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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “discloses,” “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the coil as recited in claim 1 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. The drawings are also objected to because Figures 9A and 9B include multiple figures that must be separated and separately described in the Specification.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 § 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.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Norifumi et al. [Norifumi hereinafter, WO 2007/066803].
In regard to claim 1, Norifumi discloses [in Fig. 2] a door lock device comprising: a body [5]; a solenoid [50] comprising a bobbin on which a coil is wound, and a plunger [51] that is elongated to have a portion exposed to an outside of the solenoid [50] and configured to be magnetized by the coil so as to slide inside the bobbin, the solenoid [50] being disposed in the body [5]; a first slider [20] into which the portion of the plunger [51] exposed to the outside of the solenoid [50] is inserted, the first slider [20] being configured to move in a sliding direction of the plunger [51]; and a first elastic member [52] having a first end supported by the plunger [51], and a second end supported by the first slider [20].
In regard to claim 2, Norifumi discloses [in Fig. 2] the door lock device of claim 1, further comprising a second elastic member [54] having a first end supported by the solenoid [50], and a second end supported by the first slider [20] to provide an elastic force to the first slider [20].
In regard to claims 3-5, Norifumi discloses [in Fig. 2] the door lock device of claim 1, wherein the first elastic member [52] is disposed between the plunger [51] and the first slider [20] to provide an elastic force to the first slider [20], wherein the plunger [51] comprises: a distal end disposed in the first slider [20]; and a first stopper [51A] provided at the distal end of the plunger [51] to slide on an inner wall of the first slider [20], and wherein the first elastic member [52] is disposed in the first slider [20] and is supported by the first stopper [51A], wherein the first slider [20] comprises a second stopper [53] that protrudes from the inner wall, the second stopper [53] being arranged with the first stopper [51] in a longitudinal direction of the plunger [51].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-14 are 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. In regard to claim 6, in combination with other limitations, a release installed at the body so that the first slider is spaced apart from the plunger is neither disclosed nor suggested by the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Poyner [US 7,223,927 and US 2009/0045037] disclose similar devices.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833