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 Objections
Claim(s) 4 objected to because of the following informalities: claim(s) should be amended to recite “wherein the door handle system comprises [[a]] the lock unit, wherein the lock unit comprises a lock housing with the lock opening and wherein the lock unit comprises the activation member.” Appropriate correction or clarification is required.
Claim(s) 7 objected to because of the following informalities: claim(s) should be amended to recite “wherein the activation member comprises a protrusion configured to get into contact with the bolt stopper if the safety door is in [[a]] the closed state [[position]]”. Appropriate correction or clarification is required.
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.
Claim 10 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.
Regarding claim 10, the phrase “especially” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9-12 and 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Butt (US-20240200365-A1).
With regards to claim 1, Butt discloses a door handle system (100, 3 Figures 2-3) for a safety door (101 Figures 28, 34, 40; Para. 0063), comprising the following features:
a bolt unit (100 Figure 2) is provided, wherein the bolt unit comprises a housing (1 Figure 1) with a bolt opening (opening accommodating bolt 53, Figure 1), and a handle (2 Figure 1), wherein the handle is arranged at the housing;
the bolt unit comprises a bolt module (53, 54, 49 Figure 5) with a bolt (exposed bolt end of 53, Figure 1);
the bolt is moveable respective to the housing (as shown Figures 2-3), wherein the bolt can be moved out of the bolt opening of the housing for engaging with a corresponding lock opening (opening in 3, Figure 2) of a lock unit (3 Figure 2);
the bolt unit comprises a restraining device (58, 57 Figure 5) with a bolt stopper (58 Figure 2);
the bolt stopper is configured to be switched between a blocking position (Figure 2) in which it engages with the bolt and a release position (Figure 3) in which it releases the bolt thereby allowing the bolt to move out of the bolt opening (Para. 0063);
an activation member (activation surface of 3, Figure 3) is provided, wherein the bolt stopper is configured to get in contact with the activation member in a closed state of the safety door (as shown Figure 3) thereby switching to the release position (Para. 0063).
With regards to claim 2, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the safety door is one of a sliding door and a swing door (101 Figures 28, 34, 40; Para. 0023).
With regards to claim 3, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the bolt stopper (58 Figure 2) is configured to prevent the bolt (exposed bolt end of 53, Figure 1) from moving out of the bolt opening (opening accommodating bolt 53, Figure 1) if the bolt stopper is in the blocking position (Figure 2, Para. 0076).
With regards to claim 4, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the door handle system (100 Figure 2) comprises a lock unit (3 Figure 2), wherein the lock unit comprises a lock housing (housing of 3, Figure 2) with the lock opening (opening in 3, Figure 2) and wherein the lock unit comprises the activation member (activation surface of 3, Figure 3).
With regards to claim 5, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 4, wherein a) the lock unit (3 Figure 2) is configured to be arranged stationary (on frame 102, Figures 28, 34, 40) and the bolt unit (100 Figure 2) is configured to be arranged on the movable safety door (101 Figures 28, 34, 40);
or (interpreted as requiring only one of associated limitations) b) the bolt unit is configured to be arranged stationary and the lock unit is configured to be arranged on the movable safety door.
With regards to claim 6, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 4, wherein the lock housing (3 Figure 2) and the activation member (activation surface of 3, Figure 2) are made of a single piece.
With regards to claim 7, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the activation member comprises a protrusion (protrusion of activation surface of 3 facing bolt stopper 58, Figure 2) configured to get into contact with the bolt stopper (58 Figure 2) if the safety door is in a closed position (Figure 3), thereby displacing the bolt stopper so that the bolt stopper switches to the release position (Para. 0063).
With regards to claim 9, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the bolt stopper (58 Figure 5) rests on the front side of the bolt (distal front end of exposed bolt portion 53, Figure 5) or on a shoulder of the bolt if the bolt stopper is in the blocking position (Figure 5).
With regards to claim 10, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the restraining device (58, 57 Figure 5) comprises a restraining spring (57 Figure 5), wherein the restraining spring is configured to engage with the bolt stopper (58 Figure 2) in such a way that:
a) the bolt stopper rests in the blocking position (Figure 2) until it gets in contact with the activation member (activation surface of 3, Figure 3); and
b) the bolt stopper switches from the release position into the blocking position (under the influence of restraining spring 57, Figure 5) after the bolt (exposed bolt end of 53, Figure 1) is retracted back into the bolt opening of the housing (1 Figure 1) of the bolt unit (Para. 0097) and especially behind the bolt stopper.
With regards to claim 11, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the bolt module (53, 54, 49 Figure 5) comprises a body portion (53 Figure 5), wherein the bolt (exposed bolt end of 53, Figure 1) forms a first end of the body portion and wherein the bolt unit (100 Figure 2) comprises a spring (48 Figure 5), wherein the spring is configured to apply a force on the body portion in the direction of the bolt opening of the housing (downwards, Figure 1; Para. 0062).
With regards to claim 12, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 11, wherein a first end of the spring (48 Figure 5) is attached at the body portion of the bolt module (53, 54, 49 Figure 5) and wherein a second end of the spring is attached at the housing of the bolt unit (1 Figure 5) in a region of the bolt opening (opening accommodating bolt body portion 53, Figure 1) or at the restraining device, wherein the spring is configured to pull the body portion of the bolt module towards the bolt opening of the housing (downwards, Figure 1; Para. 0062).
