DETAILED ACTION
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 . 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 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.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 1 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “a first object” in line 1 and “a third object” in line 9. It is unclear from the claim how a third object can exist without the presence of a second object.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 4,979,273 (Friedrickson).
Friedrickson discloses a joint structure (see Figures 1-8), comprising:
a first object (11), having an assembled part (14);
a body part (19, 19’), having an assembling part (19) to assemble with the assembled part and connect to the first object (via threads, see e.g. 14’ in Figure 5);
an actuating piece (21), combining movably with the body part, the actuating piece has a first joint part (30), the first joint part is located outside of the body part (see Figures 2-5), the first joint part can carry out a vertical movement, lateral movement or rotational movement (see Figure 8); and
a third object (16), the first joint part is fastened in the third object (via opening 30 and cotter pin 27; see Figures 2, 4, and 5).
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 6,408,659 (Chang).
Chang discloses a joint structure (see Figures 2-5), comprising:
a first object (70), having an assembled part (71);
a body part (20, 50), having an assembling part (52) to assemble with the assembled part and connect to the first object (via threads; see Figures 2-5);
an actuating piece (10), combining movably with the body part, the actuating piece has a first joint part (16), the first joint part is located outside of the body part (see Figures 2-5), the first joint part can carry out a vertical movement, lateral movement or rotational movement (see Figure 3 vs. Figure 4); and
a third object (60), the first joint part is fastened in the third object (at 16, 62 in Figure 5).
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 11,111,705 (Lipson).
Lipson discloses a joint structure (200; see Figures 2A-2C), comprising:
a first object (208), having an assembled part (unnumbered tab portion through which pivot 281 extends; see Figures 2A-2C);
a body part (281), having an assembling part (constituted by pivot 281) to assemble with the assembled part and connect to the first object (see Figures 2A-2C and column 4, lines 51-63);
an actuating piece (222), combining movably with the body part, the actuating piece has a first joint part (226), the first joint part is located outside of the body part (see Figures 2A-2C), the first joint part can carry out a vertical movement, lateral movement or rotational movement (see Figure 2A vs. Figure 2B); and
a third object (202), the first joint part is fastened in the third object (at 216; see Figure 2A).
Conclusion
The prior art set forth in the attached Notice of References Cited (PTO-892) made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure in the field of joint structures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Josh Skroupa whose telephone number is (571)270-3220. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM ET.
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, Amber Anderson can be reached on (571)270-5281. 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.
/Josh Skroupa/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
July 7, 2026
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