DETAILED ACTION
This is the first office action for US Application 19/148,681 for a Centering Device, Centering System and Rocess for Attaching a Screw or a Bolt to an Object.
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 .
Specification
The following title is suggested: Centering Device, Centering System and Process for Attaching a Screw or a Bolt to an Object.
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.
Claim 17 is 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 17 recites the limitation "the circumferential direction" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1 and 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EP 1367267 to Ayrie. Regarding claim 1, Ayrie discloses a centering device for centering a screw or a bolt in a hole. The device comprises an outer circumferential surface (outside of 11) configured to be brought into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the hole. There is an inner circumferential surface (inside of 11) configured to be brought in contact with an outer circumferential surface of at least one of the screw or bolt.
There is a connecting portion (the thickness of the device) connecting the outer circumferential surface of the centering device and the inner circumferential surface of the centering device. The connecting portion is configured to maintain an approximately constant distance between the inner circumferential surface of the centering device and the outer circumferential surface of the centering device along a circumference of the centering device. There are multiple flow-through openings in the inner circumferential surface of the centering device, the multiple flow-through openings distributed around the circumference of the centering device.
Regarding claim 8, there is a ring-shaped section (13) with an outer diameter greater than any outer diameter of the circumferential surface of the centering device configured to be brought in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the hole. Regarding claim 9, an open first end face (opening inside of 13) for receiving an end of the screw or the bolt, and an axial stop (16) to limit axial movement of the screw or the bolt relative to the centering device. Regarding claim 10, there is a first centering device (11) and a separate second centering device (2). The centering device is configured according to claim 1, and the first and second centering devices are configured to be attached to the screw or the bolt distanced from each other along a longitudinal axis of the screw or the bolt.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7, 16, and 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claims 11-15 are allowed. Claim 17 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: The prior art does not disclose or suggest the features of claim 1, with multiple bars extending in a longitudinal direction forming borders of flow-through openings. The prior art does not disclose the features of claim 1 in a process including forming a hole, applying a filling material into the hole to partly fill the hole, attaching the device of claim 1 to the screw or bolt so the inner circumferential surface of the centering device abuts the outer circumferential surface of the screw or the bolt, and inserting the screw or the bolt together with the centering device into the hole so that the inner circumferential surface of the hole and enables the filling material to enter the flow-through openings.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 1276708 to Bair
US 2013/0202364 to Ikuno
US 2018/0313384 to Meindorfer
US 6048149 to Garcia
US 3911782 to Liebig
US 6457922 to Tsai
US 4714391 to Bergner
US 4011786 to Liebig
US 5288190 to Winkeljann
US 4690597 to Liebig
GB 1471864 to Howard
DE 2543912 to AG Hilti
The above prior art discloses screw or bolt alignment devices.
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.
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STEVEN M. MARSH
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3632
/STEVEN M MARSH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632
