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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/31/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The examiner respectfully disagrees with the amendments overcome Wu (US 20200248477 A1) as the rest of Wu’s element 500 (excluding 521) reads on the user-operable member. The examiner would like to note the claim does not presently require the user-operable member to be directly moved by a user.
Double Patenting
The previous drawing objections are overcome by the present amendments.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 9-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wu et al. US 20200248477 A1 (hereinafter Wu).
In regards to claim 9, Wu teaches an anti-theft connector for equipment wherein the anti-theft connector is to be fixed to a security slot of the equipment (see fig 2F), the anti-theft connector comprising: a first insertion piece (one of 310) including a base end (320) and a forward end (end with 311) opposite to the base end, wherein a first insertion pawl engageable with the security slot is formed on the forward end (see fig 1), and a first base portion is located on the side of the base end (see fig 1); a second insertion piece (other of 310) including a base end (320) and a forward end (end with 311) opposite to the base end, wherein a second insertion pawl (311) engageable with the security slot is formed on the forward end (see fig 1), and a second base portion is located on the side of the base end (see fig 1); a support portion (101) provided for pivotally supporting the first insertion piece between the base end and the forward end of the first insertion piece and the second insertion piece between the base end and the forward end of the second insertion piece (see fig 2E), the support portion being configured to vary an opening angle between the first insertion piece and the second insertion piece (see fig 2F); an angle adjusting means (521) insertable from between the first base portion of the first insertion piece and the second base portion of the second insertion piece, and movable in an axial direction (up and down wrt fig. 2D), the angle adjusting means being configured to adjust the opening angle depending on a depth of the angle adjusting means inserted between the first insertion piece and the second insertion piece (see fig 2D and para 42) and a user-operable member (500, excluding 521) movable by a user (via 600) in the axial direction to move the angle adjusting means in the axial direction (see fig 2D).
In regards to claim 10, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 9 wherein the opening angle comprises a first opening angle (W311 see fig 3B) and a second opening angle (W311’, see fig 4A).
In regards to claim 11, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 10 wherein the opening angle further comprises a third opening angle (W311”).
In regards to claim 12, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 9 further comprising an insertion piece biasing means (springs seen in figs 2B and 3B) for biasing the first insertion piece and the second insertion piece to decrease the opening angle between the first insertion piece and the second insertion piece (see springs figs 2B and 3B).
In regards to claim 13, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 10 further comprising an insertion piece biasing means (springs seen in figs 2B and 3B) for biasing the first insertion piece and the second insertion piece to decrease the opening angle between the first insertion piece and the second insertion piece (see figs 2B and 3B).
In regards to claim 14, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 11 further comprising an insertion piece biasing means (springs seen in figs 2B and 3B) for biasing the first insertion piece and the second insertion piece to decrease the opening (see figs 2B and 3B).
In regards to claim 15, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 9 further comprising a locking means (800) for preventing the angle adjusting means from being moved (see fig 4A).
In regards to claim 16, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 10 further comprising a locking means (800) for preventing the angle adjusting means from being moved (see fig 4A).
In regards to claim 17, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 11further comprising a locking means (800) for preventing the angle adjusting means from being moved (see fig 4A).
In regards to claim 18, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 12 further comprising a locking means (800) for preventing the angle adjusting means from being moved (see fig 4A).
In regards to claim 19, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 13 further comprising a locking means (800) for preventing the angle adjusting means from being moved (see fig 4A).
In regards to claim 20, Wu teaches the anti-theft connector for equipment according to claim 14 further comprising a locking means (800) for preventing the angle adjusting means from being moved (see fig 4A).
ConclusionApplicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER H WATSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5393. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 - 5.
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, Christine M Mills can be reached at (571) 272-8322. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER H WATSON/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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