Claim Objections
Examiner notes that the claims fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.75(g) because the least restrictive claim, claim 18, is not presented as claim number 1. However, in accordance with 37 CFR 1.126, claim numbering must be preserved during prosecution. Therefore correction will be held in abeyance.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I shown in Figs. 2-9 in the reply filed on June 24, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 3, 5-6, 10 & 15-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on June 24, 2026.
In the reply claim 3 was identified as reading on the elected species. However, the features of that claim are not shown in Figs. 2-9, but are described in the specification as pertaining to other or unelected species. See page 14, lines 2-4.
In the reply claim 5 was identified as reading on the elected species. However, the features of that claim are not shown in Figs. 2-9, but are described in the specification as pertaining to other or unelected species. See page 26, lines 7-10.
In the reply claim 10 was identified as reading on the elected species. However, the features of that claim are not shown in Figs. 2-9, but are described in the specification as pertaining to other or unelected species. See page 12, lines 26-30.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed July 13, 2026 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(i) because it does not include a concise explanation of the relevance, as it is presently understood by the individual designated in 37 CFR 1.56(c) most knowledgeable about the content of the information, of each reference listed that is not in the English language. Applicant is advised that the date of any re-submission of any item of information contained in this information disclosure statement or the submission of any missing element(s) will be the date of submission for purposes of determining compliance with the requirements based on the time of filing the statement, including all certification requirements for statements under 37 CFR 1.97(e). See MPEP § 609.05(a).
Drawings
Figure 18 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. 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
Claim 8 is 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 8 recites the limitation, “a first curved member having a convex shape in the removal direction, or a second curved member having a convex shape in the removal direction.” That which differentiates the first and second curved surfaces is unknown.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-2, 4, 7, 9, 11-14 & 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Murphy, US 5.366,332. Murphy discloses a coupler (10) comprising:
an insertion portion (13) to be inserted, through each of a first opening (40) of a first coupling object (38) and a second opening (40) of a second coupling object (36) overlapped with and upstream of the first coupling object, in an insertion direction (see “downward” at col. 6, line 37);
a flange (12, 28) coupled to an upstream portion (14a) of the insertion portion in the insertion direction, the flange to contact an edge (see Fig. 4), adjacent to the second opening, of the second coupling object at the most upstream in the insertion position when the insertion portion is inserted to the first opening and the second opening;
a hook (16) to sandwich the first coupling object and the second coupling object between the hook and the flange when the insertion portion is inserted into the first opening and the second opening (see Fig. 4);
an elastic support (14b) supporting the hook displaceable in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction (see “radially inward” at col. 6, line 45); and
a removal force receiver (see “thin tool” at col. 7, line 21; and Figs. 3-4 show that the integrally connected (col. 6, line 6) pushrod 30 can function as a removal force receiver) coupled to the elastic support to:
receive a removal force (see “force” at col. 7, line 21) in a removal direction opposite to the insertion direction;
elastically deform (see “forced radially inward” at col. 7, line 21) the elastic support by the removal force; and
displace the hook inward of the first opening and the second opening, to remove the
insertion portion from the first opening and the second opening (col. 7, lines 23-29),
wherein Figs. 1-4 show the insertion portion has a hollow shape having an inner space, and at col. 7, lines 17-21 the removal force receiver is disclosed as disposed in the inner space of the insertion portion,
wherein the insertion portion includes a side wall (14a, 14b) supporting the elastic support,
wherein Figs. 1-4 show multiple hooks (16) including the hook; and
multiple elastic supports (14b) including the elastic support, the multiple elastic supports supporting the multiple hooks, wherein the removal force receiver couples a portion between the multiple elastic, supports,
wherein Figs. 2-3 show a coupling position at which the removal force receiver (30) is coupled to the elastic support is located near a downstream side of the elastic support in the insertion direction,
wherein Figs. 3-4 show the flange has a contact face (28) to contact a face of the second coupling object (36) at the extreme upstream position in the insertion direction when the insertion portion is inserted to the first opening and the second opening,
wherein Figs. 1-4 show the hook (16) has a contact face to contact a face of the first coupling object (38) at an extreme downstream position in the insertion direction when the insertion portion is inserted to the first opening and the second opening,
wherein Figs. 1-4 show the hook has a sloped flat face (22) facing a downstream side of the hook in the insertion direction.
Claims 1-2, 4, 7-9, 11-14 & 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Diep, US 8.622,680. Diep discloses a coupler (10) comprising:
an insertion portion (12, 32) to be inserted, through each of a first opening (57) of a first coupling object (38) and a second opening (27) of a second coupling object (26) overlapped with and upstream of the first coupling object, in an insertion direction (A);
a flange (14) coupled to an upstream portion (12) of the insertion portion in the insertion direction, the flange to contact an edge (see Fig. 2), adjacent to the second opening, of the second coupling object at the most upstream in the insertion position when the insertion portion is inserted to the first opening and the second opening;
a hook (36) to sandwich the first coupling object and the second coupling object between the hook and the flange when the insertion portion is inserted into the first opening and the second opening (see Fig. 2);
an elastic support (16) supporting the hook displaceable in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction (col. 2, line 58); and
a removal force receiver (40, 44) coupled to the elastic support to:
receive a removal force in a removal direction opposite to the insertion direction;
elastically deform the elastic support by the removal force; and
displace the hook inward of the first opening and the second opening, to remove the
insertion portion from the first opening and the second opening (col. 4, lines 7-11),
wherein Figs. 1-3 show the insertion portion has a hollow shape having an inner space (col. 2, lines 54-55), and Fig. 9 shows the removal force receiver is disposed in the inner space of the insertion portion,
wherein the insertion portion includes a side wall (32) supporting the elastic support,
wherein Figs. 1-3 show multiple hooks (36) including the hook; and
multiple elastic supports (16) including the elastic support, the multiple elastic supports supporting the multiple hooks, wherein the removal force receiver couples a portion between the multiple elastic, supports,
wherein the removal force receiver is a linear member (44) extending in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction,
wherein Fig. 9 shows a coupling position at which the removal force receiver (40, 44) is coupled to the elastic support is located near a downstream side of the elastic support in the insertion direction,
wherein Fig. 2 shows the flange (14) has a contact face to contact a face (25) of the second coupling object (26) at the extreme upstream position in the insertion direction when the insertion portion is inserted to the first opening and the second opening,
wherein Fig. 2 shows the hook (36) has a contact face to contact a face (37) of the first coupling object (38) at an extreme downstream position in the insertion direction when the insertion portion is inserted to the first opening and the second opening,
wherein Fig. 2 shows the hook has a sloped flat face (34) facing a downstream side of the hook in the insertion direction.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Frush, Marshall, Bonnot and Schulze disclose couplers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Greg Binda whose telephone number is (571)272-7077. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-5:30 et.
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/Greg Binda/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
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