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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments, filed 24 August 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With regards to claim 1, Applicant argues that the extension direction of the rotating wheel rotating shaft is not perpendicular to the directions in which the rotating wheel rotates, because “there is no intersection of the lines representing the directions”. However, no intersection is necessary to show a perpendicular relationship between directions. In fact, the longitudinal extension direction of a rotating shaft is by definition perpendicular to the directions in which the shaft rotates. See Rejection of claim 1 below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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(s) 1-10 and 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hapke (US-7306266-B2) in view of Park (US-10321798-B2). All citations refer to the Hapke reference unless otherwise noted.
With regards to claim 1, Hapke discloses a door lock assembly (10 Figure 1) for locking a door of an electrical apparatus (Col. 1 Lines 19-22), comprising:
a movable component (24 Figure 2) configured to reciprocate in a first direction (left, Figure 2) and a second direction (right, Figure 2), wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction, the movable component has a side surface in a length direction (shown Figures 6-7); and
a rotating wheel (18 Figure 1) provided with a rotating wheel rotating shaft (27 Figure 1), and the rotating wheel rotating shaft being rotatably mounted on the movable component (24 Figure 2), such that the rotating wheel is rotatable on the movable component in a first rotational direction (counter-clockwise, Figure 2) or a second rotational direction (clockwise, Figure 2);
wherein a direction in which the rotating wheel rotating shaft extends (into/out of the page, Figure 2) is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction or the second direction (left/right, Figure 2).
Hapke does not disclose a triggering structure and door status signal assembly.
However, Park discloses a door lock assembly (Figure 3) having a triggering structure (94 Figure 3) and door status signal assembly (S2 Figure 4) configured to generate a door status indication signal (Col. 2 Lines 31-35) during the reciprocating movement (Figures 12-13) of a movable component (9 Figure 3). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add Park’s triggering structure and door status signal assembly to Hapke’s device such that the movable component is provided with the triggering structure on the side surface; and
the door status signal assembly arranged toward the side surface of the movable component and configured to generate the door status indication signal, with a reasonable expectation of success. One would have been motivated to add Park’s components in order to provide an electronic door status indication signal to a user.
Therefore, Hapke in view of Park teaches that the triggering structure (94 Figure 3 – Park) is configured to activate the door status signal assembly (S2 Figure 4 – Park) during the reciprocating movement (Figures 2-3) of the movable component (24 Figure 2), so that the door status signal assembly generates the door status indication signal (Col. 2 Lines 31-35 – Park).
With regards to claim 2, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the movable component (24 Figure 2) has a first position (Figure 3) and a second position (Figure 2) in a movement stroke, and the movable component is configured to reciprocate between the first position and the second position in the first direction (left, Figure 2) and the second direction (right, Figure 2).
With regards to claim 3, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 2, wherein:
the movable component (24 Figure 2) is configured to be movable under actuation of a door hook (12 Figure 1) of the door, wherein the door hook is movable in the first direction (left, Figure 2) or the second direction (right, Figure 2) to drive the movable component to move in the first direction or the second direction (Figures 2-3).
With regards to claim 4, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 3, wherein:
the door lock assembly is provided with a door hook receiving hole (opening in 32, Figure 2), the door hook receiving hole configured to accommodate the door hook (12 Figure 2);
wherein the door hook is configured to actuate the movable component to move towards the first direction (left, Figure 2) when the door hook is inserted into the door hook receiving hole (Figure 2 [Wingdings font/0xE0] Figure 3); and
wherein the door hook is configured to actuate the movable component to move towards the second direction (right, Figure 2) when the door hook is pulled out from the door hook receiving hole (Figure 3 [Wingdings font/0xE0] Figure 2).
With regards to claim 5, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 4, wherein:
the movable component (24 Figure 2) is in the first position (Figure 3) when the door hook (12 Figure 2) is completely inserted into the door hook receiving hole (opening in 32, Figure 2); and
the movable component is in the second position (Figure 2) when the door hook is completely pulled out from the door hook receiving hole (the moveable component remains in the second position of Figure 2 when the door hook is completely pulled out from the door hook receiving hole).
