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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 5 is no longer rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) as it has been cancelled.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment to Claim 1 is supported by at least Figure 7.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chiu (US20120189400A1).
Claim 1
Chiu teaches an assembly method of a control device (Figures 4-6), the control device comprising a head (2) and a body (1), the head comprising a stopping portion (The top threads of the stem (22) serve as the analogous stopping “portion”. See ¶0043. (near the end of the paragraph)), the body (1) comprising a corresponding stopping portion (Figure 6 shows the thicker center area (102) of the transverse wall (101) has been deformed to form an inwardly protruding “corresponding stopping portion”.) ; wherein, the head (2) is assembled with the body (1) after the head or the body is pressurized by an external force (Figure 6 shows a top die (32) that applies an external force to cause the deformation and “assemble” the body and head.); wherein the head is moved to pass the stopping portion through an opening (11) of the corresponding stopping portion and into the body (Figures 4-5 show that the head (2) has a rod (22) that comprises a “stopping portion” (top of the threaded area (24)) that passes into the body (1) during assembly.), then the head is pressurized by a mold (Figure 6, Item 32) to press the corresponding stopping portion (102) of the body provided on another mold (31) thereby deforming the corresponding stopping portion to narrow the opening (Figures 5-6 show the difference in shape of the corresponding stopping portion (102) has the pressure is applied to the head (21) of the locking member (2) by the top die (32). See also ¶0041. The material of the corresponding stopping portion is deformed to extend further towards the centerline of the assembly and narrow the opening (11).), so as to stop and limit the stopping portion of the head in the body (See ¶0043, near the end.)
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Figures 5-6 of Chiu, Annotated
Claim 2
Chiu teaches the assembly method of a control device according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic element (Figure 4, Item 25) , wherein one end of the elastic element is abutted against the head and the other end of the elastic element is abutted against the body (Figure 5 shows this location for the spring.), abutment of an elastic force of the elastic element is interference abutment with a minimized distance or spatial abutment with a maximized space between the stopping portion and the corresponding stopping portion. (This limitation appears to be a translation error. As best understood based on Applicant’s Figure 7, this limitation requires the spring to move the head and body to their maximum distance from one another using the spring force. Figure 5 of Chiu shows this feature.)
Claim 3
Chiu teaches the assembly method of a control device according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a coupling portion for rivet connecting, solder connecting, expansion connecting, lock connecting, elastic engagement connecting or engagement connecting to an object or forming an integral with an object. (Figure 9 shows a portion of the body (the lower portion that is interacting with the plate member (5)) is form connecting with another object.)
Claim 4
Chiu teaches the assembly method of a control device according to claim 1, wherein the head or the body comprises an engaging portion, and the engaging portion is a threaded body, an outer engaging body, an elastic engaging body, an inner engaging body or a rod. (Figure 4 shows the head (2) has a threaded rod (24) portion.)
Claim 6
Chiu teaches a structure of a control device, manufactured by the method of claim 1. (Figure 10 shows the control device in use after being manufactured by the method of Claim 1. See the rejection of Claim 1 above for details regarding how Chiu meets the method limitations.)
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/29/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Claim 1 has been amended to overcome the interpretation of Chiu in the prior office action.
It is respectfully asserted that Chiu teaches the amended version of Claim 1. Annotated figures have been added to the rejection of Claim 1 above to further clarify the interpretation of Chiu in relation to applicant’s claimed features.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found on the PTO-892 Notice of References Cited Form.
Document
Date
Description of Relevant Subject Matter
US4952107A
1981-03-11
Dupree teaches a control device having a body (11) and head (10) each having respective stopping portions (17 or 24) that limit the head within the body.
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 Michael W Hotchkiss whose telephone number is (571)272-3854. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday from 0800-1600.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sunil K Singh can be reached on 571-272-3460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL W HOTCHKISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3726