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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schneider et al. (WO 2022/053105A1). Schneider et al. teaches a fastening system 1 for fastening a first joining member 2 having a first slot 7 to a second joining member 2 having a second slot 7, the fastening system 1 comprising a T-bolt 11 having a distal end at 15 and a proximal end at 19, the T-bolt 11 including a bolt head at 15 disposed adjacent the distal end, the bolt head including a bolt head base portion at 14 and a bolt head collar portion at 12, the bolt head base portion at 14 having an outer end and an interior end (figure 7), the bolt head collar portion at 12 extending from the interior end of the bolt head base portion (figure 7) in a direction opposite the outer end of the bolt head base portion, and a shaft at lead line 11 extending from the bolt head to the proximal end at 19, the shaft including threads (“hammer head screw 11” also see element 25; figure 23) disposed along at least a portion of a length of the shaft, a nut 5 having a threaded opening for engaging the corresponding threads of the shaft (figure 26), and a washer 4 including a washer base portion (at 10), a washer collar portion (at lead line 4, as shown in figure 7), and an aperture extending through the washer base portion and the washer collar portion for slidably positioning the washer around the shaft of the T-bolt 11 between the nut and the bolt head (figure 6), the washer base portion having an outer end and an interior end (figure 6), and the washer collar portion forming a cylindrical ring extending from the interior end of the washer base portion in a direction opposite the outer end of the washer base portion (figure 7), wherein, when the fastening system 1 is in an installed position for fastening the first joining member 2 to the second joining member 2 with the first and second slots 7 being aligned, the T-bolt 11 is dimensioned and configured such that the interior end of the bolt head base portion engages an outer surface of the first joining member (figure 6) and the bolt head collar portion 9 extends at least partially into an opening formed by the aligned first and second slots 7 (figure 6), and the washer 4 is dimensioned and configured such that the interior end of the washer base portion engages an outer surface of the second joining member 2 and the cylindrical ring of the washer collar portion extends at least partially into the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots (figure 6).
Regarding claim 2, the bolt head at 15 is dimensioned and configured to pass through the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots in a first orientation (see figure 18)and is dimensioned and configured to prevent withdrawal of the bolt head back through the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots in a second orientation (figure 17) in which the T-bolt is rotated as compared to the first orientation.
Regarding claim 3, the bolt head collar portion at 12 includes a front end, a rear end, a first side, and a second side (see figures 17 and 18), the first side and the second side each including a rounded portion dimensioned and configured to assist in rotation in the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots (figure 6) from the first orientation to the second orientation and a planar portion dimensioned and configured to abut opposing interior walls of the aligned first and second slots in the second orientation (figure 7).
Regarding claim 4, the interior end of the bolt head base portion and the interior end of the washer base portion each include a plurality of teeth 9 (figure 7 and figure 33) for enhancing the engagement to the outer surfaces of the first and second joining members.
Regarding claim 5, the bolt head collar portion is dimensioned and configured such that, when the fastening system 1 is in the installed position (figure 6), the bolt head collar portion extends through the first slot and partially into the second slot (figure 12).
Regarding claim 6, the washer 4 collar portion is dimensioned and configured such that, when the fastening system 1 is in the installed position, the washer collar portion extends only partially into the second slot (figure 12).
Regarding claim 7, the washer 4 is a unitary structure containing the washer base portion and the washer collar portion (figure 7).
Regarding claim 8, Schneider et al. teaches a fastening system 1 for fastening a first joining member 2 having a first slot 7 to a second joining member 2 having a second slot 7, the fastening system 1 comprising a T-bolt 11 having a distal end at 15 and a proximal end at 19 including a bolt head 15 disposed adjacent the distal end and having a bolt head base portion at 14 and a bolt head collar portion 12, the bolt head base portion having an outer end and an interior end (figure 7), the interior end of the bolt head including a bolt head engaging surfaced formed of a plurality of teeth 9, and the bolt head collar portion at 12 extending from the interior end of the bolt head base portion in a direction opposite the outer end of the bolt head base portion (figure 7) with the bolt head engaging surface disposed around a base of the bolt head collar portion (figure 7), and a shaft at 11 extending from the bolt head to the proximal end at 19, the shaft including threads (see element 25 in figure 23) disposed along at least a portion of a length of the shaft, a nut 5 having a threaded opening for engaging the corresponding threads of the shaft (figure 23), and a washer 4 including a washer base portion and an aperture extending through the washer base portion for slidably positioning the washer around the shaft of the T-bolt between the nut (figures 6 and 7) and the bolt head, wherein, when the fastening system 1 is in an installed position for fastening the first joining member 2 to the second joining member 2 with the first and second slots 7 being aligned (figure 6), the T-bolt 11 is dimensioned and configured such that the bolt head engaging surface of the bolt head base portion engages an outer surface of the first joining member 2 and the bolt head collar portion extends at least partially into an opening formed by the aligned first and second slots (figure 6).
