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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in China on 2024. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the CN202420440071.2 and CN202422397994.7 applications as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
(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, 7-8 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 11,857,113 to Yeh (Yeh).
Concerning claim 1, Yeh discloses a hand-held grinder, comprising a cartridge (11) with an inner cavity, wherein an adjusting ring (173) is provided on the cartridge (11); the adjusting ring (173) is sleeved on the cartridge (11); the adjusting ring (173) is threadedly connected to the cartridge (11); a mounting sleeve (112) and a grinding assembly are provided in the cartridge (1); the grinding assembly comprises an outer grinding head (113) and an inner grinding head (132); the outer grinding head (113) is fixedly connected to the cartridge (11); a connecting rod (131) extends through the mounting sleeve (112); at least one first connecting plate (114) is provided between the mounting sleeve (112) and the cartridge (11); two ends of the first connecting plate (114) are respectively connected to an outer wall of the mounting sleeve (112) and an inner wall of the cartridge (11); the connecting rod (131) is connected to the inner grinding head (132); and the adjusting ring (173) is configured to drive the connecting rod (131) to move up, thereby adjusting a height difference between the outer grinding head (113) and the inner grinding head (132).
Concerning claim 2, Yeh discloses a top cover (191) is provided at a top of the cartridge (11); the top cover (191) is configured to rotate relative to the cartridge (11); the adjusting ring (173) is located between the cartridge (11) and the top cover (191); the inner grinding head (132) is connected to the top cover (191) through the connecting rod (131); a locating seat (E1 in the figure reproduced below) and a fixing seat (E2 in the figure reproduced below) are provided at a bottom of the cartridge (11); the locating seat (E1) is fixedly connected to the cartridge (11); the fixing seat (E2) is threadedly connected to the cartridge (11); and a top surface of the outer grinding head (113) is attached to the locating seat (E1), and a bottom surface of the outer grinding head (113) is attached to the fixing seat (E2).
Concerning claim 3, Yeh discloses a positioning groove (1731) is formed in an inner wall of the adjusting ring (173); the positioning groove (1731) is arranged around a center of the adjusting ring (173) in an array; and a positioning piece (114) cooperating with the positioning groove (1731) is provided on an outer wall of the cartridge (11).
Concerning claim 4, Yeh discloses a locating ring (15) is provided at a center of the adjusting ring (173); at least one second connecting plate (171) is provided between the locating ring (15) and the cartridge (11); two ends of the second connecting plate (171) are respectively connected to an outer wall of the locating ring (15) and an inner wall of the adjusting ring (173); and the connecting rod (131) extends through the locating ring (15).
Concerning claim 7, Yeh discloses a polygonal hole (see figure 2) is formed in the top cover (191); and a top end of the connecting rod (131) cooperates with the polygonal hole (see figure 2) and extends through the polygonal hole.
Concerning claim 8, Yeh discloses a locating hole (152) is formed under the polygonal hole; a part of the connecting rod (131) cooperates with the locating hole (211) and extends through the locating hole (211); a locating column (211) is provided on the top cover (191); and the polygonal hole is formed on the locating column (211) and allows the locating column (211) to vertically penetrate.
Concerning claim 10, Yeh discloses a hand-held grinder, comprising a cartridge (11) with an inner cavity, the grinding assembly comprises an outer grinding head (113) and an inner grinding head (132); the outer grinding head (113) is fixedly connected to the cartridge (11); a connecting rod (131) extends through the mounting sleeve (112); at least one first connecting plate (114) is provided between the mounting sleeve (112) and the cartridge (11); two ends of the first connecting plate (114) are respectively connected to an outer wall of the mounting sleeve (112) and an inner wall of the cartridge (11); the connecting rod (131) is connected to the inner grinding head (132); and the adjusting ring (173) is configured to drive the connecting rod (131) to move up, thereby adjusting a height difference between the outer grinding head (113) and the inner grinding head (132); a locating seat (E1 in the figure reproduced below) and a fixing seat (E2 in the figure reproduced below) are provided at a bottom of the cartridge (11); the locating seat (E1) is fixedly connected to the cartridge (11); the fixing seat (E2) is threadedly connected to the cartridge (11); and a top surface of the outer grinding head (113) is attached to the locating seat (E1), and a bottom surface of the outer grinding head (113) is attached to the fixing seat (E2).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0099514 to Zhang (Zhang).
Concerning claim 10, Zhang discloses a hand-held grinder, comprising a cartridge (1) with an inner cavity, wherein a mounting sleeve (11) and a grinding assembly are provided in the cartridge (1); the grinding assembly comprises an outer grinding head (102) and an inner grinding head (101); the outer grinding head (102) is fixedly connected to the cartridge (1); a connecting rod (32) extends through the mounting sleeve (11); at least one first connecting plate (12) is provided between the mounting sleeve (11) and the cartridge (1); two ends of the first connecting plate (12) are respectively connected to an outer wall of the mounting sleeve (11) and an inner wall of the cartridge (1); the connecting rod (32) is connected to the inner grinding head (101); a locating seat (22d) and a fixing seat (24c) are provided at a bottom of the cartridge (1); the locating seat (22d) is fixedly connected to the cartridge (1); the fixing seat (26) is threadedly connected to the cartridge (1); and a top surface of the outer grinding head (102) is attached to the locating seat (22d), and a bottom surface of the outer grinding head (102) is attached to the fixing seat (24c).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 and 9 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: For claims 5-6, the prior art does not disclose the first bearing and convex ring and “the convex ring (16) is configured to block the first bearing (15)”. For claim 9, the prior art does not disclose the bottom plug, the grip sleeve and the blocking surface as claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Other prior art cited discloses other hand held grinders with similarities to applicant’s invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Matthew Katcoff whose telephone number is (571)270-1415. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 8-4, Fri: Flex.
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, Christopher Templeton can be reached at (571) 270-1477. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Matthew Katcoff/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3725
10/08/2026
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