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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-29 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection has been amended according to the claim amendments.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-22, 24-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pan, US 6401837 .
Regarding claim 1, Pan discloses: A power tool system (Fig. 1, electric power tool) comprising:
a power tool base (Fig. 1, main body portion 1) including a main body,
an electric motor (Fig. 1, motor 4) disposed within the main body, the electric motor including an output (Fig. 2, shaft 10), and
a tool-side attachment mechanism (Figs. 1-5, locking piece 12, locking head 13, and locking mechanism 5) coupled to the main body, the tool-side attachment mechanism having a tool-side locking lug (Figs. 1-5, wedge-shaped faces 16 and a guide tab 17) and a tool-side slot (Figs. 1-5, space located between each of the three wedge-shaped faces 16 and a guide tab 17, see Examiner Illustration 1) adjacent the tool- side locking lug; and
an accessory (Fig. 1, tool head portion 8) configured to be selectively coupled to the power tool base and including
an accessory-side attachment mechanism (Figs. 6-9, Col. 3, line 63, “FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic structural diagrams of the locking head 13. As shown, the locking head 13 is provided at the outer side of the internal spline 14, and is fixed on the housing 9 of the tool head portion 8. A rear end portion of the locking head 13 is provided with bosses 18, with a wedging slot 19 being formed between the bosses 18 and the housing 9 of the tool head portion 8.”) having an accessory-side locking lug (Fig. 6-9, bosses 18) and an accessory-side slot (Fig. 6-9, wedging slot 19), the accessory-side locking lug selectively engageable with the tool- side slot and the accessory-side slot selectively engageable with the tool-side locking lug, the accessory-side attachment mechanism attached to a rear end of the accessory such that at least a portion of the accessory-side attachment mechanism is rotatable relative to the accessory within a limited distance (the tool head portion 8 cited as the accessory rotates independently of the tool. As such, the accessory-side attachment mechanism MUST rotate relative to the accessory),
a gear arrangement (Figs. 2, 7, 10, internal spline 14) configured to be operably coupled to the output of the electric motor to receive torque from the electric motor, and
a tool holder configured to be driven by the gear arrangement (Abstract, “the interchangeably tool head portion may be arranged to form an electric drill, a sanding machine, an angular grinding machine, a cement mixer, a sawing machine, an engraving machine, and the like.”),
wherein the accessory-side attachment mechanism selectively engages the tool-side attachment mechanism to couple the accessory to the power tool base (Abstract: “A charging type multipurpose combination tool comprises a main body portion releasably connectable to a plurality of interchangeable tool head portions through a locking mechanism.”).
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Examiner Illustration 1
Regarding claim 2, Pan further discloses: the output of the power tool extends through and beyond the tool-side attachment mechanism (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Pan further discloses: the tool-side slot (Figs. 1-5, space located between each of the three wedge-shaped faces 16 and a guide tab 17) includes a receiving portion and a locking portion (see Examiner Illustration 1), the locking portion having a decreased width relative to the receiving portion (see Examiner Illustration 1).
Regarding claim 4, Pan further discloses: the accessory-side locking lug (Fig. 6-9, bosses 18) includes an axially extending portion and a radially extending portion in the form of an L-shape.
Regarding claim 5, Pan further discloses: the radially extending portion of the accessory-side locking lug is aligned with the locking portion when the accessory is coupled to the base, and wherein the locking portion impedes axial movement of the accessory in a direction away from the base (see Figs. 8-9).
Regarding claim 6, Pan further discloses: the accessory-side attachment mechanism is rotatable toward an unlocked position (see Fig. 8) in which the accessory-side locking lug is aligned with the receiving portion of the tool-side slot such that the locking portion does not impede axial movement of the accessory in a direction away from the base.
Regarding claim 7, Pan further discloses: one of the power tool and the accessory includes an actuator (see Examiner Illustration 2), the actuator operable to rotate the accessory-side attachment and tool- side attachment relative to one another between a locked (see Fig. 9) and unlocked position (see Fig. 8).
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Examiner Illustration 2
Regarding claim 8, Pan further discloses: the other of the power tool and the accessory includes a cutout (see Examiner Illustration 2) through which the actuator extends, the cutout enabling limited movement of the actuator within the cutout.
