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 .
The following correspondence is a non-final Office Action for application no. 18/804,390, for an ACCESSORY HOLDER FOR CONNECTING AN ACCESSORY TO A SUPPORT, filed on 8/14/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 8-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cifers et al. (U.S. Pat. 11,079,064).
Regarding claim 1, Cifers teaches an accessory holder for connecting an accessory (202) to a support, the support defining an aperture, the accessory holder comprising: an anchor being configured to be inserted in the aperture defined in the support (tab at the bottom of the anchor is inserted in aperture as shown below) and for selectively connecting the accessory holder to the support; an accessory connector connected to the anchor, the accessory connector being rotatable about a rotation axis, the accessory connector being configured for connecting to the accessory, the accessory connector having a cylindrical portion (112, 130) received at least in part in the anchor, the cylindrical portion having a dentate surface, a central axis of the cylindrical portion being coaxial with the rotation axis; and an accessory lock operatively connected to the anchor, the accessory lock comprising: a member connected to the anchor, the member having a dentate surface (170) facing the dentate surface of the cylindrical portion, the dentate surface of the member being configured to engage the dentate surface of the cylindrical portion; and a cam (172’) operatively connected to the anchor, the cam being movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, in the locked position of the cam (intermediate position, Figs. 22, 29, 33), the cam pressing the member against the cylindrical portion such that the dentate surface of the member engages the dentate surface of the cylindrical portion for restricting rotation of the accessory connector about the rotation axis, in the unlocked position of the cam (Figs. 21, 27, 31), the cam applying less pressure against the member than in the locked position for permitting rotation of the accessory connector about the rotation axis (rotation is permitted because the accessory connector is not lockingly attached to the anchor and is adjustable vertically to allow for rotation).
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[AltContent: textbox (Accessory connector)]
[AltContent: arrow]
[AltContent: textbox (cam)][AltContent: arrow]
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (lever)][AltContent: textbox (Cylindrical portion)][AltContent: arrow]
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[AltContent: textbox (member)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Dentate surface)][AltContent: arrow]
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (anchor)]
[AltContent: arrow]
[AltContent: textbox (support)][AltContent: arrow]
[AltContent: textbox (aperture)]
Regarding claim 8, Cifers teaches the holder of claim 1, wherein the member is integrally formed with the anchor.
Regarding claim 9, Cifers teaches the holder of claim 1, wherein the cam is pivotable between the locked position and the unlocked position.
Regarding claim 10, Cifers teaches the holder of claim 9, wherein the cam is pivotable between the locked position and the unlocked position about an accessory lock axis (axis through 134), the accessory lock axis being parallel to the rotation axis.
Regarding claim 11, Cifers teaches the holder of claim 1, wherein the accessory lock further comprises a lever connected to the cam for moving the cam between the locked position and the unlocked position.
Regarding claim 12, Cifers teaches the holder of claim 11, wherein the lever is integrally formed with the cam.
Regarding claim 13, Cifers teaches the holder of claim 11, wherein the lever and the cam are pivotable between the locked position and the unlocked position about an accessory lock axis, the accessory lock axis being parallel to the rotation axis.
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.
Claim(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cifers et al. (U.S. Pat. 11,079,064).
Regarding claims 5 and 6, Cifers teaches the holder of claim 1, wherein: the dentate surface of the cylindrical portion comprises a plurality of teeth (168) and wherein the dentate surface of the member comprises a plurality of teeth (170), but does not teach that the plurality of teeth of the cylindrical portion and member are rounded. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, with a reasonable degree of success, to construct the plurality of teeth of the cylindrical portion and member as rounded to facilitate quick enmeshment of the plurality of teeth with each other, and, as a matter of design choice since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of the component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art since the applicant has not shown how the chosen shape is critical.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 7 and 14-17 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.
Claims 18-20 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USP 12115919, 10712127, 10378690, 7007906 (accessory supports)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NKEISHA J. SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-5781. The examiner can normally be reached Normal hours: M/Th 7-4; T 9-5; W 7-3; F 7-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NKEISHA SMITH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632 April 17, 2026
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