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 § 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 Katsuhiko, JP S4842190 B1.
Regarding claim 1, Katsuhiko discloses a magnetic indexing system for a display comprising: a structural element (9); a display (7) movably arranged relative to the structural element; a pair of magnetic elements (8, 13) including an anchoring portion (12) by which a first magnetic element (13) is fastened to the structural element and a second magnetic element (8) is fastened to the display (7), the magnetic elements being configured to cooperate with each other so as to generate a positioning torque of the display adapted to maintain the display in a predetermined angular position with respect to the structural element (Fig 2), the magnetic elements comprising an interaction portion by which they are intended to face each other, the interaction portion of the first or second magnetic element having a cross-section reduced relative to that of its anchoring portion (Fig 3), the interaction portion of the first or second magnetic element having an annular shoulder so as to form a central projection or having a triangular-shaped cross-section (Fig 4).
Regarding claim 2, the interaction portion of the first or second magnetic element has two opposing inclined faces connected to each other by a median portion (Fig 4).
Regarding claim 3, the interaction portion of the first or second magnetic element has a conical shape (Fig 4).
Regarding claim 4, the interaction portion of the first or second magnetic element has an axisymmetrically conical shape (Fig 4).
Regarding claim 5, the interaction portion of the first or second magnetic element has a pyramidal shape (Fig 4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art fails to disclose or reasonably suggest the claimed horological movement comprising the indexing system according to claim 1 and a roller display device, the structural element being formed by a flange and the display being formed by a roller comprising a support structure to which flaps are fastened movable in rotation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON COLLINS whose telephone number is (571)270-3994. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JASON M COLLINS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831
/EDWIN A. LEON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831