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.
Claim(s) 1-10 and 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Allevato, III (US 2023/0000217).
Regarding claim 1, Allevato discloses a coupling assembly for connecting a tool to a strap or lanyard, the coupling assembly comprising: a male connector (401) comprising a shaft which extends longitudinally from a first end to a second end; a female connector (402) comprising a connector body which defines a longitudinal passage for receiving the shaft of the male connector; an engaging member (430) which is movable between an engaged state in which the engaging member is configured to inhibit disconnection of the male and female connectors, and a disengaged state in which disconnection of the male and female connectors is permitted; and a blocking member (102; or 402a, 402b) which is movable between a first position in which the blocking member is configured to inhibit actuation of the engaging member, and a second position in which actuation of the engaging member is permitted. See Figs. 1-4E.
Regarding claim 2, the engaging member and/or blocking member are part of the female connector. See Fig. 4B.
Regarding claim 3, the engaging member is manually movable from the engaged state to the disengaged state, and wherein the blocking member covers the engaging member in the first position to inhibit actuation of the engaging member and does not cover the engaging member in the second position to permit actuation of the engaging member. See Figs. 4B-4E.
Regarding claim 4, the blocking member is biased towards the first position; optionally, wherein the coupling assembly comprises a torsion spring or a compression spring (410) configured to bias the blocking member towards the first position. See Figs. 3A-4E.
Regarding claim 5, the blocking member is rotatable between the first and second positions; optionally, wherein the blocking member comprises a sleeve which at least partly surrounds the connector body and which is rotatable between the first and second positions, and wherein the sleeve comprises a recess which is shaped to provide access to the engaging member when the blocking member is in the second position. See Figs. 4B-4E.
Regarding claim 6, the blocking member is manually movable to the second position and/or the engaging member is manually movable to the disengaged state; optionally, wherein the blocking member is configured to be manually pushed (e.g., in a rotational direction) to transition from the first to the second position and/or wherein the engaging member is configured to be manually pushed (e.g., in a transverse direction) to transition from the engaged to the disengaged state; and/or wherein the coupling assembly is configured and arranged so that the blocking member can be moved to the second position and the engaging member can be moved to the disengaged state with a single human hand; optionally, wherein the blocking member comprises an abutment surface which can be pushed to move the blocking member from the first position to the second position, and wherein the abutment surface is positioned adjacent to the engaging member when the blocking member is in the second position, such that a first part (e.g., an edge) of a human thumb can be used to push the abutment surface to move the blocked member to the second position and a different part (e.g., an underside) of the same thumb can then be used to push the engaging member to the disengaged state. See Figs. 4B-4E.
Regarding claim 7 the engaging member is biased towards the engaged state; optionally, wherein the coupling assembly comprises a compression spring or a torsion spring configured to bias the engaging member towards the engaged state. See Figs. 4B-4E.
Regarding claim 8, the engaging member is configured to move in a transverse direction relative to the male and/or female connectors to transition between the engaged and disengaged states; optionally, wherein the engaging member is configured to slide in the transverse direction to transition between the engaged and disengaged states. See Figs. 4B-4E.
Regarding claim 9, the shaft of the male connector comprises an engagement formation between the first and second ends, wherein the engaging member is fixed against longitudinal movement relative to the female connector, wherein the engaging member is configured to engage the engagement formation of the male connector when in the engaged state to inhibit relative longitudinal movement between the male and female connectors; optionally, wherein the engagement formation comprises a groove; and/or optionally, wherein the engagement formation comprises an annular formation; and/or optionally, wherein the engaging member comprises a first side which can be pushed to move the engaging member from the engaged to the disengaged state, and wherein the engaging member comprises a second side opposite to the first side which is configured to engage the engagement formation when the engaging member is in the engaged state; optionally, wherein the engaging member comprises a ring which extends from the first side to the second side to surround the shaft of the male connector. See Figs. 4B-4E.
Regarding claim 10, the engaging member is received in one or more transverse apertures through the connector body, and wherein the engaging member slides through the one or more transverse apertures to transition between the engaged and disengaged states; optionally, wherein the coupling assembly further comprises one or more stop members configured to retain the engaging member in the connector body; and/or optionally, wherein the engaging member is configured to slide in a first direction to transition from the engaged state to the disengaged state, wherein a first stop member is arranged to limit movement of the engaging member in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and/or optionally, wherein the engaging member is configured to slide in the second direction to transition from the disengaged state to the engaged state, and wherein a second stop member is arranged to limit movement of the engaging member in the first direction; and/or optionally, wherein the first and/or second stop members are configured to engage a portion of the connector body surrounding the one or more transverse apertures to inhibit movement of the engaging member in the second and/or first direction; and/or optionally, wherein the first and/or second stop member is a discrete component which is secured to the engaging member; and/or optionally, wherein the first and/or second stop member is integrally formed with the engaging member. See Figs. 1-4E.
