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 .
Drawings
Figure 1 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-7 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 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted elements are: at least the structural elements such as hinge leaves, linkages between the leaves, hinge pintles and mounting plates that perform and enable hinging between hinged members. The entire claim solely recites the limitations of a functional shaft, without any hinging component or hinging functionality to define “A hidden hinge”. Therefore, claim 1 fails to provide sufficient structural components to define a complete, operable “hidden hinge” as stated in the claim, and the claimed invention is inoperable.
Note that claims 2-7, depending from claim 1, are also considered vague and indefinite.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO-892.
Related prior art:
US 8,683,655 B2 (Hong) shows a hinge having a damping device, including a functional shaft (embodiment of fig. 6), a speed regulating screw for adjusting a flow speed of a hydraulic oil in the functional shaft, a channel perpendicular to the axis of the functional shaft provided in an insert at an end of the shaft. One end of the speed regulating screw is a needle rod portion with varying diameter, another end of the screw is a driving portion with first teeth, and a middle section is provided with thread engaging with the thread of a cover of the shaft. The needle rod extends into a valve of a piston, and a driving member with an engaging portion is engaged with the first teeth. However, Hong does not show a housing, a plate having a longitudinal channel and a transverse channel, and the channels are in communication with each other in a staggered manner where the driving portion of the shaft extends into the transverse channel on a housing.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUCK MAH whose telephone number is (571)272-7059. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00-3:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jason San can be reached at 571-272-6531. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHUCK Y MAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3677 CM
September 29, 2026
