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 .
The following correspondence is a non-final Office Action for application no. 19/002,172, for a MULTIFUNCTIONAL CONVERSION SEAT, UNIVERSAL CLAMP SEAT FOR STABILIZER, AND ROTARY PAN-TILT, filed on 12/26/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Priority
Applicant is advised of possible benefits under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) and (f), wherein an application for patent filed in the United States may be entitled to claim priority to an application filed in a foreign country.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the first inserting groove, the second inserting groove, first groove, sliding groove, shifting groove, folding position and overturning position must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
In addition to Replacement Sheets containing the corrected drawing figure(s), applicant is required to submit a marked-up copy of each Replacement Sheet including annotations indicating the changes made to the previous version. The marked-up copy must be clearly labeled as “Annotated Sheets” and must be presented in the amendment or remarks section that explains the change(s) to the drawings. See 37 CFR 1.121(d)(1). Failure to timely submit the proposed drawing and marked-up copy will result in the abandonment of the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 contains the term wherein “the switching block can be folded in the switching groove,” however it does not appear that the switching block can be folded. Rather, it appears that the switching block is “rotated” in the switching groove. Further, claim 4 refences the “folded” action and claims 15 and 16 reference a “folding position.” Appropriate clarification is requested. Claims 2-20 are rejected for the same reasons as dependent on claim 1.
Claim 9 contains the limitation wherein “a pushing hole is formed in the rotating head in a penetrating manner,” however, it is unclear how a hole is formed in a penetrating manner. Clarification is requested.
Claim 20 contains the limitation wherein “the angle adjustment range comprises 360 degrees and non-360 degrees,” however, this range is unclear and confusing because this is neither a range nor a limitation because it encompasses any angle.
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.
Claims 1-20 are 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the bottom" therein. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 2-20 are rejected for the same reasons as dependent on claim 1.
Claim 2 recites the limitations "the quick release plate of an ARCA specification and a NATO specification" and “the quick release plate of a Manfrotto specification and an Arca specification” therein. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 also recites the limitation regarding “the side,” however it is unclear whether this side is the same as the previously referenced “one side” or if its intended to be a different side. Appropriate clarification is requested.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the bottom" therein. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 4 is rejected for the same reasons as dependent on claim 3.
Claim 5 contains the term “or a sliding groove,” however, it is unclear whether the sliding groove is a part of the quick release plate or another object. Appropriate clarification is requested. Claims 6-9 and 11 are rejected for the same reasons as dependent on claim 5.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the camera equipment" therein. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the bottom" therein. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 14 is rejected for the same reasons as dependent on claim 13.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the bottom" therein. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 18 is rejected for the same reasons as dependent on claim 17.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the bottom" therein. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitations "the bottom" therein. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
Claims 2-20 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USP 12644560, 12174519, 6827319, 6196504, 5230490 (quick release devices).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NKEISHA J. SMITH whose telephone number is (571)272-5781. The examiner can normally be reached Normal hours: M/Th 7-4; T 9-5; W 7-3; F 7-4.
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, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NKEISHA SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632 July 28, 2026
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