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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 6 and 16 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 6 recites the limitation "the motor" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitations "the lever arm" in line 6, “the first lever arm position” in lines 6-7, and “the second lever arm position” in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitation in the claim.
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.
(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) 1-4 9-22, and 24-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20240151066 to Eller.
Regarding claim 1, Eller discloses:
An exit device (fig 1) comprising: a latch (not shown, see paragraph 0040) movable between an extended latch position (fig 3a) and a retracted latch position (fig 4b); a push bar (101) movable between a first push bar position (fig 3a) and a second push bar position (fig 4b), wherein movement of the push bar from the first push bar position to the second push bar position moves the latch from the extended latch position to the retracted latch position (see paragraph 0040); and a lockdown assembly (200) configured to transition between a non-lockdown configuration (fig 4b) and a lockdown configuration (fig 3a), wherein in the lockdown configuration the lockdown assembly is configured to maintain the push bar in the first push bar position (fig 3a).
Regarding claim 2, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 1, wherein the lockdown assembly is further configured to maintain the latch in the latch extended position (while 200 is in the position in fig 3a, the latch is maintained in the extended position).
Regarding claim 3, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 1, further comprising a lift arm (205) movably coupled to the push bar and movable between a first lift arm position (fig 3a) and a second lift arm position (fig 4b), wherein movement of the push bar from the first push bar position to the second push bar position moves the lift arm from the first lift arm position to the second lift arm position (see movement from fig 3a to 4b).
Regarding claim 4, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 3, wherein the lockdown assembly comprises a lockdown actuator (200) configured to move the lift arm from the first lift arm position to the second lift arm position (via 209).
Regarding claim 9, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 1, wherein the lockdown assembly includes a rotatable lock cylinder (109), wherein rotation of the lock cylinder transitions the lockdown assembly between the non-lockdown configuration and the lockdown configuration (figs 3a and 4b).
Regarding claim 10, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 9, wherein the lockdown assembly includes a cam plate (213) rotatably coupled to the lock cylinder, wherein the cam plate is configured to rotate in conjunction with the lock cylinder (paragraph 0046) to activate a switch (209), wherein activation of the switch transitions the lockdown assembly between the non-lockdown configuration and the lockdown configuration (activation of 209 allows movement of 205 enabling the non-lockdown configuration, and locking of 209 enables the lockdown configuration).
Regarding claim 11, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 1, further comprising an indicator (300) configured to indicate a state of the exit device (fig 3a).
Regarding claim 12, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 1, wherein the lockdown assembly is configured to be controlled to transition between the non-lockdown configuration and the lockdown configuration remotely (see paragraph 0030 and 0037).
Regarding claim 13, Eller discloses:
An exit device (fig 1) comprising: a latch (not shown, see paragraph 0040) movable between an extended latch position (fig 3a) and a retracted latch position (fig 4b); a push bar (101) movable between a first push bar position (fig 3a) and a second push bar position (fig 4b), wherein movement of the push bar from the first push bar position to the second push bar position moves the latch from the extended latch position to the retracted latch position (see paragraph 0040); a lockdown assembly (200) configured to transition between a non-lockdown configuration (fig 4b) and a lockdown configuration (fig 3a), wherein in the lockdown configuration the lockdown assembly is configured to maintain the push bar in the first push bar position (fig 3a); and an indicator (300) configured to indicate the exit device is in a lockdown configuration in response to the lockdown assembly transitioning to the lockdown configuration (fig 3a).
Regarding claim 14, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 13, wherein the indicator comprises an indicator body (300) configured to move between a first indicator body position (fig 4b) and a second indicator body position (fig 3a).
Regarding claim 15, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 14, further comprising a transmission component (202) movable between a first transmission position (fig 4a) and a second transmission position (fig 3b), wherein movement of the transmission component from the first transmission position to the second transmission position moves the indicator body from the first indicator body position to the second indicator body position (see movement between figs 3a-4b).
Regarding claim 16, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 15, wherein the indicator further comprises an indicator lever (201) configured to move between a first indicator lever position (fig 4a) and a second indicator lever position (fig 3b), wherein movement of the indicator lever from the first indicator lever position to the second indicator lever position moves the indicator body from the first indicator body position to the second indicator body position (see movement between figs 3a-4b), and wherein movement of the transmission component from the first transmission position to the second transmission position moves the lever arm (321a) from the first lever arm position (fig 4a) to the second lever arm position (fig 3b).
Regarding claim 17, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 15, further comprising a lift arm (216) movable between a first lift arm position (fig 4a) and a second lift arm position (fig 3b), wherein movement of the lift arm from the first lift arm position to the second lift arm position moves the transmission component from the first transmission position to the second transmission position (see movement between figs 3a-4b).
