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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: PAD PLUNGER WITH PLURALITY OF PADS AND SPRING ARRANGEMENT.
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.
Claim(s) 1-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bender (US 6,176,309).
Claim 1: Bender discloses a pad plunger (Fig. 1) comprising a body (9); and a plurality of pads (see Figure below) biased to move relative to the body, wherein at least a first one of the plurality of pads is biased to move relative to the body at one rate (as Figure 1 suggests and would be appreciated by a skilled artisan, the multiple pad arrangement in Bender has an upper pad with a single spring providing a single spring stiffness upon the upper pad and the lower pad has a two-spring, parallel arrangement providing a 2-spring stiffness upon the lower pad and therefore a stiffer composite spring system; higher stiffness means the spring will resist deformation more strongly, leading to faster contraction or expansion when a force is applied; Examiner notes that choosing one of the upper or lower pad as the “first one” will provide for a first particular rate that will be different than the other because it is under the influence of either a single or double spring arrangement), and a second one of the plurality of pads is biased to move relative to the body at another rate (continuing the discussion above, choosing the other of the upper or lower pad as the “second one” will provide for a second, different rate based on it operating under the influence of the remaining of a single or double spring arrangement).
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Claim 2: Bender further discloses that at least the first one of the plurality of pads or the second one of the plurality of pads is biased by a spring (see Figure above).
Claim 3: Bender further discloses that the first one of the plurality of pads is biased by a first spring (note single spring for upper pad) and the second one of the plurality of pads is biased by a second spring (note either one or both of the springs in the lower pad).
Claim 4: Bender further discloses that the first spring has a first rate (as can be appreciated from the single spring arrangement) and the second spring (viewed as the dual springs in the lower pad together) has a second rate (as can be appreciated from the double spring arrangement).
Claim 5: Bender further discloses that the first rate and the second rate are different (as would be expected between a single and double spring arrangement).
Claim 6: Bender further discloses that the first one of the plurality of pads is located toward a top end of the pad plunger (see Figure above).
Claim 7: Bender further discloses that the second one of the plurality of pads is located toward a bottom end of the pad plunger (see Figure above).
Claim 8: Bender further discloses that the first rate is greater than the second rate (as the upper pad has only one spring and a weaker resistance force, the rate at which the pad inwardly move will be greater than that with respect to the second pad which has a greater resistive force).
Claims 9-10: Bender further discloses that the first/second spring has a first end and a second end (note Figure above), where the first end sits in a first pocket in the body and the second end sits in a pocket in the first/second one of the plurality of pads (see Figure above, which represents pocket arrangements in the pads).
Claims 11-13: Bender further discloses that the first/second pocket in the body and the pocket in the first/second one of the plurality of pads have a first/second collective depth (see Figure above) which are the same.
Claim 14: Bender further discloses that the first spring has a first rate (as can be appreciated from the single spring arrangement) and the second spring (viewed as the dual springs in the lower pad together) has a second rate (as can be appreciated from the double spring arrangement).
Claim 15: Bender further discloses that the first rate and the second rate are different (as would be expected between a single and double spring arrangement).
Claim 16: Bender further discloses that the first one of the plurality of pads is located toward a top end of the pad plunger (see Figure above).
Claim 17: Bender further discloses that the second one of the plurality of pads is located toward a bottom end of the pad plunger (see Figure above).
Claim 18: Bender further discloses that the first rate is greater than the second rate (as the upper pad has only one spring and a weaker resistance force, the rate at which the pad inwardly move will be greater than that with respect to the second pad which has a greater resistive force).
Claim 19: Bender further discloses that the first collective depth and the second collective depth are different (Examiner noting that only one spring-occupied depth is part of the upper pad while the lower pad has two spring-occupied depths).
Claim 20: Bender further discloses that the first collective depth is less than the second collective depth (Examiner noting that only one spring-occupied depth is part of the upper pad while the lower pad has two spring-occupied depths).
Claim 21: Bender further discloses that the first spring has a first rate (as can be appreciated from the single spring arrangement in the upper pad) and the second spring (which can viewed as one of the dual springs in the lower pad) has a second rate (as can be appreciated from the single spring arrangement in the lower pad).
Claim 22: Bender further discloses that the first rate and the second rate are the same (as can be viewed as the similar single springs in either the upper or lower pad).
Claim 23: Bender further discloses that the first one of the plurality of pads is located toward a top end of the pad plunger (see Figure above).
Claim 24: Bender further discloses that the second one of the plurality of pads is located toward a bottom end of the pad plunger (see Figure above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN C ZOLLINGER whose telephone number is (571)270-7815. The examiner can normally be reached Generally M-F 9-4 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Essama Omgba can be reached at 469-295-9278. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NATHAN C ZOLLINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746