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
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Number 11,808,056 to Caterino.
Caterino discloses a lock system (1) comprising: a first housing (housing of 100) including a recessed area (cavity within 100) and a first opening (opening bolt 110 extends through) disposed within the recessed area; and a lock bolt (110) supported by the first housing and configured to move between a first position (figure 3) and a second position (figure 1), wherein: the lock bolt extends beyond the recessed area in the first position (figure 3), the lock bolt is disposed within the recessed area in the second position (figure 1), and the lock bolt blocks the first opening in the first position and the second position (the bolt substantially fills the opening), as in claim 1.
Caterino also discloses a shim (140) defining an aperture and at least partially blocking the first opening, as in claim 2, wherein the shim is disposed within the first housing (figure 1), as in claim 3, and the shim surrounds the lock bolt (the shim having an opening through which the bolt moves), as in claim 4, as well as the lock bolt is disposed within the aperture of the shim (figure 1), as in claim 5.
Caterino further discloses the lock bolt and the shim completely block the first opening (as shown in figures 1-3), as in claim 6, and a second housing (housing of 200) including a second opening (212) configured to receive the lock bolt (figure 3), as in claim 7, wherein the lock bolt is disposed within the second opening when the lock bolt is in the first position (figure 3), as in claim 8.
Caterino additionally discloses the second opening is aligned with the first opening (figures 1-3), as in claim 9, wherein the second housing includes a first side, and the lock bolt is configured to engage the first side of the second housing (figures 1-3), as in claim 10, and the second housing is operable to move the lock bolt from the first position to the second position when the first side engages the lock bolt (column 5, line 56-7), as in claim 11.
Caterino also discloses a lock system comprising: a lock bolt (110) supported by a first housing and configured to move between a first position (figure 3) and a second position (figure 1), the first housing including a recessed area (cavity within 100) and a first opening (opening bolt 110 extends through) disposed within the recessed area, the lock bolt at least partially blocking the first opening in the first position and the second position (the bolt substantially fills the opening); and a shim (140) defining an aperture, the shim surrounding the lock bolt and being supported by the first housing (the shim having an opening through which the bolt moves), the shim at least partially blocking the first opening (figure 1), as in claim 12.
Caterino further discloses the lock bolt extends beyond the recessed area in the first position (figure 3), and the lock bolt retracts into the recessed area in the second position (figure 1), as in claim 13, and the lock bolt is disposed within the aperture of the shim (figure 1), as in claim 14, as well as the lock bolt and the shim completely block the first opening (as shown in figures 1-3), as in claim 15.
Caterino additionally discloses a second housing (housing of 200) including a second opening (212) configured to receive the lock bolt (figure 3), as in claim 16, wherein the lock bolt is disposed within the second opening when the lock bolt is in the first position (figure 3), as in claim 17, and the second opening is aligned with the first opening (figures 1-3), as in claim 18, as well as the second housing includes a first side, and the lock bolt is configured to engage the first side of the second housing (figures 1-3), as in claim 19, and where the second housing is operable to move the lock bolt from the first position to the second position when the first side engages the lock bolt (column 5, line 56-7), as in claim 20.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following patents are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to door lock assemblies:
U.S. Patent Number 12,173,529 to Guillemette; U.S. Patent Number 11,306,510 to Cheng; U.S. Patent Number 11,047,150 to Yalamati et al.; U.S. Patent Number 10,030,414 to Ozier et al.; U.S. Patent Number 9,103,141 to Hesselback; U.S. Patent Number 7,866,113 to Young; U.S. Patent Number 7,467,818 to Young; U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2017/0362856 to Almomani et al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2011/0252840 to Cutrer; U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2010/0236301 to Demster; U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2009/0193859 to Kwon et al.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER J BOSWELL whose telephone number is (571)272-7054. The examiner can normally be reached M-R: 9-4; F 9-12.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Fulton can be reached at 571-272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER J BOSWELL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675
CJB /cb/
June 16, 2026
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