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 Objections
Claim 3 objected to because of the following informalities
“wheein the nut part” in Ln2 should be written “wherein the nut part”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 “outside diameter of the internal thread” from Claim 1 Ln 4 and “second guide pins” from claim 11 Ln 4 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.
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 1-11 is/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 diameter of which is larger than the outside diameter of the internal thread” at Ln 4. However, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim since it is unclear how the ‘outside diameter of the internal thread’ is measured by the applicant, as it is not specified either in the specification nor in the drawings. For examination purposes, the “outside diameter of the internal thread” is interpreted as the distance from one crest to the other of the thread shown in Fig.2 of the drawing in the instant application.
Hence Claims 2-11 are all rejected due to their dependency on Claim 1.
Claim 2 recites, “preferably from an interval of 5° to 35° and further preferably from an interval of 10° to 25°” at Ln 2 and 3 respectively. However, the word “preferably” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrases are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). For examination purposes, the examiner has interpreted the limitations following these phrases as preferred embodiments rather than structural limitations of the claimed invention.
Claim 9 recites, “annular external part which comprises the threaded bolt”, however there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim since it is unclear how the annular external part 14 comprises the threaded bolt, as the threaded bolt has already been mentioned in Claim 1. For examination purposes, this limitation will be interpretated as “annular external part which surrounds the threaded bolt”.
Claim 11 recites, “cross drilling (18) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (7) of the internal thread (5) passes through the threaded piece (6), by means of which the threaded piece (6) is mounted on radially inwardly pointing second guide pins”. However, there is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in this claim since it is unclear where in the invention “the second guide pins” are located. It is not shown in the drawings and while mentioned in the summary and the detailed description of the specification, no drawing number is attached. Hence for examination purposes, the cross drilling 18 will be interpreted as a feature of nut part 4 regardless of the effect of second guide pins.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-3 and 5-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) in view of Ballanger et al (US 20240024808 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Ballanger discloses a quick release screw connection (Figure 6 and 7 depicts an attachment member in a quick mount and removal orientation) with a threaded bolt (134) having an external thread (156) and with a nut part (108) having an internal thread (Fig.10, 192), wherein the nut part has a threaded piece (Fig.6, 164) in which the internal thread is formed, and in that a through-hole (190), the diameter of which is larger than the outside diameter of the internal thread (please see the 112b rejection regarding this, Fig.10 depicts that the diameter of the hole 190 is larger than the diameter of the inner thread 192) and smaller than the outside diameter of the threaded piece (Fig.10 the overall diameter of the thread piece 164 is larger than the diameter of the hole 190), is passed through the threaded piece rotated by an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the internal thread (Fig.10 depicts an angle between the clearance bore axis 198 and the threaded bore axis (longitudinal axis) 194).
Regarding Claim 2, Ballanger discloses all the limitations of Claim 1. Ballanger also discloses wherein the angle comes from an interval of 2° to 45° (paragraph 0311, the angle between axis 198 and axis 194 is between 10 and 20 degrees, it is the position of the examiner that this range is well within the range of 2° to 45°) and preferably from an interval of 5° to 35° and further preferably from an interval of 10° to 25° (please see the 112b regarding this).
Regarding Claim 3, Ballanger discloses all the limitations of Claim 1. Ballanger also discloses wherein the nut part has a pressure piece (150) which can be adjusted radially to the longitudinal axis between an engagement position securing the internal thread in engagement with the external thread (Fig.5 depicts the pressure piece 150 securing the nut 108 with the internal thread in engagement with the external thread, since the deformation of 150 causes each 176 of 108 to be fixed in each 174 which secures the nut in position and secures the threads in engagement.) and an adjustment position releasing the internal thread from the external thread (Fig.3 depicts the adjustment position of the nut 108, with the radial adjustment being the relative position between the longitudinal axis of 108 and each spaces of 174, while releasing the internal thread from the external thread).
Regarding Claim 5, Ballanger discloses all the limitations of Claim 3. Ballanger also discloses, the pressure piece has a first guiding surface which acts on the threaded piece in the engagement position (Fig. 6 annotated depicts the first guiding surface X which acts on the threaded piece 164).
PNG
media_image1.png
799
664
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding Claim 6, Ballanger discloses all the limitations of Claim 3. Ballanger also discloses, wherein the pressure piece has a second guiding surface which acts on the threaded piece in the adjustment position (Fig.6 depicts the second guiding surface 174 which acts on the threaded piece 164).
Regarding Claim 7, Ballanger discloses all the limitations of Claim 3. Ballanger also discloses wherein the threaded piece has on the side facing the pressure piece, a third guiding surface which runs inclined to the longitudinal axis from the outside to the inside (Fig.6 annotated depicts the third guiding surface which is a combination of the surface Y and the surface of 176) and is intended for bearing against the first guiding surface and the second guiding surface (surface of Y mates with the first guiding surface X, while surface of 176 mates with second guiding surface 174).
