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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 9, 11, 12, 20-22, 28, and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chvala (US 8,656,623).
Re claim 1, Chvala (Fig 3) discloses a firearm, comprising: a receiver (12) assembly; a stock assembly (10); and a hinge assembly (14) coupled to and disposed between the receiver assembly and the stock assembly, wherein the hinge assembly comprises: a receiver end chassis coupled to and disposed within the receiver assembly; a stock end chassis coupled to and disposed within the stock assembly; wherein the stock end chassis is pivotably attached to the receiver end chassis; wherein the receiver end chassis and the stock end chassis comprise one or more indexing guides (Fig 6), and each of the indexing guides comprises an indexing notch (74) and an indexing appendix (52); and wherein: the indexing notch is disposed on the receiver end chassis and the indexing appendix is on the stock end chassis (see Fig 6).
Re claim 2, See Fig 1.
Re claim 9, See Fig 4.
Re claim 11, Hand grip (32 and 34).
Re claim 12, Latch system (Fig 4, 50).
Re claim 20, Chvala (Fig 3) discloses a firearm, comprising: a receiver assembly (12); a stock assembly (10); and a hinge assembly (14) coupled to and disposed between the receiver assembly and the stock assembly, wherein the hinge assembly comprises: a receiver end chassis coupled to the receiver assembly; a stock end chassis coupled to the stock assembly; wherein the stock end chassis is pivotably attached to the receiver end chassis; wherein the receiver end chassis and the stock end chassis comprise one or more indexing guides (Fig 6), and each of the indexing guides comprises an indexing notch (74) and an indexing appendix (52); and wherein: the indexing notch is disposed on the receiver end chassis and the indexing appendix is on the stock end chassis; or the indexing notch is disposed on the stock end chassis and the indexing appendix is on the receiver end chassis; a first plurality of linkages (Fig 10) pivotably attached to the receiver end chassis; and a second plurality of linkages (Fig 10) pivotably attached to the stock end chassis; wherein the first plurality of linkages is pivotably attached to the second plurality of linkages (at 128, for example); and wherein the hinge assembly comprises four or more pivot points (e.g. 124, 130, 128, 120, 118, 126).
Re claim 21, See Fig 4.
Re claim 22, See Fig 10.
Re claim 28, Chvala (Fig 3) discloses a firearm, comprising: a receiver assembly (12); a stock assembly (14); and a hinge assembly (14) coupled to and disposed between the receiver assembly and the stock assembly, wherein the hinge assembly comprises: a receiver end chassis coupled to and disposed within the receiver assembly; a stock end chassis coupled to and disposed within the stock assembly; wherein the stock end chassis is pivotably attached to the receiver end chassis (Figs 3 and 4); wherein the receiver end chassis and the stock end chassis comprise one or more indexing guides (Fig 6), and each of the indexing guides comprises an indexing notch (74) and an indexing appendix (52); and wherein: the indexing notch is disposed on the receiver end chassis and the indexing appendix is on the stock end chassis; or the indexing notch is disposed on the stock end chassis and the indexing appendix is on the receiver end chassis; wherein the hinge assembly enables the stock assembly to move between an unfolded position and a folded position; and wherein the hinge assembly is completely hidden and contained within the receiver assembly and the stock assembly when the stock assembly is in the unfolded position (Fig 3).
Re claim 29, See Fig 10.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-8, 10, 13-19, 23, and 30-31 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
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REGINALD S TILLMAN, JR whose telephone number is (571)270-7010. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 830-530.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Troy Chambers can be reached at 571-272-6874. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/REGINALD S TILLMAN, JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3641
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