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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph 45, line 8 – replace “seal 23” before “to ensure” with --seal 22--.
Paragraph 112, line 1 – replace “Figure 11” with --Figure 10--.
Correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 20 – replace “the” before “diameter of said at least one locking ball” with --a--.
Line 25 – replace “the” before “front of the elongated housing” with --a--.
Line 26 – replace “the” before “diameter of a cylinder” with --a--.
Correction is required.
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: Line 2 – replace “the” before “front of the median internal wall” with --a--..
Correction is required.
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: Line 3 – replace “comprise” after “the stop means” with --comprises--.
Correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “wherein: the connection element comprises a maneuvering ring, movable relative to the body along the central axis, mounted around the locking ring and comprising an internal radial wall, radially facing the front annular part of the body at the front of the elongated housing, and whose diameter is less than the diameter of a cylinder coaxial with the central axis and comprising said at least one actuation ball…” First, it is not clear what element is being cited with regard to “whose diameter”. Second, it is not clear what cylinder is being recited with regard to the actuation ball as the actuation ball is received in the elongate housing of the body. Is the cylinder a part of the body?
Claims 4-9 and 11-16 are rejected herein due to their dependency on claim 1.
Claim 2 recites “and a rear internal wall, extending along the central axis between the median internal wall and a rear end of the maneuvering ring and whose diameter is strictly greater than an external diameter of the radial heel.” First, it is not clear what element is being cited with regard to “whose diameter”. Second, it is not clear what would constitute “strictly greater” as opposed to greater. How much would determine a “strictly” greater amount?
Claim 3 is rejected herein due to its dependency on claim 2.
Claim 10 recites “wherein the front bearing and the rear bearing are axially spaced by a length greater than one-third.” It is not clear what the length for the spacing for the front and rear bearing is being compared to with regard to one-third. One-third of what? It appears that claim 10 is incomplete and needs to be amended to clarify the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1-16 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon are examples of the general mechanical state of the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FANNIE KEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1820. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm.
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/F.K./Examiner, Art Unit 3679
/Matthew Troutman/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3679