Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of the connecting piece shown in Figs. 1-7 (Species 1) in the reply filed on August 4, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claim 11 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on August 4, 2026.
Examiner notes that claim 11 should be cancelled because it would not be allowable even if the claims from which it depends, claims 1 & 10, were allowed. This is so because there is no description of a connecting piece comprising a supporting portion AND first and second grooves like those recited in claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-6 & 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Suzuki, US 10,208,834. Figs. 2A-2E show a connecting piece (100), comprising:
a first threaded (see “helical gear” at col. 4, line 23) connecting portion (3, 5);
a second threaded (see “work” at col. 4, line 24) connecting portion (4); and
an elastic portion (2) comprising a first subsidiary elastic portion (see in Fig. 2D the part of portion 2 of to the left of portion 18a) and a second subsidiary elastic portion (see in Fig. 2D the part of portion 2 of to the right of portion 18a), the first subsidiary elastic portion and the second subsidiary elastic portion being spaced apart from each other and respectively connected between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, the first subsidiary elastic portion having a plurality of first grooves (42), the first grooves being distributed on a side of the first subsidiary elastic portion away from the second subsidiary elastic portion, the second subsidiary elastic portion having a plurality of second grooves (42), the second grooves being distributed on a side of the second subsidiary elastic portion away from the first subsidiary elastic portion,
wherein Fig. 2D shows the first grooves align with the second grooves and Fig. 2A shows the quantity of the first grooves is equal to a quantity of the second grooves,
wherein Fig. 2A & 2E show the first subsidiary elastic portion has a plurality of third grooves (41) and a plurality of fourth grooves (41), the third grooves and the fourth grooves are distributed on two opposite sides of the first subsidiary elastic portion, each of the third grooves is located between adjacent two of the first grooves, each of the fourth grooves is located between adjacent two of the first grooves,
wherein the third grooves align with the fourth grooves and the quantity of the third
grooves is equal to a quantity of the fourth grooves,
wherein Fig. 2A shows a positioning portion (3) connected between the first connecting portion (5) and the elastic portion (2), the first connecting portion having a first outer diameter, the elastic portion having a second outer diameter, the positioning portion having a third outer diameter, the third outer diameter being larger than the first outer diameter and the second outer diameter.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 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. Zimmer, Bartholomew, Fredericks, Pollitt and Rosengren each disclose a connecting piece.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Greg Binda/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3679
Prosecution Insights