Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Fig. 13 includes solid black shading. 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.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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. Each of claims 1 & 16 recites the limitation, “the depth of the opening portion”. However, the points between which the depth of the opening portion 42 is measured are undefined. Since both the hole and opening portions 43 & 42 are recited simply as tapered shape, there’s no defined point where one ends and the other begins. Without that point, there is no way to determine the particular depth of the hole portion 42. Instead the depth of the opening portion 42 can be measured from the front surface 40a to any arbitrary point along the taper surface forming the hole and opening portions 43 & 42.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-11, 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 7-269529. Fig. 1 and paragraphs 14-20 disclose a riveting method and fastened product comprising every limitation of the claims.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dim, US 2,666,354. At Figs. 1-3, Dim shows a fastened product comprising:
two to-be-fastened members (see also “blocks of wood or other materials” at col. 1, line 52), a first (19) having a prepared (as shown in Figs. 1 through 3) hole (nominally indicated by number 12 in Fig. 3) and a second (see in Fig. 3 the unnumbered block crossed by the lead line for number 18) whose back surface is laid on a front surface of the first to-be-fastened member; and
a metal rivet (18) driven into the second to-be-fastened member and the first to-be-fastened member in this order to reach an inside of the prepared hole, wherein
Fig. 3 shows the prepared hole includes a hole portion having an inner wall surface with a substantially cone shape that is a tapered shape and an opening portion that spreads and opens in a tapered shape from the hole portion toward a front surface of the second to-be-fastened member,
the rivet includes a first shaft portion with a tapered shape, the first shaft portion includes a tip end portion (17) whose diameter decreases toward a tip end side,
a groove (see also “threads” at col. 2, line 40) is carved on an outer peripheral surface of the first shaft portion from a base end side toward the tip end side of the first shaft portion, and
the depth of the hole portion is any length from the surface of the front surface of the first to-be-fastened member to a point in the hole such that the length measures anywhere between ¼ and ¾ of the thickness of the second to-be-fastened member.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 & 12 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Schuster, Sasaki, Gens and Hori each disclose a fastened product.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Greg Binda whose telephone number is (571)272-7077. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-5:30 et.
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/Greg Binda/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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