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 Objections
Claims 2-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 recites “wherein the at least attachment tab” and should be changed to --wherein the at least one attachment tab--. Claim 2 further recites “wherein the top or the bottom bar is width of the associated pet collar” and should be changed to --wherein the top or the bottom bar is a width of the associated pet collar-- or similar. Claims 3-10 are further objected to because of their dependency on claim 2.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 5-10, and 14-19 are 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites a first attachment tab, a second attachment tab, a third attachment tab, and a fourth attachment tab, but then refers to “the attachment tabs”. It is unclear as to which attachment tabs “the attachment tabs” refers. For purposes of examination only, “the attachment tabs” will be any combination of at least two of the first, second, third, and fourth attachment tabs.
Claims 5, 8, 14, and 17 recite the phrase “about half way”. The claims, in light of the Applicant’s specification, do not define the metes and bounds of the requisite distance that the attachment tabs must extend to be considered “about half way”. Thus, what is about half way to one of ordinary skill in the art may not be about half way to another. Claims 6-8 and 15-17 are further rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, because of their dependencies on claims 5 and 14, respectively.
Claims 9-10 and 18-19 recite the phrase “about between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees”. The claims, in light of the Applicant’s specification, do not define the metes and bounds of the requisite angle that the attachment tabs must extend to be considered “about between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees”. Thus, what is about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees to one of ordinary skill in the art may not be about between 20 degrees and 60 degrees. Claims 6-8 and 15-17 are further rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, because of their dependencies on claims 5 and 14, respectively.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1, 6-8, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teruberu (JP 3236763 U) in view of Park et al. (KR 20230073588A).
Claim 1, Teruberu teaches:
A pet identification tag (Teruberu, Fig. 1), the pet identification tag comprising:
a front, wherein the front contains display unit (Teruberu, Fig. 1: 2, Paragraph [0015]), wherein the display unit contains information about an associated pet (Teruberu, Paragraph [0015], The display unit 2 displays, for example, the name of the dog or cat and/or the owner’s phone number.);
a back (Teruberu, Fig. 2a);
a top (Teruberu, Figs. 1 and 2a: 1, As can be seen in the drawings, the tag 1 has a top portion.);
a bottom (Teruberu, Figs. 1 and 2a: 1, As can be seen in the drawings, the tag 1 has a bottom portion.);
a first attachment tab (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3, Paragraph [0016], The left part of first attachment portion 3 is a first attachment tab.), wherein the first attachment tab has a first end and a second end (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3a, 3b, Paragraph [0016], The left part of first attachment portion 3 has one end 3a and the other end 3b.);
a second attachment tab (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3, Paragraph [0016], The right part of first attachment portion 3 is a second attachment tab.), wherein the second attachment tab has a first end and a second end (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3a, 3b, Paragraph [0016], The right part of first attachment portion has one end and the other end, similar to the left part.);
a third attachment tab (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 4, Paragraph [0016], The left part of second attachment portion 4 is a third attachment tab.), wherein the third attachment tab has a first end and a second end (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 4a, 4b, Paragraph [0016], The left part of second attachment portion 4 has one end 4a and the other end 4b.); and
a fourth attachment tab (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 4, Paragraph [0016], The right part of second attachment portion 4 is a fourth attachment tab.), wherein the fourth attachment tab has a first end and a second end (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 4a, 4b, Paragraph [0016], The right part of second attachment portion 4 has one end and the other end, similar to the left part.),
wherein the first and second attachment tabs are attached to the top of the tag (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3, Paragraph [0016]), and the third and fourth attachment tabs are attached to the bottom of the tag (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 4, Paragraph [0016]), wherein the attachment tabs are attached to the tag at the first end of the attachment tabs (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3, 4, Paragraph [0016], The first attachment portion 3 and the second attachment portion 4 are attached to the back side of the display unit 2 of tag 1. It is noted that when the claim recites “the attachment tabs”, the limitations is interpreted as including any combination of at least two of the first, second, third, and fourth attachment tabs.), wherein the second ends of the attachment tabs are spaced apart from each other (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3b, 4b, Paragraph [0016], As can be seen in Fig. 2a, the other ends 3b and 4b are spaced apart from each other.), wherein the first and second ends of the attachment tabs are substantially parallel to the top and the bottom of the tag (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, Paragraph [0016], The arrangement of the ends 3a and 3b of first attachment portion 3, along with the arrangement of ends 4a and 4b of second attachment portion 4, are respectively parallel with the top and bottom of the tag 1.), wherein the attachment tabs are configured to receive an associated pet collar (Teruberu, Fig. 2b, Paragraphs [0019-0020]).