Regarding claim 9, the bolt head at 15 is dimensioned and configured to pass through the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots in a first orientation (figure 18) and is dimensioned and configured to prevent withdrawal of the bolt head back through the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots in a second orientation in which the T-bolt is rotated as compared to the first orientation (figure 17).
Regarding claim 10, the bolt head collar portion 12 includes a front end, a rear end, a first side, and a second side (figures 17 and 18), the first side and the second side each including a rounded portion dimensioned and configured to assist in rotation in the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots from the first orientation to the second orientation and a planar portion dimensioned and configured to abut opposing interior walls of the aligned first and second slots in the second orientation (figure 7).
Regarding claim 11, the interior end of the washer base portion includes a plurality of teeth (9 in figure 33) for enhancing the engagement to the outer surface of the second joining member.
Regarding claim 12, the bolt head collar portion 12 is dimensioned and configured such that, when the fastening system 1 is in the installed position (figure 6), the bolt head collar portion extends through the first slot and partially into the second slot (figure 6).
Regarding claim 13, Schneider et al. teaches a fastening system 1 for fastening a first joining member 2 having a first slot 7 to a second joining member 2 having a second slot 7, the fastening system 1 comprising a T-bolt 11 having a distal end (at lead line 15) and a proximal end (at lead line 19) including a bolt head 15 disposed adjacent the distal end and having a bolt head base portion at 14 and a bolt head collar portion at 12, the bolt head base portion having an outer end and an interior end (figure 7), and the bolt head collar portion 12 extending from the interior end of the bolt head base portion in a direction opposite the outer end of the bolt head base portion (figure 7), and a shaft at lead line 11 extending from the bolt head to the proximal end, the shaft including threads (see element 25 in figure 23) disposed along at least a portion of a length of the shaft, a nut 5 having a threaded opening for engaging the corresponding threads of the shaft (figure 23), and a washer 4 including a washer base portion, a washer collar portion (at lead line 14), and an aperture extending through the washer base portion (figures 6 and 7) and the washer collar portion for slidably positioning the washer around the shaft of the T-bolt between the nut and the bolt head (figure 6), the washer base portion having an outer end and an interior end, the interior end of the washer base portion including a washer engaging surface formed of a plurality of teeth (9 in figure 33), and the washer collar portion extending from the interior end of the washer base portion in a direction opposite the outer end of the washer base portion with the washer engaging surface disposed around a base of the washer collar portion, wherein, when the fastening system 1 is in an installed position for fastening the first joining member 2 to the second joining member 2 with the first and second slots 7 being aligned (figure 6), the T-bolt 11 is dimensioned and configured such that the interior end of the bolt head base portion engages an outer surface of the first joining member (figure 6) and the bolt head collar portion extends at least partially into an opening formed by the aligned first and second slots (figure 6), and the washer 4 is dimensioned and configured such that the washer engaging surface of the washer base portion engages an outer surface of the second joining member and the washer collar portion extends at least partially into the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots (figure 6).
Regarding claim 14, the bolt head 15 is dimensioned and configured to pass through the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots in a first orientation (figure 18) and is dimensioned and configured to prevent withdrawal of the bolt head back through the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots in a second orientation (figure 17) in which the T-bolt is rotated as compared to the first orientation.
Regarding claim 15, the bolt head collar portion 12 includes a front end, a rear end, a first side, and a second side (figure 7), the first side and the second side each including a rounded portion dimensioned and configured to assist in rotation in the opening formed by the aligned first and second slots from the first orientation to the second orientation and a planar portion dimensioned and configured to abut opposing interior walls of the aligned first and second slots in the second orientation (figure 7).
Regarding claim 16, the interior end of the bolt head base portion includes a plurality of teeth 9 for enhancing the engagement to the outer surface of the first joining member.
Regarding claim 17, the bolt head collar portion 12 is dimensioned and configured such that, when the fastening system 1 is in the installed position, the bolt head collar portion extends through the first slot 7 and partially into the second slot 7 (figure 6).
Regarding claim 18, the washer collar portion is dimensioned and configured such that, when the fastening system 1 is in the installed position (figure 6), the washer collar portion extends only partially into the second slot (figure 6).
Regarding claim 19, the washer 4 is a unitary structure containing the washer base portion and the washer collar portion (figure 7).
Regarding claim 20, the washer collar (portion of collar at lead line 4 in figure 7) is in the form of a cylindrical ring extending from the interior end of the base portion of the washer collar.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art is cited for the bolt, nut and washer structure.
THIS ACTION IS NON-FINAL.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIKI MARINA ELOSHWAY whose telephone number is (571)272-4538. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 7: 00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m..
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/NIKI M ELOSHWAY/Examiner, Art Unit 3736
