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 .
This is a non-final Office Action for serial number 18/656,506, Vehicle Key Mount, filed on May 6, 2024.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 3 – Figure 3, claims 1,3-11, 17-20 in the reply filed on December 22, 2025 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 5-7, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0173547 to Nelson.
Nelson ‘547 discloses an apparatus (5) – Figures 4a and 4b, comprising a body comprising a mounting member (10) at a first end of the body and an attachment member (34) at a second end of the body, wherein the mounting member is shaped and sized for securing a vehicle key that has a corresponding shape and size to the mounting member.
Regarding claim 5, Nelson ‘547 discloses wherein the mounting member comprises characteristics on its surface corresponding to characteristics on a surface of the vehicle key.
Regarding claim 6, Nelson ‘547 discloses wherein the characteristics comprises edges (Fig. 4b) that corresponds to one of the edges on the vehicle key.
Regarding claim 7, Nelson ‘547 discloses wherein the mounting member comprises magnetic material (12).
Regarding claim 11, Nelson ‘547 discloses wherein the attachment member comprises an opening (26) for connecting attachment means to the body.
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) 3, and 17, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nelson ‘547 in view of U.S. Patent No. 2,550,135 by Buckley.
Regarding claims 3, and 17, Nelson ‘547 discloses the previous invention failing to disclose wherein the mounting member has a substantially spherical shape. Nevertheless, Buckley ‘135 discloses wherein the mounting member is a spherical shape (4). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the mounting member of Nelson ‘547 with a spherical shape because one would have a motivation to provide an attachment holder as taught by Buckley ‘135.
Regarding claim 19, Nelson ‘547 in view of Buckley ‘135, Nelson ‘547 discloses wherein the mounting member comprises characteristics on its surface corresponding to characteristics on a surface of the vehicle key.
Regarding claim 20, Nelson ‘547 in view of Buckley ‘135, Nelson ‘547 discloses wherein the characteristics comprises edges (Fig. 4b) that corresponds to one of the edges on the vehicle key.
Claim(s) 4 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nelson ‘547 in view of Buckley ‘135 and in further view of U.S. Patent No. 11,999,302 to Stener.
Regarding claim 4, Nelson ‘547 in view of Buckley ‘135 fails to disclose wherein the spherical shape includes a neck point. Stener ‘302 discloses wherein the spherical shape (106a) includes a neck point (106b). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the shape of the spherical of Nelson ‘547 in view of Buckley ‘135 to include the neck of Stener ‘302, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357F2d 669 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Claim(s) 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nelson ‘547.
Regarding claims 8-10, Nelson ‘547 disclose wherein the body is a metal surface, but fails to disclose wherein the body comprises a coating, a textured surface, or a ridge. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the body of Nelson ‘547 with any coating or textured surfaces or a ridge since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material involves only routine skill in the art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent No. 1,893,948 – door key attachment
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/TODD M EPPS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632 March 6, 2026