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 .
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 16, 18-19, 21, 23-27, and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kondo (US 4,809,967).
Regarding Claim 16, Kondo discloses a primary latch mechanism for a banknote processing device, comprising:
A first latch component (132).
a second latch component (135, 204).
Wherein the first latch component is configured to engage with the second latch component upon a movement of the first latch component relative to the second latch component (see Figs. 16-19).
Wherein the first latch component comprises lever arm (132) having a recess (131) and a guide surface (see Fig. 17).
Wherein the second latch component comprises an engagement pin (135) and a guide pin (204).
Wherein the recess is configured to receive the engagement pin, thereby providing a locked state of the primary latch mechanism in which the first latch component is engaged with the second latch component (see Fig. 18).
Wherein the guide surface is configured to establish a contact with the guide pin upon a first partial movement of the first latch component relative to the second latch component (see Figs. 16 and 17).
Wherein the guide surface is configured to slide along the guide pin during a second partial movement of the first latch component relative to the second latch component (see Col. 11 Lines 6-16, this occurs during removal of the box 5) such that the engagement pin is at least partially removed from the recess, thereby providing an unlocked state of the primary latch mechanism in which the first latch component is disengaged from the second latch component (see Col. 11 Lines 6-16, disclosing the removal process of box 5).
Regarding Claim 18, Kondo further discloses the primary latch mechanism according to claim 16, wherein the guide pin is arranged relative to the guide surface such that a movement direction of the lever arm changes when the contact between the guide surface and the guide pin is established (see Figs. 16 and 17).
Regarding Claim 19, Kondo further discloses the primary latch mechanism according to claim 16, wherein the lever arm is configured to move according to a first movement direction during the first partial movement of the first latch component relative to the second latch component; wherein the lever arm configured to move according to a second movement direction during the second partial movement of the first latch component relative to the second latch component; wherein the first movement direction differs from the second movement direction (see Figs. 16 and 17).
Regarding Claim 21, Kondo further discloses the primary latch mechanism according to claim 16, wherein the lever arm is configured slide along the engagement pin in a third movement direction during a third partial movement of the first latch component relative to the second latch component such that the recess is spatially separated from the engagement pin (see Fig. 19; see also Col. 11 Lines 6-16, when box 5 is removed).
Regarding Claim 23, Kondo further discloses the primary latch mechanism according to claim 22, wherein the lever arm is translationally movable with respect to the carrier element of the second latch component; and/or wherein the lever arm is rotationally movable with respect to the carrier element of the second latch component (see Fig. 18).
Regarding Claim 24, Kondo further discloses the primary latch mechanism according to claim 16, comprising: a biasing element (133) configured to maintain the locked state of the primary latch mechanism in which the first latch component is engaged with the second latch component (see Col. 10 Lines 52-59).
Regarding Claim 25, Kondo further discloses a banknote processing device (see Abstract), comprising:
The primary latch mechanism according to claim 16.
A first support structure (4) and a second support structure (5).
Wherein the first support structure and the second support structure together define an internal space of the banknote processing device (see Fig. 10).
Wherein the first support structure and the second support structure are moveable relative to each other from a closed configuration to an opened configuration in order to allow access to the internal space of the banknote processing device (see Fig. 2).
Wherein the first latch component of the primary latch mechanism is coupled to the first support structure (see Fig. 5).
Wherein the second latch component of the primary latch mechanism is coupled to the second support structure (see Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 26, Kondo further discloses the banknote processing device according to claim 25, wherein the first support structure and the second support structure are moveable relative to each other from the closed configuration to the opened configuration when the primary latch mechanism is in the unlocked state (see Col. 11 Lines 6-16).
Regarding Claim 27, Kondo further discloses the banknote processing device according to claim 25, wherein the internal space defines a banknote transport path for banknotes processed by the banknote processing device (see Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 29, Kondo further discloses the banknote processing device according to claim 25, comprising: a secondary latch mechanism having a first latch component and a second latch component (see Fig. 4, showing two latching mechanism on each side); wherein the first latch component of the secondary latch mechanism is coupled to the first support structure (see Fig. 5); wherein the second latch component of the secondary latch mechanism is coupled to the second support structure (see Fig. 6).
Regarding Claim 30, Kondo further discloses the banknote processing device according to claim 29, wherein the first support structure and the second support structure are moveable relative to each other from the closed configuration to the opened configuration when the secondary latch mechanism is in an unlocked state (see Fig. 4, note that since the first and second latch mechanisms are identical, both would have to be operated to allow movement of the first and second support structures).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17, 20, 22, and 28 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY WEBER whose telephone number is (571)272-3307. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM M-F.
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, MINNAH SEOH can be reached at (571) 270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GREGORY ROBERT WEBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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