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 Office Action is in response to applicant’s RCE filed on 9/3/26.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
New claim 18 requires the following:
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At the instant, the limitation is indefinite. The specification, par 58, defines that the escutcheon 36 is made of metal. Then, how the visual indicator is also visible through the escutcheon? The reason of the window is to allow the indication to be visible, since the metal escutcheon will not allow that.
Therefore, in order to continue with the examination, a broad interpretation will be given. Correction is required.
New claim 19 requires the following:
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At the instant, it is unclear what is claimed here. Claim 19 requires that there is no need for a top lamella.
However, claim 19 depends on claim 1, which requires a top lamella as part of the invention, the invention elected.
Therefore, in order to continue with the examination, a broad interpretation will be given. Correction is required.
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) 1-15 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat No 6,938,445 to Huang in view of KR 20060080497 (KR 497).
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Regarding claims 1 and 9, Huang discloses a locking assembly and a method, that comprises a locking device (10) having a locked condition and an unlocked condition and a lock/unlock indicator (96, 100).
Huang fails to disclose that the indicator comprises a bottom lamella having visual lock and unlock indicators; and a top lamella operable to selectively block visualization of the lock indicator while allowing visualization of the unlock indicator or to block visualization of the unlock indicator while allowing visualization of the lock indicator.
Huang discloses a mechanical operation mechanism, that comprises a window shield (96), as a top member, and an indicator slider (100), as a bottom member, defining lock indication markings that are respectively displayed through the window shield and a window (59) on the escutcheon (92).
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KR teaches that it is well known in the art to provide an indicator to display certain information by means of an illumination device.
KR teaches that the indicator comprises a bottom “lamella” (10) having visual indicators; and a top “lamella” (20) operable to selectively block visualization of an indicator (201) while allowing visualization of another indicator (203).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the indicator described by Huang as one being electrical, as taught by KR, in order to clearly present the user of the status of the lock by selectively block visualization of an indicator while allowing visualization of another indicator through the window.
Applicant is reminded that it has been that providing automatic means to replace manual activity which has accomplished the same result involves only routine skill in the art.
As to claim 2, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that a voltage delivered to the top lamella (KR 497, 20) is configured to control whether the top lamella blocks visualization of the lock indicator while allowing visualization of the unlock indicator or to block visualization of the unlock indicator while allowing visualization of the lock indicator.
As to claim 3, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the top lamella (KR 497, 20) is composed of a first portion configured to either allow or block visualization of the unlock indicator and a second portion configured to allow for block visualization of the lock indicator (KR 497, 201 and 203, according to what is designed to be displayed).
As to claim 4, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that when voltage is delivered to the first portion, the first portion blocks visualization of the unlocked indicator and when voltage is delivered to the second portion, the second portion blocks visualization of the lock indicator.
As to claim 5, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the top lamella is actuated by at least one switch (KR 497, elements 85, 87) to selectively block visualization of the lock indicator while allowing visualization of the unlock indicator or to block visualization of the unlock indicator while allowing visualization of the lock indicator.
As to claim 6, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the assembly further comprises a controller actuates the at least one switch based on an input provided to the controller (KR 497, not shown, device that interacts with elements 85, 87).
As to claim 7, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that an opacity of the top lamella determines whether the top lamella blocks visualization of the lock indicator while allowing visualization of the unlock indicator or blocks visualization of the unlock indicator while allowing visualization of the lock indicator.
As to claim 8, Huang discloses that the locking device includes an outer housing (94) defining a groove (99) extending at least partially therethrough, and wherein the lock/unlock indicator (100) is received within the groove of the outer housing.
As to claim 10, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the method selectively displaying one of the visual lock and unlock indicators further comprises receiving an input to place the locking device in the locked condition or the unlocked condition; transferring the input to a controller; actuating at least one switch coupled with the top lamella to deliver a voltage to at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the top lamella; and visualizing one of the unlock indicator and the lock indicator (KR 495, control and switches 85, 87 interacting with 20).
