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 .
35 USC 102 Rejections
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) 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Grunwald 8932089.
Regarding claim 18, Grunwald (front page) discloses a screw for a mechanical lug, the screw comprising: a wire binding screw (WBS) body 4 extending along a screw axis with male threads winding helically around the screw axis configured to be engaged to female threads of a WBS bore in the mechanical lug, wherein the WBS body includes an axial end face; and wherein: the screw is configured to clamp a wire between the axial end face and clamping surfaces of the mechanical lug, wherein the axial end face includes a circumferential rim (unnumbered, lower face of 4) extending around the screw axis surrounding an end pocket 6 defined in the axial end face, wherein the circumferential rim and the end pocket are configured to deform a section of the wire in the mechanical lug so that the circumferential rim presses into the wire and a portion of the wire presses into the end pocket to secure the wire in the mechanical lug against loosening of preloading on the wire. Note that only the screw per se, not any portion of the lug, is being positively recited, and thus Grunwald is deemed to disclose the positively recited structure.
Regarding claim 19, Grunwald discloses the end pocket 6 defines a conical surface extending inward into the WBS body 4 from the axial end face along the screw axis.
Regarding claim 20, Grunwald discloses a driving end 16 of the WBS body opposite the axial end face defines a driver receptacle 12 configured to receive a driver tool for turning the WBS body about the screw axis.
Claims Defining Over Prior Art
Claims 1-4, 6-13, 15-17, 21 and 22 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art discloses or teaches the clamping surfaces converging in a direction away from the WBS bore and the pair of surfaces converging in a direction toward the WBS bore; in combination with the rest of the subject matter of the respective independent claim.
Response To Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed September 14, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Grunwald, as noted above, discloses the claimed structure of the screw per se in claims 18-20.
Finality
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 GARY F PAUMEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2013. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th.
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/GARY F PAUMEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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