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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-10) in the reply filed on 21 July 2026 is acknowledged. Currently no claims are withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 2, “the head of tension screw when clamp” should read --the head of the tension screw when the clamp--
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-10 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.
In regards to claim 1, “the second side” in line 6 lacks proper antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-10 are rejected based on their respective dependencies.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5, 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Thomas (US Pat. No. 10,322,764 B2).
In regards to claim 1, Thomas teaches an apparatus, comprising: a holder (102, Fig. 5) configured to hold a tool (e.g.; a computing device, Fig. 1); an adapter body (143) having a back side coupled to the holder (via 148), and an opposite front side, the front side having first and second curved edges (146a, 146b) configured to contact a front side of an elongated arm (handlebar, Fig. 1); the adapter body having a cavity (144) at the second side between the first and second curved edges; a tension screw seated in the adapter body outside the cavity (i.e.; the fastener within 149); a fastener (151, Fig. 4) threaded onto the tension screw (see threaded connection in Fig. 5 of the fasteners within 149); and a clamp (141, Fig. 4) configured to contact a back side of the elongated arm (i.e.; via 146a/b), the clamp having a first tab (139b) at a first end configured to be fastened to the adapter body and a second tab (139a) at an opposite second end configured to be fastened to the fastener (151).
In regards to claim 2, Thomas teaches the tension screw has a tip held in a first seat (149) of the adapter body, a head held in a second seat (143) of the adapter body, and a threaded shaft onto which the fastener (151) is threaded (see threads in Fig. 5).
In regards to claim 3, Thomas teaches the first and second seats (149, 143) substantially prevent longitudinal movement of the tension screw relative to the adapter body (i.e.; the fastener is held within 149).
In regards to claim 5, Thomas teaches the head of the tension screw is accessible from an exterior of the adapter body (i.e.; on the right side in Fig. 5).
In regards to claim 8, Thomas teaches a longitudinal axis (along the axis of 149) of the tension screw extends generally horizontally (see Fig. 5).
In regards to claim 9, Thomas teaches the cavity (144) is capable of accommodating one or more protrusions of the elongated arm between the first and second curved edges (Col 7, Lines 58-61).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 6, 7 and 10 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Thomas is the closest prior art of record as discussed above. The prior art of record does not teach or suggest modifying Thomas’s apparatus to include the structural and functional limitations of Applicant’s claimed invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see the PTO-892 for additional prior art related to Applicant’s disclosed invention.
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/Stanton L Krycinski/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631