DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is responsive to application number 18/780,423 - E-Z-SEAT FASTENER ASSEMBLY, filed on 7/22/24. Claims 1-10 are pending.
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
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) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Deng (CN 105485115A).
Regarding Claim 1 Deng shows a fastener assembly capable of being used with a toilet seat, comprising: a threaded rod (1; the tightening screw 1 threaded connection); a rotating cam (5) coupled to a first end of the threaded rod (4); a wedge (2) coupled to a second end of the threaded rod (Fig. 1); and a mounting tube (3) surrounding the threaded rod between the rotating cam and the wedge (Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 2 Deng shows the assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting tube includes an expansion slot (Fig. 2; left of center to left end shows slot; Fig. 4) configured to selectively expand when contacting the wedge.
Regarding Claim 3 Deng shows the assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting tube includes an upper flange (shown near 4l; Fig. 1) located adjacent to the rotating cam.
Regarding Claim 4 Deng shows the assembly of claim 3, wherein the rotating cam is configured to rotate about the first end of the threaded rod and selectively contact the upper flange (Figs. 1 & 4).
Regarding Claim 5 Deng shows the assembly of claim 4, wherein rotation of the rotating cam translates the threaded rod so as to bring the wedge into contact with the mounting tube (Figs. 1 & 4).
Regarding Claim 6 Deng shows the assembly of claim 1, wherein the wedge is adjustable such that it is in threaded engagement with the threaded rod to allow translation along the length of the threaded rod (Figs. 1 & 4; threaded rod 1 and tightening nut 2 threaded connection; i.e. nut/wedge is threaded).
Regarding Claim 7 Deng shows a fastener assembly capable of being used with a toilet seat, comprising: a threaded rod (1; the tightening screw 1 threaded connection); a rotating cam (5) coupled to a first end of the threaded rod (4); a wedge (2) coupled to a second end of the threaded rod (Fig. 1); and a mounting tube (3) surrounding the threaded rod between the rotating cam and the wedge (Fig. 1), the mounting tube includes an upper flange (shown near 4l; Fig. 1) located adjacent to the rotating cam, the rotating cam is configured to rotate about the first end of the threaded rod and selectively contact the upper flange (Figs. 1 & 4); wherein rotation of the rotating cam translates the threaded rod so as to bring the wedge into contact with the mounting tube (Figs. 1 & 4).
Regarding Claim 8 Deng shows the assembly of claim 7, wherein the mounting tube includes an expansion slot (Fig. 2; left of center to left end shows slot; Fig. 4) configured to selectively expand when contacting the wedge.
Regarding Claim 9 Deng shows the assembly of claim7, wherein the wedge is adjustable such that it is in threaded engagement with the threaded rod to allow translation along the length of the threaded rod (Figs. 1 & 4; threaded rod 1 and tightening nut 2 threaded connection; i.e. nut/wedge is threaded).
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.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ainsley (GB 2 409 212 A) in view of Deng (CN 105485115A).
Regarding Claim 10 Ainsley shows a method of installing a toilet seat (page 1), comprising: obtaining a toilet seat (16) and resting it upon a toilet bowl (15); obtaining a toilet seat fastener assembly (page 1),
Ainsley shows a quick connect toilet seat assembly but fails to show inserting a threaded rod through the mounting tube; coupling the wedge to the second end of the threaded rod and adjusting it to be adjacent a lower surface of the toilet; and rotating the rotating cam about the threaded rod so as to compress the toilet bowl between the wedge and the upper flange. However, Deng shows a quick connect assembly capable of being used to connect a toilet seat and shows inserting a threaded rod (1; the tightening screw 1 threaded connection) through the mounting tube (3); coupling the wedge (2) to the second end of the threaded rod and adjusting it to be adjacent a lower surface of the toilet; and rotating the rotating cam about the threaded rod so as to compress the toilet bowl between the wedge and the upper flange (Figs. 1 & 4). Because Deng shows a quick connect cam rotating assembly and Ainsley shows using a cam rotated assembly to mount a toilet seat, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ainsley and substitute the quick connect assembly of Deng for the purpose of using another known quick connect assembly for connecting a toilet seat to the toilet bowl.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wenfeng et al. (US Pub. 2012/0042502) shows a threaded rod, mounting tube and wedge; Delaney (US Pub. 2021/0361130) shows a cam operated toilet seat connecting assembly; Hand et al. (US Pub. 2013/0340154) shows the general state of the art.
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/CHRISTINE J SKUBINNA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754 12/18/2025