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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: adjusting assembly in claims 9-10, disclosed as element 70 and equivalents thereof.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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) 1-2, 4-5, 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ke CN 218019112 U.
Re claim 1, Ke discloses an air-blowing and trimming structure [figs. 1-4] of an edge banding machine, comprising:
a mounting base 1 having an air inlet 11 for connecting to a pressure source, an airway 13 communicating with the air inlet 11, and an air outlet groove 12 communicating with the airway 13;
a scraper base 3 mounted to the mounting base and having a vent 33 communicating with the air outlet groove 12 of the mounting base; and
a scraper 2 mounted to the scraper base 3 and located at one side of the vent 33 of the scraper base.
Re claim 2, wherein a position of the scraper base 3 is adjustable relative to the mounting base 1 [as seen in fig. 2, the blowing block can be rotated relative to the connection hole 35]. With respect to the limitation “to enable the vent not to be connected to the air outlet groove of the mounting base”, it is noted that any partial rotation of the blowing block 3 with respect to the scraper 2 and the mounting seat 1, would result in a disconnection between the vent 33 and the air outlet groove 12. Thus, the prior art would be capable to meet the limitation of claim 2.
Re claim 4, wherein the vent is two in number [33, 34];
a position of the scraper base 3 is adjustable relative to the mounting base 1 [as seen in assembly of fig. 2] to enable the two vents [323, 34] to be connected to the air outlet groove 12 of the mounting base 1.
Re claim 5, wherein the airway 13 and the air outlet groove 12 are provided at a top surface of the mounting base 1 covered by a bottom surface of the scraper base [figs. 2, 4].
Re claim 7, wherein the scraper base 3 has a recess 32 provided with two edges [322, 323];
the vent passes through one of the edges [fig. 2].
Re claim 8, a connecting bolt [implied by connecting holes 35, 24, 15] connected to a first connection hole 15 of the mounting base 1 and a second connection hole 35 of the scraper base 3.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6, 9-10 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 prior art of record does not show or fairly render obvious the combination set forth in the claims. In particular, the prior art does not show for claim 3, two vents, one vent connected to the air outlet groove of the mounting base, and the other of the vents is not connected to the air outlet groove of the mounting base; for claim 6, an edge portion of the scraper covers a part of the vent of the scraper base; and for claim 9, an adjusting assembly [interpreted under 112f above] pivotally connected to the connecting bolt and mounted to the scraper base, such that the scraper base is adjusted by the adjusting assembly to be rotated relative to the mounting base.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Carlos A. Rivera whose telephone number is (571)270-5697. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM -4PM.
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, Brian Keller can be reached at (571) 272-8548. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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C. A. R.
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 3723
/C. A. RIVERA/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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