With regards to claim 6, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the triggering structure (94 Figure 3 – Park) is provided with a step structure (946, 947 Figure 3 – Park), the step structure comprising a step protruding portion (947 Figure 3 – Park) and a step recessing portion (946 Figure 3 – Park);
the door status signal assembly (S2 Figure 4 – Park) comprises a switch (S23 Figure 4 – Park), the switch provided with a switch protruding structure (protruding structure of S23, Figure 4 – Park), and the switch protruding structure arranged toward the step structure;
wherein the step protruding portion is in contact with the switch protruding structure when the step protruding portion of the step structure moves to a position coinciding with the switch protruding structure of the switch (Figure 13 – Park) during the reciprocating movement of the movable component (24 Figure 2) in the first direction and the second direction, so that the door status signal assembly generates a first door status signal of the door (Col. 18 Lines 47-64 – Park); and
the step protruding portion disengages from the switch protruding structure when the step recessing portion of the step structure moves to a position coinciding with the switch protruding structure of the switch (Figure 12 – Park), so that the door status signal assembly generates a second door status signal of the door (Col. 18 Lines 47-64 – Park).
With regards to claim 7, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 6, wherein:
the first door status signal (Figure 13 – Park) indicates a closed state of the door (Figure 3), and the second door status signal (Figure 12 – Park) indicates an unclosed state of the door (Figure 2); or (interpreted as requiring only one of associated limitations)
the first door status signal indicates an unclosed state of the door, and the second door status signal indicates a closed state of the door.
With regards to claim 8, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 7, wherein:
the door status signal assembly (S2 Figure 4 – Park) further comprises a circuit board, the switch (S23 Figure 4 – Park) being mounted on the circuit board (Col. 18 Lines 47-64 – Park), and the switch protruding structure (protruding structure of S23, Figure 4 – Park) of the switch being disposed to extend out of the circuit board toward the triggering structure (94 Figure 3 – Park) of the movable component (24 Figure 2); and
wherein the circuit board is provided with a circuit for generating the first door status signal (Figure 13 – Park) and the second door status signal (Figure 12 – Park).
With regards to claim 9, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 8, wherein:
the circuit board is fixedly mounted on the door lock assembly (as shown Figure 4 – Park).
With regards to claim 10, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 2, wherein:
the first position (Figure 3) corresponds to a closed position of the door, and the second position (Figure 2) corresponds to an unclosed position of the door.
With regards to claim 12, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 11, further comprising:
a housing (32, 30 Figure 2), wherein the movable component (24 Figure 2) and the rotating wheel (18 Figure 2) are configured to be movably accommodated within the housing;
a pin shaft (28 Figure 2) fixedly mounted on the housing; and
wherein the rotating wheel has a rotating wheel abutting side (34c Figure 2), and the rotating wheel abutting side is configured to abut against the pin shaft (as shown Figure 3), so that the rotating wheel rotating shaft (27 Figure 1) is movable in the first direction (left, Figure 2) or the second direction (right, Figure 2) under the abutting action when the rotating wheel rotates in the first rotational direction (counter-clockwise, Figure 2) or the second rotational direction (clockwise, Figure 2) in the movable component, so as to drive the movable component to move in the housing in the first direction or the second direction (Figures 2-3).
With regards to claim 13, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 12, wherein:
the door hook receiving hole (opening in 32, Figure 2) is formed on a surface of the housing (32, 30 Figure 2), and the door hook is configured to be movable through the door hook receiving hole so as to insert into the housing (Figures 2-3);
wherein the rotating wheel (18 Figure 1) is driven to rotate in the first rotational direction (counter-clockwise, Figure 2) or the second rotational direction (clockwise, Figure 2) about the rotating wheel rotating shaft (27 Figure 1) when the door hook (12 Figure 2) is inserted into or pulled out from the door hook receiving hole (Figures 2-3), so as to drive the movable component (24 Figure 2) to move in the first direction (left, Figure 2) or the second direction (right, Figure 2) in the housing.
