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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information disclosure statement of 05/01/2026 has been received and reviewed.
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 12-18 and 20-25 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.
Claims 12, 17, and 24 recites the limitation "the shift element". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner recommends changing “the shift element” to “the actuatable shift element”.
Claims 13-16, 18, 20-23, and 25 are rejected due to their dependency on a rejected claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12 and 24 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Claims 13-18, 20-23, and 25 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art does not teach or fairly suggest the locking device for a driveshaft of a bicycle as claimed in the independent claims 12 and 24.
Regarding claims 12 and 24, the prior art of record, including the combination of Kempe et al. (DE 102014204742), and Hoseisel et al. (DE 19850712) discloses a locking device for a driveshaft of a bicycle relevant to the claimed invention, but fails to teach each and every limitation of the claims. Specifically, regarding claim 12, the prior art fails to teach a locking device for a driveshaft of a bicycle comprising wherein the shift element comprises a rotatably mounted shift drum contactable with the locking element via an outer circumference of the shift drum. Regarding claim 24, the prior art fails to teach a locking device for a driveshaft of a bicycle comprising a locking element comprising a spring element that preloads the locking pawl towards the disk-shaped portion. One of ordinary skill in the art would not find it obvious to modify the locking device for a driveshaft of a bicycle of the prior art to be structured and to function as claimed in the instant application without the use of impermissible hindsight and/or destroying the references. Therefore, the prior art of record does not disclose the locking device for a driveshaft of a bicycle of claims 12 and 24.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Yahya Sidky whose telephone number is (571)272-6237. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:30-4:30.
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, Christine 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Y.S./Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
Prosecution Insights