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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/23/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 8, and 15 have been considered but are moot because of the updated interpretation of Phillips.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the terminal 106 in Figure 1B is missing.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. 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. 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. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1– 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pat. No. 3,383,480 (“Phillips”).
Regarding claim 1, Phillips discloses a system for making an electrical and mechanical connection, the system comprising:
a first wire (wires within 56) having a first female connector portion (left 176 and 178, Figs. 6-7) including a first wire terminated terminal (178 which has wires within 56 terminated thereto);
a second male connector portion (right 176, 172, 180, 186, 198) including a second wire terminated terminal (190, which has wire within 144 terminated thereto) and a double-ended slider terminal (184), wherein the first connector portion is separate from the second connector portion (the connectors are distinct members); and
a connector position assurance device (182 and 194) disposed on and mechanically coupled to the second connector portion (182 is held within 172 and is on 198) and slidable along a top side of the second connector 182 slides along a top side of 172), the connector position assurance device including the double-ended slider terminal (184 is within 182), the connector position assurance device being configured to electrically connect the first wire terminated terminal to the double-ended slider terminal after the first connector portion is mechanically connected to the second connector portion (after assembly, 182 guides 184 into electrical engagement between the connectors).
Philips discloses the claimed invention except for the first wire terminated terminal and second wire terminated terminal being female, and the double-ended terminal being male. However, Philips discloses the first and second wire terminated terminals as male and the double-ended terminal as female, opposite to the claimed terminal configuration. Philips also teaches that when a pair of terminals are arranged to mate, making one end of the terminals male and the other female allows for the terminals to slide together and successfully mate.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to reverse the mating interfaces of the terminals so that the first and second terminals were female and the double-ended terminal was male, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Einstein, 8 USPQ 167. Here, such a reversal of parts would result in the first terminal and second terminal being female terminals and the double-ended terminal being male, allowing the terminals to successfully slide together and mate.
In regard to the claim preamble stating that the system is “in an electrical distribution system of a vehicle,” it is noted that if the body of a claim fully and intrinsically sets forth all of the limitations of the claimed invention, and the preamble merely states, for example, the purpose or intended use of the invention, rather than any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention’s limitations, then the preamble is not considered a limitation and is of no significance to claim construction. See MPEP §2111.02. Here, the preamble does not limit the claim structure within the body of the claim and is intended use, and the preamble is treated as having no significance to claim construction.
Regarding claim 2, Phillips discloses wherein the connector position assurance device includes a spring (spring 196 is contained within 182), wherein the connector position assurance device is configured to indicate that the first wire terminated female terminal is electrically connected to the double-ended male slider terminal based on the spring being in a compressed position (the position of Figure 6, where 196 is compressed between 182 and the right 176, is the connected position and is indicated by the movement of 184 through manipulation of rotary member 194).
Regarding claim 3, Phillips discloses wherein the first wire terminated female terminal is electrically connected to the double-ended male slider terminal when the connector position assurance device is compressed against a spring (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 4, Phillips as modified above discloses the first wire terminated female terminal and the second wire terminated female terminal are disposed in an inline connector (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, Phillips as modified above discloses the first wire terminated female terminal and the second wire terminated female terminal are disposed in a sealed connector (see seals 38 and 62, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Phillips discloses the connector position assurance device comprises a slider terminal (184) having a switch (112).
Regarding claim 7, Phillips as modified above discloses a slider (182) connected to the switch (112 connects to and moves 182) and the second male connector portion (172), and wherein the first wire terminated female terminal is electrically connected to the double-ended male slider terminal when the switch is configured to move the slider such that the slider is connected to the first female connector portion and the second male connector portion (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 8, Phillips discloses a method comprising:
aligning a first connector portion (left 176 and 178, see Figs. 6 – 7) of a first wire (wires within 56) against a second connector portion (right 176, 172, 180, 186, 198) of a second wire (144), wherein the first connector portion includes a first wire terminated terminal (178) and the second connection portion includes a second wire terminated terminal (190) and a double-ended slider terminal (184);
moving the first connector portion towards the second connector portion (176 is mounted to 172, movement is seen by comparing Figures 6 and 7); and
electrically connecting, via a connector position assurance device (182 and 194) disposed on and mechanically coupled to the second connector portion (182 is held within 172 and is on 198), the connector position assurance device including the double-ended slider terminal (184 is within 182), the first wire terminated terminal to the double-ended slider terminal after the first connector portion is mechanically connected to the second connector portion (after assembly, 182 guides 184 into electrical engagement between the connectors).
