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 § 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 1-10 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.
The specification and drawings fail to clearly teach or disclose the structure and disposition of the ring protrusion (2121). While Figures 4, 9 and 10 purport to show such, the “ring” protrusion suggests a “ring portion” which is not clearly disclosed and thus not clearly understood. In addition, since the “ring” structure is not clearly ascertained, the ring slope or taper thereon (2122, labeled in Fig. 10) is also not clearly understood.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 7-10, as best understood, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hucknall US 3,762,193 (hereinafter Hucknall).
Re Claim 1.
Hucknall discloses an anti-picking lock set, comprising: a lock sleeve (20) having a lock core hole (Figs. 1-3) and a plurality of upper slots (31) respectively communicated with the lock core hole, wherein an inner wall at a position of each of the plurality of upper slots communicated with the lock core hole is formed with a ring protrusion (37); a lock core (21) rotatably accommodated in the lock core hole and having a plurality of lower slots (41) respectively corresponding to the plurality of upper slots; a plurality of elastic members (springs 67) respectively disposed in the plurality of upper slots; a plurality of lower pins (40/50) respectively accommodated in the plurality of lower slots; and a plurality of upper pins (60) respectively disposed between the corresponding plurality of lower pins and the corresponding plurality of elastic members and being pushed against by the plurality of elastic members (springs 67), wherein each of the plurality of upper pins (60) has a ring groove (61), wherein the ring protrusion (37) is stuck in the ring groove when the ring groove (61) moves to a side of the ring protrusion (37) and the lock core is rotated (Fig.2; col. 3, line 46 – col.4 , line 68).
Re Claim 2.
Hucknall discloses the anti-picking lock set of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of upper slots (31) has a first hole diameter, and a through hole surrounded by each of the ring protrusions (37) has a second hole diameter (at 37) less than the first hole diameter.
Re Claim 3.
Hucknall discloses the anti-picking lock set of claim 2, wherein each of the ring protrusions (37) has a ring slope (col.4, lines 35-60).
Re Claim 4.
Hucknall discloses the anti-picking lock set of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of lower slots (41) has a third hole diameter less than or equal to the second hole diameter (at 37).
Re Claim 5.
Hucknall discloses the anti-picking lock set of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of upper pins (60) has an upper end (65) and a lower end (62), and the ring groove (61) is located between the upper end and the lower end (Fig.2-3).
Re Claim 6.
Hucknall discloses the anti-picking lock set of claim 5, wherein the upper end (65) has a first diameter less than or equal to the second hole diameter (at 61/37), and the lower end (62) has a second diameter less than or equal to the third hole diameter (41).
Re Claim 7.
Eller discloses the anti-picking lock set of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of lower pins (40/50) has a different length respectively (Figs.4A-E).
Re Claim 8.
Eller discloses the anti-picking lock set of claim 1, further comprising a cover plate (68; Figs. 2-3) disposed on the lock sleeve (20) and covering the plurality of upper slots (31).
Re Claim 9.
Eller discloses the anti-picking lock set of claim 1, wherein the lock core (21) further comprises a key slot (13) communicated with the plurality of lower slots (41) along an axis direction thereof.
Re Claim 10.
Eller discloses the anti-picking lock set of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of elastic members is a spring (67).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUZANNE DINO BARRETT whose telephone number is (571)272-7053. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8AM-6:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Mills can be reached at 571-272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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SUZANNE DINO BARRETT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3675B
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/SUZANNE L BARRETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675