DETAILED ACTION
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 1-3, 6-7, 11-13 and 16-17 are 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.
The preamble of each of claims 1 and 11, recites “automatic lock” and “manual lock,” however the body of each respective claim does not support the qualifiers “automatic” and “manual” with adequate functional recitation associated with the claimed structure. It is suggested that Applicant amend the preamble of each of claims 1 and 11 to remove “manual” and “automatic” and instead recite “A plate assembly having locking features, the assembly comprising:” to avoid confusion.
In claims 1 and 11, the recitation “..and lobes disposed between the opposing cutouts, and wherein each lobe has a slot configured to engage a driver tool” renders the claim vague and indefinite because of the earlier recitation of “elastically deformable portion.” The elected species (Figs. 6A-6C) describes the lobes of the blocking mechanism to be deformable and the recitation of lobes and the elastically deformable portion amounts to double recitation of features of the elected species. It is suggested that Applicant recite in claim 1, lines 14-16 that the elastically deformable portion of the blocking mechanism is in the form of a lobe wherein the blocking mechanism has opposing cutouts and lobes disposed between the opposing cutouts and wherein each lobe has a slot configured to engage a driver tool. This comment also applies to claim 11.
Appropriate correction is required.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered by the Examiner. New grounds of rejection have been made in this office action.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-3, 6-7, 11-13, 16 and 17 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Anu Ramana whose telephone number is (571)272-4718. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am-5:00 pm.
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March 31, 2026
/Anu Ramana/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3775
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