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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on September 3, 2025 lists in the U.S. PATENTS section, Cite No 8, the US patent 7068276, B2, 2007-01-30, Errani et al. The Examiner was unable to find this particular reference during a prior art search but found US 7068276 B2, 2006-6-27, Salesin et al., Methods and Systems for Hinting Fonts.
Claim Objections
Claim 24 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 24, line 6, the claim ends with a semicolon.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 21, 23, 25, 26, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Walsh et al., US 7096698 B2 (hereinafter Walsh).
Regarding claim 21, Walsh teaches a lock module (lock system 10), comprising:
a housing (cover 15; base plate 16);
a movable component (carriage 27) slidably mounted in the housing for linear movement along a first sliding axis (axis B is depicted along the centerline of 16; movement between Fig 2 and Fig 3 depicts 27 slidably moving linearly along B) between an unlocking position (Fig 3) and a locking position (Fig 2);
a first hub (input cam 18) mounted to the housing for rotation about a first rotational axis (axis A) transverse to the first sliding axis (Fig 2 depicts and col 3, lines 3-13 discusses 10 rotating around A which is transverse to B);
a second hub (output cam 20) rotatably mounted to the housing for rotation about the first rotational axis (Fig 2; col 3, lines 3-13), wherein the first hub and the second hub are coupled for joint rotation about the first rotational axis when the movable component is in the unlocking position (col 3, lines 14-27), and wherein the first hub and the second hub are rotatable relative to one another about the first rotational axis when the movable component is in the locking position (col 3, lines 14-27);
an electrically operable driver (motor 28) operable to urge the movable component in a locking direction (movement from Fig 3 to Fig 2 depicts the locking direction to be upward) and an unlocking direction (movement from Fig 2 to Fig 3 depicts the unlocking direction to be downward) opposite the locking direction (col 3, line 47-cl 4, line 3); and
an override plate (override pusher 36) slidably mounted to the housing for linear movement along a second sliding axis (Fig 4 shows the second sliding axis to be centered along the longitudinal axis of 36 which is offset from B to the right) transverse to the first rotational axis (Fig 4 depicts the second sliding axis to be transverse to A), wherein the override plate is slidable along the second sliding axis between an unactuated position (Fig 3) and an actuated position (Fig 4), and wherein the override plate is configured to retain the movable component in the unlocking position when the override plate is in the actuated position (Fig 4; col 4, lines 40-47).
Regarding claim 23, Walsh teaches the lock module of claim 21, wherein a portion of the override plate (36) projects out of the housing (Fig 4 depicts horizontal leg 38 of 36 displaying outwardly from recess 17 thereby meeting the Merriam-Webster definition 7 of project and the broadest reasonable interpretation of the term) and is configured to engage a lock cylinder (lock core 12) to thereby enable the lock cylinder to move the override plate between the unactuated position and the actuated position (col 4, lines 40-47 discusses the removal of 12 causing 36 to move downward into the actuated position).
Regarding claim 25, Walsh teaches the lock module of claim 21, wherein the override plate (36) is engaged with the movable component (27) via a spring(bias spring 44; col 4, lines 40-47; Fig 3).
Regarding claim 26, Walsh teaches the lock module of claim 21, wherein the electrically operable driver (28) is engaged with the movable component (27) via a spring (spring 32; col 3, line 48-col 4, line 3; Fig 3).
Regarding claim 27, Walsh teaches an apparatus (Fig 1 depicts the apparatus to be the lock module with lock core 12, handle 14; keypad 34, lights 35 which operate with 10) comprising the lock module of claim 21, the apparatus further comprising: an escutcheon (16) in which the lock module is removably seated (Fig 2); and a lock cylinder (12) mounted to the escutcheon and engaged with the override plate (36) such that the lock cylinder is operable to move the override plate between the unactuated position and the actuated position (col 4, lines 40-47 discusses the removal of 12 causing 36 to move downward into the actuated position).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 22 and 24 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 22, while Walsh teaches it is known in the art for a lock module to comprise an override plate and a lock cylinder, wherein a portion of the override plate projects out of the housing; and Nigro et al., US 5658026 A, teaches it is known in the art for a lock module to comprise an override plate which includes a cam slot configured to receive a cam post of a lock cylinder; one of ordinary skill in the art would not find it obvious to modify Walsh in view of Nigro as claimed in the instant application wherein a portion of the override plate projects out of the housing and includes a cam slot configured to receive a cam post of a lock cylinder; without the use of impermissible hindsight and/or destroying the references.
