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 .
This communication is in response to application No. 18/816,508 Air Spring for Bicycle Front Forks and Other Bicycle Components; filed on 8/27/2024. Claims 1 - 20 are currently pending and have been examined. Claim 6 is rejected as described below.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 08/27/2024 are acceptable subject to correction of the informalities indicated below. In order to avoid abandonment of this application, correction is required in reply to the Office action. The correction will not be held in abeyance.
Fig. 8 contains two different features identified by the number 730.
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.
Claim 6 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 6, includes the limitation “the second retaining element is coupled…and spaced from the second retaining element”. This seems to be a typo and the intended feature is either the first retaining element or the second end of the tube.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 14, and 18 allowed. In total, claims 1-5 and 7-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance.
Independent claims 1, 14 and 18 are allowable because none of the cited references either alone or in combination disclose the combination of limitations as claimed. Specifically, the references fail to disclose;
Regarding claim 1;
a second retaining element (732) coupled to the inner surface of the tube, the second retaining element spaced further from the second end than the first retaining element is spaced from the second end, the second retaining element sized and shaped such that the second retaining element blocks the sealhead from exiting the second end of the tube.
Regarding claim 14;
a retaining element coupled (732) to an inner surface of the tube, the retaining element located further from the second end of the tube than from the second end of the spacer,
the retaining element having an inner diameter that is less than an outer-most diameter of the sealhead, such that when the spacer is removed from the tube, the sealhead is moveable toward the second end of the tube but blocked by the retaining element from exiting the second end of the tube.
Regarding claim 18;
a cap (406) coupled threadably coupled to the tube, the cap having external threads that are threadably engaged with the internal threads on the tube and defining an axial interface locking length,
wherein an outer side surface of the cap has a vent groove (924) that extends in an axial direction through the external threads; and
a seal (910) coupled to the cap and in sealing contact with an inner surface of the tube, wherein the seal is spaced from the first end of the tube by a seal gap that is less than the axial interface locking length such that as the cap is being unscrewed from the tube, the seal loses sealing contact with the inner surface before the cap is fully decoupled from the tube and the vent groove enables fluid to vent from the sealed pressure chamber.
As described in claims 1 and 14, none of the references describe a second retaining element, which functions with a sealhead and a spacer to prevent the sealhead from exiting the tube. Examples include a single retaining element which prevents the seal holder from moving out of the tube, but no references contain a second seal holder which allows the seal holder to move and break contact with the sealing surface, but not be removed from the tube, until the second retainer has been removed for the tube.
As described in claim 18, no references describe a threaded cap with a vent groove in addition to a seal gap such that when unscrewing the cap, the seal is broken and the chamber is vented before the thread has disengaged the tube.
Reference Chambers (US 11,661,129 B2) describes a seal holder with a threaded connection to a tube and a seal, but no retaining ring or a threaded cap with an axial vent through the threaded circumference.
Reference Davis (US 4,735,402) describes a threaded cap, but no vent and no seal holder with two retainer rings.
Reference Dressell (US 4,321,987 A) describes a first and second retaining ring, but these are not configured to retain a seal holder in conjunction with a sealhead (seal holder) and a spacer.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SCOTT LAWRENCE STRICKLER whose telephone number is (703)756-1961. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Fri. 9:30am to 5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vivek Koppikar can be reached at 571-272-5109. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SCOTT LAWRENCE STRICKLER/Examiner, Art Unit 3612
/VIVEK D KOPPIKAR/Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 3612
July 22, 2026
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