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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “131” has been used to designate both clamping head and clamping portion. 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. 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 Objections
Claims 1 and 8 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 1 and 8 recites “extending for the connecting portion” and it appears it should recite “extending from.” Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-10 are 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 1 recites the limitation "the connecting portion of the clamping portions" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites “the connecting portion” which renders the claim indefinite and unclear which connection portion Applicant is referring to because two connection portions are recited in claim 1.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the connecting portion of the clamping portions" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the plug" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the components” in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 3-7 are also rejected being dependent from rejected claims.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ammann et al. (U.S. 2020/0392973).
As for Claim 1, Ammann discloses a fastener, comprising:
a body (1), the body comprising a connecting portion (see annotated figure), two elastic portions (see annotated figure) spaced apart and extending for the connecting portion, at least one avoidance groove (see annotated figure and 3, Fig. 5) being provided on each of the elastic portion;
two clamping portions (see annotated figure) respectively disposed at one end of the body, the two clamping portions having same structure and each of the two clamping portions extending from a
free end of the elastic portions (see Fig. 1), an extension direction of the clamping portions being
opposite to that of a free end of the elastic portion (see annotated figure) and the free end of the elastic portion extending towards each other so that the connecting portion of the clamping portions and
the elastic portions are pressed against each other (see Fig. 6), each of the two clamping portions
comprising at least one clamping head (see annotated figure) inserted into the avoidance groove, and an abutment head (see annotated figure) provided at the free end of the clamping portions, the abutment head extending away from the elastic portion (see Fig. 6), the clamping head being bent towards a side of the body (see Fig. 6), the clamping head having a wedge-shaped structure (see Fig. 6 disclosing 4 having a wedge shape) along an insertion direction of the fastener, the avoidance groove having a trapezoidal cross-section (see window 3, Fig. 7).
2. The fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting portion has a circular cylinder or
a square cylindrical (see annotated figure).
3. The fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener further comprises a head section (see annotated figure) provided another end of the body.
4. The fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the avoidance groove is provided on a side of the elastic portion (see Fid. 7).
5. The fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic portion has two avoidance grooves (larger opening of 3 and side opening of 3), the two avoidance grooves are respectively arranged on two sides of the elastic portion (see Fig. 7).
6. The fastener as claimed in claim 5, wherein an arrangement direction of the two avoidance grooves is perpendicular to that of the connecting portion and the elastic portion (see Fig. 7).
7. The fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener further comprises a head section provided another end of the body, the head section is spaced apart from the clamping head (see annotated figure).
As for Claim 8, discloses a fastening assembly for fixing components, comprising:
a fastener (1), comprising:
a body (body of 1), the body comprising a connecting portion (see annotated figure), two elastic portions (see annotated figure) spaced apart and extending for the connecting portion, at least one avoidance groove (see annotated figure) being provided on each of the elastic portion, each of the two elastic portions having a plug hole (lower aperture of 3 below 4) provided thereon and a contact hole (side hole of 3) connected to the plug hole, the plug hole being arranged between the contact hole (see Fig. 7) and a free end of the elastic portion (see Fig. 7); and
two clamping portions (see annotated figure) respectively disposed at one end of the body, the two clamping portions having same structure and each of the two clamping portions extending from a
free end of the elastic portions (see annotated figure), an extension direction of the clamping portions being opposite to that of a free end of the elastic portion and the free end of the elastic portion extending towards each other so that the connecting portion of the clamping portions (see annotated figure)and the elastic portions are pressed against each other, each of the two clamping portions comprising at least one clamping head (see annotated figure) inserted into the avoidance groove, and an abutment head (see annotated figure) provided at the free end of the clamping portions, the abutment head extending away from the elastic portion (see annotated figure), the clamping head being bent towards a side of the body (see annotated figure), the clamping head having a wedge-shaped structure along an insertion direction of the fastener (see annotated figure), the avoidance groove having a trapezoidal cross-section (see Fig. 7); and
a plug (11), comprising:
a pressing portion (see annotated figure), and
two positioning portions (see annotated figure) spaced apart and connected to the pressing portion (see annotated figure), the two positioning portions having same structure and each of the positioning portion comprising an elastic member (see annotated figure) connecting to the pressing portion, a positioning head (see annotated figure) provided at a free end of the elastic member, and a plug-in abutting portion (see annotated figure) provided on the elastic member, the positioning head comprising a connector (see annotated figure) for inserting into the plug hole (see Fig. 1), a stepped portion (see annotated figure) provided on the connector, and a locking slot (see annotated figure) provided on a free end of the connector, the plug-in abutting portion being disposed between the connector and the
pressing portion (see annotated figure) and the plug-in abutting portion comprising an elastic connecting portion connected to the elastic member, and a plug-in head arranged on the elastic connecting
portion, when the two positioning portions are in a free state the connector being inserted into the plug hole, and the abutment head of the clamping portions abutting against the locking slot (see annotated figure); when the two positioning portion abuts against each other the two stepped portion being overlapped with each other and the clamping head disengaging from the contact with the avoidance groove (see Figs. 5 and 7); when the two positioning portion abut against each other and when the plug is pressed towards the free end of the elastic portion the plug-in head being inserted into the contact hole and abut against the contact hole so as to fix the plug and the fastener (see Figs. 5 and 7).
9. The fastening assembly for fixing components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastener
comprises a head section (see annotated figure) provided another end of the body, the plug is inserted into the fastener from the head section.
10. The fastening assembly for fixing components as claimed in claim 1, wherein the components is clamped between the head section and the clamping head (see Fig. 10 disclosing components from Fig. 9).
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Binkert U.S. 10,590,969 and Maschat et al. U.S. 2015/0300388.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID M UPCHURCH whose telephone number is (571)270-7957. The examiner can normally be reached 6AM-3PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason San can be reached at (571)272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID M UPCHURCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677