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 “bevel being S-shaped” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). There does not appear to be a bevel or anything that resembles an “S-shape”. Figure 1B has two bends in the component to form a slanted portion, but does not form an “S”. There is also no bevel (see sited support). 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.
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 16-20 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.
Claim 16 is indefinite because it is unclear what is meant by “forming a bevel on the end projection, the bevel being S-shaped”. A beveling is a manufacturing process where the mating edge of a workpiece is prepared in a specific configuration (angle, shape). How can an edge be S-shaped? Based on the figures, there does not appear to be an S-shaped bevel (edge). The figure shows a component wherein a horizontal portion slants/angles upward to another horizontal portion (figure 1B). Is this what the Applicant is attempting to claim as the S-shaped bevel? This is not a bevel as the bend upwards (S-shaped as claimed) is not at the edge of the component. The Examiner has provided Wayken (https://waykenrm.com/blogs/what-is-a-bevel/) for support and evidence as to what is defined as a bevel.
Claim 16 is indefinite because it is unclear what is meant by “trimming the end portion to separate an end piece from a free end of the end portion”. What is “a free end”? Is this a specific end of the end portion? Isn’t the entire end portion considered a free end? If so, isn’t the end piece just separated from the end portion? The Examiner does not understand what the free end is supposed to be and requests that the Applicant please clarify. Based on the figures it would appear that the end portion is vertically (with respect to the horizontal portion) trimmed in the slanted/angled portion (see rejection above). Is this correct? If so, the Examiner suggests amending the claim to further clarify to define the “bevel being S-Shaped” and the trimming limitation. The Examiner believes that the Applicant does have a novel concept if claimed correctly as shown in the figures 1A-D.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-20 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. As stated above, the Examiner suggests the Applicant amend the claims to overcome rejection as stated above. Art was not found that taught or suggested figures 1A-D of the current invention and this appears to be what the Applicant is attempting to claim.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIN B SAAD whose telephone number is (571)270-3634. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30a-6p.
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, Keith Walker can be reached at 571-272-3458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIN B SAAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735