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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 7 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Japanese Patent Number 2002021380 A to Ota.
Ota discloses a cylinder lock comprising: an outer cylinder (2); an inner cylinder (3) that rotatably engages with the outer cylinder; and a cover material (5) that covers the outer cylinder, wherein the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder include pinholes (25,24 and 33, 32 respectively), with which a keyhole (30) communicates, and into which a driver pin (42) and a tumbler pin (41) can be inserted, and the cover material comprises a plurality of cover materials that cover the pinholes formed in the outer cylinder in an axial direction of the outer cylinder (figures 1, 2b, 3b), the outer cylinder includes a groove (26a, 26b) formed along the axial direction, a plurality of the pinholes are arranged along a circumferential direction of the outer cylinder (as best shown in figure 2b, 3b, and 4b), the cover material is urged toward a centerline of the keyhole to thereby engage with the groove ( the bases 51 of the cover material is fitted into the groove 26), and covers, in a collective manner, the plurality of the pinholes arranged along the circumferential direction (cover material, 52, partially covers the pinholes to prevent removal of the pins and to bias the pins toward the centerline of the keyhole), as in claim 1.
Ota also discloses the cover material comprises two cover materials (figures 1, 2b, 3b), as in claim 2, and the cover material is composed of spring steel (translation states element 5 is a leaf spring), as in claim 3, as well as the cover material includes a curved part (52) having a shape that conforms to an outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder, and a bent part (51) that bends inward from the curved part, and the cover material is configured such that the bent part can engage with the groove (figures 1, 2b, 3b), as in claim 4.
Ota further discloses in front view of the outer cylinder, the groove that is engageable with the cover material is formed between one of the pinholes formed along the axial direction and another of the pinholes (the grooves are formed intermediate to rows a & d, and b & c; figure 4b and 4d), as in claim 6, and the pinholes of the outer cylinder are arranged in a plurality of rows (row a-24a, 25a; row b-24b, 25b; row c-24c,25c; row d-24d,25d) along the axial direction (figures 1a, 2a, 3a), as in claim 7, as well as an unlocking key (8) for use with the cylinder lock according to claim 1, as in claim 10.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ota, as applied above.
Ota discloses the invention substantially as claimed. However, Ota does explicitly not disclose the cylinder lock being used on a door. It is common knowledge in the prior art to utilize lock cylinders in doors in the same field of endeavor for the purpose of securely lock the door and ensure protection of the contents therein. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use the cylinder lock on a door in order to thwart theft of the contents behind the desired door.
A recitation with respect to the manner in which an apparatus is intended to be employed does not impose any structural limitation upon the claimed apparatus which differentiates it from a prior art reference disclosing the structural limitations of the claim. In re Pearson, 494 F.2d 1399, 181 USPQ 641 (CCPA 1974); In re Yanush, 477 F.2d 958, 177 USPQ 705 (CCPA 1973); In re Finsterwalder, 436 F.2d 1028, 168 USPQ 530 (CCPA 1971); In re Casey, 370 F.2d 576, 152 USPQ 235 (CCPA 1967); In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 136 USPQ 458 (CCPA 1963); Ex parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (BdPatApp & Inter 1987).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The claims are allowable over the prior art of record because the teachings of the references taken as a whole do not teach or render obvious the combination set forth, including that of the cover material completely covers the pinholes.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed November 14, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to the applicant’s argument that Ota does not disclose the cover material is urged toward a centerline of the keyhole to thereby engage with the groove, and covers, in a collective manner, the plurality of the pinholes arranged along the circumferential direction, the examiner respectfully disagrees. The cover material of Ota urges the respective pins in a radial direction toward centerline of the keyhole to allow for proper effectuation. Additionally, the cover material the bases 51 of cover material are fitted into the grooves 26, and the respective pin groups corresponding to the respective tip groups of the four branch portions 52 of each leaf spring 5 are respectively fitted so that the branch portions come into contact with the outermost end face of the pins 42 in a pressed state, thus covering the respective pin hole.
In regards to the argument, of claim 6, that Ota does not disclose in a front view of the outer cylinder, the groove that is engageable with the cover material is formed between one of the pinholes formed along the axial direction and another of the pinholes, the examiner respectfully disagrees. As shown in figures 4b and 4d of Ota, the grooves are formed between rows a & d, and rows b & c; where the respective rows are disposed in the outer cylinder in an axial direction.
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 CHRISTOPHER J BOSWELL whose telephone number is (571)272-7054. The examiner can normally be reached M-R: 9-4; F 9-12.
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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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/CHRISTOPHER J BOSWELL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
CJB /cb/
February 2, 2026