Appeal 2006-2838
Application 10/257,576
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
The Appellant appeals the Examiner’s final rejection of claims 39-54, 57,
60-70, and 73-80, and 821 under 35 U.S.C. § 134 (2002). We have jurisdiction
under 35 U.S.C. § 6(b) (2002).
SUMMARY OF DECISION
We AFFIRM-IN-PART.
THE INVENTION
The Appellant invented a washer and threaded fastener assembly for
securing a work piece in position (Specification 1: 4-5). The assembly opposes
unintentional loosening or unthreading, and allows for proper fastener preloading
(Specification 1: 6-9). Claims 39 and 63, reproduced below, are representative of
the subject matter on appeal.
39. A spring action joint having at least two parts comprising,
a threaded part having a body with two opposed sides and a circular series of
ramp structures on at least one of the two opposed sides, and
1 Claims 1-38 are canceled, and claims 55, 56, 58, 59, and 72 are objected to as
being dependent on a rejected base claim. Although claims 71 and 81 are listed in
both the Appellant’s Brief (Br. 2) and the Final Office Action (p. 1) as being
rejected, the Examiner has not provided any statutory basis for the rejection of
these claims in the Final Office Action or Examiner’s Answer. As such, we find
that these claims have not been finally rejected and thus are not before us for
review.
2
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