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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/21/2025 was considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 11 recites "... engaged by the the first plunger...". Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 12, 14, 15, and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Virdee US20070025825.
Claim 12. Virdee discloses a split nut (104), comprising: a sleeve (102) which has a lateral insertion opening for inserting a rod (99) into the sleeve; a first plunger jaw (104B) for engaging the rod (99) when the rod is inserted into the sleeve through the lateral insertion opening, wherein the first plunger jaw (104B) is disposed at least partly within the sleeve (102);a second plunger jaw (104C) for engaging the rod when the rod is inserted into the sleeve through the lateral insertion opening, wherein the second plunger jaw is disposed at least partly within the sleeve; and a jaw lock (138), wherein the first plunger jaw (104B) and the second plunger jaw (104C) are clampable together by the jaw lock such that the rod is engaged by the first plunger jaw and the second plunger jaw between the first plunger jaw and the second plunger jaw (104C).
Claim 14. Virdee discloses a fixing pin/screw (138) extends through the sleeve (102) and extends into the second plunger jaw (104C, Fig.5).
Claim 15. Virdee discloses the fixing pin/screw (138) extends through the sleeve (102) with a jaw operation play and wherein the jaw operation play allows displacement of the second plunger jaw (104C) between a rod (99) engagement position (Fig.5 – pin 138 engages and inhabits the threading of bolt 99) and a rod (99) disengagement position (Fig.7 – pin 138 disengages and allows the threading of bolt 99).
Claim 17. Virdee discloses the first plunger jaw comprises a first jaw groove (128) for receiving the rod (99) and/or wherein the second plunger jaw (104B) comprises a second jaw groove (128) for receiving the rod (99).
Claim 18. Virdee discloses the sleeve (102) has a circular cylindrical lateral surface at least in an area surrounding the lateral insertion opening (See Fig.1A and sectional view in Fig.5).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 13 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Virdee US20070025825 as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Carmichael US9574598.
Claim 13. Virdee is silent on the jaw lock comprises at least one threaded bolt which extends within the first plunger jaw and within the second plunger jaw. Carmichael before the filing date of the instant invention discloses a jaw lock comprises at least one threaded bolt (136, 138) which extends within the first plunger jaw and within the second plunger jaw (Col.1:55-Col.6.;55 and Fig.1-11). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to modify the system of Virdee with that of Carmichael with the motivation of a superior connection as a person with ordinary skill has good reason to pursue known options within his or her technical grasp.
Claim 16. Virdee is silent on the first plunger jaw has a threaded pull-out bore. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to have the first plunger jaw with a threaded pull-out bore with the motivation of easy preplacement of worn bore, as a person with ordinary skill has good reason to pursue known options within his or her technical grasp.
Claims 13 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ziltener WO2021032536 as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Carmichael US9574598 in view of Hindman US30338366.
Claim 10. Ziltener discloses a releasable split nut (1, 3) for releasably gripping a rod (88, 89), wherein the releasable split nut (1, 3) is disposed on the timber column (3); and a quickly mountable nut (1, 3), wherein the quickly mountable nut is disposed on the base (concrete base) (Pg.1:1-Pg.12:31 and Fig.1-9), but is silent on being disposed on a timber column and wherein the quickly mountable nut allows insertion of the rod into the quickly mountable nut, and wherein the quickly mountable nut inhibits withdrawal of the rod from the quickly mountable nut.
Hindman before the filing date of the instant invention discloses a split nut (4, Fig.1-6 and Col.1:9-Col.2:40) allows insertion of the rod into the quickly mountable nut, and wherein the quickly mountable nut inhibits withdrawal of the rod from the quickly mountable nut. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant invention to use the split nut of Hindman with the system of Ziltener on a timber column as oppose to a concrete base since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice.
Claim 11. Ziltener as modified discloses the rod (88, 89) is releasably gripped by the releasable split nut (4 of Hindman) and is engaged by the quickly mountable nut (1, 3) such that the timber column is connected to the base.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to attached NOTICE OF REFERENCE CITED.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BABAJIDE A DEMUREN whose telephone number is (571)270-7017. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.
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BABAJIDE A. DEMUREN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3633
/B.A.D/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3633
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