Teruberu does not specifically teach:
The front contains an electronic code, wherein the electronic code contains information about an associated pet;
wherein the attachment tabs are configured to slide along an associated pet collar.
As per the limitation of the attachment tabs are configured to slide along an associated pet collar, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to make the tag 1 adjustable, e.g. by moving the location of the tag 1 from one portion of the collar 50 to another, as a matter of engineering choice and/or preference to the user. Teruberu discloses that other name tags might include buckles instead of the gap S of tag 1, whereby the buckles inhibit the movement of other name tags along a collar 50 (see Teruberu, Paragraph [0020]). Such a modification would not change the principal operation of the system, as a whole, and would yield predictable results. See MPEP 2144.04.
Park teaches:
The front contains an electronic code (Park, Paragraph [0052], A recognition chip may be mounted on a portion of the periphery of the housing 300, which includes characteristic information of the companion dog in the form of a QR code or barcode.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to modify the system in Teruberu by integrating the teaching of a recognition chip, as taught by Park.
The motivation would be to aid in the finding of the dog if the dog is lost (see Park, Paragraph [0054]).
Claim 6, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 5.
Teruberu does not specifically teach:
Wherein the front of the tag contains an electronic code, wherein the electronic code contains information about an associated pet.
Park teaches:
Wherein the front of the tag contains an electronic code, wherein the electronic code contains information about an associated pet (Park, Paragraph [0052], A recognition chip may be mounted on a portion of the periphery of the housing 300, which includes characteristic information of the companion dog in the form of a QR code or barcode.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to modify the system in Teruberu by integrating the teaching of a recognition chip, as taught by Park.
The motivation would be to aid in the finding of the dog if the dog is lost (see Park, Paragraph [0054]).
Claim 7, Teruberu in view of Park further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 6, wherein the least two attachment tabs is at least four attachment tabs (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b: 13, 14), further comprising a third attachment tab and a fourth attachment tab (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b: 13, 14), wherein the third attachment tab is connected to the top of the tag by a second top bar and the fourth attachment tab is connected to the bottom of the tag by a second bottom bar (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, Paragraphs [0023-0024], The left or right side of the back side of tag 11 represent a top or bottom bar, wherein the top and bottom of each end of the tag 11 represent a first end and second end, respectively, wherein each part of the top or bottom of tag 11 is connected to one of the ends 13a, 13b, 14a, or 14b. The Examiner notes that claim 2 recites a top or bottom bar, thus although claim 7 recites a “second bottom bar”, because claim 2 does not require a first top bar and a first bottom bar, claim 7 is interpreted as including a bottom bar, which is interpretable to be opposite the bar claimed in claim 2.).
Claim 8, Teruberu in view of Park further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 7, wherein the third attachment tab extends downwardly from the top of the tag about halfway down the associated pet collar and the fourth attachment tab extends upwardly from the bottom of the tag about halfway up the associated pet collar (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b, As can be seen in the figures, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, for the attachment portions 3 to extend about halfway down the collar 50 and for the attachment portions 4 to extend about hallway up the collar 50.).
Claim 15, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 14.
Teruberu does not specifically teach:
Wherein the front of the tag contains an electronic code, wherein the electronic code contains information about an associated pet.
