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 .
Status Of Claims
This Office Action is in response to an amendment received 9/27/2024 in which Applicant lists claims 1-16 as being currently amended. It is interpreted by the examiner that claims 1-16 are pending.
If applicant is aware of any relevant prior art, or other co-pending application not already of record, they are reminded of their duty under 37 CFR 1.56 to disclose the same.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement(s) (IDS) filed on 9/27/2024 was considered.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract includes both “base part (10)” and “base part (2)”, and recites both “first pivot axis (AD)” and “first joint axis (AI)”. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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 1-16 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.
Regarding claim 1, the phrases “such as”, “in particular” and “for example” which renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrases are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). For example, claim 1 includes “such as a mirror arrangement or a camera arrangement for a motor vehicle” and “such as a mirror or a camera” without positively reciting limitations drawn to a mirror arrangement, a mirror, a camera arrangement, or a camera. Therefore, it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrases are part of the claimed invention, and the intended metes-and-bounds of the claim cannot be determined.
Regarding claim 3, the phrase “optionally” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 4, the phrase “in particular” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 5, the phrases “in particular” and “optionally” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrases are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 6, the multiple instances of the phrase “optionally” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 7, the multiple instances of the phrase “optionally” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 8, the multiple instances of the phrase “optionally” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 9, the phrases “in particular” and “optionally” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrases are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 12, the phrase “in particular” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 13, the phrases “in particular” and “optionally” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrases are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 14, the phrase “optionally” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claims 2-16 are rejected for inheriting the same indefiniteness from the claims from which they depend.
Other Related Art
This prior art, made of record, but not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure since the following references have similar structure and/or use similar optical elements to what is claimed and/or disclosed in the instant application:
Brouwer et al., US 2017/0313249 A1, already of record, is the closest prior art which discloses a device (1) with a base part (2), an installation frame (6) and a support frame (3), wherein the base part is designed for attachment to a motor vehicle (para. [0025]), the installation frame is designed to mount a mirror (para. [0028]), the support frame is arranged on the base part by means of a first joint assembly for rotation only about a first joint axis (para. [0025]), the installation frame is arranged on the support frame by means of a second joint assembly for rotation only about a second joint axis (para. [0030]), the first joint assembly comprises a joint head bearing assembly (20) and a joint socket (30), the installation frame has an intermediate socket between the joint socket and the joint head (60), wherein the intermediate socket is rotationally fixed relative to the joint socket about the first joint axis by the bearing means and the counter bearing means and can be rotated relative to the joint head together with the joint socket about the first joint axis (paras. [0045]-[0049]), but does not disclose that the second joint assembly comprises a cradle bearing assembly, with at least one bearing means arranged on the installation frame and at least one complementary counter-bearing means arranged on the support frame, which are slidingly guided with one another in such a way that the installation frame can only pivot about the second joint axis relative to the support frame, and wherein at least one sliding ring is arranged between the joint head and the intermediate socket which forms a plain bearing between the joint head and the intermediate socket by means of which the installation frame can be slidably rotated relative to the base part about the first joint axis and about the second joint axis;
Van Stiphout et al., US 2023/0158954 A1, discloses a similar device (144) with a base part (174), an installation frame (146) and a support frame (148), wherein the base part is designed for attachment to a motor vehicle (para. [0021]), the installation frame is designed to mount a mirror (para. [0023]);
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEREK S. CHAPEL whose telephone number is (571)272-8042. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30am-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephone B. Allen can be reached at 571-272-2434. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Derek S. Chapel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 7/23/2026
Derek S. CHAPEL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2872
Prosecution Insights