CTNF 19/209,076 CTNF 64421 DETAILED ACTION This is the first Office action on the merits of Application No. 19/209,076 filed May 15, 2025. Claims 1-20 are currently pending. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Drawings 06-22-02 AIA The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters " 1003 " and " 1004 " have both been used to designate the direction opposite the first direction 1002. It is suggested that the arrow indicating the direction opposite to first direction 1002 in Fig. 11 should be labeled 1003 instead of 1004 in order to be consistent with Figs. 10, 12 and 13 . Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Specification 07-29 AIA The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: In lines 16 and 17 of paragraph [0153] and in line 5 of paragraph [0158] “shaft 630” should be changed to --shaft 1030--. In line 16-17 of paragraph [0153] and in line 4 and lines 5-6 of paragraph [0158] “third direction 1004” should be changed to --second direction 1003 --. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 1, 7, 9-11, 15-18 objected to because of the following informalities: The recitations of the first configuration and second configuration in the claims is not consistent with the description of the first configuration and second configuration in the specification. Paragraphs [0057] - [0060] and [0150], [0152], [0153], [0156], [0158], [0163], [0165], [0169] - [0173], [0175] and [0177] - [0179] describe the first configuration 30 shown in Figs. 10 and 12 as permitting bidirectional operation and the second configuration 40 shown in Figs. 11 and 13 as permitting unidirectional operation, whereas claims 1, 7, 9-11, 15-18 recite a first configuration that permits unidirectional motion and a second configuration that permits bidirectional motion. The claims should be amended so that the terminology is consistent with that in the description . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1, 7, 9, 11, 16, 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by JP 2006-189102 A (hereinafter, Makino) . Regarding claim 1, Makino discloses a linear bearing clutch toggle (see Figs. 7-10) comprising: a first surface (the outer surface of ring 8) comprising a tapered surface (10); a second surface (the inner surface of housing 1 and end plate 2) comprising a flat or curved surface (6); one or more contact elements (15); a holding device (11) configured to hold the one or more contact elements; and a toggle device (20) configured to engage the one or more contact elements with the first surface in a first configuration (Fig. 7) and to disengage the one or more contact elements from the first surface in a second configuration (Fig. 10), wherein, in the first configuration, the toggle device is configured to permit unidirectional motion along the second surface, and wherein, in the second configuration, the toggle device is configured to permit bidirectional motion along the second surface. See the first three paragraphs on the sixth page of the attached English language translation. Regarding claim 7, a bushing (4) is disposed along the second surface (2) and configured to permit bidirectional motion of the linear bearing clutch toggle along the second surface in the second configuration. Regarding claim 9, the one or more contact elements comprises ball bearings (15), and the toggle device is configured to separate the ball bearings from the tapered surface (10) and the second surface (6) via moving the holding device (11), moving the ball bearings, or both in the second configuration to permit bidirectional motion. Regarding claim 11, Makino discloses a system (see Figs. 7-10) comprising :a shaft (3); and a linear bearing clutch toggle coupled to the shaft, the linear bearing clutch toggle comprising: a first surface (the outer surface of ring 8) comprising a tapered surface (10); a second surface (the inner surface of housing 1 and end plate 2) comprising a flat or curved surface (6); a row of one or more contact elements (15); a holding device (11) configured to hold the row of one or more contact elements; and a toggle device (20) configured to engage the row of one or more contact elements with the first surface in a first configuration (Fig. 7) and to disengage the row of one or more contact elements from the first surface in a second configuration (Fig. 10), wherein, in the first configuration, the toggle device is configured to permit unidirectional axial motion of the linear bearing clutch toggle along the shaft, and wherein, in the second configuration, the toggle device is configured to permit bidirectional axial motion of the linear bearing clutch toggle along the shaft. See the first three paragraphs on the sixth page of the attached English language translation. Regarding claim 16, a bushing (4) is disposed between the shaft (3) and the linear bearing clutch toggle, the bushing configured to permit bidirectional motion of the linear bearing clutch toggle along the shaft in the second configuration. Regarding claim 17, the row of the one or more contact elements comprises ball bearings (15), and the toggle device is configured to separate the ball bearings from the tapered surface (10) via moving the holding device (11), moving the ball bearings, or both in the second configuration to permit bidirectional motion. Regarding claim 19, the linear bearing clutch toggle is disposed around the shaft (3) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-6, 8, 10, 12-15, 18 and 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. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not disclose the ejector recited in claims 2 and 12; the sprags recited in claims 10 and 18; or the arrangement of the linear bearing clutch toggle disposed within a bore of the shaft as recited in claim 20 . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent No. 3,918,346 discloses a frictional lock including a shaft 24, a tapered surface 44, and a plurality of balls 76 held by a retainer 48. U.S. Patent No. 5,988,342 discloses a braking device including a shaft 12, a cylinder 16 having a tapered surface 16a, and a plurality of balls 15 held by a retainer 14. U.S. Patent No. 8,616,343 discloses a linear stopper in Fig. 1C including a shaft 1100, a tapered surface 1210, a plurality of balls 1400 held by a retainer 1600, and a release mechanism 2000. FR 2727481 A1 discloses an axial clamping unit in Fig. 1 including a shaft 1, a tapered surface 9, and a plurality of balls 6, 7 held by a retainer 8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Richard M. Lorence whose telephone number is 571-272-7094. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday-Thursday from 11:00 AM-7:00 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, John R. Olszewski can be reached at 571-272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /RICHARD M LORENCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/209,076 Page 2 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/209,076 Page 3 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/209,076 Page 4 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/209,076 Page 5 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/209,076 Page 6 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/209,076 Page 7 Art Unit: 3617 Application/Control Number: 19/209,076 Page 8 Art Unit: 3617
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