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 final office action is in response to the reply filed April 23, 2026.
Specification
The substitute specification of February 7, 2026 has been approved.
Claim Objections
The claims are objected to because “near” on line 11 of claim 1 bring the clarity of the claims into question because they are relative terms whose meaning is not defined by the applicant’s disclosure and cannot be readily ascertained by one with ordinary skill in the art.
The claims are objected to because “is embedded with” on line 2 of claim 8 bring the clarity of the claims into question because they are grammatically awkward and confusing. Note that the first inner lining plate is embedded in the end of the first arm section.
The claims are objected to because “a-light” on line 2 of claim 10 bring the clarity of the claims into question because it appears to be a typographical error. Did the applicant mean to recite --a light--?
The claims are objected to because “regular octagonal” on line 5 of claim 10 bring the clarity of the claims into question because it is unclear what comprises “regular” octagonal? How does “regular” octagonal shape differ from an octagonal shape.
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 8 and 9 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.
Recitations such as “the end of the first arm section” on line 2 of claim 8 render the claims indefinite because they lack antecedent basis. What end of the first arm section is the applicant referring to? Is the applicant referring to the “one end of the arm” set forth in claim 1?
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 5-7 and 10 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art of record, absent applicant’s own disclosure, fails to teach the entire combination of elements set forth in the claimed invention. Specifically, the prior art of record fails to teach the position adjustment holes being located between the rotating axis positioning holes and the bushing as set forth on lines 22-23 of claim 1.
Although references such as KR 10-2008-0000137 disclose the applicant’s claimed position adjustment hole (shown as 610 in figures 2 and 4), the position adjustment hole 610 is positioned to the “side” of the rotating axis positioning hole 211 as best shown in figure 4. Thus, the combination of the teachings of CN 208136774 and KR 10-2008-0000137 would produce a product with the position adjustment holes positioned to the side of the rotating axis positioning holes and not between the rotating axis positioning holes and the bushing. Absent the applicant’s disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art would not have been motivated to position the position adjustment holes between the rotating axis positioning holes and the bushing.
Additionally, references such as CN 214143432 disclose the use of arc-shaped holes/position adjustment holes (see figure 3), they fail to disclose the positioning of the position adjustment holes between the rotating axis positioning holes and the bushing.
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Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed April 23, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive and/or moot in view of the indication of allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY J STRIMBU whose telephone number is (571)272-6836. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-4:30 Monday-Friday.
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, Daniel Cahn can be reached at 571-270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GREGORY J STRIMBU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634
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