With regards to claim 14, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the housing (1 Figure 1) of the bolt unit (100 Figure 1) comprises a second opening (opening accommodating bolt module element 54, Figure 1) which is arranged opposite to the bolt opening (opening accommodating bolt body portion 53, Figure 1), wherein the bolt module (53, 54, 49 Figure 5) is arrangeable within the housing such that the bolt can be moved out of the second opening instead of the bolt opening which allows the door handle system to be applied to a safety door that opens to the right as well as to a safety door that opens to the left (the bolt module is arrangeable within the housing such that the bolt can be moved out of the second opening instead of the bolt opening which allows the door handle system to be applied to a safety door that opens to the right as well as to a safety door that opens to the left, Figures 28, 34, 40; Para. 0023).
With regards to claim 15, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the handle (2 Figure 1) comprises at least one cam or finger (11 Figure 5) which is configured to get into contact with the bolt module (53, 54, 49 Figure 5) if the handle is pressed and therefore moves from a first position into a second position (Para. 0086) thereby moving the bolt module away from the bolt opening (opening accommodating bolt body portion 53, Figure 1) of the housing (1 Figure 1) so that the bolt (exposed bolt end of 53, Figure 1) is moved back into the bolt opening of the housing so that the bolt stopper (58 Figure 2) is switchable from its release position (Figure 3) into its blocking position (Figure 2)(Para. 0063).
With regards to claim 16, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 15, wherein a return spring (9, Para. 0086) is provided and attached to the handle (2 Figure 1) and the housing (1 Figure 1) and wherein the return spring is configured to move the handle back from second position into the first position (Para. 0090).
Claim(s) 1 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kurz (US-4478444-A).
With regards to claim 1, Kurz discloses a door handle system (Figure 1) for a safety door (22 Figure 1), comprising the following features:
a bolt unit (23 Figure 1) is provided, wherein the bolt unit comprises a housing (56 Figure 5) with a bolt opening (upper opening of 56, Figure 5), and a handle (27 Figure 1), wherein the handle is arranged at the housing;
the bolt unit comprises a bolt module (24, 25, 26 Figure 1) with a bolt (24 Figure 5);
the bolt is moveable respective to the housing (as shown Figures 5-6), wherein the bolt can be moved out of the bolt opening of the housing for engaging with a corresponding lock opening (47 Figure 5) of a lock unit (21 Figure 5);
the bolt unit comprises a restraining device (35, 50, 40 Figure 5) with a bolt stopper (35 Figure 5);
the bolt stopper is configured to be switched between a blocking position (Figure 6) in which it engages with the bolt and a release position (Figure 5) in which it releases the bolt thereby allowing the bolt to move out of the bolt opening (Figures 5-6; Col. 2 Lines 28-46);
an activation member (activation surface of 21, Figure 5) is provided, wherein the bolt stopper is configured to get in contact with the activation member in a closed state of the safety door (as shown Figure 5) thereby switching to the release position (Figures 5-6; Col. 2 Lines 47-66).
With regards to claim 8, Kurz discloses the door handle system according to claim 1, wherein the bolt stopper (35 Figure 5) is a frame surrounding an opening (opening in 35, Figure 8), wherein the opening of the frame aligns with the bolt opening (upper opening of 56, Figure 5) of the housing (56 Figure 5) if the bolt stopper is the release position (Figure 5), thereby allowing the bolt (24 Figure 5) to move through the opening of the frame and out of the bolt opening of the housing (as shown Figure 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 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: Although the references of record show some features similar to those of applicant's device, the prior art fails to teach or make obvious the claimed invention. With regards to claim 13, Butt discloses the door handle system according to claim 11, wherein the housing of the bolt unit comprises a fastening means is configured to engage with a fastening member thereby limiting the movement of the bolt respective to the housing (4 Figure 1; Para. 0062). However, Butt does not disclose that the housing of the bolt unit comprises a fastening opening opposite to the bolt opening and wherein the body portion comprises a fastening part forming a second end of the body portion opposite to the first end and wherein the fastening part is configured to protrude out of the fastening opening of the housing if the bolt stopper is in the blocking position and wherein the fastening part is arranged within the housing if the bolt stopper is in the release position and wherein the fastening part is configured to engage with a fastening member thereby limiting the movement of the bolt respective to the housing. Therefore, such an arrangement is not taught by the prior art, nor can the Examiner can find teaching or motivation to suggest such a modification to one of ordinary skill in the art without fundamentally altering the principles of operation of the device or otherwise relying upon the benefit of impermissible hindsight reasoning.
Additional Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US-7350383-B1: A related door handle system.
US-20090078011-A1: A related door handle system.
US-20230383581-A1: A related door handle system.
US-20240301722-A1: A related door handle system.
US-20090151407-A1: A related door handle system.
US-11479989-B2: A related door handle system.
US-12163356-B2: A related door handle system.
US-7497486-B1: A related door handle system.
US-12312846-B2: A related door handle system.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Noah Horowitz, whose telephone number is (571)272-5532. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 11:00AM - 7:00 PM.
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/NOAH HOROWITZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3675