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 § 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.
Claims 1-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mouzakis, III (9,808,052 “Mouzakis”) in view of Bogart et al. (4,896,661 “Bogart”).
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Mouzakis meets all of the limitations of claim 1, i.e., an apparatus for opening a split ring, comprising:
a pair of levers 16/13, 17/11 pivotally coupled together @15 to define opposed first and second jaws 11, 13 and corresponding handles 16, 17 for opening and closing the first and second jaws; and
a member e.g., 37 mounted on the first jaw, the member having a wedge-shaped profile Fig. 13, tapering from a base region @12 adjacent the first jaw to a tip region @73 spaced from the base region, with the tip region being configured for insertion between adjacent helical turns of a split ring Fig. 11 when gripped between the first and second jaws,
except for the tip region to have an arcuate peripheral edge which extends from at least one lateral side of the first jaw to the other, and wherein the arcuate peripheral edge of the tip region extends at least partially around a longitudinal axis extending along one lever from the first jaw towards the corresponding handle.
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Bogart teaches a ratcheting forceps with interchangeable tips, including a tip region 710 having an arcuate peripheral edge base of 710 that extends a lateral side to the other surrounding the longitudinal axis along one lever from the first jaw towards the corresponding lever Fig. 1, partially shown here or Fig. 2. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective date of the invention, to modify the invention of Mouzakis with the interchangeable tips configured with arcuate peripheral edge as taught by Bogart for a adapting to different tasks and also for providing an engaging edge that wraps around the jaw for ease of access of the workpiece from different angles and directions.
Regarding claims 2 and 3, PA (prior art, Mouzakis modified by Bogart) meets the limitations, i.e., the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arcuate peripheral edge of the tip region extends at least 180⁰ (claim 2) or 360˚ around the longitudinal axis Figs. 1, 2 Bogart.
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[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (MODIFIED ANNULAR
SIDE 12 OF MOUZAKIS)][AltContent: connector] Regarding claim 4, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the member has a first surface side 12, modified by annular wrap-around tip of Bogart extending from the tip region to the base region which faces towards a pivot axis of the pair of levers similar to Fig. 1 of Bogart partially shown here.
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[AltContent: textbox (2ND SFC)][AltContent: arrow]Regarding claim 8, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the apparatus according to claim 4,wherein the member has a second surface opposite 12, annotated partial Fig. 13, above extending from the tip region to the base region which faces away from the pivot axis of the pair of levers.
Regarding claims 5 and 9, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 8, wherein the first surface is curved around the longitudinal axis modified annular tip.
Regarding claims 6 and 10, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 9, wherein the first surface modified 12 is at least in part substantially frustoconical wedge tip 73, Fig. 13, Mouzakis.
Regarding claims 7 and 11, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 9, wherein the first surface is concave or convex.
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Regarding claim 12, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one jaw comprises a distal part grooved end portion releasably coupled to a proximal part, with the distal and proximal parts extending along the longitudinal axis Fig. 10, Bogart.
Regarding claim 13, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the apparatus according to claim 12, wherein one part comprises a socket 48, 58, and the other part comprises a shaft 300 which is received in the socket Figs. 2, 4 and 10 Bogart.
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Regarding claim 15, PA meets the limitations, i.e., the apparatus according to any one of claim 12, wherein the at least one jaw is the first jaw modified jaw 11 of Mouzakis modified for annular base connection by Bogart, and the distal part comprises the member having the wedge-shaped profile 73 of Mouzakis modified by Bogart for an annular base.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PA as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Swanstrom, Jr. (6,386,076).
PA (prior art, Mouzakis modified by Bogart) as applied to claim 1 above, meets all of the limitations of claim 14, as applied to claim 13 above, except for the socket and the shaft to comprise inter-engaging screw threads for releasably coupling the distal part to the proximal part.
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Swanstrom, Jr. teaches a plier with separatable jaws utilizing either a press fit connection Fig. 15 as in PA applied or inter-engaging threads Fig. 11, 03:15-19. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective date of the invention, to further modify the modified invention of PA with interengaing threads as taught by Swanstrom, Jr. for a quick and an alternative means of readily coupling the jaws.
Conclusion
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Prior art made of record and not relied upon at this time, are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Garvey, quick disconnect, Jerdee annular base, Jenkins double wedge tips and Mack annular tips are cited to show related inventions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HADI SHAKERI whose telephone number is (571)272-4495. The fax phone number for forwarding unofficial documents for discussion purposes only is (571) 273-4495. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Keller can be reached on 571 272 8548. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Hadi Shakeri/
March 4, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723