CTNF 18/760,188 CTNF 73131 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-5, 11, 12, 15 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Augimeri (US 2023/0067592) . Regarding claim 1, Augimeri discloses a fastener 10 Fig. 1a comprising: a head 12; a shank 16 connected to and extending from the head, the shank including: a first portion 18, a second portion (18b of Annotated Fig. 1a, below) connected to and extending from the first portion, a third portion 20 connected to and extending from the second portion, and a tip 14 connected to and extending from the third portion and at an end of the shank opposite the head; a first helical thread formation 22 extending outwardly from the second and third portions of the shank, the first helical thread formation having a first thread portion (240 of Annotated Fig. 1a, below) and a second thread portion (250 of Annotated Fig. 1a, below), the first thread portion of the first helical thread formation extending from the second portion of the shank, the first thread portion of the first helical thread formation extending from the third portion of the shank, the second thread portion of the first helical thread formation extending from the third portion of the shank, the second thread portion of the first helical thread formation defining grooves 28; and a second helical thread formation 24 extending outwardly from the third portion of the shank. PNG media_image1.png 842 790 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claim 2, Augimeri discloses wherein the first thread portion 240 of the first helical thread formation does not define any grooves. Regarding claim 3, Augimeri discloses wherein the second thread portion 250 of the first helical thread formation defines grooves 28. Regarding claim 4, Augimeri discloses wherein only part of the second thread portion 250 of the first helical thread formation defines grooves 28. Regarding claim 5, Augimeri discloses wherein the part of the second thread portion 250 of the first helical thread formation that is adjacent to the tip 14 defines the grooves 28. Regarding claim 11, Augimeri discloses wherein the first portion 18 of the shank 16 has a greater outer diameter than the third portion 20 of the shank. Regarding claim 12, Augimeri discloses wherein the second portion 18b of the shank is tapered from the first portion 18 of the shank to the third portion 20 of the shank. Regarding claim 15, Augimeri discloses wherein the first portion 18 of the shank 16 has a greater outer diameter than the third portion 20 of the shank. Regarding claim 16, Augimeri discloses wherein the second portion 18b of the shank 16 is tapered from the first portion 18 of the shank to the third portion 20 of the shank . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 6-10, 13 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Augimeri . Regarding claims 6-10 and 13, Augimeri discloses the invention as claimed above but fails to explicitly disclose the various arrangements of the second helical thread wherein the second helical thread formation does not extend from the second portion of the shank. Nevertheless, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japiske , 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). Regarding claim 14, Augimeri discloses wherein a part of the second thread portion 250 of the first helical thread formation that is adjacent to the tip 14 defines the grooves 28 in the second thread portion of the first helical thread. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUGENE G BYRD whose telephone number is (571)270-1824. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm. 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, Kristina Fulton can be reached at 5712727376. 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. /EUGENE G BYRD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675 Application/Control Number: 18/760,188 Page 2 Art Unit: 3675 Application/Control Number: 18/760,188 Page 3 Art Unit: 3675 Application/Control Number: 18/760,188 Page 4 Art Unit: 3675 Application/Control Number: 18/760,188 Page 5 Art Unit: 3675
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