DETAILED ACTION
Priority
1. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a) — (d), which papers have been placed of record in the file. Oath/Declaration
Oath/Declaration
2. Oath and declaration filed on 9/25/2024 is accepted.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The prior art documents submitted by application in the Information Disclosure Statement filed on 1/23/2025 and 2/2/2025 and 6/4/2025 have all been considered and made of record ( note the attached copy of form PTO – 1449).
Claim Objections
4. Claims 1-11 are objected to because of the following informalities: elements number should take out from the claim such as (i.e., a first articulation element (2)) Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5.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) 1,2 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hasegawa Gankyo KK (JP 2002 062509 A) (note: applicant provide).
Regarding claim 1, Hasegawa Gankyo KK (JP 2002 062509 A) hinge for eyeglasses (paragraph 0001”hinge portion for eyeglasses”), which comprises: [Symbol font/0x2D] a first articulation element (paragraph 0016”end portion 1b” figure 5(1B)), which is intended to be mounted on a first component of an eyeglass frame (paragraph 0016”1B is fixed to the front frame”), and comprises a base body (the body of the whole (1B) itself), and two first shoulders , which are extended projectingly from said base body parallel to each other (projecting parallel parts with the holes of (1B) in figure 5), between them defining a slit (paragraph 0016”horizontal through hole 61”, figure 5), and are provided with corresponding first holes that are aligned with each other (figure 5,(10b));
[Symbol font/0x2D] a second articulation element (figure 5,(42)), which is intended to be mounted on a second component of said eyeglass frame (paragraph 0016”pivotly attached”), and comprises an engagement head provided with at least one second hole (see figure 5, hole of 42) and placed in the slit of said first articulation element with said at least one second hole aligned with said first holes(see in figure 5);
[Symbol font/0x2D] an antifriction element (paragraph 0016 “body 32” in figure 5; since the element (32) prevents contact between the first and second articulation elements, it is construed as an antifriction element, which comprises an abutment portion ), and two arms , which are projectingly extended from said abutment portion parallel to and spaced from each other ( projecting parallel parts with the holes of (32) in figure 5), and are provided with corresponding third holes that are aligned with each other (figure 5(10b)); wherein antifriction element is placed in the slit of said first articulation element with abutment portion in abutment against base body , with each said arm interposed between a corresponding said first shoulder of said first articulation element and the engagement head of second articulation element ( once assembled , that is the arrangement of the elements in figure 5), and with third hole aligned with first holes and with at least one second hole (straightforward since the screw traverses all of them once assembled) ; [Symbol font/0x2D] a hinge pin (figure 5, (11b)) , which is inserted in the first holes of the first shoulders of first articulation element , in the second hole of the engagement head of said second articulation element and in the third holes of the arms of antifriction element ((once assembled , that is the arrangement of the element in figure 5), and rotatably couples first articulation element and second articulation element around a rotation axis (W) passing through first holes and at least one second hole and third holes (paragraph 0016” pivotally attached”) ; wherein: [Symbol font/0x2D] the base body of first articulation element is provided with a shaped engagement surface (arbitrary shape, hence the shape of (1B) in figure 5 fulfils the requirement),
and the abutment portion of antifriction element is provided with a coupling surface , which is counter-shaped with respect to said engagement surface and is coupled in contact with engagement surface (all contact surfaces of (32) and (1B) of figure 5 are corresponding , hence counter shaped) ; [Symbol font/0x2D] the engagement surface of base body is provided with a first abutment face extended between first shoulders as a rear delimitation of said slit ( although not visible , the left rear part of (1B) in figure 5 cannot be fully open, otherwise (32) would not be abutting to be secured ; additionally , the angled corners of 1B and 32 are parallel , teaching such a contact) , and with a second abutment face adjacent to said first abutment face , tilted with respect to said first abutment face and placed outside slit (inner face of 1Btowards the cut(f) at about 45 degree of the angle corner ); the coupling surface of said abutment portion (40) is provided with a first abutting face placed in abutment against said first abutment face , and with a second abutting face adjacent to said first abutting face , tilted with respect to said first abutting face and placed in abutment against said second abutment face (outer face of 32 towards the curved face at about 450 of the angle corner; the curved face also appears to be abutting the second abutment face of the base body).
Regarding claim 2, Hasegawa Gankyo KK (JP 2002 062509 A) discloses, wherein the base body of said first articulation element is engaged with the abutment portion of antifriction element by means of a shape coupling obtained on the engagement surface of base body and on the coupling surface of said abutment portion (arbitrary shape, hence the shape of (1B) in figure 5 fulfils the requirement).
Regarding claim 6, Hasegawa Gankyo KK (JP 2002 062509 A) discloses wherein antifriction element is made of polymer material (paragraph 0016 “body 32” in figure 5; since the element (32) prevents contact between the first and second articulation elements, it is construed as an antifriction element, which comprises an abutment portion).
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 3 -5 and 7-11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
7. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: wherein the base body of said first articulation element is provided with an engagement seat made on said engagement surface, and the abutment portion of said antifriction element is provided with a coupling pin extended projectingly from coupling surface and inserted in shape coupling in said engagement seat and engagement seat is made on the first abutment face of the engagement surface of base body , and coupling pin is placed on the first abutting face of the coupling surface of abutment portion and characterized in that coupling pin is extended projectingly along an extension axis (X) orthogonally to rotation axis (W) and base body is extended at least along an extension direction (Y) orthogonal to rotation axis (W) between a first side , at which second articulation element is arranged, and an opposite second side ; wherein the first abutment face and the second abutment face of base body are placed in succession along said extension direction (Y); wherein said antifriction element is extended, according to said extension direction (Y), between a third side , on which said arms are placed, and an opposite fourth side ; wherein the first abutting face and the second abutting face of antifriction element are placed in succession according to said extension direction (Y).
Conclusion
8.Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED A HASAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2331. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 6 AM -4 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at 571-272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOHAMMED A HASAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 6/11/2026
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