Philips discloses the claimed invention except for the first terminal and second terminal being female, and the double-ended terminal being male. However, Philips discloses the first and second terminals as male and the double-ended terminal as female, opposite to the claimed terminal configuration. Philips also teaches that when a pair of terminals are arranged to mate, making one end of the terminals male and the other female allows for the terminals to slide together and successfully mate.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to swap the mating interfaces of the terminals so that the first and second terminals were female and the double-ended terminal was male, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Einstein, 8 USPQ 167. Here, such a reversal of parts would result in the first terminal and second terminal being female terminals and the double-ended terminal being male, allowing the terminals to successfully slide together and mate.
Regarding claim 9, Phillips discloses the connector position assurance device is spring-loaded (see 196).
Regarding claim 10, Phillips as modified above discloses the first wire terminated female terminal is electrically connected to the double-ended male slider terminal when the connector position assurance device is compressed against a spring (196 presses against 176 as seen in Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 11, Phillips as modified above discloses the first wire terminated female terminal and the double-ended male slider terminal are disposed in either a device connector or an inline connector (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 12, Phillips as modified above discloses the first wire terminated female terminal and the double-ended male slider terminal are disposed in either a sealed connector or an unsealed connector (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 13, Phillips discloses the connector position assurance device comprises a slider terminal (184) having a switch (112).
Regarding claim 14, Phillips as modified above discloses a slider (182) connected to the switch (112 connects to and moves 182) and the second connector portion (172), and wherein the first wire terminated female terminal is electrically connected to the double-ended male slider terminal when the switch is configured to move the slider such that the slider is connected to the first connector portion and the second connector portion (see Fig. 6).
Claims 15 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Phillips in view of U.S. Pat. No. 6,836,094 (“Bender”).
Regarding claim 15, Phillips discloses a switch device comprising:
an electrical distribution system (170) having a wiring connector comprising:
a first connector portion (left 176 and 178, see Figs. 6 – 7) including a first wire terminated terminal (178, which has wire within 56 terminated thereto);
a second connector portion (right 176, 172, 180, 186) including a second wire terminated terminal (190, which has wire within 144 terminated thereto) and a double-ended slider terminal (184), wherein the first connector portion is separate from the second connector portion (the connectors are distinct members); and
a connector position assurance device (182 and 194) disposed on and mechanically coupled to the second connector portion (182 is held within 172 and is on 198) and slidable along a top side of the second connector 182 slides along a top side of 172), the connector position assurance device including the double-ended slider terminal (184 is within 182), the connector position assurance device being configured to electrically connect the first wire terminated terminal to the double-ended slider terminal after the first connector portion is mechanically connected to the second connector portion (after assembly, 182 guides 184 into electrical engagement between the connectors).
Philips discloses the connector structure except for the first wire terminated terminal and second wire terminated terminal being female, and the double-ended terminal being male. However, Philips discloses the first and second wire terminated terminals as male and the double-ended terminal as female, opposite to the claimed terminal configuration. Philips also teaches that when a pair of terminals are arranged to mate, making one end of the terminals male and the other female allows for the terminals to slide together and successfully mate.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to swap the mating interfaces of the terminals so that the first and second terminals were female and the double-ended terminal was male, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Einstein, 8 USPQ 167. Here, such a reversal of parts would result in the first terminal and second terminal being female terminals and the double-ended terminal being male, allowing the terminals to successfully slide together and mate.
Philips does not disclose the device as a vehicle.
However, Bender teaches a vehicle (col. 4, lns. 64 – 65) which includes a switch (see the abstract). It would have been obvious to use the switch device of Phillips in a vehicle as taught by Bender, because this is nothing more than a substitution of one known switch device for another known switch device, with the obvious result of providing a switch so as to isolate circuit elements as required by a user.
Regarding claim 16, Phillips as modified above discloses the connector position assurance device is spring-loaded (see 196), and wherein the first wire terminated female terminal is electrically connected to the double-ended male slider terminal when the connector position assurance device is compressed against a spring (196 presses against 176 as seen in Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 17, Phillips as modified above discloses the first wire terminated female terminal and the second wire terminated female terminal are disposed in an inline connector (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 18, Phillips as modified above discloses the first wire terminated female terminal and the second wire terminated female terminal are disposed in a sealed connector (see seals 38 and 62, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 19, Phillips discloses the connector position assurance device comprises a slider terminal (184) having a switch (112).
Regarding claim 20, Phillips as modified above discloses a slider (182) connected to the switch (112 connects to and moves 182) and the second connector portion (172), and wherein the first wire terminated female terminal is electrically connected to the double-ended male slider terminal when the switch is configured to move the slider such that the slider is connected to the first connector portion and the second connector portion (see Fig. 6).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D BAILLARGEON whose telephone number is (571)272-0676. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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/PAUL D BAILLARGEON/Examiner, Art Unit 2833
/EDWIN A. LEON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831