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 .
Response to Amendment
Objections of drawings, specification and claims are withdrawn.
Drawings submitted on 01/06/2026 are acceptable.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
(a) For claim 22, applicant argues that Fan does not show the limitation “rotation of the spindle from the default position to one of the right-handed home position and the left-handed home position causes the door lock system to be configured as a right- handed door lock or a left-handed door lock respectively.” Fan disclose the handle assembly can be used on either a left-hand door or right-hand door (Col.1, L34-37; Col.5, L66-67, and Col.6, L1-3.) When user rotates the outside lever handle 22 in clockwise direction the latch bolt 41 retracts, and when the outside lever handle 22 is released, both outside and inside lever handles 22, 32 will return to home position (Col.5, L 11-34). Now, from inside the user rotates the inside lever handle 32 in a counter-clock direction (opposite to the previous direction) to retract the latch bolt 41 (Col.5, L 35-43.) Thus, when the lock assembly is used on a left-hand door or a right-hand door, the outside lever handle and the inside lever handle are operated in opposite directions to actuate the bolt (Col.5, L10-43.) Fan shows the limitation “rotation of the spindle from the default position to one of the right-handed home position and the left-handed home position causes the door lock system to be configured as a right- handed door lock or a left-handed door lock respectively.” Applicant's argument is not persuasive.
Claim(s) that depend(s) from the rejected claim(s) 22 is/are rejected.
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) 22-24, and 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Fan (U.S. Patent No. 6,491,327).
For claim 22, Fan discloses, in Figures 1-6, a handing assembly for a door lock portion of a door lock system, the handing assembly comprising:
a housing (21, 31); and
a spindle (42) protruding from the housing and configured to receive a door handle (22, 32);
wherein the spindle is configured to rotate about a door lock axis from a default position to a right-handed home position in a first direction, and from the default position to a left-handed home position in a second direction opposite the first direction (The handle assembly can be used on either a left-hand door or right-hand door. Col.1, L34-37; Col.5, L66-67, and Col.6, L1-3. When the handle assembly is used on a right-hand door, the spindle is configured to rotate about a door lock axis from a default position to a right-handed home position in a first direction. When the handle assembly is used on a left-hand door, the spindle is configured to rotate about the door lock axis from a default position to a left-handed home position in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Operation of the handle either on a left-hand door or right-hand door will actuate the bolt 41. Col.5, L10-43.);
whereby rotation of the spindle from the default position to one of the right-handed home position and the left-handed home position causes the door lock system to be configured as a right- handed door lock or a left-handed door lock respectively (When user rotates the outside lever handle 22 in clockwise direction the latch bolt 41 retracts, and when the outside lever handle 22 is released, both outside and inside lever handles 22, 32 will return to home position (Col.5, L 11-34). Now, from inside the user rotates the inside lever handle 32 in a counter-clock direction (opposite to the previous direction) to retract the latch bolt 41 (Col.5, L 35-43.) Thus, when the lock assembly is used on a left-hand door or a right-hand door, the outside lever handle and the inside lever handle are operated in opposite directions to actuate the bolt (Col.5, L10-43; Col.1, L34-37; Col.5, L66-67, and Col.6, L1-3.)
For claim 23, Fan discloses the handing assembly of claim 22, wherein the spindle is operatively coupled to a latch of the door lock system, wherein rotation of the spindle further in the first direction from the right-handed home position is configured to retract the latch, and wherein rotating the spindle further in the second direction from the left-handed home position is configured to retract the latch (Rotation of handle turns the spindle which in turn actuates the bolt 41. Col.5, L10-43.)
For claim 24, Fan discloses the handing assembly of claim 23, further comprising a torsion spring (53) operatively coupled to the spindle (42) and configured to bias the spindle towards the default position (Col.5, L44-65.)
For claim 32, Fan discloses the handing assembly of claim 22, wherein the spindle is configured to rotate approximately 90° about the door lock axis from the default position to the right-handed home position in the first direction, and configured to rotate approximately 90° about the door lock axis from the default position to the left-handed home position in the second direction (Since the handle assembly can be used on either a left-hand door or right-hand door [Col.1, L34-37; Col.5, L66-67, and Col.6, L1-3.], the spindle is configured to rotate approximately 90° about the door lock axis from the default position to the right-handed home position in the first direction (Figures 3-4), and configured to rotate approximately 90° about the door lock axis from the default position to the left-handed home position in the second direction (Figures 3-6.)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 33-41 allowed.
Claims 25-31 are 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.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and provides examples of similar inventions. There are no suggestions in the prior art of record for combining any of the references to arrive at as claimed.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 NATHAN CUMAR whose telephone number is (571)270-3112. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.
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/NATHAN CUMAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675