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 .
Detailed Action
The amendment filed on 07/13/2026 has been entered.
Claim Objection
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(1) In claim 14, line 2, “one another” should read --each other--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejection - 35 U.S.C. 112(b)
1. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
2. Claims 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
(1) In claim 1, lines 21-24 are replete with functional/operational language. It is not clear how “to permit the bearing pivot to be inserted into the removed from the bearing aperture through the opening in the first side of the handle while the blade remains disposed at least partially within the slot of the handle” is accomplished. It is suggested lines 21-24 of claim 1 be amended similar to the last subparagraph of claim 10.
(2) In claim 1, line 23, “the bearing aperture” is vague. Does it refer to that of the blade or of the handle?
(3) In claim 1, line 23, “the opening” has no antecedent basis.
(4) In claim 10, line 25, “the opening” has no antecedent basis.
(5) In claim 16, lines 13-14, “an associated bearing aperture” should read --the associated bearing aperture-- since it refers to the one previously cited. Note lines 6-7 of the claim.
(6) In claim 16, lines 14-15, “a handle” and “a blade” should read --the knife handle-- and --the blade--, respectively. Note lines 3 and 4 of the claim.
Indication of Allowable Subject Matter
1. Claims 1-21 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action.
2. Amended independent claims 1, 10 and 16 overcome the prior rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Onion (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012?0234142). Onion fails to disclose insertion or removal the bearing pivot (P1/P2, see the annotated Fig.10 in the 04/29/2026 Office action) into or from the bearing aperture (30) of the handle (12) while the blade (14) remains disposed at least partially within the slot (A, see the annotated Fig.10) of the handle (12).
Prior Art Citation
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent No. 11,548,174 is cited to show a folding knife (10) comprising a handle (30) having a bearing aperture (128, see column 3, lines 37-39) with a stepped bore configuration, and a bearing pivot (130/134, see Fig.4) with a stepped exterior configuration that is complementary to the stepped bore configuration of the bearing aperture (128, see Fig.5), wherein the stepped bore configuration and the complementary stepped exterior configuration cooperate to permit the bearing pivot (130/134) to be inserted into and removed from the bearing aperture (128) of the handle (30) through an opening in a first side (14/18) of the handle (30) as required by claim 1 but fails to meet the specifically claimed structure for the stepped exterior configuration of the bearing pivot as cited in claim 1.
Remarks
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-21 have been considered but are moot in light of the above new ground(s) of rejection.
Action Made Final
Applicant'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.
Point of Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HWEI-SIU PAYER whose telephone number is (571)272-4511. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Boyer Ashley , can be reached at telephone number 571-272-4502. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HWEI-SIU C PAYER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3724
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