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 Objections
Claim 14 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim14 depends on claims 1 to 9. See MPEP § 608.01(n). Accordingly, the claim 14 has not been further treated on the merits.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2 (and therefore claims 4,6,7-9) is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. The claim states “wherein a slit is formed in the holding ring extending”, hence, the claim fails to say which way the slit is extending. The claim will be examined as the slit extending in a vertical axis.
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) 1-6 and 10-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by King (US 2022/0204118). King discloses a bicycle wire-holding seat comprising an outer ring (130) and a holding ring (140) coaxially arranged with the outer ring (see figures 4 and 5), a first inclined plane arranged on at least one part of an inner surface of the outer ring (see figure 5 as the outer ring 130 has an inclined plane that contacts the holding ring 140), a second inclined plane arranged on at least one part of an outer surface of the holding ring and abutting against the first inclined plane (see figure 5 as the holding ring 140 has an inclined plane that contacts the inclined plane of the outer ring 130), and a wiring hole (136) formed between the outer ring and the holding ring extending, wherein the wiring hole is applied for receive a wire (180) extending through the wiring hole and the holding ring is applied for holding one part of a frame (12,120) of the bicycle.
Regarding claim 2, wherein a slit (142) is formed in the holding ring extending along a vertical axis.
Regarding claims 3 and 4, wherein the wiring hole (136) is recessed in the inner surface of the outer ring (130).
Regarding claims 5 and 6, wherein a stop portion (152) applied for preventing the holding ring from being displaced relative to the outer ring is arranged between the outer ring and the holding ring (member 152 stops the holding ring from moving once the cap 150 is assembled).
Regarding claim 10, King discloses a bicycle headset (see figure 3), comprising: a bicycle wire-holding seat (see figures 3-5), comprising an outer ring (130) and a holding ring (140) coaxially arranged with the outer ring, a first inclined plane arranged on the at least one part of an inner surface of the outer ring (see figure 5 as the outer ring 130 has an inclined plane that contacts the holding ring 140), a second inclined plane arranged on the at least one part of the outer surface of the holding ring and abutting against the first inclined plane (see figure 5 as the holding ring 140 has an inclined plane that contacts the inclined plane of the outer ring 130), and a wiring hole (136) formed between the outer ring and the holding ring; and a bearing (114,116) arranged coaxially with the bicycle wire-holding seat and comprising a first ring and a second ring rotatable relative to the first ring (as bearings have an inner and outer ring with bearing balls in between them), the outer ring (130) can be rotated with the first ring or the second ring (in King the outer ring spins with the outer ring of the bearing, see figures 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 11, wherein an annular groove (134) is recessed in the surface of the outer ring opposite to the holding ring (see figures 4 and 5), the annular groove is applied for combine with the first ring of the bearing (see figure 5).
Regarding claims 12 to 14, wherein the wiring hole (136) is misaligned with the bearing (114, see figure 5).
Examiners note: claim 14 was objected above, however, it was rejected with art as it states the same claimed subject matter of claims 12 and 13.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 7, the art of record did not include “the stop portion comprises a fixing rib protruding from the outer surface of the holding ring towards the outer ring, and a fixing groove recessed in the inner surface of the outer ring, and the fixing groove is applied for receive the fixing rib”.
Regarding claim 8, the art of record did not include “the stop portion comprises a leaf extending radially from a surface of the ring, a position of at least one part of the leaf overlaps with the outer ring, a stopping rib protrudes from at least one part of the leaf towards the outer ring, a stopping groove is recessed in the surface of the outer ring, and the stopping groove is applied for receive the stopping rib”.
Regarding claim 9, the art of record did not include “the stop portion comprises a leaf extending radially from a surface of the ring, a position of at least one part of the leaf overlaps with the outer ring, a stopping hole is formed in at least one part of the leaf, and a stopping groove is recessed in the surface of the outer ring and aligned with the stopping hole, a pin mounted through the stopping hole and the stopping groove”.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Marlon A Arce whose telephone number is (571)272-1341. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM - 4:30PM.
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/MARLON A ARCE/Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/KEVIN HURLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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