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, 7, 11-12 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maier 5,603,531.
In regard to claim 1, Maier discloses a centering interface comprising:
a suction rod quiver 34 comprising a first centering surface 65 with a first centering surface axis;
a guiding support 32 securing the suction rod quiver to a base 39, with the first centering surface 65 being movable in an axial direction towards the guiding support against a bias of a biasing spring 75 (see col. 5, lines 9-10), and the suction rod quiver being angularly movable relative to the base (32 allows angular movement relative to 39);
a front plate (sidewall of the aircraft (see col. 4, lines 1-2)) movably guided (from fig. 6 to fig. 7) relative to the guiding support 32 between an open position and a closed position, the front plate comprising a second centering surface 35 with a second centering surface axis;
wherein the suction rod quiver is movable in the axial direction against the bias of the biasing spring during a movement of the front plate from the open position to the closed position and an accompanying approach and contact of the first centering surface and the second centering surface and the guiding support allows an angular movement of the suction rod quiver which permits the first centering surface and the second centering to move into a joining
position with the first centering surface axis aligned the second centering surface axis (see fig. 6 and fig. 7).
In regard to claim 7, wherein the first centering surface comprises an outer conical surface 65 at an end face of the suction rod quiver,
the second centering surface comprises an inner conical surface 35 in the front plate, and
the outer conical surface is engageable into a centering joint fitting engagement with an inner conical surface (see fig. 7).
In regard to claim 11, wherein an axis of the suction rod quiver is inclined relative to a horizontal plane at an angle up to 60° (the suction rod is able to rotated so that it is at 60 degrees relative to a horizontal plane).
In regard to claim 12, wherein the mating of centering surfaces is formed by a mating of first centering surface and the second centering surface comprise respective conical surfaces 65, 35.
In regard to claim 17, Maier discloses a centering interface comprising:
a suction rod quiver 34 comprising a first centering surface 65 with a first centering surface axis;
a guiding support 32 secured to a base 39 with the first centering surface being movable in an axial direction towards the guiding support against a bias of a biasing spring 75, and the suction rod quiver being angularly movable relative to the base (see fig. 7);
a front plate (sidewall of the aircraft (see col. 4, lines 1-2)) movably guided relative to the guiding support between an open position (fig. 6) and a closed position (fig. 7), the front plate comprising a second centering surface 35 with a second centering surface axis;
wherein the suction rod quiver is movable in the axial direction against the bias of the biasing spring during a movement of the front plate from the open position to the closed position and an accompanying approach and contact of the first centering surface and the second centering surface,
and the guiding support allows an angular movement of the suction rod quiver which permits the first centering surface and the second centering surface to move into a joining position with the first centering surface axis aligned the second centering surface axis; and
wherein the first centering surface and the second centering surface comprise respective
conical surfaces 65, 35.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, 8-10 and 13-15 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.
Claim 16 is allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 7, 11-12 and 17 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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 DAVID E. BOCHNA whose telephone number is (571)272-7078. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Troutman can be reached at (571) 270-3654. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID BOCHNA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679