Regarding claim 24, while Doucet et al., US 20010010166 A1, teaches it is known in the art for a lock module to comprise a movable component and an override cam mounted to the housing for rotation about a second rotational axis between a home position and a rotated position; wherein the second rotational axis is transverse to the first rotational axis; and wherein the override cam is configured to retain the movable component in the unlocking position when the override cam is in the rotated position; one of ordinary skill in the art would not find it obvious to modify Walsh in view of Doucet as claimed in the instant application; further comprising an override cam mounted to the housing for rotation about a second rotational axis between a home position and a rotated position; wherein the second rotational axis is transverse to the first rotational axis; and wherein the override cam is configured to retain the movable component in the unlocking position when the override cam is in the rotated position; without the use of impermissible hindsight and/or destroying the references.
Claims 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40 are allowed.
Regarding claim 28, while Walsh et al., US 7096698 B2, teaches it is known in the art for a lock module, comprising: a housing; a movable component slidably mounted in the housing for linear movement along a first sliding axis between an unlocking position and a locking position; a first hub mounted to the housing for rotation about a first rotational axis transverse to the first sliding axis; a second hub rotatably mounted to the housing for rotation about the first rotational axis, wherein the first hub and the second hub are coupled for joint rotation about the first rotational axis when the movable component is in the unlocking position, and wherein the first hub and the second hub are rotatable relative to one another about the first rotational axis when the movable component is in the locking position; an electrically operable driver operable to urge the movable component in a locking direction and an unlocking direction opposite the locking direction; and Doucet et al., US 20010010166 A1, teaches it is known in the art for a lock module to comprise a movable component and an override cam mounted to the housing for rotation about a second rotational axis between a home position and a rotated position, and wherein the override cam is configured to retain the movable component in the unlocking position when the override cam is in the rotated position; one of ordinary skill in the art would not find it obvious to modify Walsh in view of Doucet as claimed in the instant application; a lock module, comprising: a housing; a movable component slidably mounted in the housing for linear movement along a first sliding axis between an unlocking position and a locking position; a first hub mounted to the housing for rotation about a first rotational axis transverse to the first sliding axis; a second hub rotatably mounted to the housing for rotation about the first rotational axis, wherein the first hub and the second hub are coupled for joint rotation about the first rotational axis when the movable component is in the unlocking position, and wherein the first hub and the second hub are rotatable relative to one another about the first rotational axis when the movable component is in the locking position; an electrically operable driver operable to urge the movable component in a locking direction and an unlocking direction opposite the locking direction; and an override cam mounted to the housing for rotation about a second rotational axis between a home position and a rotated position, wherein the second rotational axis is transverse to the first rotational axis, and wherein the override cam is configured to retain the movable component in the unlocking position when the override cam is in the rotated position; without the use of impermissible hindsight and/or destroying the references.
Regarding claims 29-34, they are allowed because they pend from claim 28.
Regarding claim 35, while Walsh et al., US 7096698 B2, teaches it is known in the art for a lock module, comprising: a housing; a lock mechanism movably mounted in the housing, the lock mechanism comprising a movable component slidably mounted in the housing for linear movement between an unlocking position and a locking position; an electrically operable driver operable to urge the movable component in a locking direction and an unlocking direction opposite the locking direction; and an override plate slidably mounted to the housing for linear movement between an unactuated position and an actuated position, wherein the override plate is configured to retain the movable component in the unlocking position when the override plate is in the actuated position; and Doucet et al., US 20010010166 A1, teaches it is known in the art for a lock module to comprise a movable component and an override cam rotatably mounted to the housing for rotational movement between a home position and a rotated position, wherein the override cam is configured to retain the movable component in the unlocking position when the override cam is in the rotated position; one of ordinary skill in the art would not find it obvious to modify Walsh in view of Doucet as claimed in the instant application; a lock module , comprising: a housing; a lock mechanism movably mounted in the housing, the lock mechanism comprising a movable component slidably mounted in the housing for linear movement between an unlocking position and a locking position; an electrically operable driver operable to urge the movable component in a locking direction and an unlocking direction opposite the locking direction; and an override plate slidably mounted to the housing for linear movement between an unactuated position and an actuated position, wherein the override plate is configured to retain the movable component in the unlocking position when the override plate is in the actuated position; and an override cam rotatably mounted to the housing for rotational movement between a home position and a rotated position, wherein the override cam is configured to retain the movable component in the unlocking position when the override cam is in the rotated position; without the use of impermissible hindsight and/or destroying the references.
Regarding claims 36-40, they are allowable because they pend from claim 35.
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 for lock module apparatus.
Doucet et al., US 20010010166 A1, teaches an override mechanism for unlatching an electronic door lock with a housing mounted override cam.
Dobbs, US 20070209413 A1, teaches a lock manual override mechanism with deadlatch.
Moon, US 10260253 B2, teaches a door trim assembly with clutch mechanism with a movable component rotatively mounted in the lock housing, first and second hubs, an electrically operable driver, and an override plate.
Nigro et al., US 5658026 A, teaches a door handle locking mechanism with dual function springs with a override plate which engages with a movable component.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN A TULLIA whose telephone number is (571)272-6434. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 ET.
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/STEVEN A TULLIA/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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