Regarding claim 18, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 13, wherein the indicator further comprises an indicator window (302), wherein an indication associated with the exit device is visible through the indicator window (fig 4b).
Regarding claim 19, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 18, wherein the indicator further comprises a first indicator face (301b) and a second indicator face (301a), wherein the indicator is configured to display the first indicator face in response to the lockdown assembly transitioning to a non-lockdown configuration, and wherein the indicator is configured to display the second indicator face in response to the lockdown assembly transitioning to the lockdown configuration.
Regarding claim 20, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 19, wherein the first indicator face and the second indicator face are coupled to the indicator body, and wherein the indicator is configured to display the first indicator face when the indicator body is in the first indicator body position, and wherein the indicator is configured to display the second indicator face when the indicator body is in the second indicator body position (see figs 3a and 4b).
Regarding claim 21, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 20, the indicator further comprising an indicator biasing element (313) configured to bias the indicator body in a first direction (direction of position 409a).
Regarding claim 22, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 13, further comprising a push bar biasing element (207) configured to bias the push bar to the first push bar position (see paragraph 0040).
Regarding claim 24, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 13, further comprising a rotatable lock cylinder (109), wherein the lockdown assembly is configured to transition between the non-lockdown configuration and the lockdown configuration in response to rotation of the rotatable lock cylinder (figs 3a and 4b).
Regarding claim 25, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 17, wherein the transmission component includes a channel (channel formed between 310a/b seen in fig 6 where 202 resides) configured to engage the lift arm (fig 6), and wherein movement of the lift arm from the first lift arm position to the second lift arm position rotates the transmission component from the first transmission component position to the second transmission component position (216 rotates 203 which rotates 202) via the channel (rotation of 202 occurs in the channel).
Regarding claim 26, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 25, wherein the channel is formed as a helical ramp (ramp of the channel is helical at the far end) configured to engage the lift arm (via 203), and wherein movement of the lift arm from the first lift arm position to the second lift arm position rotates the transmission component from the first transmission component position to the second transmission component position via the helical ramp (rotation of 202 occurs in the helical ramp).
Regarding claim 27, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 13, wherein the lockdown assembly is configured to be controlled remotely (see paragraph 0030 and 0037).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 5-8 and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20240151066 to Eller in view of US 20100045053 to Dye.
Regarding claim 5, Eller does not explicitly disclose:
The exit device of claim 4, wherein the lockdown actuator is a motor.
However, Dye teaches that it is well known in the art for a lockdown actuator to be a motor (255). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Dye into Eller at least because doing so would provide additional control over the assembly, and is a considered embodiment as disclosed by Eller in paragraph 0037.
Regarding claim 6, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 4, wherein the lockdown actuator (via 213) is configured to move a connecting member (209) from a first connecting member position (fig 3a) to a second connecting member position, and wherein movement of the connecting member from the first connecting member position to the second connecting member position moves the lift arm from the first lift arm position to the second lift arm position (figs 3a to 4b).
Eller does not explicitly disclose: where the motor is configured to move a connecting member from a first connecting member position to a second connecting member position.
However, Dye teaches that it is well known in the art for a lockdown actuator to be a motor (255). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Dye into Eller at least because doing so would provide additional control over the assembly, and is a considered embodiment as disclosed by Eller in paragraph 0037.
Regarding claim 7, Eller in view of Dye discloses:
The exit device of claim 5, wherein the lockdown assembly is configured to shut off power to the motor in the lockdown configuration (see paragraph 0042, the motor is shut off when no authentication is approved and the lock is placed in lockdown, Dye).
Regarding claim 8, Eller in view of Dye discloses:
The exit device of claim 7, further comprising a push bar biasing element (207, Eller) configured to bias the push bar to the first push bar position (see paragraph 0040), and wherein in response to power being shut off to the motor, the push bar moves to the first push bar position (As per the combination, when 200 is no longer in the position of fig4a due to power shutoff, 207 moves 101 to fig 3a).
Regarding claim 23, Eller discloses:
The exit device of claim 13, further comprising a lockdown actuator configured to move the push bar between the first push bar position and the second push bar position.
Eller does not explicitly disclose: a motor configured to move the push bar between the first push bar position and the second push bar position wherein the push bar is configured to move to the first push bar position in response to power being shut off to the motor
However, Dye teaches that it is well known in the art for a lockdown actuator to be a motor (255). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Dye into Eller at least because doing so would provide additional control over the assembly, and is a considered embodiment as disclosed by Eller in paragraph 0037. the push bar is configured to move to the first push bar position in response to power being shut off to the motor (as per the combination , when 200 is no longer in the position of fig4a due to power shutoff, 207 moves 101 to fig 3a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Yahya Sidky whose telephone number is (571)272-6237. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:30-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine 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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/Y.S./Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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