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) 1-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ye et al (US Patent 9,222,245).
Regarding Claim 1, Ye shows a faucet locking mechanism, comprising: a connecting sleeve (A); a locking sleeve (1) sleeved on the connecting sleeve, and comprising a plurality of flexible retainers (12) arranged around the connecting sleeve at intervals (Fig.1); a sliding frame (2) slidably mounted in the locking sleeve, positioned around the flexible retainers; and a screw element connected (10), by thread, with the sliding frame and configured to drive the sliding frame to slide up and down along the connecting sleeve, the screw element passing through the sliding frame and the locking sleeve and configured to allow the sliding frame to be removable coupled to the flexible retainers (Fig.1).
Regarding Claim 2, Ye shows the faucet locking mechanism of claim 1, wherein the flexible retainers comprise retainer ends (end of 12) that are locked with the connecting sleeve (A) when the sliding frame presses the flexible retainers (fig.2).
Regarding Claim 3, Ye shows the faucet locking mechanism of claim 2, wherein the connecting sleeve comprises a plurality of sleeve recesses (threads) at intervals along an axial direction, and the retainer ends are selectively coupled to one of the sleeve recesses (Fig.3).
Regarding Claim 4, Ye shows the faucet locking mechanism of claim 3, wherein: the flexible retainers comprise retainer protrusions (threads), the retainer protrusions positioned on a side of the flexible retainers, the side facing the sliding frame; and the retainer ends lock the connecting sleeve when the sliding frame presses the retainer protrusions.
Regarding Claim 5, Ye shows the faucet locking mechanism of claim 4, wherein the retainer protrusions comprise protrusion slopes (120), the protrusion slopes positioned on surfaces of the retainer protrusions that face a side at which the sliding frame is positioned, distances between the protrusion slopes and the connecting sleeve gradually increase along a direction of up-to-down (Fig.4).
Regarding Claim 6, Ye shows the faucet locking mechanism according to claim 5, wherein: the sliding frame (2) comprises a sliding frame slope (24), the sliding frame slope on a surface of the sliding frame that faces a side of the retainer protrusions; and when the sliding frame presses the retainer protrusions, the sliding frame slopes attaches with and presses the protrusion slopes (Fig.4).
Regarding Claim 7. The faucet locking mechanism of claim 1, wherein a spring is mounted within the locking sleeve (Fg.3), and the spring surrounds the sliding frame and interacts with the sliding frame.
Regarding Claim 8, Ye shows the faucet locking mechanism of claim 1, wherein the flexible retainers (12) are integrally formed with the locking sleeve (1) (Fig.1).
Regarding Claim 9, Ye shows a faucet assembly comprising: a faucet body; and the faucet locking mechanism of claim 1, an upper end of the connecting sleeve connected to the faucet body, and the locking sleeve is positioned below the faucet body (fig.7).
Regarding Claim 10, Ye shows a faucet mounting structure comprising: a mounting platform (B) comprising: a platform through hole, and a bottom surface comprising a rigid gasket ring (28); and the faucet assembly of claim 9, the faucet body positioned above the mounting platform (Fig.7).
Regarding Claim 11, Ye shows the faucet mounting structure of claim 10 wherein: the connecting sleeve passes through the platform through hole and the rigid gasket ring (28); the rigid gasket ring is positioned above the locking sleeve (fig.5); an upper end of the screw element is coupled to the rigid gasket ring; the plurality of flexible retainers clamp the connecting sleeve; and the faucet body and the rigid gasket ring are clamped and secured to the mounting platform (Fig.5).
Regarding Claim 12, Ye shows the faucet mounting structure of claim 11 further comprising a flexible gasket ring (14) positioned between a bottom surface of the mounting platform and the rigid gasket ring.
Regarding Claim 13, Ye shows a faucet locking mechanism, comprising: a connecting sleeve (A); a locking sleeve sleeved on the connecting sleeve, and comprising a plurality of flexible retainers (120) arranged around the connecting sleeve at intervals, the flexible retainers comprising retainer ends; a sliding frame (2) slidably mounted in the locking sleeve, positioned around the flexible retainers, the sliding frame configured to secure the retainer ends with the connecting sleeve when pressing the flexible retainers; and a screw element (10) connected with the sliding frame, the screw element passing through the sliding frame and the locking sleeve, and configured to allow the sliding frame to slide up and down and to be removable coupled to the flexible retainers.
Regarding Claim 14, Ye shows the faucet locking mechanism of claim 13, wherein the connecting sleeve comprises a plurality of sleeve recesses at intervals along an axial direction, and the retainer ends are selectively coupled to one of the sleeve recesses.
Regarding Claim 15, Ye shows the faucet locking mechanism of claim 13, wherein: the flexible retainers (120) comprise retainer protrusions, the retainer protrusions positioned on a side of the flexible retainers, the side facing the sliding frame; and the retainer ends lock the connecting sleeve when the sliding frame presses the retainer protrusions (Fig.1).
Regarding Claim 16, Ye shows the faucet locking mechanism of claim 13, wherein a spring is mounted within the locking sleeve (fig.3), and the spring surrounds the sliding frame and interacts with the sliding frame (Fig.3).
Regarding Claim 17, Ye shows a faucet assembly comprising: a faucet body; and the faucet locking mechanism of claim 13, an upper end of the connecting sleeve (A) connected to the faucet body, and the locking sleeve (1) positioned below the faucet body (Fig.3).
Regarding Claim 18, Ye shows a faucet mounting structure comprising: a mounting platform (B) comprising: a platform through hole, and a bottom surface comprising a rigid gasket ring (21); and the faucet assembly of claim 9, the faucet body positioned above the mounting platform (fig.3).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAUREN ASHLEY CRANE whose telephone number is (571)270-5198. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays & Tuesdays 8 am - 4pm.
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/LAUREN A CRANE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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