Appl. No.: 17/396,113
`Reply to Office Action of November 13, 2023
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`AMENDMENT TO THE CLAIMS
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`This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the
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`application:
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`1. (Currently Amended) Ateethforbucketretaining mechanism for teeth, comprising:
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`a tooth point having a coupling space that comprises a first space and a second space
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`communicating with each other;
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`a damper structure accommodated in the first space, and comprising a flexible portion
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`having an insertion groove which is positioned on one surface [[of]] thereof and a hollow therein
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`extending from the one surface to another surface opposite to the one surface and having oneside
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`which is open, a hard portion inserted in the insertion groove and having one surface whichis a
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`flat surface and is exposed to an outside, and a sealing portion blocking the opened side of the
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`hollow; and
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`a coupling unit accommodated in the second space, a portion of whichis in contact with
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`the one surface of the hard portion_in_an initial state, in which the coupling unit is inserted into the
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`second space,
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`wherein the sealing portion is an element separated from the tooth point.
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`wherein coupling of the flexible portion and the sealingportion is madein fitting operation
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`using a protrusion,
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`wherein, in response to rotation of the coupling unit in the second space from [[an]] the
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`initial state, another portion different from the portion of the coupling unit comes into contact with
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`the hard portion,
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`wherein when the coupling unit rotates in one direction from the initial state, to become a
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`first rotation state, a portion where the coupling unit and the hard portion contact each other is
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`movedin a direction toward the flexible portion further than the initial state, and thus, the hard
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`portion is movedin the direction toward the flexible portion further than the initial state, and
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`wherein the flexible portion is compressed and deformed between the hard portion and an
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`inner surface of the tooth point forming the first space.
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`2. (Currently Amended) The-teethferbucketretaining mechanism of claim I,
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`wherein the damperstructure comprises:
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`Appl. No.: 17/396,113
`Reply to Office Action of November 13, 2023
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`a coupling surface coupled to the hard portion;
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`a support surface positioned on an opposite side of the coupling surface; and
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`a connection surface connecting the coupling surface and the support surface,
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`wherein the support surface and the connection surface are in contact with the inner surface
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`of the tooth point forming thefirst space.
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`3. (Currently Amended) The-teethferbucketretaining mechanism of claim 2,
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`wherein at least a part of an externally exposed portion of the coupling surface is in contact
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`with the inner surface of the tooth point forming the first space.
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`4. (Currently Amended) The-teethferbucketretaining mechanism of claim I,
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`wherein the flexible portion is in contact with the inner surface of the tooth point forming
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`the first space.
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`5. (Currently Amended) The-teethferbucketretaining mechanism of claim I,
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`wherein when the coupling unit further rotates in the one direction in the first rotation state
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`to become a secondrotation state, the portion where the coupling unit and the hard portion contact
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`each other is moved in a direction toward the coupling unit further than in the first rotation state,
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`the hard portion is movedin a direction toward the coupling unit further than in the first rotation
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`state, and thus, at least a part of the flexible portion is restored from being compressed and
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`deformed inthe first rotation state.
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`6. (Currently Amended) The+teethferbucketretaining mechanism of claim 1,
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`wherein a shape ofthe flexible portion is deformed to reduce a volumeof the hollow, and
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`wherein when an external force applied to the hard portion is reduced by rotation of the
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`coupling unit in a state in which a volume of the flexible portion is reduced, the volume of the
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`hollow is restored.
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`7. (Canceled)
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`8. (Currently Amended) The-teethferbucketretaining mechanism of claim I,
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`Appl. No.: 17/396,113
`Reply to Office Action of November 13, 2023
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`wherein the tooth point is a tooth point of an excavator, and
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`wherein the coupling unit couples the tooth point to a tooth adapter.
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