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 .
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) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Geissele et al. (US Patent 11,536,531). Geissele et al. discloses an ambidextrous bolt catch mechanism assembly (100) comprising: a primary bolt catch (112); a secondary bolt catch lever comprising a top thumb-actuated portion (122) and a bottom thumb-actuated portion (121), wherein the top thumb-actuated portion is positioned to engage an outer surface of a dust cover (400); a bolt catch spring (135) positioned between the primary bolt catch and the secondary bolt catch lever; a primary bolt catch plunger (133) positioned between the bolt catch spring and the primary bolt catch; and a secondary bolt catch plunger (132) positioned between the bolt catch spring and the secondary bolt catch lever.
2. The ambidextrous bolt catch mechanism assembly of Claim 1, wherein the primary bolt catch is configured to move between an open position (Fig. 6) and a blocking position (Fig. 5) and back again; wherein the secondary bolt catch lever is configured to move between lower position (Fig. 6) and a raised position (Fig. 5).
3. The ambidextrous bolt catch mechanism assembly of Claim 2, wherein the secondary bolt catch lever is in the lower position when the primary bolt catch is in the open position (Fig. 6); wherein the secondary bolt catch lever is in the raised position when the primary bolt catch is in the blocking position (Fig. 5).
4. The ambidextrous bolt catch mechanism assembly of Claim 2, wherein activating the top thumb-actuated portion places the primary bolt catch in the open position (Fig. 6).
5. The ambidextrous bolt catch mechanism assembly of Claim 5, wherein activating the bottom thumb-actuated portion places the primary bolt catch in the blocking position (Fig. 5).
6. The ambidextrous bolt catch mechanism assembly of Claim 2, wherein applying pressure to a top surface of the dust cover activates the top thumb-actuated portion and places the primary bolt catch in the open position. (col. 34, lines 12-67)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/MICHELLE CLEMENT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3641