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
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 47, 51-52, 54, 57 and 59 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by De Martin (US Patent 8,978,878).
Regarding claim 47, De Martin discloses a sensor device comprising:
an elongate sleeve (20) extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the elongate sleeve has a first end and a second end;
a plurality of sensors (40) fixed relative to the sleeve;
a first endcap (60 or 61) coupled to the first end, the first endcap comprising an endcap body;
an intermediate component (71) selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis; and
an orientation locking structure (600/610, 700) configured to be engaged to selectively fix the orientation of the intermediate component about the longitudinal axis relative to the endcap body (col 4, lines 6/8), the orientation locking structure comprising:
a first protrusion (600, 610) extending outward from the endcap body; and
a protrusion receptacle (700) defined by the intermediate component.
Regarding claim 51, De Martin also discloses the first protrusion extends longitudinally outward from a distal end of the endcap body (fig 7 or 8).
Regarding claim 52, De Martin also discloses the protrusion receptacle is defined by an inner region of the intermediate component (fig 9).
Regarding claim 54, De Martin also discloses a sensor device comprising:
an elongate sleeve (20) extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the elongate sleeve has a first end and a second end;
a plurality of sensors (40) fixed relative to the sleeve;
a first endcap (71) coupled to the first end (claim does not require element to be directly coupled), the first endcap comprising an endcap body (71);
an intermediate component (60 or 61) selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis; and
an orientation locking structure (600/610, 700) configured to be engaged to selectively fix the orientation of the intermediate component about the longitudinal axis relative to the endcap body (col 4, lines 6-8), the orientation locking structure comprising:
a first protrusion (600/610) extending outward from the intermediate component; and
a protrusion receptacle (700) defined by the endcap body.
Regarding claim 57, De Martin also discloses the intermediate component is linearly translatable relative to the endcap body along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the intermediate component is freely rotatable about the longitudinal axis when the intermediate component is in a first linear position (when 600/610 and 700 are not engaged) relative to the endcap body, and the intermediate component has a fixed orientation about the longitudinal axis when the intermediate component is in a second linear position (when 600/610 and 700 are engaged) relative to the endcap body.
Regarding claim 59, De Martin also discloses the protrusion receptacle is defined by an inner region of the endcap body (fig 9).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 61-66 are allowed.
Claims 48-50, 53, 55-56, 58 and 60 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.
Regarding claim 61, De Martin is considered the closest prior art and discloses a sensor device comprising:
an elongate sleeve (20) extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the elongate sleeve has a first end and a second end;
a plurality of sensors (40) fixed relative to the sleeve;
a first endcap (60 or 61) coupled to the first end, the first endcap comprising an endcap body (60 or 61);
an intermediate component (71) selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis; and
an orientation locking structure (600/610 and 700) configured to be engaged to selectively fix the orientation of the intermediate component about the longitudinal axis relative to the endcap body, the orientation locking structure comprising:
a first protrusion (600/610);
a first protrusion receptacle (700) defined by the intermediate component.
The primary reason for the allowance of claim 61 is the inclusion of a second protrusion receptacle defined by the endcap body and the first protrusion receptacle and the second protrusion receptacle are configured to mutually receive the first protrusion in combination with the rest of the claim limitations is not taught nor fairly suggested by the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Keith R Campbell whose telephone number is (571)270-1015. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm EST.
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/KRC/Examiner, Art Unit 3651 1/27/2026
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651