This is a Non-Final office action for serial number 18/838901.
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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, first arm portions extend in a tapering manner seen in the direction towards the spring leaf must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Rapid FR2534986A1.
Rapid discloses claims:
1. A spring clip (1- from figures 3 and 4 it is unambiguously derivable that the clip is made from a spring material) adapted to be arranged in an elongate through hole (by the shape of the clip) in a wall of a structural member, said spring clip (1) having an elongate spring leaf (2) , at each end of the spring leaf (2) a connection arm (3) that has a proximal end that is connected to the spring leaf (2) and a distal end, wherein at the distal end a support wing is connected to the connection arm (3), wherein the support wings (4) extend in a common plane remote from the spring leaf (2), and wherein the spring leaf is curved having a convex side facing towards the common plane of the support wings (4).
2. The spring clip according to claim 1, wherein the spring clip is made in one piece.
3. The spring clip according to claim 2, wherein the spring clip is made by bending an originally straight and flat strip of sheet metal.
4. The spring clip according to claim 2, wherein the spring clip is made of a metal strip having a constant width.
5. The spring clip according to claim 1, wherein the support wings (4) are aligned.
6. The spring clip according to claim 1, wherein the connection arms (3) extend substantially transversely to the support wings.
7. The spring clip according to claim 1, wherein the connection arms (3) comprise multiple arm portions, which extend under an angle relative to each other.
8. The spring clip according to claim 7, wherein the multiple arm portions (3) include a first arm portion (3) that extends perpendicularly from the end of the spring leaf (2), and a second arm portion that extends perpendicularly from the support wing.
17. A method for manufacturing a spring clip, wherein an originally straight and flat strip of sheet metal and having a constant width is bent to form: an elongate spring leaf (2) at each end of the spring leaf (2) a connection arm (3) that has a proximal end that is connected to the spring leaf (2) and a distal end a support wing (4) connected to the distal end of the connection arm (3) wherein the support wings (4) extend in a common plane remote from the spring leaf (2), and wherein the spring leaf (2) is curved having a convex side facing towards the common plane of the support wings (4).
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Second arm portion
First arm portion)][AltContent: textbox (Convex side)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Spring leaf 2)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Support wing 4
Connection arm 3)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (Support wing 4
Connection arm 3)][AltContent: textbox (Spring clip 1
Elongate leaf 2)]
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Elongate hole 8a)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow]
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Claim(s) 1, 2, 5-8, 10, and 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Fang et al. (Fang) CN105201965.
Fang discloses claims:
1. A spring clip (3) adapted to be arranged in an elongate through hole (11) in a wall of a structural member (1), said spring clip (3/311) having an elongate spring leaf (31) , at each end of the spring leaf (31) a connection arm (32/33/321323) that has a proximal end (323) that is connected to the spring leaf (31/311) and a distal end (321), wherein at the distal end a support wing (321) is connected to the connection arm (322), wherein the support wings (321) extend in a common plane remote from the spring leaf (31/311), and wherein the spring leaf is curved (311) having a convex side (311) facing towards the common plane of the support wings (321).
2. The spring clip according to claim 1, wherein the spring clip is made in one piece.
5. The spring clip according to claim 1, wherein the support wings (321) are aligned.
6. The spring clip according to claim 1, wherein the connection arms (322) extend substantially transversely to the support wings (321).
7. The spring clip according to claim 1, wherein the connection arms (322) comprise multiple arm portions (323,322,321), which extend under an angle relative to each other.
8. The spring clip according to claim 7, wherein the multiple arm portions (323,322,321) include a first arm portion (322 or 323) that extends perpendicularly from the end of the spring leaf (31/311), and a second arm portion (322) that extends perpendicularly from the support wing (321).
10. The spring clip according to claim 8, wherein the first arm portion and second arm portion are connected by a substantially Z-shaped intermediate arm portion (322) .
13. A combination of a spring clip according to claim 1, and a thin walled constructional member (1) comprising a wall (12) having least one elongate through hole (11) in said wall, the through hole having a length L and a width W which is smaller than said length L, and wherein the spring clip has a width that is slightly smaller than the width of the through hole and wherein the distance between the support wings of the spring clip (3)
14. The combination according to claim 13, wherein the thin-walled constructional member is a hollow profile (1).
15. An assembly of a combination according to claim 13,and furthermore comprising a T-bolt (2).
16. A method for mounting a T-bolt to a thin-walled constructional member comprising a wall (12) having least one elongate through hole (11) in said wall, including the following method steps: arranging a spring clip (3) according to claim 1, in said through hole (11) n the wall of the constructional member (1) aligning a transverse head of the T-bolt (2) with the elongate hole (11) and inserting the head (21) through the hole (11) pushing the head (21) of the T-bolt ( 2) against the spring leaf (31, 311) such that the spring leaf (31/311) deforms and is tensioned, rotating the T-bolt (2) around its central axis, such that the head (21) of the T-bolt (2) is misaligned with the elongate hole (11) and engages beyond lateral edges of the elongate hole, releasing the T-bolt (2) , such that the spring clip (3) biases the head (21) of the T-bolt (2) against an inside surface of the wall lateral of the elongate hole (11).
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rapid FR2534986A1.
Rapid discloses all of the limitations of the claimed invention except for (Claim 9) the first arm m portions extend in a tapering manner seen in the direction towards the spring leaf.
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to have made to have the first arm m portions extend in a tapering manner seen in the direction towards the spring leaf, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art since the applicant has not shown how the chosen shape is critical.
Claim(s) 11, 12, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rapid FR2534986A1.
Rapid discloses all of the limitations of the claimed invention except for (Claim 11) the spring clip is a bent part made of a strip of stainless steel or (Claim 12) wherein the spring clip is made of plastic or (claim 18) wherein the spring clip is a bent part made of a strip of stainless spring steel.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have wherein the spring clip is a bent part made of a strip of stainless steel or wherein the spring clip is made of plastic, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art discloses conventional for spring clips.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIMBERLY T WOOD whose telephone number is (571)272-6826. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thur 9:00am-5:30pm flexible schedule.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jonathan Liu can be reached at (571) 272-8227. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIMBERLY T WOOD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
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