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 .
Applicant’s election of Species D, Figures 12 and 13 without traverse in the reply filed on May 1, 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. In claim 9, line 3, “the collet” lacks singular antecedent basis for particularity. In line 6, “the opening of the receiving recess” lacks antecedent basis, as the preceding “a receiving recess for storing the collet with an opening” is indefinite as to what is “with an opening”.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 1 03 as being unpatentable over KR 2014008868 in view of CN 214721231 and Folk (5,511,673). Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR 2014008868 in view of CN 209503607 and Folk (5,511,673). KR 2014008868 discloses a storage device (100) for collets having different outer diameters comprising a body having a placing surface (bottom of any one 10 or 20). CN 214721231 and CN 209503607 each disclose a tool clamping hole (41; 203) within a collet (40; 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the storage device of KR 2014008868 with collets each including a tool clamping hole in the manner of either one of CN 214721231 and CN 209503607 as claimed, as such a modification would predictably provide storage for collets each with a tool clamping hole. The above art does not disclose mounting components on respective placing surfaces. However, Folk discloses mounting components (14) on respective placing surfaces at spaced intervals and each extending out of the respective placing surface, each mounting component configured to be mounted in a tool clamping hole, and the mounting components having different outer diameters such that the mounting components are configured to mount tools that have tool clamping holes with different inner diameters. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the storage device of KR 2014008868 with mounting components in the manner of Folk as claimed, as such a modification would predictably provide affixing means for securing collets of different sizes each with a tool clamping hole within the storage device.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the art as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of either one of Martin (5,743,394) and Carrigan (4,337,860). In the previous combinations, Folk discloses mounting components (14), but not comprising connecting recesses each formed in a respective placing surface and each mounting component having a base detachably mounted in a respective connecting recess. However, Martin and Carrigan each disclose a storage device comprising a body (10; 10) with mounting components (16; 12), the storage device comprising connecting recesses (central bore of 14; 18) each formed in a placing surface and each mounting component having a base (20; 20) detachably mounted in a respective connecting recess. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the storage device of either previous combination with a mounting component connection in the manner of either one of Martin and Carrigan as claimed, as such a modification would predictably provide an easily provided and variable storage device.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the art as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Martin. Martin discloses the body (10) has through slots through the connecting recesses and formed through the bottom surface of the body, and the mounting components (16) each include a fixing hole (in 16 receiving 20) and a fastener connected to the fixing hole. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the storage device of the prior art combination of claim 3 employing Martin with the fixing hole and fastener in the manner of Martin as claimed, as such a modification would predictably provide a more secure fixing of the mounting component to the body.
Claims 7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the art as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Dembicka (4,410,095). The previous combinations do not disclose the storage comprising assembling units detachably connected. However, Dembicka discloses a storage device comprising assembling units (11 and 12) detachably connected to form a body of a storage device, each assembling unit having at least one engaging portion (16 and/or 20) on a side of the assembling unit and two adjacent assembling units are connected by engaging portions of the adjacent assembling units (11 and 12) with mounting components (34 and 35 disposed on the respective assembling units. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the storage device of KR 2014008868 in view of CN 214721231 and Folk as detachably connected portions in the manner of Dembicka as claimed, as such a modification would predictably provide a variably sized storage device depending on the desired need. Furthermore, it has been held that constituting a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. See Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 179.
As to claim 9, in the combination of KR 2014008868 in view of CN 214721231 and Folk, Dembicka discloses each assembling unit as an individual casing able to function as disclosed by the combination of KR 2014008868 in view of CN 214721231 and Folk, which combination provides for a mounting component disposed in a receiving recess to engage a collet.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the art as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Fanger et al. (5,775,046)(Figures 13A and 13B). The previous combination does not disclose each assembling unit having four engaging portions located on four sides of the assembling unit. However, Fanger et al. discloses a storage device (Figures 13A and 13B) formed from assembling units each having four engaging portions located on four sides of the assembling unit. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the storage unit of the previous combination with engaging portions located on four sides of individual assembling units in the manner of Fanger et al. as claimed, as such a modification would predictably provide the ability to group or separate individual assembling units as needed and more securely engaged by multiple engaging portions.
Prior Art not relied upon: Please refer to the additional references listed on the attached PTO-892, which, while not relied upon for the claim rejection, these references are deemed relevant to the claimed invention as a whole.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYON P GEHMAN whose telephone number is (571) 272-4555. The examiner can normally be reached on Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm.
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/BRYON P GEHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3736
Bryon P. Gehman
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3736
BPG
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