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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 6/12/2026 has been entered.
Status of the Application
This action is responsive to the amendment dated 6/12/2026. Claims 1, 2, 4 and 6-10 remain pending. Claims 1, 4, and 6 have been amended.
Response to Remarks
Applicant’s arguments, filed 6/12/2026, with respect to the 102 rejection over Gray (US 11,454,330) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 102 rejection of claims 1 and 5 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments introduced a 112(b) rejection to each of the claims. See the 112(b) rejection below for more details.
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, 2, 4 and 6-10 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.
Regarding claim 1, the limitation of “a chamfered region chamfered inward in the radial direction and configured to come into contact with the inclined rib portion is formed in the facing portion” is indefinite. Claim 1 introduces two facing portions in line 6. It is not clear which one of the facing portions is being referenced in the limitation above. Additionally, the phrasing of the limitation is unclear. The Examiner recommends amending the claim instead to recite “wherein each facing portion comprises a chamfered region…” or something similar. Please amend the claim accordingly.
Claims not specifically referenced are rejected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL J GRAY whose telephone number is (571)270-0544. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday.
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, Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571 272-4881. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAUL J GRAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753
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