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.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Ichiro (JPH0913678A attached NPL, English Machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Ichiro discloses a binding machine (paragraphs 0001-0025) configured to wind a wire around a to-be-bound object, comprising:
a main body part (fig.1: (8));
an arm part (fig.1: (10)) attached to the main body part and configured to curl the wire;
a curl guide part (fig.1: (9)) attached to the main body part and configured to guide the wire curled by the arm part to a binding portion; and
a regulating member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) configured to regulate relative displacement between the arm part and the curl guide part.
Regarding claim 2, Ichiro discloses wherein the regulating member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) is a member different from the main body part (fig.1: (8)), the arm part (fig.1: (10)), and the curl guide part (fig.1: (9)).
Regarding claim 3, Ichiro discloses wherein the regulating member is configured (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) to regulate relative displacement among the arm part, the curl guide part, and the main body part.
Regarding claim 4, Ichiro discloses a binding machine (paragraphs 0001-0025) configured to wind a wire around a to-be-bound object, comprising:
a main body part (fig.1: (8));
an arm part (fig.1: (10)) attached to the main body part and configured to curl the wire;
a curl guide part (fig.1: (9)) attached to the main body part; and
a support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) configured to support at least one of the main body part, the arm part, and the curl guide part.
Regarding claim 5, Ichiro discloses wherein the arm part (fig.1: (10)) and the curl guide part (fig.1: (9)) are each supported on the main body part by the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)).
Regarding claim 6, Ichiro discloses wherein the arm part (fig.1: (10)), the curl guide part (fig.1: (9)), and the main body part (fig.1: (8)) are each supported by the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)).
Regarding claim 7, Ichiro discloses wherein the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) comprises a bent portion (figs.1-2: (15)).
Regarding claim 8, Ichiro discloses wherein the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) comprises a contact portion protruding further toward the curl guide part (fig.1: (9)) than the arm part (fig.1: (10)), or protruding further toward the arm part than the curl guide part.
Regarding claim 9, Ichiro discloses wherein the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) extends with a support location, serving as a base end, between the main body part (figs.1-2: (8)) and the arm part (fig.1: (10)) or the curl guide part (fig.1: (9)), and tapers from the base end toward a tip in an extension direction of the arm part or the curl guide part.
Regarding claim 10, Ichiro discloses wherein the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) extends with a support location, serving as a base end, between the main body part (figs.1-2: (8)) and the arm part (fig.1: (10)) or the curl guide part (fig.1: (9)) and comprises a tip in an extension direction of the arm part or the curl guide part from the base end, and the base end is thicker than the tip .
Regarding claim 11, Ichiro discloses wherein a support location between the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) and the arm part (fig.1: (10)) or the curl guide part (fig.1: (9)) is provided at a location different from a path of the wire.
Regarding claim 12, Ichiro discloses wherein the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) is provided on both sides of the arm part or the curl guide part.
Regarding claim 13, Ichiro discloses wherein the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) comprises an abutting portion against which the to-be-bound object is to be abutted.
Regarding claim 14, Ichiro discloses wherein the support member (figs.1-2: (11), (12), and (15)) comprises an escape portion with which the wound wire does not interfere.
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Pierre (FR3073238A1 attached NPL, English Machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Pierre discloses a binding machine (pages 7-8) configured to wind a wire around a to-be-bound object, comprising:
a main body part (fig.1: (50));
an arm part (fig.1: (16)) attached to the main body part and configured to curl the wire;
a curl guide part (fig.1: (24)) attached to the main body part and configured to guide the wire curled by the arm part to a binding portion; and
a regulating member (fig.1: ((20) and (32)) configured to regulate relative displacement between the arm part and the curl guide part.
Regarding claim 4, Pierre discloses a binding machine (paragraphs 0001-0025) configured to wind a wire around a to-be-bound object, comprising:
a main body part (fig.1: (50));
an arm part (fig.1: (16)) attached to the main body part and configured to curl the wire;
a curl guide part (fig.1: (24)) attached to the main body part; and
a support member ((fig.1: ((20) and (32)) configured to support at least one of the main body part, the arm part, and the curl guide part.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED S ALAWADI whose telephone number is (571)272-2224. The examiner can normally be reached 08:00 am- 05:00 pm.
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/MOHAMMED S. ALAWADI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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