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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “cutout” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). Fig.2 points to a latch element and does not detail what is meant by the latch having a cutout. No new matter should be entered.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities: “a cam rotably secured to a cavity” is a structure element secured to empty space of a cavity. The recitation does not convey a limitation that is physically possible. The recitation is interpreted broadly until otherwise corrected by the applicant. 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Berkseth et al. (2007/0007773).
Regarding claim 1, Berkseth et al. discloses a latch assembly comprising a housing (102), a latch (101) movable at least partially within the housing from an extended position (Fig. 12) to a retracted position (Fig. 14), and a cam (210) rotatably secured to a cavity inside the housing, the latch comprising a cutout having two cam surfaces (177, left and right) diverging between a back end to a front end of the cam surfaces, the cam comprising a nose (175) engaged with at least one cam surface at the back end when the latch is in the extended position, and engaged with one of the cam surfaces towards the front end of one of the cam surfaces in the retracted position.
PNG
media_image1.png
388
552
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Annotated Figure taken from Berkseth et al. (2007/0007773)
Regarding claim 2, Berkseth et al. discloses the latch assembly of claim 1, wherein the nose of the cam comprises a protrusion (256) engaging the at least one cam surfaces.
Regarding claim 5, Berkseth et al. discloses the latch assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more springs (233) to urge the latch towards the extended position.
Regarding claim 6, Berkseth et al. discloses a door lock assembly comprising an inside handle assembly, an outside handle assembly (Abstract), and the latch assembly of claim 1.
Regarding claim 7, Berkseth et al. discloses the door lock assembly of claim 6, further comprising a spindle ([0008]) coupled to the cam between an inside handle of the inside handle assembly and an outside handle of the outside handle assembly.
Regarding claim 8, Berkseth et al. discloses a latch assembly comprising a housing (102), a latch(101) comprising a cam surface (annotated Fig.7) extending between a first end of the latch and a second end of the latch, and a cam (210), wherein a portion of the cam slides along the cam surface of the latch to retract the latch (Fig. 14) at least partially inside the housing between an extended position (Fig. 12 and a retracted position (Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 9, Berkseth et al. discloses the latch assembly of claim 8, wherein the latch comprises two cam surfaces (annotated Fig.7).
Regarding claim 10, Berkseth et al. discloses the latch assembly of claim 9, wherein the cam surfaces diverge between the first end of the latch to the second end of the latch (annotated Fig.7).
Regarding claim 11, Berkseth et al. discloses the latch assembly of claim 8, wherein the portion of the cam comprises a protrusion (256) extending away from a surface of the cam.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 3, 4, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Berkseth et al. (2007/0007773) in view of Fink et al. (US 2015/0035288) (R).
Regarding claim 3, Berkseth et al. discloses the latch assembly of claim 2, wherein the cam further comprises the protrusion to reduce friction between the cam and the latch.
Berkseth et al. does not disclose: a roller sleeved around the protrusion.
Fink et al. teaches a roller (72) sleeved around the protrusion for the purpose of friction reduction while securing the latch.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Berkseth et al. with a roller sleeved around the protrusion as taught by Fink et al. for the expected benefit of friction reduction while securing the latch.
Regarding claim 4, Berkseth et al. as modified by Fink et al. discloses the latch assembly of claim 3, wherein the cam is an eccentric cam (Fig.8).
Regarding claim 12, Berkseth et al. as modified by Fink et al. discloses the latch assembly of claim 8, wherein the portion of the cam in contact with the cam surfaces.
Berkseth et al. does not disclose: a roller (72; Fink et al.) in contact with the cam surfaces (Fig.4; Fink et al.).
Fink et al. teaches a roller (72) sleeved around the protrusion for the purpose of friction reduction while securing the latch.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Berkseth et al. with a roller (72; Fink et al.) in contact with the cam surfaces (Fig.4; Fink et al.) as taught by Fink et al. for the expected benefit of friction reduction while securing the latch.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure as it may affect the patentability of applicant’s claimed invention is listed on the attached PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Thomas L. Neubauer whose telephone number is 571.272.4864. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM through 5:00 PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina R. Fulton can be reached on 571-272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/T. L. N./
Examiner, Art Unit 3675
/KRISTINA R FULTON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3675
