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 .
Priority
This application is a Continuation of PCT/JP2023/005914 filed on February 20, 2023.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 7, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "1" and "5" have both been used to designate the “first protector” and the “movable structure”. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because:
they fail to show “a first protector that is disposed on a first link” as described in the specification.
The term “cylindrical” for parts “first cylindrical portion 11”, “third cylindrical portion 22”, “second cylindrical portion 21”, is shown a a rectangular shape in the drawing. “Cylindrical” is a shape having straight parallel sides and a circular or oval cross-section; in the shape or form of a cylinder.
Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 are 1-6 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.
Claim 1 recites “a second link rotatable relative to the first link” but does not identify any joint/axis/structure defining the rotation, leaving “rotatable” functionally stated and indefinite as to bounds.
Rejection, 35 U.S.C. §112(b): Claim 1 recites “disposed on a first link” and “disposed on a second link” without clarifying whether this means mounted to, integrally formed with, surrounding, attached adjacent to, etc.
Claim 1 recites “an exterior member having a flexible cylindrical shape” but “flexible” and “cylindrical shape” are relative terms lacking objective boundaries and/or material (e.g., minimum bend radius, degree of cylindricity). Also, the claim does not clarify whether the exterior member is a tube, corrugated conduit, braided sleeve, or other structure;a cylindrical shape being flexible, without defining the materials that makes it flexible, makes the term unclear. The applicant should mention the material that makes the cylindrical shape flexible.
Claim 1 recites motion “along an axial direction of the first cylindrical portion,” but the axis is not defined in the claim (e.g., centerline of a bore), and may be indeterminate depending on geometry.
Claim 1 recites “a movable structure that allows the first end portion to move relative to the first link,” which is purely functional and does not particularly point out the structure.
Claim 1 recites “Allows … to move” is an intended result; the claim does not recite the components/constraints that provide the allowance, making scope uncertain.
Claim 2 recites “a fitting structure” which is a non-structural label; it does not further limit the claim with definite structure.
Claim 2 recites “slidably fitted” but does not specify surfaces, tolerances, or engagement length, leaving unclear what degree of sliding/fit is required.
Claim 3 recites “a slide structure” which is a non-structural label; the term is indefinite without structural constraints.
Claim 3 states “allows the first cylindrical portion to move relative to the first link,” but claim 1 already says the first cylindrical portion is “disposed on a first link that is fixed”; unclear whether the cylindrical portion is fixed or movable relative to the first link.
Claim 1 does not identify whether “movable structure” is part of the first protector, the exterior member, the first link, or a separate component, making scope unclear.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sato et al. (US 2007/0148994) teaches a wire harness with a link-type movable body. Sato et al. (US 2007/0148992) teaches a harness with links and protective bodies that slide and pivot. Nagayasu (US 2014/0332265) teaches a corrugated tube that allows flexibility for bending of the wire harness.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRYSTAL ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)272-9258. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-5 M-F.
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, Timothy Dole can be reached on (571)-272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KRYSTAL ROBINSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2848