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 one-piece assembly comprising (1) the first component that is a lever, stud, plate, and block and (2) the second component is a pallet-stone, spring, staff, and dial must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). The figures currently only show the lever and pallet-stone. 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.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The included abstract discloses a method, but the invention is an apparatus. The abstract should be written to properly summarize the invention. Also, the abstract uses the word “comprising,” which is legal phraseology that should be changed.
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 2-5 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.
Claims 2-5 recite “a one-piece assembly,” but claim 1 already recites a one-piece assembly. Whether claims 2-5 refer to claim 1’s assembly or a new assembly is unclear. The limitations have been read as -the one-piece assembly-.
Claim 4 is rejected because it recites that the “one-piece assembly” comprises the first component that is a lever, stud, plate, and block, while the second component is a pallet-stone, spring, staff, and dial. The components cannot be all these structures at once as a “one-piece assembly,” since the structures are different in form and function and if they were bonded together as “one-piece,” they would be incapable of operating. For the purposes of examination, “a staff; the first” has been read as -a staff; or the first- so that the list of pairs of components are alternatives.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fawer et al. (GB 1057607).
Regarding claim 1, Fawer teaches (Figs. 1-3) a one-piece assembly of timepiece components comprising: a first component (1); and a second component (2, 3) configured to be bonded to the first component (page 1, line 84 to page 2, lines 1-4), wherein at least one of the first component and the second component (2, 3) is coated with epilame (shaded regions of 2, 3 and page 2, line 62), wherein an adhesive is located on a surface of at least one of the first component (1 and page 1, line 84 to page 2, lines 1-4) and the second component (8) to be bonded to one another, wherein an adhesion layer comprised of a primer composition is included on at least one of the first and second components in a localized joining area (8) of the first or second component, and wherein the primer composition is solidified. Page 2, lines 3-4 teach that the adhesion layer comprises gumlac (a form of shellac), which has a melting point of 167 F and is therefore solid during operational use of Fawer’s watch by a user (the gumlac must be solid to join and hold the two components together). See Gumlac.pdf and Shellac.pdf (under “Properties”).
Regarding claim 2, Fawer teaches (Figs. 1-3) the one-piece assembly of timepiece components according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a joining part (8) that connects the joining areas of the first (1) and second components (2, 3). See Fig. 1.
Regarding claim 3, Fawer teaches (Figs. 1-3) the one-piece assembly of timepiece components according to claim 1, comprising a joining part (8), which is formed by a layer of adhesive (8) and an adhesion layer, in particular a primer composition layer. Page 1, line 84 to page 2, lines 1-4 teach that a layer of gumlac adhesive is applied to 8 to join 2 to 1.
Regarding claim 4, Fawer teaches (Figs. 1-3) the one-piece assembly of timepiece components according to claim 1, wherein: the first timepiece component is an escapement lever (1) and the second timepiece component is a lever pallet-stone (2).
Regarding claim 5, Fawer teaches the timepiece comprising a one-piece assembly of timepiece components according to claim 1. The assembly is of a watch (title), meaning it forms a part of a watch.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Dubois (US 20170068219) discloses ([0078]) coating a component with epilame except for a localized joining area (“a tribological agent is applied,” which creates friction/grip in that localized area).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Matthew Hwang whose telephone number is (571)272-1191. The examiner can normally be reached M-F from 9:30-5:30 PT.
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, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571)272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW DANIEL HWANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /EDWIN A. LEON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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