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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 2 and 4-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Number 5,403,047 to Walls.
Walls discloses push-pull door lock (16, 18) having an anti-panic function, comprising: a door locking device (16, 18) which is provided inside a door to open and close the door; a handle device which includes bodies fixedly provided on the indoor side (16) and the outdoor side (18) of the door, and handles which are respectively provided on the bodies to be pushed or pulled; and a locking means (20, 85) which is provided in each of the bodies of the handle device and locks the operation of the handle to lock the door, wherein the locking means comprises: a key knob assembly (20) which is rotatably provided in the indoor side body, the key knob assembly including: a key knob (thumbturn knob 20) rotatably provided on the indoor side body; a knob shaft (collar extending from the thumbturn, containing 42) protruding inwardly from the key knob into the body, and rotation protrusions (40) protruding from both sides of an outer circumferential surface of the knob shaft; a key assembly (85) which is rotatably provided in the outdoor side body and is connected to the key knob assembly to be rotated along with the key knob assembly (via 22); a locking shaft (22) having a bar shape, mechanically connecting the key assembly (via 94) and the key knob assembly (via 42) such that the key assembly and the key knob assembly are rotated together; and a stopper (75) which is coupled to the locking shaft to be rotated along with the locking shaft, and locks the operation of the handle, wherein the locking means includes guide plates (28, 56) which are respectively provided on the indoor side and outdoor side bodies and are moved up and down on the bodies by push and pull operations of the indoor side and outdoor side handles (column 8, lines 32-44), wherein the outdoor side guide plate has a through-hole (76) through which the stopper passes to be rotatable and to which the stopper is coupled after being rotated so as to stop the moving-up/down operation of the outdoor side guide plate during locking of the locking means (via movement of the stopper), wherein the indoor side guide plate (28) has a through-hole (engagement portion thereof) through which the knob shaft passes, the through-hole of the indoor side guide plate having a retaining jaw (retaining shoulders of the respective holes; figure 21) or a stepped portion formed therein, and wherein the push-pull door lock is configured such that, when the indoor side guide plate is moved up or down by operation of the indoor side handle (via 34), the retaining jaw or the stepped portion pushes the rotation protrusions to rotate the key knob assembly, thereby rotating the locking shaft, and thereby rotating the stopper to release the locking of the outdoor side guide plate (column 14, line 54-column 15, line 16), as in claim 1.
Walls also discloses the stopper is rectangular in shape, and has curved parts formed on both sides in the longitudinal direction and having the same circumferential surface as the arc formed during rotation of the stopper (as best shown in figures 21 and 22), and wherein the through hole of the outdoor guide plate has a retaining jaw (retaining shoulders of the respective holes) which is formed to expand in one direction and has an arc formed on the inner circumferential surface thereof to correspond to the curved part (figure 21), such that the curved part of the stopper are in surface contact and engaged with the retaining jaw of the outdoor side guide plate when the locking means is locked (shown in figures 17 and 19), as in claim 2, as well as the indoor handle device includes a coupling bushing (22 with slot 32) coupled to the key knob assembly, and a retaining protrusion (28) limiting the rotation of the key knob assembly to 90 degrees is formed on the coupling bushing (column 12, line 67-column 13, line 14), as in claim 4.
Walls further discloses rotation plates (52) are provided on the body to be rotatable, respectively connected to the guide plate and the door locking device to operate the door locking device while rotating when the guide plate rises, and a return spring (74) for returning the rotated rotation plate to the original position is provided on the rotation plate, as in claim 5, wherein a stop protrusion (61) limiting the rotation of the rotation plate is formed on the rotation plate, and a select pin (48), which engages with the stop protrusion, is provided on the cover, as in claim 6, and a protrusion block (longitudinal extending shoulder of 56) protruding towards the guide plate is provided on the rotation plate, and a coupling protrusion (longitudinal extending shoulder of 56), which is coupled to the protruding block, is provided on the guide plate corresponding to the protrusion block, such that the raising and lowering operation of the guide plate is converted into the rotation operation of the rotation plate (allowing or preventing the handle to actuate the rotate and actuate the associated latch), as in claim 7.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 30, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to the argument that Walls does not disclose the locking shaft has a bar shape, and does not mechanically connect the outer head 85 and the thumbturn knob 20, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Walls clearly shows locking shaft extends from an end containing 94 that receives the key assembly to the opposed end having 40 that inserts into the key knob assembly, for coaxial rotation. Additionally, the locking shaft is a linear, rigid mechanical element, thus being “bar shaped”.
In regards to the argument that Walls does not disclose a key knob rotatably provided on the indoor side body; a knob shaft protruding inwardly from the key knob into the body, and rotation protrusions (shown above at 243) protruding from both sides of an outer circumferential surface of the knob shaft, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Walls discloses a thumbturn knob 20, with a collar that extends therefrom, and opposed flats to aid in the rotational torque therefrom.
Responding to the argument that the lock bar 56 of Walls does not include a through-hole, through which a shaft of the thumbturn knob 20 passes, the examiner agrees; however, the argument is directed at the indoor guide plate, where lock bar 56 is the outdoor guide plate. Walls discloses the indoor side guide plate (28) has a through-hole (engagement portion thereof) through which the knob shaft passes, the through-hole of the indoor side guide plate having a retaining jaw (retaining shoulders of the respective holes; figure 21).
Regarding the argument that Walls does not disclose the push-pull door lock is configured such that, when the indoor side guide plate is moved up or down by operation of the indoor side handle, the retaining jaw or the stepped portion pushes the rotation protrusions to rotate the key knob assembly, thereby rotating the locking shaft, and thereby rotating the stopper to release the locking of the outdoor side guide plate, it is stated that the applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER J BOSWELL whose telephone number is (571)272-7054. The examiner can normally be reached M-R: 9-4; F 9-12.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Fulton can be reached at 571-272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER J BOSWELL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
CJB /cb/
February 25, 2026