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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Restriction/Election
Groups I – IV and VI (Figs. 1 – 32 and 57 – 64) are withdrawn from further consideration by the examiner, 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being for the nonelected design. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on February 17, 2026.
Groups I – IV and VI (Figs. 1 – 32 and 57 – 64) directed to a design or designs nonelected without traverse, and without the right to petition such Groups have been cancelled along with the corresponding figure descriptions.
Objection to the Drawings
As a result of the election, figures 1 – 32 and 57 – 64 must be cancelled.
As a result of the election, and for accuracy, the figures 33 – 56 must be renumbered to read: “FIGS. 1 – 24”, respectively.
Objection to the Specification
As a result of the election, and for accuracy, the figures 33 – 56 descriptions should be amended to read:
--Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a recreational vehicle door handle;
Figure 2 is a rear perspective view thereof;
Figure 3 is a front elevational view thereof;
Figure 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;
Figure 5 is a top plan view thereof;
Figure 6 is a bottom plan view thereof;
Figure 7 is a right-side elevational view thereof;
Figure 8 is a left-side elevational view thereof;
Figure 9 is a front perspective view of a recreational vehicle door handle according to a second embodiment;
Figure 10 is a rear perspective view thereof;
Figure 11 is a front elevational view thereof;
Figure 12 is a rear elevational view thereof;
Figure 13 is a top plan view thereof;
Figure 14 is a bottom plan view thereof;
Figure 15 is a right-side elevational view thereof;
Figure 16 is a left-side elevational view thereof;
Figure 17 is a front perspective view of a recreational vehicle door handle according to a third embodiment;
Figure 18 is a rear perspective view thereof;
Figure 19 is a front elevational view thereof;
Figure 20 is a rear elevational view thereof;
Figure 21 is a top plan view thereof;
Figure 22 is a bottom plan view thereof;
Figure 23 is a right-side elevational view thereof; and
Figure 24 is a left-side elevational view thereof.--
Claim Rejection – 35 U.S.C. § 112(a) and (b)
The claim is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and (b) as the claimed invention is not described in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the same, and fails to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which applicant regards as the invention.
The claim is indefinite and nonenabling because figures 33 – 56 show clusters of broken lines that appear as solid line segments. Therefore, it is unclear what exactly comprises the claimed design in each of the three elected embodiments.
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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. If all the figures on a drawing sheet are canceled, a replacement sheet is not required. A marked-up copy of the drawing sheet (labeled as “Annotated Sheet”) including an annotation showing that all the figures on that drawing sheet have been canceled must be presented in the amendment or remarks section that explains the change to the drawings. 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.
When preparing new or replacement drawings, be careful to avoid introducing new matter. New matter is prohibited by 35 U.S.C. 132 and 37 CFR 1.121(f).
Conclusion
Accordingly, the claim stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112(a) and (b) as outlined above.
The references cited, but not applied, are considered cumulative art related to the claimed design.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to L. Calve whose telephone number is (571) 272-7939, and whose work schedule is Monday-Friday 10am-7pm. 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, Wendy Arminio, can be reached at (571) 270-0221. As of 7/15/05 the Right FAX number for this group is (571) 273-8300 for both Official faxes and After Finals.
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/LAUREN R CALVE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2923