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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for the presence and structure of the second/intermediate plate, does not reasonably provide enablement for the intermediate plate ‘being used for adjustment to prevent wobbling outside the shaft line’ as recited in the Final line of the claim. The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to use the invention commensurate in scope with these claims. Particularly, the use of the intermediate plate for adjustment of an unspecified feature(s) to prevent wobbling outside of an unclaimed shaft line is not enabled.
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.
Claim 1 is 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitations “the transmission” in Line 16, "the plate packet" in Line 29 as well as “the shaft line” in Line 30. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Additionally, claim 1 recites the limitations “axial clearance along the horizontal axis x of a coordinate system”, “axial clearance along the vertical axis Y” and “axial clearance along both axes X and Y” in Lines 16-17, 26-27 and 28 respectively. It is unclear how these axes relate to the structure claimed as they are independent axes/coordinate system that are not claimed with any relationship to the actual part(s) claimed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ) and 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The most relevant prior art of record; Leadbetter (EP 0108493) and Watts (US 1241175) disclose much of the instant invention. For example, Watts discloses a three-piece tool holder/chuck comprising a first part 1, second part 2 and third part 3. The first part has a conical base 26 for coupling to a machine, the second part comprises a plurality of projecting pins/shafts on either side of the disk-shaped part to transmit torque/rotation and the third comprises a tubular outer passage 27 for coupling to a tool. However, Watts does not disclose the claimed mounting holes in the first and third parts and the oval appendage/axial appendage with concave sides interaction, the appendages being surrounded by grooves in which a circular spring lies as claimed.
Leadbetter discloses the concept of centering separate components 4 with a circular spring 19 housed in concave grooves, and holding an entire assembly together with a ring 1 and screw 6 arrangement. However, Leadbetter still does not disclose the claimed appendage interaction, nor would the prior art of record lead one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Watts and/or Leadbetter to arrive at the entirety of the claimed invention, absent impermissible hindsight reconstruction of the instant invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alan Snyder whose telephone number is (571)272-4603. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 7:00a - 5:00p.
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/Alan Snyder/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3722