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 .
Detailed Action
Objection to the Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
(1) In paragraph [0048], line 1, “21e” should read --21--.
(2) In paragraph [0048], line 3, “31e” should read --31--.
(3) In paragraph [0049], line 2, “100” is not found in any drawings.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejection - 35 U.S.C. 112(b)
1. 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.
2. Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
(1) In claim 1, line 2, “a first scissor blade and a second scissor blade capable of cutting each other” does not make sense. It is suggested “each other” be deleted.
(2) In claim 2, line 2, “two elastic parts” is vague. Is it in addition to “an elastic part” cited at line 12 of claim 1? It is suggested “an elastic part”, at line 12 of claim 1, be changed to --at least one elastic part--. Also, “two elastic parts”, at line 2 of claim 2, should read --the at least one elastic part comprises two elastic parts that--.
(3) In claim 11, “a third arc”, “a third long side”, “a fourth arc” and “a fourth long side” are vague because there is no “a first arc”, “a second arc”, “a first long side” and “a second long side” cited.
Indication of Allowable Subject Matter
1. Claims 1-15 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
2. Claims 1-15 contain allowable subject matter. The most relevant prior art of record is U.S. Patent No.11,485,033 to Peng which is an English equivalent of CN 125589229U cited in paragraph [0004] in the specification of this instant application).
Peng discloses an elastic switchable scissor for unpacking comprising:
a connecting pin (5), a first scissor blade (1) and a second scissor blade (2) capable of cutting,
wherein a tail end of the first scissor blade (1) is connected with a first scissor handle (3), and a tail end of the second scissor blade (2) is connected with a second scissor handle (4);
the first scissor blade (1) is provided with a moving hole (61, see Fig.11) for allowing the connecting pin (5) to move, the connecting pin (5) passes through the moving hole (61) and is fixedly connected to the second scissor blade (2), thereby allowing the first scissor blade (1) to pivot around the connecting pin (5) relative to the second scissor blade (2);
the first scissor blade (1) is movable back and forth relative to the second scissor blade (2) by virtue of a movement of the connecting pin (5) within the moving hole (61) with an extended position (Fig.2) and a retraced position (Fig.4);
the elastic switchable scissors further comprising an elastic switchable member (6, e.g., a rubber component, see paragraph [0004], line 4 in the specification of this instant application) which has at least one elastic part (613), the first scissor blade (1) is provided with a receiving groove (11, see column 5, lines 26-27) for positing the elastic switchable member (6, see column 5, lines 26-28) substantially claimed except Peng’s receiving groove (11) is not provided on a surface of the first scissor blade (1) facing the second scissor blade (2), and Peng fails to meet the claimed limitation of having the elastic switchable member (6) clamped between the first and second scissor blades (1,2).
In the claimed invention, the elastic switchable member (4, see Fig.7 of this instant application) is received in the receiving groove (23) provided on a surface of the first scissor blade (2) facing the second scissor blade (3), and the elastic switchable member (4) is clamped between the first scissor blade (2) and the second scissor blade (3).
To the contrary, Peng specifically teaches the elastic switchable member (6) to be clamped between the first scissor blade (1) and the connecting pin (5) to reduce the friction caused by the relative movement between the connecting pin (5) and the first scissor blade (1, see column 4, lines 35-37). Thus, it would not have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify Peng by having the elastic switchable member (6) received in a receiving groove (11) that is provided on a surface of the first scissor blade (2) facing the second scissor blade (3) and by having the elastic switchable member (6) clamped between the first and second scissor blades (1,2) as claimed since such modification would teach against Peng.
Prior Art Citations
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent No. 5,8,19,416 teaches providing each of a first handle (23) and a second handle (33) of a pair of scissors with a buffer protrusion (28,38) so that the buffer protrusions (28,38) contact each other when the scissors are closed.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0178472 shows a pair of scissors comprising an elastic switchable member (11) switchable in the direction of arrow S (see Figs.3-4).
Remarks
An English translation of CN-217915426-U cited in the 08/22/2024 IDS has been transcribed in the attached PTO-892.
Point of Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HWEI-SIU PAYER whose telephone number is (571)272-4511. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
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/HWEI-SIU C PAYER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724