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, 11, 13 and 17-18is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kras, US Patent Publication No. 2019/0353446.
Regarding claim 1, Kras discloses a mounting assembly (100) for a firearm muzzle device and configured to attach to a firearm barrel or a muzzle adapter (110) having, in each case, a cylindrical sleeve portion, the mounting assembly comprising: a mount body (202) having a proximal end portion and a mount distal end portion, the mount body defining a passageway (shown in figures 1A-F for example) therethrough along a central axis and configured to releasably attach to the firearm barrel or the muzzle adapter when the firearm barrel or the muzzle adapter is received in the mount proximal end portion (figures 1A-1C and 2F for example), and the mount distal end portion (204) configured to attach to a firearm muzzle device (515 as in [0107] for example); and cams (162) mounted to the mount body and pivotable (pivotable about 226) between an engaged position and a disengaged position ([0131] for example describes engaged and disengaged positions), the cams arranged to engage the cylindrical sleeve portion of the firearm barrel or the muzzle adapter when in the engaged position ([0131] discloses rotating the cam 162 into engagement with the muzzle adapter 110); a clutch assembly (140) on the mount body, the clutch assembly operable between a locked position and an unlocked position ([0110-01111] for example), wherein moving the clutch assembly to the locked position allows the cams to rotate to the engaged position ([00112] disclose the cams engaging the muzzle adapter in the locked position), and wherein moving the clutch assembly to the unlocked position moves the cams to the disengaged position ([0112]); and a secondary retention structure (126 broadly, yet reasonably as in [0103] for example) configured to inhibit axial removal of the mounting assembly from the firearm barrel or the muzzle adapter when the clutch assembly is in the locked position ([0103] discloses preventing the axial movement of the attachment of the mount 200 with respect to the adapter 110).
Regarding claim 11, Kras further discloses the clutch assembly comprises: the muzzle adapter having the cylindrical sleeve portion (126), wherein the muzzle adapter defines a circumferential groove (127); a clutch collar (142) rotatable about the mount body between the locked position and the unlocked position; and a wire form spring (154) extending a majority portion around an inside of the mount body and defining an outward bend, a first end, and a second end (figure 1F for example); wherein the clutch collar defines recesses associated with the locked position and the unlocked position ([0111]), the recesses configured to receive the outward bend of the wire spring (216).
Regarding claim 13, Kras discloses a mounting assembly (100) for a firearm muzzle device, the mounting assembly comprising: a muzzle adapter (110) having a cylindrical sleeve portion (126) and defining a circumferential groove (127); a mount body (202) having a proximal end portion and a mount distal end portion, the mount body defining a passageway therethrough along a central axis and configured to releasably attach to the muzzle adapter when the muzzle adapter is received in the mount proximal end portion (figure 2F for example); and cams (162) retained in the mount body and pivotable (pivotable about 226) between an engaged position and a disengaged position ([0131] for example describes engaged and disengaged positions), the cams arranged to engage the cylindrical sleeve portion of the muzzle adapter when in the engaged position ([0103] for example); a clutch assembly (140) on the mount body, the clutch assembly including a clutch collar (142) operable between a locked position and an unlocked position ([0111]), wherein moving the clutch collar to the locked position allows the cams to rotate to the engaged position and moving the clutch assembly to the unlocked position moves the cams to the disengaged position ([0112], for example, discloses the clutch collar moving the cams between an engaged position and disengaged position respectively when the clutch collar is moved between a locked and unlocked position); and a secondary retention structure ([0103] discloses 1 profile of 126 as a secondary retention feature) configured to block axial removal of the mounting assembly from the firearm barrel or muzzle adapter when the clutch assembly is in the locked position ([0103-0104] further detail the structure and preventing axial movement between the mounting assembly and adapter)
Regarding claim 17, Kras further discloses the suppressor is connected to a distal end of the mount body ([0156] or [0165] for example).
Regarding claim 18, Kras further discloses a firearm (disclosed throughout the specification like in [0005] for example) comprising: the mounting assembly of claim 13; and a suppressor connected to a distal end of the mount body ([0156] or [0165] for example).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-10, 12 and 14-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but appear to be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is provided on form PTO-892.
Specifically, references such as US Patent Publication 2024/0003645, US Patent Publication 2020/0056855 and US Patent 8,714,301 should be carefully considered as relevant in any amendment or argument in order to expedite prosecution.
The applicant is invited to call the examiner for additional information on how particular cited references would be interpreted or applied to the claimed invention or potential amendments.
While the Examiner is available via telephone to resolve administrative issues regarding a patent application, issues relating to patentability and/or prospective amendments may be more efficiently discussed via email correspondence subsequent to the filing of form PTO/SB/439 (“Authorization for Internet Communications in a Patent Application”) authorizing permission for internet communication. The form is available online at https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf and may be submitted for the record along with any other response to this action. The Examiner may be reached by telephone at 571-272-6352.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Troy Chambers can be reached on 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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/DERRICK R MORGAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3641
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