Regarding claim 13, a gripping portion (Fig. 4C, anywhere a user can grip) arranged adjacent to the blocking member and/or engaging member, such that a user can grip the gripping portion with a lower portion of a hand and move the blocking member and/or engaging member with an upper portion of the same hand; optionally, wherein the gripping portion is part of the female connector; and/or optionally, wherein the gripping portion is a separate component coupled to the connector body or is integrally formed with the connector body; and/or optionally, wherein the connector body comprises a loop for coupling to a strap or lanyard, wherein the gripping portion comprises a recess such that a strap or lanyard can be passed through the recess and coupled to the loop of the connector body. See Fig. 4C.
Regarding claim 14, the male connector comprises a loop (1786) for receiving a strap or lanyard; and/or wherein the female connector comprises a loop for receiving a strap or lanyard. See Fig. 17A.
Regarding claim 15, the male connector is integrally formed with a body of a tool (205); and/or wherein the female connector is integrally formed with a body of a tool. See Fig. 2.
Regarding claim 16, the male connector comprises a tether arrangement (205 or 1786) for tethering the male connector to a tool; and/or wherein the female connector comprises a tether arrangement for tethering the female connector to a tool; optionally, wherein the tether arrangement comprises: one or more straps for wrapping around a tool; and one or more sockets for receiving the one or more straps; wherein each of the one or more sockets is configured to engage the respective strap as it is inserted into the socket, to inhibit movement of the respective strap out of the socket; and/or optionally, wherein the one or more sockets each comprise a socket passage for receiving the respective strap and one or more teeth arranged at an angle to the socket passage, wherein the one or more teeth are arranged to permit insertion of the respective strap through the socket passage in a first direction, and to inhibit removal of the strap from the socket passage in a second direction opposite to the first direction; optionally, wherein the one or more teeth are of harder material than the one or more straps; and/or optionally, wherein the one or more teeth are of metallic material (e.g., steel material); and/or optionally, wherein the one or more straps are of a flexible plastics material (e.g., nylon or other engineered plastic). See Figs. 1-17.
Regarding claim 17, the shaft (412) of the male connector comprises a tapered free end.
Regarding claim 18, Allevato discloses a female connector (402) for a coupling assembly for coupling a tool to a strap or lanyard, the female connector comprising: a connector body which defines a longitudinal passage for receiving a shaft of a male connector; an engaging member (430) which is moveable between an engaged state in which the engaging member is configured to inhibit disconnection of the female connector and a male connector coupled thereto, and a disengaged state in which the engaging member is configured to permit disconnection of the female connector and a male connector coupled thereto; and a blocking member (402a, 402b) which is movable between a first position in which the blocking member is configured to inhibit actuation of the engaging member, and a second position in which actuation of the engaging member is permitted. See Figs 4A-4E
Regarding claim 19, Allevato discloses a male connector (401) assembly for a coupling assembly for coupling a tool to a strap or lanyard, the male connector comprising: a shaft which extends longitudinally from a first end to a second end for insertion into a longitudinal passage of a female connector; and a tether arrangement for tethering the male connector to a tool; optionally, wherein the tether arrangement (404 or 1786) comprises: one or more straps for wrapping around a tool; and one or more sockets for receiving the one or more straps; wherein each of the one or more sockets is configured to engage the respective strap as it is inserted into the socket, to inhibit movement of the respective strap out of the socket. See Figs 4A-17A; and [0180].
Regarding claim 20, Allevato discloses a kit of parts comprising the coupling assembly of claim 1 and a strap or lanyard comprising a first end for coupling to the male or female connector, and a second end for coupling to an anchor point. See Figs 4A-17A; and [0180].
Second Rejection
Claim(s) 1 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by (JP 3221631) (‘631).
Regarding claim 1, ‘631 discloses a coupling assembly for connecting a tool to a strap or lanyard, the coupling assembly comprising: a male connector (2) comprising a shaft which extends longitudinally from a first end to a second end; a female connector (1) comprising a connector body which defines a longitudinal passage for receiving the shaft of the male connector; an engaging member (at 42, 42’) which is movable between an engaged state in which the engaging member is configured to inhibit disconnection of the male and female connectors, and a disengaged state in which disconnection of the male and female connectors is permitted; and a blocking member (43, 43’; or 421, 421’) which is movable between a first position in which the blocking member is configured to inhibit actuation of the engaging member, and a second position in which actuation of the engaging member is permitted. See Figs. 1-2.
Regarding claim 12 a biasing member (3) is inside the longitudinal passage of the connector body, wherein when the shaft of the male connector is received within the longitudinal passage the biasing member is configured to urge an end of the shaft in an outboard direction of the longitudinal passage; optionally, wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring. See Figs. 1-2.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Allevato as applied above in further view of Raynar et al. (US 2015/0201723).
Regarding claim 11, Allevato does not disclose the coloring as claimed. Raynar, which is drawn to a coupling, discloses various parts of different colors. See [0148].
Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to have parts of Allevato like the engaging member comprise an outer surface having a different appearance to an outer surface of the connector body and blocking member; optionally, wherein the outer surface of the engaging member is a different colour to the outer surface of the connector body and blocking member; optionally, wherein the outer surface of the engaging member is red and the outer surface of the connector body and blocking member are of a different colour (e.g., a neutral colour such as white or black). Having different colors would allow for easier identification of various parts.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached Notice of References Cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEREK J BATTISTI whose telephone number is (571)270-5709. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:00 pm M-F.
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/DEREK J BATTISTI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3734
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