Regarding Claim 8, wherein the first guiding surface (11) and the second guiding surface (12) are rounded on the side facing the longitudinal axis (7) (Fig.6 annotated depicts both the surfaces of X and 174 are rounded while facing the longitudinal axis).
Claim(s) 1, 3-4 and 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) in view of Keller et al (US 20230134740 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Keller discloses a quick-release screw connection ( 201 open and 202 closed connection of a nut for securing a component to a support, with the ability to have the component be secured and removed quickly, paragraph 0010) with a threaded bolt (Fig.6 denotes sanitary faucet 50 which is the bolt) having an external thread (bolt 50 contains male threads 50a, paragraph 0061) and with a nut part (2, Fig.2) having an internal thread (5, Fig.4), wherein the nut part has a threaded piece (threaded piece A, Fig.2 annotated) in which the internal thread is formed, and in that a through-hole (Fig.2 annotated from Keller denotes a through hole B), the diameter of which is larger than the outside diameter of the internal thread (please see 112b rejection, from Fig.2 annotated, it is the position of the examiner that the through-hole diameter shown is larger than the outside diameter of the internal thread 5) and smaller than the outside diameter of the threaded piece (From Fig.2 annotated, it is the position of the examiner that the through-hole diameter is smaller than the outside diameter of the threaded piece), is passed through the threaded piece (the through hole B passes through the threaded piece ) rotated by an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the internal thread (bolt 50 with internal thread 50a from Fig.6 passes through by a first angle 91, Fig.1).
PNG
media_image2.png
760
842
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding Claim 3, Keller discloses all limitations of Claim 1. Keller also discloses, wherein the nut part has a pressure piece (Fig.1, nut 3 acts as a pressure piece for nut 2) which can be adjusted radially to the longitudinal axis between an engagement position securing the internal thread in engagement with the external thread (It is the position of the examiner that Fig.2 denotes closed position 202 where the nut 3 secures nut 2 and the internal thread 5 is engaged with external thread 10) and an adjustment position releasing the internal thread from the external thread (Fig.1 denotes open position 201 where nut 3 is released from lock from nut 2 and the thread 5 can be disengaged from thread 10).
Regarding Claim 4, Keller discloses all limitations of Claim 3. Keller also discloses wherein the pressure piece is acted upon by a return spring (sliding surface 21, from Fig. 4) which moves the pressure piece into the engagement position (paragraph 0059, surface 20 of Nut 3 and 21 are arranged relative to each other such that they can slide along each other when the two nut parts 2 and 3 move relative to each other in the axial direction 101).
Regarding Claim 9, Keller discloses all limitations of Claim 3 wherein the nut part has an annular external part (Fig.4 annotated from Keller denotes annular external parts E) which comprises the threaded bolt (Fig.6, It is the position of the examiner that once assembled, E from Fig.4 annotated surrounds the internal thread 50a, and subsequently the bolt 50) and has two mutually opposite side flaps (Fig.4 annotated, F acts as side flaps and they are in mutually opposite position) on which the pressure piece is mounted (0059, nut 3 is arranged above nut 2, hence it is the position of the examiner that nut 3 is mounted above the F).
PNG
media_image3.png
669
794
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Regarding Claim 10, Keller discloses all limitations of Claim 9. Keller also discloses wherein a first guide pin (Fig.4 annotated, 7 acts as guide pins) is formed on each of the side flaps (paragraph 0063, link elements 7 are arranged in areas outside the threaded lugs 4, it is the position of the examiner that both flaps F from Fig.4 annotated have 7), on which the pressure piece is axially secured and radially guided in a slot hole (Fig.3 denotes a slot hold 6 of nut 3) extending tangentially to the longitudinal axis (Fig.3 denotes 6 extending tangentially toward the axis 101).
Regarding Claim 11, Keller discloses all limitations of Claim 9. Keller also discloses, wherein a cross drilling (Fig.4 annotated denotes U shaped space within nut 2) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the internal thread (Fig.4 annotated, the U-shaped space is perpendicular to axis 101) passes through the threaded piece (Fig.4 annotated, U-shaped space passes through thread piece A), by means of which the threaded piece is mounted on radially inwardly pointing second guide pins (It is the position of the examiner that portion of 4b from thread lugs 4 in Fig.1 acts as second guide pins radially pointing inwards to the center of nut 2 and that the U-shaped space defined in Fig.4 annotated within nut 2 can be mounted on 4b).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Daniel et al (CA 2822151 C) titled Ratcheting Take-up device
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMAD FAROOQ whose telephone number is (571)270-3284. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday between 10:00am to 6:30pm EST. 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 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. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/AHMAD FAROOQ/ Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
