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 .
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 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.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy of Chinese patent application number 202422548839.0, filed on October 22, 2024, has been received and made of record.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (lDS) submitted on November 19, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and has been considered by the Examiner.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nagata (US Pub. 2025/0003547).
In regard to claim 1, note Nagata discloses a damping type universal arm support, comprising a first assembly and a second assembly which are symmetrically arranged and are both used for connecting objects (paragraphs 0014, 0022-0023, figure 1: 106, 110, and claim 1; the first and second articulating rods are considered to correspond to the first and second assemblies), a damping sleeve piece which is arranged at a position between the first assembly and the second assembly, wherein the first assembly and the second assembly are movably connected through the damping sleeve piece (paragraphs 0017, 0022-0023, and figure 1: 108, and claim 1; the articulating rods swivel with respect to one another, and wherein the rosette between the two rods is considered to correspond to the damping sleeve) and a limiting assembly which is arranged at the end of the damping sleeve piece and is used for limiting the damping sleeve piece and moreover used for limiting the rotation of the first assembly and the second assembly (paragraphs 0017, 0022-0023, and figure 1: 108, and claim 1; the threaded handle 108 loosens and tightens in order to change positions of the articulating rods, as well as hold them in place).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 5,661,942: note the use of a modular connector system that includes a first assembly and a second assembly which are symmetrically arranged, a damping sleeve piece between the first and second assemblies, and a limiting assembly for limiting the rotation of the first and second assemblies.
WO 2025/213744 A1: note the use of a modular connector system that includes a first assembly and a second assembly which are symmetrically arranged, a damping sleeve piece between the first and second assemblies, and a limiting assembly for limiting the rotation of the first and second assemblies.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISS S YODER III whose telephone number is (571)272-7323. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached at (571) 272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISS S YODER III/Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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