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 § 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)(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.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by GB972856 to Weise.
With respect to claim 1, Weise discloses a fastener assembly (see numeral 14 in Fig. 1) for joining first and second cable end portions (see numeral 13 in Fig. 4) of a cable conveyor belt (see numeral 11), the fastener assembly comprising:
a first cable fastener (see numeral 14 in Fig. 6 and page 1/9, lines 68-75) having a first head portion (see annotated Fig. 4, below and page 2/9, lines 9-17, the part of the ball that falls within the shoulder 16),
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and a first plurality of locking members to secure the first cable fastener (see page 1/9, lines 71-75 wherein the bore of the fastener 14 serves as the locking member by bringing the balls 14 into “metallic contact” with the cable strands) to the first cable end portion (see annotated Fig. 4 below for the cable end portion):
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a second cable fastener (see numeral 14 in Fig. 6 and page 1/9, lines 68-75) having a second head portion (see annotated Fig. 4, supra and page 2/9, lines 9-17, the part of the ball that falls within the shoulder 16),
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and a second plurality of locking members to secure the second cable fastener (see page 1 lines 71-75 which teaches that the ball’s bore serves as the “locking member” by virtue of the bore’s “metallic contact” with the cable strands) to the second cable end portion (see annotated Fig. 4 below for the cable end portion):
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; and
a connector (see numerals 15, 15’ in Fig 4 and page 2/9, lines 1-5) having a first pocket sized (see numeral 16 in Fig. 2 and page 2, lines 8-17) to receive the first head portion (see annotated Fig. 4, “head portion”, below and page 2, lines 8-17)
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and a second pocket sized (see numeral 16 in Fig. 2 and page 2, lines 8-17) to receive the second head portion (annotated Fig. 4, supra), the first and second pockets and the first and second head portions configured to permit shifting of the first and second cable fasteners relative to the connector during operation of the cable conveyor belt (page 2, lines 79-88).
With respect to claim 2, Weise teaches wherein the connector comprises an upper connector member (15) and a lower connector member (15’), the upper and lower connector members having pocket portions (16) that cooperate to form the first and second pockets (see Fig. 2); and an attachment member to secure the upper and lower connector members about the first and second head portions (see numeral 28 in Figs. 4-6 and page 2/9, lines 68-69).
With respect to claim 3, Weise teaches wherein the attachment member comprises a threaded attachment member (see page 2/9 line 69).
With respect to claim 4, Weise teaches wherein the attachment member comprises a threaded attachment member and retainer rings (see annotated Fig. 4 below)
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.
With respect to claim 7, Weise teaches wherein the connector pockets and the fastener head portions include partially spherical surface portions configured to engage each other for allowing shifting of the first and second cable fasteners relative to the connector (see numeral 14 in Fig. 4, page 2/9 lines 8-21).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-19 are allowed. The prior art does not teach or disclose a cable fastener having a body having alternating width external surfaces with threaded openings for set screws and both thicker and thinner portions of the body.
Claims 20-27 are allowed. The prior art does not teach or disclose a method for connecting cable end portions that allows for shifting connector members together and securing connector members to capture head portions in connector pockets.
Claims 5, 8 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LESTER RUSHIN, III whose telephone number is (313)446-4905. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, GENE CRAWFORD can be reached at 571-272-6911. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LESTER RUSHIN, III/
Examiner
Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651
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