsh: since 53 is also connected to 51, when 53 is connected to 55, 51 and 55 would sandwich 56 preventing 56 from moving axially and therefore fixing).
ConclusionApplicant'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 PETER H WATSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5393. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 - 5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine M Mills can be reached at (571) 272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER H WATSON/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675