Park teaches:
Wherein the front of the tag contains an electronic code, wherein the electronic code contains information about an associated pet (Park, Paragraph [0052], A recognition chip may be mounted on a portion of the periphery of the housing 300, which includes characteristic information of the companion dog in the form of a QR code or barcode.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to modify the system in Teruberu by integrating the teaching of a recognition chip, as taught by Park.
The motivation would be to aid in the finding of the dog if the dog is lost (see Park, Paragraph [0054]).
Claim 16, Teruberu in view of Park further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 15, wherein the least two attachment tabs is at least four attachment tabs (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b: 3, 4), further comprising a third attachment tab and a fourth attachment tab (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b: 3, 4), wherein the third attachment tab is connected to the top of the tag by a third flexible mechanism and the fourth attachment tab is connected to the bottom of the tag by a fourth flexible mechanism (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b: 3, 4, The flexible mechanism is the material of the attachment portions 3 and 4, e.g. of ends 3a and 4a.).
Claim 17, Teruberu in view of Park further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 16, wherein the third attachment tab extends downwardly from the top of the tag about halfway down the associated pet collar and the fourth attachment tab extends upwardly from the bottom of the tag about halfway up the associated pet collar (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, As can be seen in the figures, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, for the attachment portions 13 to extend about halfway down the collar 50 and for the attachment portions 14 to extend about hallway up the collar 50.).
Claims 2-5, 9-14, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teruberu (JP 3236763 U).
Claim 2, Teruberu teaches:
A pet identification tag (Teruberu, Figs 3a, 3b: 11) comprising:
a front (Teruberu, Figs 3a, 3b: 12, Paragraph [0022], The display section 12 is located on the front of the tag 11.);
a back (Teruberu, Fig. 3a);
a top (Teruberu, Figs. 3a and 3b: 11, As can be seen in the drawings, the tag 11 has a top portion.);
a bottom (Teruberu, Figs. 3a and 3b: 11, As can be seen in the drawings, the tag 11 has a bottom portion.);
at least one attachment tab (Teruberu, Figs. 3a and 3b: 13, 14) having a first end and a second end (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b), wherein the at least one attachment tab is configured to receive a pet collar (Teruberu, Fig. 3b, Paragraphs [0024-0025]); and
a top or bottom bar, wherein the top or bottom bar has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the top or the bottom bar is connected to the top or the bottom of the tag, wherein the second end of the top or bottom bar is connected to the first end of the at least one attachment tab (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, Paragraphs [0023-0024], The left or right side of the back side of tag 11 represent a top or bottom bar, wherein the top and bottom of each end of the tag 11 represent a first end and second end, respectively, wherein each part of the top or bottom of tag 11 is connected to one of the ends 13a, 13b, 14a, or 14b.), wherein the at least one attachment tab is substantially parallel to the back of the tag (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b: Paragraphs [0023-0024], Each end tab, represented by pairs of ends 13a and 13b, or 14a and 14b, is substantially parallel in to the tag 11.), wherein the top or the bottom bar is width of the associated pet collar (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, Paragraphs [0023-0024], The length of the left or ride side of the back side of tag 11 allows for the width of the collar 50 to pass via space S.).
Teruberu does not explicitly teach:
Wherein the at least one attachment tab is configured to slide along an associated pet collar.
As per the limitation of the at least one attachment tab is configured to slide along an associated pet collar, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to make the tag 1 adjustable, e.g. by moving the location of the tag 1 from one portion of the collar 50 to another, as a matter of engineering choice and/or preference to the user. Teruberu discloses that other name tags might include buckles instead of the gap S of tag 1, whereby the buckles inhibit the movement of other name tags along a collar 50 (see Teruberu, Paragraph [0020]). Such a modification would not change the principal operation of the system, as a whole, and would yield predictable results. See MPEP 2144.04.
Claim 3, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 2, wherein the at least one attachment tab is at least two attachment tabs (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b: 13, 14).
Claim 4, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 3, wherein the at least two attachment tabs are a first attachment tab and a second attachment tab (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b: 13, 14), wherein the first attachment tab is connected to the top of the tag by the top bar and the second attachment tab is connected to the bottom of the tag by the bottom bar (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b: 13, 14, As can be seen in the Figures, the left and right side of tag 11 both contain at least one attachment portion 13 or 14.).
