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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Applicant’s Admitted Prior Art (as shown in Fig. 1 of the current Application) in view of Laflin (US 293,041).
Regarding claim 1, AAPA discloses an apparatus comprising a locking piece (9); and a fastener piece (Paragraph 3, lines 12-13 describe wherein a fastener is inserted into the penetrating section 91 and slid through clamping sections), wherein a clamping hole (90) penetrating through a body of the locking piece and matched with the fastener piece being formed in the locking piece, the clamping hole comprising at least two connected hole sites (91, 92, 93), the hole diameter of one hole site (91) being larger than the fastener piece so as to allow penetration through the hole site, the hole diameter of the other hole site (92) being smaller for locking the fastener piece, and one of the two connected hole sites being arranged to deflect at a certain angle relative to the other of the two connected hole sites so that an obtuse angle is formed on one side of the joint of the two connected hole sites (Fig. 1 as shown between 91 and 92), wherein a bulge is arranged at a hole inner wall of the joint corresponding to the obtuse angle (Fig. 1 as annotated below shows a bulge on the right portion of 90 at the transition between 91 and 92).
AAPA fails to disclose wherein a width of the joint at the position of the bulge is smaller than the hole diameter of the other hole site and the diameter of the clamping rod of the fastener piece; a through hole is formed in a body of the locking piece and adjacent to the position of the obtuse angle, so that the bulge can be elastically deformed when being subjected to pressure and can be quickly restored, and the fastener piece entering one of the hole sites of the clamping hole through the bulge is not prone to slide and the specifics of the fastener piece wherein the fastener piece being provided with a clamping head and a clamping rod, one end of the clamping rod being fixedly connected with the clamping head, the other end of the clamping rod being connected with a target object.
Laflin teaches a through hole (3) provided adjacent to a narrowed portion of a hole (d) for deformation (lines 41-50) wherein the hole provides a bulge that narrows the joint between the hole and the end (2), a clamping head (e), a clamping rod (e’) and a target object (b).
From this teaching of Laflin, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the invention to provide a through hole adjacent to the bulge of AAPA to provide flexion of the hole while still providing secure fitting of a captured fastener such that the transition from the hole site to the other hole site is narrowed. Furthermore, the clamping head, rod and target object can be provided to the fastener of AAPA as a means of sliding reversible secure fitting of a fastener to an eyelet already provided by AAPA.
PNG
media_image1.png
568
498
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Figure 1 as annotated and provided by Applicant
Regarding claim 2, the combination of AAPA and Laflin further discloses wherein the clamping hole comprises three hole sites (91, 92, 93 of AAPA) connected sequentially (Fig. 1 of AAPA as shown), wherein a first hole site (91) is used for accommodating the fastener piece, a second hole site (92), facing one side relative to the first hole site, deflects at a certain angle so that a first obtuse angle is formed on one side of the joint of the first hole site and the second hole site (Fig. 1 of AAPA as shown), a third hole site (93), facing the other side relative to the second hole site, deflects at a certain angle so that a second obtuse angle is formed on one side of a joint of the second hole site and the third hole site (Fig. 1 of AAPA as shown), wherein the first obtuse angle and the second obtuse angle are opposite in directions (Fig. 1 of AAPA as shown); a bulge is arranged at a hole inner wall of the joint corresponding to each obtuse angle (Fig. 1 of AAPA as shown) and a width of the joint at the position of each bulge is smaller than the hole diameter of the clamping rod of the fastener piece (lines 35-44 of Laflin).
The combination of AAPA and Laflin fails to disclose a through hole is formed in a body of the locking piece and adjacent to each obtuse angle. However, as noted above Laplin teaches a through hole (3) and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an additional through hole for each bend in AAPA to provide flexion of the hole such that the transitions are narrowed while still providing secure fitting of a captured fastener.
Regarding claim 3, the combination device of AAPA and Laflin further discloses the wherein the second hole site is provided with two opposite side walls (Fig. 1 of AAPA as shown), a distance between the two side walls of the second hole is slightly larger than the diameter of the clamping rod but smaller than the diameter of the clamping head; the third hole site is provided with two opposite side walls and a top wall, a distance between the two side walls of the third hole is slightly larger than the diameter of the clamping rod but smaller than the diameter of the clamping head (The combination device using the sidewall dimensions of AAPA and the clamping head and rod of Laflin as previously provided meets these claimed dimensional relationships).
Regarding claim 4 and 5, the combination device of AAPA and Laflin further teaches wherein the shape of the through hole or each through hole is designed as an approximately lateral triangle, and the top of the triangle faces the position of the obtuse angle (Fig. 1 of Laflin shows the approximately triangular shape and positioning adjacent to the slot).
Regarding claims 6 and 7, the combination device of AAPA and Laflin further teach wherein the length of the through hole and each through hole is/are arranged to extend along the directions from the obtuse angle to the two adjacent holes to reach part of side walls covering the two holes (the through holes as shown in Fig. 1 of Laflin are arranged and sized in the clamed manner and would be provided and arranged on the obtuse portion of AAPA as previously combined).
Regarding claim 8, AAPA further discloses wherein a lacing hole is formed in upper and lower ends of the locking piece respectively (Fig. 1 as shown).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01 July 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has argued AAPA discloses “the distance between the two walls of the first clamping section 92 and the second clamping section 93 is larger than or slightly larger than the diameter of the fastener”. This appears to be a mischaracterization of the prior art wherein the first and second clamping sections are only larger or slightly larger than the diameter of a fastener rod and not the fastener head. However, this type of usage with a headed fastener is also demonstrated in Laflin wherein a fastener (e,e’) is passed through a narrowed portion of a slot to an end wherein the head of the fastener is supported by the plate (lines 35-50). As demonstrated above, Laflin also teaches wherein a bulge is provided between two holes to narrow the transition such that the fastener can be held securely in a second hole (2). Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
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 MICHAEL S LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-5735. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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, Jason San can be reached at (571) 272-6531. 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.
/M.S.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3677
/JASON W SAN/ SPE, Art Unit 3677
