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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive in regards to the 112 rejections of claims 19 and 20. The examiner asserts the scope of “non-mechanical mechanisms” is not clear from the spec. Although the spec states non-mechanical mechanisms include motors and solenoids it’s still unclear the full scope of what’s considered a non-mechanical mechanism and it’s impossible to determine the full scope with the confusing and contradictory nature of the term.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-18 objected to because of the following informalities:
In regards to claim 1 “Locking device comprising” should be “A locking device comprising”.
In regards to claims 2-18 “Locking device comprising” should be “The locking device comprising”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Some of the previous 112 rejections have been overcome by the present amendments, however some remain.
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.
Claim 19-20 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.
In regards to claim 19 and 20, “non-mechanical mechanism” is indefinite. The term is contradictory and confusing. The term is also used in the specification to describe electric motors and solenoids. The examiner considers these electromechanical mechanisms and therefore mechanical. Furthermore, the spec grants the term breadth beyond just solenoids and motors however it’s impossible to determine this breadth with the confusing and contradictory nature of the term. For the purposes of examination, the examiner is assuming “non-mechanical mechanism” to read “mechanism”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-18 allowed if written to overcome the present claim objections.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not teach or fairly suggest the locking device as claimed in independent claim 1 of the instant application. The examiner can find no motivation to combine or modify the references of record without the use of impermissible hindsight.
Regarding claims 1, the prior art of record, including Bedford (US 20210293053 A1) and Hultgren (EP 2975202 A1), teaches locking devices having much of the claimed structure, but fails to teach each and every limitation of the claims. Specifically, the prior art fails to teach “a protruding element (17) removably fastened to the bolt body (11) between the first end (11 A) and the second end (11B) and adjacent to the face plate (30) in the extended position, the protruding element (17) configured to cooperate with the face plate (30) to form a fulcrum for rotating the bolt body”, in addition to the other claimed structure and functionality. One of ordinary skill in the art would not find it obvious to modify the structure and functionality of the bolt body the prior art to be configured and to function as claimed in the instant application without the use of hindsight and/or destroying the references. Therefore, the prior art does not disclose the locking device of claim 1.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 PETER H WATSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5393. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 - 5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine M Mills can be reached at (571) 272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER H WATSON/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675