With regards to claim 14, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 13, wherein:
the rotating wheel (18 Figure 1) is also provided with a rotating wheel lock hook (16 Figure 2) and the rotating wheel lock hook is arranged on an opposite side (right side, Figure 2) of the rotating wheel with respect to the rotating wheel abutting side (34c Figure 2);
wherein the door hook (12 Figure 2) is configured to abut against and engage with the rotating wheel lock hook when the door hook is inserted into the door hook receiving hole (opening in 32, Figure 2), so as to drive the rotating wheel to rotate in the first rotational direction (counter-clockwise, Figure 2), and the rotating wheel is rotatable in the first rotational direction to drive the movable component (24 Figure 2) to move in the housing (32, 30 Figure 2) in the first direction (left, Figure 2) under the abutting action between the rotating wheel abutting side and the pin shaft (28 Figure 2) (Figures 2 [Wingdings font/0xE0] 3); and
wherein the door hook is gradually disengaged from the rotating wheel lock hook and drives the rotating wheel to rotate in the second rotational direction (clockwise, Figure 2) when the door hook is pulled out from the door hook receiving hole, and the rotating wheel is rotatable in the second rotational direction to drive the movable component to move in the housing in the second direction under the abutting action between the rotating wheel abutting side and the pin shaft (Figures 3 [Wingdings font/0xE0] 2).
With regards to claim 15, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 14, further comprising:
at least one bias spring (26 Figure 2) abutted between the housing (32, 30 Figure 2) and the movable component (24 Figure 2) so as to provide a biasing force for the movable component to move towards the first direction (left, Figure 2); and
wherein the at least one bias spring is configured to store biasing potential energy during movement of the movable component towards the second direction (right, Figure 2).
With regards to claim 16, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 15, wherein:
the movable component is a rotating wheel seat (24 Figure 2), the rotating wheel seat provided with at least one bias spring accommodating cavity for accommodating the at least one bias spring (shown Figure 2); and
a bias spring abutting surface is provided at an inner side of the housing (32, 30 Figure 2) for abutting against the at least one bias spring, so that the at least one bias spring is abutted between the bias spring abutting surface and an accommodating cavity abutting wall of the at least one bias spring accommodating cavity (as shown Figure 2).
With regards to claim 17, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 16, wherein:
the rotating wheel (18 Figure 2) also has a rotating wheel retaining side (34a Figure 2), the rotating wheel retaining side being configured to be able to abut against the pin shaft (28 Figure 2) such that the rotating wheel is able to remain stable (in the second position of Figure 2) without movement relative to the housing (32, 30 Figure 2) when not actuated by the door hook (12 Figure 2);
wherein the rotating wheel retaining side is adjacent to the rotating wheel abutting side (34c Figure 2), and the rotating wheel is rotated to a position such that the rotating wheel retaining side abuts against the pin shaft when the movable component moves to the second position (Figure 2).
With regards to claim 18, Hapke in view of Park teaches an electrical apparatus (Col. 1 Lines 19-22) comprising a door lock assembly of claim 1 (10 Figure 1).
With regards to claim 19, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a pair of bias springs (26 Figure 2) configured to provide a biasing force for the movable component (24 Figure 2) to move toward the first direction (left, Figure 2), and to store biasing potential energy during movement of the movable component toward the second direction (right, Figure 2); and
the movable component including a pair of bias spring accommodating cavities, each including one of the pair of the bias springs (as shown Figure 2);
wherein one of the bias spring accommodating cavities comprises the side surface (of movable component 24, shown Figures 6-7) and the triggering structure (94 Figure 3 – Park).
With regards to claim 20, Hapke in view of Park teaches the door lock assembly of claim 19, wherein the rotating wheel rotating shaft (27 Figure 1) extends lengthwise (as shown Figure 2) between the pair of bias springs (24 Figure 2).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Noah Horowitz, whose telephone number is (571)272-5532. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 11:00AM - 7:00 PM.
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/NOAH HOROWITZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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