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
Claims 3-4, 12-13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 07/02/2026. Applicant traverses this election on the grounds that claim 1 and claim 11 are generic to both species I and II. Examiner acknowledges this however the claims 3-4, 12-13 will remain withdrawn as being drawn to a nonelected species. Applicant’s election of species II (figures 1, 4-5, 7, 9-11) with traverse is acknowledged; claims 1-2,5-11,14-16 are considered for examination.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nunez et al. US 5694798 (hereinafter referred to as Nunez).
Claim 1. Nunez discloses an electric lock, comprising:
an internal lock assembly (28,40,44), comprising:
an internal casing (28); and
a motor (40,44) arranged in the internal casing;
an external lock assembly (12,26,32,58,60), comprising:
an external casing (26);
an external handle (12) rotatably mounted on the external casing; and
a clutch mechanism (60+58+32) arranged in the external casing;
a transmission mechanism (46+50,52,48), comprising:
an internal transmission rod (46) connected to a driving shaft (44) of the motor;
an external transmission rod (52) connected to the clutch mechanism; and
a spring (48) connected between the internal transmission rod and the external transmission rod;
wherein when the motor rotates the driving shaft along a first rotating direction (to unlock), the internal transmission rod is driven to rotate to further drive the external transmission rod to rotate through the spring, so as to drive the clutch mechanism to switch from a locking state to an unlocking state. (fig1-3)
Claim 2. Nunez discloses the electric lock of claim 1, wherein when the motor rotates the driving shaft along a second rotating direction (to lock), the internal transmission rod is driven to rotate to further drive the external transmission rod to rotate through the spring, so as to drive the clutch mechanism to switch from the unlocking state to the locking state; wherein the second rotating direction is opposite to the first rotating direction. (fig1-3)
Claim 11. Nunez discloses a transmission mechanism of an electric lock, comprising:
an internal transmission rod (46) connected to a driving shaft (44) of a motor (42) of the electric lock;
an external transmission rod (52) connected to a clutch mechanism (60+58+32) of the electric lock; and
a spring (48) connected between the internal transmission rod and the external transmission rod;
wherein when the motor rotates the driving shaft, the internal transmission rod is driven to rotate to further drive the external transmission rod to rotate through the spring, so as to drive the clutch mechanism to switch between a locking state and an unlocking state. (fig1-3)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-10, 14-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Nunez does not teach an additional engaging shaft that is part of the transmission mechanism, wherein the second end part of the spring is fixedly connected to the engaging shaft.
Regarding claim 8, Nunez does not teach a first clutch structure of the clutch module to rotate through the connecting base. The clutch module of Nunez (58) does not rotate, rather it slides.
Examiner can find no reason to combine or modify references of record without the use of impermissible hindsight.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Prior art is related to electric locks.
Related but not relied upon prior art: Mani et al. US 9340998, Mani et al. US 9834959, Yuan US 10316548.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FARIA F. AHMAD whose telephone number is (571)270-1334. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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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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/F.F.A./
Examiner
Art Unit 3675
/CHRISTINE M MILLS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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