Detailed Action
Objections
Specification
The Specification is objected to for the following reasons:
Figure 2 is not a close-up. The description describes it as such.
Figure 4 is a broken-away view. It must be described as such and the description must state which figure this was taken from.
Paragraph [0013] appears to be a combination Preamble + Feature Statement + Broken line Statement and information about an embodiment not shown. It must be amended by breaking the broken line statement off so that it stands alone just above the claim. The feature statement contains information that is not about the current claim and describes with words when the drawings are the best indicator of the claim. Also, the feature statement may best be part of the Preamble and edited to be brief. The last sentence must be deleted as it is not about this claim. Only information about this claim is permitted to be described.
The following order or arrangement should be observed in framing a design patent specification:
(1) Preamble, stating name of the applicant, title of the design, and a brief description of the nature and intended use of the article in which the design is embodied.
(2) Cross-reference to related applications.
(3) Statement regarding federally sponsored research or development.
(4) Description of the figure or figures of the drawing.
(5) Feature description.
(6) A single claim.
An amended Specification is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to for the following reasons:
Figure 7 is a duplicate of Figure 1. Duplicates are not permitted.
Markers are required to be placed on the drawing and position where the Figures 3 and 4 drawings were taken.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The claim is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and (b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first and second paragraphs, 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. As presently disclosed, one must resort to conjecture, and cannot understand the exact appearance of the claimed design in its entirety.
The claim is indefinite and nonenabling in the following ways:
Figures 2 and 3 show two carriage nuts. Is the claim for a single carriage nut or two carriage nuts? If the claim is for a single carriage nut, then only the single carriage nut is permitted to be shown in solid lines. The other carriage nut must be reduced to broken lines.
It is not understood why some of the descriptions describe the views as “illustrative depictions”. It is recommended that unless that has a specific meaning that the descriptions be written clearly and concisely, like the FIG. 1 description.
Paragraph [0013] is not understood. What is “an illustrative example”? What is the meaning of the last sentence regarding spaces that have no boundary lines? Why is the applicant talking about a “corresponding embodiment”? Clarification of that paragraph is recommended.
Figures 3 and 4 are not understood because they both lack markers on their corresponding figures showing they were taken from, respectively.
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 drawings in compliance with the requirement therefor, care must be exercised to avoid introduction of anything which could be construed to be new matter prohibited by 35 U.S.C. 132 and 37 CFR 1.121.
Conclusion
The claim is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and (b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first and second paragraphs for the reasons stated above.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CYNTHIA R UNDERWOOD whose telephone number is (571)272-7652. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10:00-6:00.
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/CYNTHIA R UNDERWOOD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2924 3/7/2026