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
This is a FINAL Office Action for application number 18/828,336 SELF-CLOSING PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE-TO-TORQUE TUBE RAIL filed on 9/9/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 8 and 11-20 are withdrawn. This FINAL Office Action is in response to applicant’s reply dated 7/29/2026. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Applicant's amendment necessitated any new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent No. 12,326,209 to Paasch.
With regards to claim 1, Paasch teaches a device having a device having a rail body (54) a first rail arm (56) pivotably coupled (at 58) to the rail body at a first pivot axis; and a second rail arm (56) pivotably coupled to the rail body at a second pivot axis; wherein the first and the second rail arms are in an open state by default (See Figure 6) to enable a torque tube to be moved within an open area between the first and the second rail arms; and wherein a movement of the torque tube (76) toward the rail body causes the first and the second rail arms to be pivoted into a closed state around the torque tube. (See Figure 8)
With regards to claim 2, Paasch teaches wherein the first and second rail arms have a shape matching or partially matching a cross-section of the torque tube. (See Figure 8)
With regards to claim 3, Paasch teaches wherein the cross-section of the torque tube has an octagon, round, oval, or square shape. (See Figure 8)
With regards to claim 4, Paasch teaches wherein the first rail arm has an end that faces an end of the second rail arms when the first and the second rail arms are in the closed state such that the first and the second rail arms is able to be securely held together to lock the torque tube. (See Abstract, “a latch or cam mechanism engages the arms in a manner that locks the arms in the closed position thereby preventing pivoting of the arms and release of the pipe or tube.”)
With regards to claim 5, Paasch teaches wherein the first pivot axis is between a first section and a second section of the first rail arm, the second pivot axis is between a first section and a second section of the second rail arm. (See Figure 11)
Response to Arguments
The applicant’s argument are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 7, 9 and 10 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.
With regards to claim 6, the prior art does not teach wherein the first rail arm and the second rail arm are kept in the open state by a torsional spring disposed at each pivot axis, a friction fit at each pivot axis, a weight balance between the first section and the second section of the first rail arm, a weight balance between the first section and the second section of the second rail arm, or a combination thereof.
With regards to claim 7, the prior art does not teach wherein the first and the second rail arms are kept in the open position by default using one or more mechanical structures that comprise a spring engaged between the first rail arm and the second rail arm to keep the first and the second rail arms in the open position by default.
With regards to claim 9, the prior art does not teach wherein the first and the second rail arms are kept in the open position by default using one or more mechanical structures that comprise a friction fit or a torsional spring at each pivot axis to keep the first and the second rail arms in the open position by default.
With regards to claim 10, the prior art does not teach wherein each of the first and the second rail arms comprises a cam, the cam touches the torque tube when the torque tube moves towards the rail body, a static friction between the torque tube and the cam causes the cam to follow the surface of the torque tube, resulting in a closed state for the arms.
Conclusion
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Amy J. Sterling at telephone number 571-272-6823 or to Supervisor Jonathan Liu at 571-272-8227, if the examiner cannot be reached. The fax machine number for the Technology center is 571-273-8300 (formal amendments) or 571-273-6823 (informal communications only). Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application should be directed to the Technology Center receptionist at 571-272-3600.
/AMY J. STERLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631 9/2/26
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