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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 6/24/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-21 remain pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Due to the additional 112b’s that have been added, this action is being made a Non-Final.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 15, the limitations “is mounted in the region of one long sides of the rectangles” and “one short sides” should be amended to “side” rather than “sides”.
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.
Claims 1, 4, and 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.
Regarding claim 1, the limitation “for cards, such as credit cards, identity cards or the like” is indefinite. The phrase "or the like" renders the claim(s) indefinite because the claim(s) include(s) elements not actually disclosed (those encompassed by "or the like"), thereby rendering the scope of the claim(s) unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 1, the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 4, the limitation “are mounted in a spring-loaded manner in, in particular hollow-cylindrical, receiving parts” is indefinite.
Regarding claim 10, the limitation “which are located in particular on or in a side wall of the second container part” is indefinite. The phrase "in particular" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-21 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
Regarding claim 1, Foreign publication EP2756774 issued to Emmanuel discloses a storage container for cards, such as credit cards, identity cards or the like, having two housing parts comprising a first, outer container part and a second, inner container part (Fig 12 of Emmanuel, outer container part 2 and inner container part 3),
wherein the two housing parts have a cuboidal basic shape and are connected in a corner region to a bearing forming a pivot axis S such that the second container part is pivotable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the first container part (Fig 9 and 12 of Emmanuel, the two housing parts 2 and 3 have a cuboidal shape when in the closed position and are connected in a corner region at pivot located at portion 31 and 32),
wherein the second container part is lockable with respect to the first container part respectively in the open position and/or in the closed position (Fig 9 of Emmanuel, elements 20 and 34 aid in locking and opening the second container 3 to the first container 2),
wherein to connect the first, outer container part to the second, inner container part in the corner region, a contoured assembly pin passes through respectively corresponding, coaxially arranged contoured passage openings in the first container part and the second container part (Fig 9 of Emmanuel, pivot pin 31,32 passes through a contoured passage hole/opening in the first and second container parts 2 and 3),
[Not taught: wherein maximum pivoting of the second container part into the first container part and out of the first container part is limited by a geometric contour of the assembly pin cooperating with contours of the passage openings in the first container part and the second container part].
Chen does not expressly disclose wherein maximum pivoting of the second container part into the first container part and out of the first container part is limited by a geometric contour of the assembly pin cooperating with the contours of the passage openings in the first container part and the second container part
Claims 2-21 are allowable due to their dependencies.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not expressly disclose wherein maximum pivoting of the second container part into the first container part and out of the first container part is limited by a geometric contour of the assembly pin cooperating with the contours of the passage openings in the first container part and the second container part
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Publication 2015/0282580 by Chen (Fig 3D of Chen, pivoting first and second portions of wallet).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA KAVINI TAMIL whose telephone number is (571)272-6655. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am-5:00pm.
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/JESSICA KAVINI TAMIL/Examiner, Art Unit 3733
/NATHAN J JENNESS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3733 21 July 2026
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