Claim 5, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 4, wherein the first attachment tab extends downwardly from the top of the tag about halfway down the associated pet collar and the second attachment tab extends upwardly from the bottom of the tag about halfway up the associated pet collar (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, As can be seen in the figures, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, for the attachment portions 13 to extend about halfway down the collar 50 and for the attachment portions 14 to extend about hallway up the collar 50.).
Claim 9, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 4, wherein the first attachment tab extends downwardly from the top of the tag at an angle down the associated pet collar and the second attachment tab extends upwardly from the bottom of the tag at an angle up the associated pet collar (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, As can be seen in the figures, the attachment portions 13 and 14, extend downwards and upward, respectively, at an angle to the collar 50.), wherein the angle of the first attachment tab and the angle of the second attachment tab are between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to set the attachment portions 13 and 14 at an angle between 20 degrees and 60 degrees, as a matter of design choice, because doing so would not hinder the attachment portions 13 and 14 from performing their respective purpose of holding the collar 50 in place. Therefore, such a modification would yield predictable results. See MPEP 2144.04.).
Claim 10, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 9, wherein the least two attachment tabs is at least four attachment tabs (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b: 13, 14), further comprising a third attachment tab and a fourth attachment tab (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b: 13, 14), wherein the third attachment tab is connected to the top of the tag by the second top bar and the fourth attachment tab is connected to the bottom of the tag by the second bottom bar (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, Paragraphs [0023-0024], The left or right side of the back side of tag 11 represent a top or bottom bar, wherein the top and bottom of each end of the tag 11 represent a first end and second end, respectively, wherein each part of the top or bottom of tag 11 is connected to one of the ends 13a, 13b, 14a, or 14b. The Examiner notes that claim 2 recites a top or bottom bar, thus although claim 7 recites a “second bottom bar”, because claim 2 does not require a first top bar and a first bottom bar, claim 7 is interpreted as including a bottom bar, which is interpretable to be opposite the bar claimed in claim 2.), wherein the third attachment tab extends downwardly from the top of the tag at an angle down the associated pet collar and the fourth attachment tab extends upwardly from the bottom of the tag at an angle up the associated pet collar (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, As can be seen in the figures, the attachment portions 13 and 14, extend downwards and upward, respectively, at an angle to the collar 50.), wherein the angle of the third attachment tab and the angle of the fourth attachment tab are between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to set the attachment portions 13 and 14 at an angle between 20 degrees and 60 degrees, as a matter of design choice, because doing so would not hinder the attachment portions 13 and 14 from performing their respective purpose of holding the collar 50 in place. Therefore, such a modification would yield predictable results. See MPEP 2144.04.).
Claim 11, Teruberu teaches:
A pet identification tag (Teruberu, Fig. 1) comprising:
a front (Teruberu, Fig. 1: 2, Paragraph [0015]);
a back (Teruberu, Fig. 2a);
a top (Teruberu, Figs. 1 and 2a: 1, As can be seen in the drawings, the tag 1 has a top portion.);
a bottom (Teruberu, Figs. 1 and 2a: 1, As can be seen in the drawings, the tag 1 has a bottom portion.);
at least one attachment tab (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3, Paragraph [0016], The left part of first attachment portion 3 is a first attachment tab.) having a first end and a second end (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3a, 3b, Paragraph [0016], The left part of first attachment portion 3 has one end 3a and the other end 3b.), wherein the at least attachment tab is configured to receive an associated pet collar (Teruberu, Fig. 2b, Paragraphs [0019-0020]); and
a first and second flexible mechanism (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3, 4, Paragraph [0018], The first attachment portion 3 and the second attachment portion 4 are made of thin metal and are elastically deformable, i.e. flexible.), wherein the first and second flexible mechanisms have a first end and a second end (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b), wherein the first end of the first or the second flexible mechanism is connected to the top or the bottom of the tag (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3a, 4a), wherein the second end of the first or the second flexible mechanism is connected to the first end of the at least one attachment tab (Teruberu, Fig. 2a: 3b, 4b), wherein the at least one attachment tab is substantially parallel to the back of the tag (Teruberu, Paragraph [0018], When the attachment portions 3 and 4 are folded down towards the back of tag 1, they are substantially parallel to tag 1.).
