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 . This action is in response to Application #18/988,142 filed on 19 December 2024.
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, 10-15, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication 2021/0207905 to Underwood et al (Underwood).
Regarding Claims 1-2, 6-7, 10, 14-15, 18-20, Underwood discloses a magazine assembly comprising:
a magazine body (fig.2);
a follower (101);
a spring (206);
a floorplate disposed at a lower end of the spring (see fig.2, element 12 where the oval shaped protrusion on the top of element 12 interacts with the spring); and
a baseplate attached to a lower end of the magazine body (see fig.2, 12),
wherein the magazine body comprises an internal cavity for holding at least one cartridge such that a front to rear length of the internal cavity is approximately half of an overall front to rear length of the magazine body (the cavity is shown in fig.1 where element 10 is and where follower 101 fits into).
a feed ramp (103);
wherein the feed ramp is disposed near an upper end of the magazine body such that the feed ramp comprises a front to rear length that is approximately half of an overall front to rear length of the magazine body, and extends from a forward end of the internal cavity to the forwardmost portion of the magazine body (claim 2) (see fig.1, 103, at least paragraph 33); and
an ejector integrally formed of and extending up from the magazine body (fig.1, 106, at least paragraph 34), and extending up from a feed lip (claim 19, see fig.1, 106).
Regarding Claims 3, 11, Underwood discloses at least a portion of the feed ramp comprises a curved and approximately conical shape (see figs. 1 and 2, 103, see also description in at least paragraph 42 as a “compound, organic curve”).
Regarding Claims 4-5, 12-13, Underwood discloses the follower comprises an upper surface with top and bottom portions, wherein at least part of the top portion comprises a convex shape (at least paragraph 49).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9, 16-17 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. Please see attached PTO-892 for pertinent art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN D COOPER whose telephone number is (571)270-3998. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7:30 - 4:30 MST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TROY CHAMBERS can be reached at 571-272-6874. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOHN COOPER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3641