Regarding claim 9, Pan further discloses: the actuator is biased towards the locked position (Col. 4, line 3, “FIGS. 8 and 9 show the mating relationship between the locking piece 12 and the locking head 13. After the tool head portion 8 is inserted into the main body portion 1, the tool head portion can be coupled to the main body portion for driving the tool head portion by merely rotating the thrust ring 6 with respect to the housing 2 in a first direction. Rotation of the thrust ring 6 in turn causes rotation of the locking piece 12, to thereby locate the wedge-shaped faces 16 on the locking piece 12 in the wedging slot 19. Conversely, the wedge-shaped faces 16 on locking piece 12 can be released from the wedging slot 19 by rotating the thrust ring 6 in a second direction opposite the first direction to thereby release the tool head portion 8 from the main body portion 1.”).
Regarding claim 10, Pan further discloses: one of the main body and the accessory includes a plurality of pins, and wherein the other of the main body and the accessory includes a plurality of alignment holes configured to receive the pins when the accessory is coupled to the base (Col. 4, line 20, “As shown in FIGS. 11 and 11A, the tool head portion is provided at its end portion with strips or tabs 22 which mutually mate with slots 23 provided at the inner side of the forward end of the main body portion 1 to enable the tool head portion 8 to be conveniently inserted into the main body portion 1. Although not shown, the tabs 22 may be convex and the slots 23 may be concave. Preferably, the number of keyways formed on the above-described internal spline 14 and external spline 15 is approximately five to seven, while the number of concave slots 23 of the main body portion and the number convex strips 22 of the tool head portion are preferably three.”).
Regarding claim 11, Pan further discloses: the accessory is a first accessory, and further comprising a second accessory configured to be selectively coupled to the power tool base, the second accessory including an accessory-side attachment mechanism selectively engageable with the tool- side attachment mechanism to axially couple the accessory to the power tool base, a gear arrangement configured to be operably coupled to the output of the electric motor to receive torque from the electric motor, wherein the gear arrangement of the second accessory is different from the gear arrangement of the first accessory (Abstract, “the interchangeably tool head portion may be arranged to form an electric drill, a sanding machine, an angular grinding machine, a cement mixer, a sawing machine, an engraving machine, and the like.”),.
Regarding claim 12, Pan further discloses: the first accessory and the second accessory are two different types of tools selected from the group consisting of: a drill, a reciprocating tool, a cutting tool, a rotary hammer, and a hammer drill (Abstract, “the interchangeably tool head portion may be arranged to form an electric drill, a sanding machine, an angular grinding machine, a cement mixer, a sawing machine, an engraving machine, and the like.”),
Regarding claims 13-29, with but one exception (the plate of claims 20, 22-23, which will be addressed below) the claimed limitations are the same as those previously claimed in claims 1-12. As such, in the interest of compact prosecution, the claim citations previously cited in claims 1-12 are hereby incorporated by reference to the claim limitations of claims 13-29.
Regarding claim 20, Pan further discloses: the tool-side attachment includes a plate (Figs. 1-5, locking piece 12) supporting the tool-side locking lugs (Figs. 1-5, wedge-shaped faces 16 and a guide tab 17) and through which the tool-side slots are formed (see Examiner Illustration 1), and wherein the accessory-side attachment includes a plate supporting the accessory-side locking lugs and through which the accessory-side slots are formed (see Examiner Illustration 3).
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Examiner Illustration 3
Regarding claim 22, Pan further discloses: the accessory-side attachment mechanism includes a plate (see Examiner Illustration 3), a plurality of locking lugs (Fig. 6-9, bosses 18) extending from the plate, and a plurality of slots (Fig. 6-9, wedging slot 19) formed within the plate.
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 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Pan.
Regarding claim 23, Pan discloses the device of claim 22.
Pan does not explicitly disclose: the accessory-side attachment further incudes an actuator operable to rotate the plate between a locked and an unlocked position.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to locate the actuator rotatable plate on the accessory side, rather than the tool side, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. Furthermore, the location of the actuator is also a matter of design choice. The Examiner notes that no specific benefit is attributed to locating the actuator on the accessory in the current application. Finally, and most importantly, the Examiner notes that the current application has 2 embodiments, Figures 1-9, which utilize only numerical itemization (i.e. the tool is labeled 10), and Figures 10-15, which utilize a “b” modifier in the item numbers (tool is 10b). As per [0045], the reversal of these parts does not alter features or functions of the device – “ In other words, in the embodiment of FIGS. 10-15, the portions of the attachment mechanism 38b are located in the opposite positions as described in the embodiment above, while including the same features and operating in substantially the same way as the embodiment above to selectively coupled an accessory 18b to a rotary power tool 10b.”.
Conclusion
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 DANIEL JEREMY LEEDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2095. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs, 0730-1730.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anna Kinsaul can be reached at 571-270-1926. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL JEREMY LEEDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731