DETAILED ACTION
This communication is a first office action on the merits. Claims 1-9, as originally filed are currently pending and have been considered below.
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 9 is 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 last three lines render the claim indefinite. It is unclear what the phrase after the comma means. The primary clamping gear does not directly interact with the elastic member to compress the elastic member. As best understood, the phrase is intended to describe how the teeth can operate in a ratcheting manner to compress the elastic member.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li (US 2022/0119220).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses an apparatus comprising a base (1, 2), a rope winding disc (4), a knob (3), and an unlocking button (44); the rope winding disc used for winding an adjustment rope is rotatably installed in the base; the knob is installed on the base in an unidirectional rotational mode; the knob is combined with the rope winding disc to drive the rope winding disc to rotate via the knob, thereby winding and locking the adjustment rope; the unlocking button is connected to the rope winding disc and passes through the knob, thereby switching combination or separation of the knob and the rope winding disc; and the knob is separated from the rope winding disc, so that the rope winding disc is arranged to rotate in a direction opposite to the winding direction, thereby loosening the adjustment rope (Figs. 1-5 as shown).
Regarding claim 2, Li further discloses wherein the base includes a removably installed bottom cover (1) and a fixed barrel (2), and the rope winding disk is rotatably installed in the fixed barrel (Fig. 2 as shown).
Regarding claim 3, Li further discloses wherein the rope winding disc includes a barrel body, and a first disc body and a second disc body connected to both ends of the barrel body, respectively (Fig. 5 as shown); and the first disc body, the second disc body and the barrel body form an annular rope winding space (41) for the adjustment rope to wrap around.
Regarding claim 4, Li further discloses wherein the first disc body is installed close to the knob, and a driven gear (45) is formed on the first disc body, and a driving gear (33) engaged with the driven gear is formed on the knob.
Regarding claim 5, Li further discloses wherein an open end of the knob is provided with a plurality of hooks (35), and an outer peripheral surface of the base is provided with a snap ring (Fig. 3 shows an annular ring), the knob snaps into the snap ring of the base via the plurality of hooks, so that the knob is arranged to be rotatably installed on the base (Fig. 2 as shown).
Regarding claim 6, Li further discloses wherein a ratchet (32) is provided on an axis center inside the knob, a plurality of elastic pawls (21, 22) are formed on an end of the base that is inserted into the knob, the plurality of elastic pawls are engaged with the ratchet, and the plurality of elastic pawls cooperate with the ratchet to rotate the knob in one direction (Figs. 1-4 as shown).
Regarding claim 7, Li further discloses wherein the unlocking button includes a button body (44) and an elastic member (5); and the knob is provided with a button hole (Fig. 4 as shown), the button body is arranged to be movably inserted into the button hole (Figs. 1-2 as shown), the button body is connected to an axis center of the rope winding disc (Fig. 5 as shown), and the elastic member is installed in the base and elastically presses against both the rope winding disc and a bottom wall of the base, thereby combining the knob with the rope winding disc (Fig. 1 as shown).
Regarding claim 8, Li further discloses wherein a guide post (13) is protruded inward from the bottom wall of the base, the guide post is arranged coaxially with the rope winding disc, one end of the elastic member is inserted into the rope winding disc, and another end is sleeved on an outer periphery of the guide post (Fig. 1 as shown).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Hall et al. (US 2015/0191326).
Regarding claim 9, Li discloses the invention except for wherein the rope winding disc is provided with a primary clamping gear, the base is provided with a secondary clamping gear, and the primary clamping gear engages with the secondary clamping gear under an elastic force of the elastic member, thereby limiting the rope winding disc from rotating in the direction opposite to the winding direction; and the rope winding disc is driven to rotate along the winding direction by twisting the knob, and the primary clamping gear is arranged to compress the elastic member and is disengaged from the secondary clamping gear.
Hall et al. teaches a winding disc (32) with a primary clamping gear (180), a base (28) with a secondary clamping gear (106).
From this teaching of Hall et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the invention to include a primary clamping gear to the top side of the rope winding disc of Li and a secondary clamping gear to the underside interior of the base of Li. Providing redundant structures that further affix the winding disc would allow for higher tensions to be applied and held by the apparatus.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See Form 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL S LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-5735. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason San can be reached at (571) 272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.S.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3677
/JASON W SAN/ SPE, Art Unit 3677