Teruberu does not specifically teach:
The at least one attachment tab is configured to slide along an associated pet collar.
As per the limitation of at least one attachment tab is configured to slide along an associated pet collar, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to make the tag 1 adjustable, e.g. by moving the location of the tag 1 from one portion of the collar 50 to another, as a matter of engineering choice and/or preference to the user. Teruberu discloses that other name tags might include buckles instead of the gap S of tag 1, whereby the buckles inhibit the movement of other name tags along a collar 50 (see Teruberu, Paragraph [0020]). Such a modification would not change the principal operation of the system, as a whole, and would yield predictable results. See MPEP 2144.04.
Claim 12, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 11, wherein the at least one attachment tab is at least two attachment tabs (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b: 3, 4).
Claim 13, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 12, wherein the at least two attachment tabs are a first attachment tab and a second attachment tab (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b: 3, 4), wherein the first attachment tab is connected to the top of the tag by the first flexible mechanism and the second attachment tab is connected to the bottom of the tag by the second flexible mechanism (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b: 3, 4, The flexible mechanism is the material of the attachment portions 3 and 4, e.g. of ends 3a and 4a.).
Claim 14, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 13, wherein the first attachment tab extends downwardly from the top of the tag about halfway down the associated pet collar and the second attachment tab extends upwardly from the bottom of the tag about halfway up the associated pet collar (Teruberu, Figs. 3a, 3b, As can be seen in the figures, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, for the attachment portions 13 to extend about halfway down the collar 50 and for the attachment portions 14 to extend about hallway up the collar 50.).
Claim 18, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 13, wherein the first attachment tab extends downwardly from the top of the tag at an angle down the associated pet collar and the second attachment tab extends upwardly from the bottom of the tag at an angle up the associated pet collar (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b, As can be seen in the figures, the attachment portions 3 and 4, extend downwards and upward, respectively, at an angle to the collar 50.), wherein the angle of the first attachment tab and the angle of the second attachment tab are between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to set the attachment portions 3 and 4 at an angle between 20 degrees and 60 degrees, as a matter of design choice, because doing so would not hinder the attachment portions 3 and 4 from performing their respective purpose of holding the collar 50 in place. Therefore, such a modification would yield predictable results. See MPEP 2144.04.).
Claim 19, Teruberu further teaches:
The pet identification tag of claim 18, wherein the least two attachment tabs is at least four attachment tabs (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b: 3, 4), further comprising a third attachment tab and a fourth attachment tab (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b: 3, 4), wherein the third attachment tab is connected to the top of the tag by a third flexible mechanism and the fourth attachment tab is connected to the bottom of the tag by a fourth flexible mechanism (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b: 3, 4, The flexible mechanism is the material of the attachment portions 3 and 4, e.g. of ends 3a and 4a.), wherein the third attachment tab extends downwardly from the top of the tag at an angle down the associated pet collar and the fourth attachment tab extends upwardly from the bottom of the tag at an angle up the associated pet collar (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b, As can be seen in the figures, the attachment portions 3 and 4, extend downwards and upward, respectively, at an angle to the collar 50.), wherein the angle of the third attachment tab and the angle of the fourth attachment tab are between about 20 degrees and about 60 degrees (Teruberu, Figs. 2a, 2b, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to set the attachment portions 3 and 4 at an angle between 20 degrees and 60 degrees, as a matter of design choice, because doing so would not hinder the attachment portions 3 and 4 from performing their respective purpose of holding the collar 50 in place. Therefore, such a modification would yield predictable results. See MPEP 2144.04.).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES J YANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5170. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30am-6:00p M-F.
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/JAMES J YANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686