Fastening Tool, Male Screw-Side Member, and Female Screw-Side Member

§103 §112

DETAILED ACTION This is the first office action for US Application 19/129,545 for a Fastening Tool, Male Screw-Side Member, and Female Screw-Side Member. 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 § 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. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims 1-11 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. Claim 1 recites the limitation "the front" in line 17. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 1 recites the limitation "the rear" in line 19. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 1 recites the limitation "the front" in line 22. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 1 recites the limitation "the rear" in line 23. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 6 recites the limitation "the front" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 6 recites the limitation "the rear" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 6 recites the limitation "the front" in line10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 6 recites the limitation "the rear" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 7 recites the limitation "the inside" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 9 recites the limitation "the widths" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 9 recites the limitation "the front" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 9 recites the limitation "the rear" in line 12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 10 recites the limitation "the front" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 10 recites the limitation "the rear" in lines 3 and 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 10 recites the limitation "the rear" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 10 recites the limitation "the front" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 10 recites the limitation "the front" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 10 recites the limitation "the rear" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 11 recites the limitation "the front" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 11 recites the limitation "the rear" in lines 3 and 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 11 recites the limitation "the rear" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 11 recites the limitation "the front" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 11 recites the limitation "the front" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 11 recites the limitation "the rear" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. 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. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2013/0017014 to Wandelt. Regarding claim 1, Wandelt discloses a fastening tool comprising a male screw-side member (2) having a screw portion. The screw portion is formed by alternately arranging, in an outer peripheral direction, a male screw surface where male screw-side screw threads (4) are formed, and an outer peripheral piece where the male screw-side screw threads are not formed (see figures 1, 2, 5 and 7 showing the threads on a portion of the screw member 2 and unthread portions between the threads). There is a female screw-side member (3) having a screw hole (see figure 1) formed by alternately arranging, in an inner peripheral direction, a female screw surface where female screw-side screw threads (6… see paragraph 0047) are formed, and an inner peripheral piece where the female screw-side threads are not formed (see figure 2). The screw hole allows the male screw surface and the female screw surface to be threadedly engaged with each other (see figure 1). The male screw-side screw threads are formed so that their widths in an axial direction of the screw portion gradually increase from the front in a direction of relative rotation at the time of thread engagement between the male screw surface and the female screw surface toward the rear in the relative rotation. Wandelt does not specifically disclose the female screw-side screw threads (6) as formed so that their widths in the axial direction of the screw hole gradually decrease from the front in the direction of relative rotation toward the rear in the direction of relative rotation. However, the specific dimensions of the threads are a design preference that would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention. One of ordinary skill in the art would know to increase or decrease the width of the female threads to alter the connection between the male screw-side member and the female screw-side member. Regarding claim 2, Wandelt discloses a locking portion (see figures 5-8… elements 10-12) formed in the screw portion and the screw hole so as to lock relative rotation between the screw portion and the screw hole in the thread engagement state between the male screw surface and the female screw surface. Regarding claim 7, the screw portion is tubular and has on the inside a through hole (8) that communicates with the screw hole in the thread engagement state of the male screw surface and the female screw surface. Regarding claim 9, Wandelt discloses a female screw-side member (3) comprising a female screw surface with is arranged in part of a screw hole in an inner peripheral direction and where screw-side threads are formed (6… see paragraph 0047). There is an inner peripheral piece which is arranged alternately with the female screw surface in the inner peripheral direction to form an inner periphery of the screw hole, and where female screw-side screw threads are not formed (see figure 2). Wandelt does not specifically disclose the female screw-side screw threads (6) as formed so that the widths in an axial direction of the screw hole gradually decrease from the front in the direction of relative rotation at the time of thread engagement with a screw portion (2) toward the rear in the direction of relative rotation. However, the specific dimensions of the threads are a design preference that would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention. One of ordinary skill in the art would know to increase or decrease the width of the female threads to alter the connection between the male screw-side member and the female screw-side member. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2-6, 8, 10 and 11 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: With respect to claims 2-6, 10 and 11, the prior art of record does not disclose the features of claim 1 with a locking portion that includes a protruding portion formed on the male screw-side screw thread, and a recessed portion formed on the female screw-side screw thread and into which the protruding portion is fitted in the threaded engagement state. With respect to claims 8, the prior art of record does not disclose the features of claim 1 with a male screw-side pipe arranged radially outward of a shaft center of the through hole, with one end facing the direction of relative rotation, and a female screw-side pipe arranged radially outward of a shaft center of the screw hole, with one end facing the direction of relative rotation and the one end fitted into the one end of the male screw-side pipe in the thread engagement state. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2007/0036629 to Hsu US 8382415 to Goldbaum US 12504035 to Marley US 9255601 to Frenken US 6045188 to Schooler US 2742073 to Iannetti FR 2686128 to Jean-Pierre WO 2014088600 to Goldbaum DE 4400847 to Fischer The above prior art discloses various screw arrangements. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN M MARSH whose telephone number is (571)272-6819. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 9 am-7:30 pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. STEVEN M. MARSH Primary Examiner Art Unit 3632 /STEVEN M MARSH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632