As to claim 11, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the input places the locking device in the locked condition, voltage is delivered to the second portion of the top lamella and voltage is not delivered to the first portion of the top lamella, such that the lock indicator is visualized.
As to claim 12, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the input places the locking device in the unlocked condition, voltage is not delivered to the second portion of the top lamella and voltage is delivered to the first portion of the top lamella, such that the unlock indicator is visualized.
As to claim 13, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that actuating the at least one switch (KR 495, 85, 87) coupled with the top lamella to deliver a voltage to at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the top lamella includes altering opacity of the at least one of the first portion and the second portion.
As to claim 14, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the at least one switch is coupled with a power supply such that actuation of the at least one switch allowed for voltage delivery to the top lamella.
As to claim 15, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the at least one switch includes a first switch (85) coupled with the first portion and a second switch (87) coupled with the second portion and each of the first switch and the second switch are coupled with the power supply.
As to claim 18, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the locking device comprises an escutcheon (Huang 92) defining a window (Huang 59) extending through the escutcheon, and wherein the lock/unlock indicator is positioned relative to the escutcheon such that the visual lock indicator is viewable through the window and through the escutcheon when the top lamella permits visualization of the visual lock indicator.
Claim(s) 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat No 6,938,445 to Huang in view of KR 20060080497 (KR 497) and further in view of US Pat No
As to claim 19, Huang discloses that the lock indicator area (100) has a lock and an unlock area that are each positioned in registration with the window.
However, Huang, as modified by KR 497, fails to disclose that the window is sized to permit the lock indicator area and the unlock indicator area to be simultaneously viewable through the escutcheon.
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Levine teaches that it is well known in the art to provide an escutcheon (102, 104) with a visual indicator (112, 114, 118, 120) that are visible through a window that is sized to permit the indicators to be simultaneously viewable through the escutcheon.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the window described by Huang, as modified by KR 497, sized so as to permit the indicators to be simultaneously viewable through the escutcheon, as taught by Levine, in order to provide a larger indicator area.
Applicant is reminded that a change in the size of a prior art device is a design consideration within the skill of the art.
As to claim 20, Levine teaches that the escutcheon has a longitudinal direction, wherein the window is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the escutcheon.
Huang discloses that the lock indicator area and the unlock indicator area are arranged along a longitudinal direction.
The combination teaches that the window longitudinally spans the lock indicator area and the unlock indicator area and permits both the lock indicator area and the unlock indicator area to remain in the window.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues the rejection in view of Huang, as modified by KR 497. The applicant argues that Huang fails to suggest electronic components to suggest the modification in view of KR 497.
Huang discloses a lock assembly that comprises a mechanical lock/unlock indicator to indicate a locked and an unlocked condition of the assembly.
KR 497 is only used to demonstrate that the technology of an indicator displaying certain information is well known in the art.
Providing automatic means to replace manual activity which has accomplished the same result involves only routine skill in the art.
Also, the applicant argues that KR 497 is non analogous art. In response to the applicant’s argument that the cited prior art is nonanalogous art, it has been held that the determination that a reference is from a nonanalogous art is twofold. First, we decide if the reference is within the field of the inventor’s endeavor. If it is not, we proceed to determine whether the reference is reasonably pertinent to the particular problem with which the inventor was involved.
First, yes KR 497 is within the field of the inventor’s endeavor and pertinent to the problem involved.
KR 497 teaches the technology of an indicator displaying certain information by means of an illumination device, using a bottom “lamella” having the visual indicators and a top “lamella” operable to selectively block visualization of an indicator while allowing visualization of another indicator.
Therefore, the arguments are not persuasive.
The examiner is maintaining the position shown above and the rejection is maintained.
As to new claims 18-20, a 112 2nd paragraph rejection and a prior art rejection has been made on the record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS LUGO whose telephone number is (571)272-7058. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6pm.
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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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/Carlos Lugo/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3675
September 9, 2026
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