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 .
Examiner’s Comments
This office action is in response to the application filed on 12/16/2025.
Claims 1-10 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR
1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/16/2025 and
2/9/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being
anticipated by Kawai (US 20230415309).
With regard to claim 1, Kawai discloses a hand-held power tool (1 fig.1) comprising: a housing (2); a drive motor (6) comprising a drive shaft (11); a transmission (10) driven by the drive shaft (33); an intermediate shaft (11) driven by the transmission, the intermediate shaft (11) comprising: a percussion mechanism comprising a striker (13) and an anvil (17); and a guiding element (11) configured to guide the striker (13); a centering device (100) configured to center the intermediate shaft (11), the centering device (100) having a diameter (as seen in fig.5) that is substantially the same size as a diameter of the guiding element (11); and a tool holder (18) driven by the percussion mechanism (10) and configured to receive an insertion tool.
With regard to claim 2, Kawai discloses a hand-held power tool (1 fig.1), wherein the centering device (100) and the anvil (17) are arranged at least partially overlapping each other (see fig.5).
With regard to claim 3, Kawai discloses a hand-held power tool (1 fig.1), wherein the centering device (100) comprises a centering receptacle configured to at least partially encompass the intermediate shaft (11).
With regard to claim 6, Kawai discloses a hand-held power tool (1 fig.1), wherein the intermediate shaft (11) comprises at least one abutment element (end of anvil fig. 5) configured to at least partially abut the centering device (100) and receive at least axial forces from the centering device.
With regard to claim 7, Kawai discloses a hand-held power tool (1 fig.1), wherein the at least one abutment element (end of anvil) is arranged at least partially overlapping the anvil (17).
With regard to claim 8, Kawai discloses a hand-held power tool (1 fig.1), wherein the intermediate shaft (11) comprises a compensating element configured to compensate for imbalances.
With regard to claim 9, Kawai discloses a hand-held power tool (1 fig.1), wherein the centering device comprises a centering element (100) configured to at least partially engage the intermediate shaft (11).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 and 10 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With regard to claim 4, Kawai discloses a hand-held power tool, but fails to disclose or teach in combination, wherein the centering device comprises a centering collar configured to at least partially abut the intermediate shaft.
With regard to claim 10, Kawai discloses a hand-held power tool, but fails to disclose or teach in combination, wherein the centering device comprises a collection element configured to collect at least lubricants.
Conclusion
Refer to attachment for notice of references cited and recommended for
consideration based on their disclosure of limitations of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL C. CHUKWURAH whose telephone number is (571)272-4457. The examiner can normally be reached M-F & T-F 7-4:30 IFP.
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, Anna Kinsaul can be reached at 571-260-1926. 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.
/NATHANIEL C CHUKWURAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
8/11/2026
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