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 under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the hinge portion claimed in claim 4, see 112 2nd paragraph rejection below, 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 § 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.
Claim 4 is 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 4 requires that the device further comprises a hinge portion configured to extend passing the protruding piece formed at the other end of the locker shaft and to rotatably connect to the body cover.
At the instant, it is unclear what is claimed here. According to the specification, the hinge portion is defined as element 230. However, as shown in fig 2, element 230 is the hook that is engaged by the locker.
Therefore, in order to continue with the examination, a broad interpretation will be given. Correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2022030720 to Suh et al (Suh) in view of US Pat No 10,676,962 to Weinerman et al (Weinerman).
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Regarding claim 1, Suh discloses an automatic opening (auto-open) door-lock device comprising a body cover (10) with a space inside and a motor (20) installed inside the body cover to provide a driving force.
The auto-open door-lock device comprises a locker (110) configured to couple with or decouple from a hook coming in from outside through rotation; a locker shaft (120) having it’s one end connected to the locker and formed at the center of rotation of the locker; a protruding piece (122) configured to connect to another end of the locker shaft and to induce rotation of the locker; a locker spring (130) configured to connect to one side of the locker and to provide a rotational restoring force to the locker; a rack slide (210) configured to provide a rotational force of the motor to the locker; and a pinion gear (310) configured to transmit the rotational force of the motor to the rack slide.
The rack slide comprises a rack gear configured to mesh with the pinion gear in a predetermined area of another end.
Suh fails to disclose that the rack slide comprises a track hole that is a space formed to rotate the protruding piece in a predetermined area of one end; and a stopper formed at one end of the track hole to induce the protruding piece to rotate.
Suh discloses a different mechanical way to operatively connect the protruding piece to the rack slide, by means of a secondary rack gear and a clutch gear on the protruding piece.
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Weinerman teaches that it is well known in the art to provide a locker lever (120) with a protruding piece (126) that is configured to engage a track hole (229) of a rack slide (174), and a stopper formed at one end of the track hole to induce the protruding piece to rotate.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the connection between the locker and the rack slide described by Suh as a track hole on the rack slide, as taught by Weinerman, in order to provide a simpler way to operate the locker with less members and design.
As to claim 2, Suh discloses that the device further comprises a slide spring (240) having its one end coupling with the body cover and having another end connected to the rack slide and configured to linearly move the rack slide in the direction of the locker.
As to claim 3, Suh discloses that the device further comprises a locker locking slide (410) configured to insert into a locker fastening groove formed in the locker and to block rotation of the locker.
As to claim 4, Suh discloses that the device further comprises a hinge portion configured to extend passing the protruding piece formed at the other end of the locker shaft and to rotatably connect to the body cover.
As to claim 5, Suh discloses that the pinion gear (310) includes a first pinion gear (311) and a second pinion gear (312) configured to share the center of rotation and to couple in a longitudinal direction, and the second pinion gear has gear teeth only in a predetermined area on the outer circumferential surface.
As to claim 6, Suh discloses that the second pinion gear (312) is configured to mesh with the rack gear.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS LUGO whose telephone number is (571)272-7058. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Fulton can be reached at (571)272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Carlos Lugo/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3675
March 23, 2026