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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-2,11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) being anticipated by Hirozawa US 11479997.
Regarding claim 1, Hirozawa discloses an actuating device (18) for actuating at least one operable functional component of a vehicle door (locking mechanism of a door latch, i.e. door lock, col. 3 lines 7-10), wherein the actuating device has the following:
a pivot lever (22u,22L) which is pivotably mounted about an axis of rotation (not labeled, essentially about/at 14) at one end, and which, starting from an initial position (fig2), can be moved as required into a first actuating position (fig3) pivoted about the axis of rotation in a first direction (counter clockwise) of rotation or into a second actuating position (fig4) pivoted about the axis of rotation in a second direction (clockwise) of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation manually;
a first force transmission mechanism (32L), in the form of a Bowden cable or with a Bowden cable, for transmitting at least part of a force generated when transferring the pivot lever from the initial position to the first actuation position to the at least one actuatable functional component of the vehicle door;
a second force transmission mechanism (32U), in the form of a Bowden cable or with a Bowden cable, for transmitting at least part of a force generated when transferring the pivot lever from the initial position to the second actuation position to the at least one actuatable functional component of the vehicle door; and
a coupling mechanism (the mechanism is the selective coupling of 36U in 34U, 36L in 34L) connected to the pivot lever, which is designed to selectively introduce at least part of the force generated when the pivot lever is moved from the initial position into the first actuating position or into the second actuating position exclusively into the first force transmission mechanism or into the second force transmission mechanism. (see fig1-4)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-18 are allowed.
Claims 20-21 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, The key in Hirozawa is used to pivot 22U/L, however, if one were to consider 22U/L the coupling lever instead of the pivot lever and the key to be the pivot lever, Hirozawa would not meet the amended limitation of claim 1 that states the pivot axis of the coupling lever is perpendicular to the axis of rotation; the two axes would be considered coaxial. In US 10966520 and US 1652953, the axes are parallel (fig6). Examiner can find no reason to combine or modify references of record without the use of impermissible hindsight.
Regarding claim 13 and claim 20, Hirozawa does not teach the coupling mechanism comprises a coupling lever that is capable of locking the pivot lever and also being able to transfer pivot lever force to the first and second force transmission mechanisms. Examiner can find no reason to combine or modify references of record without the use of impermissible hindsight.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/08/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive regarding new claim 19. The pivot lever in Hirozawa is mounted at one end, the end being the end of the center, to the axis of rotation. New claim 19 is rejected.
Claims 1-18 are allowed in light of the reasons stated above.
Claims 20-21 are objected to.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Art is related to actuating devices.
Related but not relied upon prior art: US 202002622799, US 10966520, US 1652953.
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 FARIA F. AHMAD whose telephone number is (571)270-1334. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine M. Mills can be reached at (571) 272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/F.F.A./
Examiner
Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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