DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 24-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gundel (US Patent Application Publication # 2013/0168149).
Regarding Claim 24, Gundel discloses a ribbon cable (i.e. shielded electrical cable 2/1402), comprising:
a plurality of cable groups (i.e. conductor sets 4/1404) arranged side by side with a gap (i.e. 1834a or longitudinal splits 18 or minimum separation d1 & thickness Tap) between each pair of adjacent cable groups;
a first covering film (i.e. upper shielding film 8/1408) arranged on a first side of the cable groups, the first covering film has a first bonding portion (i.e. upper cover portions 7/1407) and a first spacing portion (i.e. transition portion 1834); and
a second covering film (i.e. lower shielding film 8/1408) arranged on a second side of the cable groups opposite the first covering film, the second covering film has a second bonding portion (i.e. lower cover portions 7/1407) and a second spacing portion (i.e. transition portion 1834), the first bonding portion and the second bonding portion are bonded to each of the cable groups, the first spacing portion and the second spacing portion are located at the gap and are separated from each other in a width direction of the cable and between each pair of adjacent cable groups by the gap, wherein the gap (i.e. 1834a or longitudinal splits 18 or minimum separation d1 & thickness Tap) is defined between the first spacing portion and the second spacing portion (i.e. transition portion 1834) along at least a portion of a length of the cable (Fig. 1, 2a, 4c, 5a-5e, 7b, 8, 10a, 15a-15f, 16a, 21; Abstract; Paragraphs 0036-0045, 0085-0091, 0108, 0112, 0119-0130, 0152-0160, 0174, 0195, 0223). Gundel shows that the edges of the shielded cable are terminated by pinched regions in which the shielding films are bonded to each other. The figures show that there exists a space at transition portion 1834 which is marked as 1834a in which the adhesive layer is not present. Furthermore, as mentioned throughout the disclosure of Gundel, the adhesive layer is optional and, even when it is present, it is not present at 1834a. Even further, all embodiments of Gundel require a minimum separation d1 between the pinched portions of the shielding films so there is always a gap in those pinched portions between each conductor set and an adjacent conductor set and also between each of their respective ground conductors.
Regarding Claim 25, Gundel discloses that the first covering film has a first edge portion (i.e. pinched regions 3518/3618/3718/3818/3918/4018) and the second covering film has a second edge portion bonded to the second edge portion (Fig. 1, 5d, 5e, 15a-15f; Paragraph 0152-0157).
Regarding Claim 26, Gundel discloses that the first edge portion and the second edge portion (i.e. pinched regions 3518/3618/3718/3818/3918/4018) are located at an outer side of an outermost cable group of the cable groups (Fig. 1, 5d, 5e, 15a-15f; Paragraph 0152-0157). Gundel shows that the edges of the shielded cable are terminated by pinched regions in which the shielding films are bonded to each other.
Regarding Claim 27, Gundel discloses that the first covering film is bonded to each of the cable groups by a hot melt adhesive disposed on a surface of the first covering film facing the cable groups (Paragraph 0079).
Regarding Claim 28, Gundel discloses that the second covering film is bonded to each of the cable groups by the hot melt adhesive disposed on a surface of the second covering film facing the cable groups (Paragraph 0079).
Regarding Claim 29, Gundel discloses that the first covering film and the second covering film are an insulating polyester tape (i.e. non-conductive polymeric layer made of polyester) (Paragraph 0066-0067).
Regarding Claim 30, Gundel discloses that the first covering film and the second covering film are made of a metal shielding tape (i.e. shielding film w/ conductive layer) (Paragraph 0066-0067).
Regarding Claim 31, Gundel discloses that each of the cable groups (i.e. conductor sets 4/1404) has an insulation cable (i.e. insulated conductors 6/1406) with a core wire (i.e. conductor 6a) and an insulation layer (i.e. insulator 6b) wrapped around the core wire (Fig. 1; Paragraphs 0036).
Regarding Claim 32, Gundel discloses that each of the groups has a ground wire (i.e. ground conductors 12/1412) (Fig. 4c; Paragraphs 0043, 0085, 0087, 0089).
Regarding Claim 33, Gundel discloses that the insulation cable and ground wire of each cable group are wound together by an insulation film (Fig. 4c, 19; Paragraph 0078-0081, 0090, 0117, 0165, 0173-0174). Gundel states that further layers such as one or more protective layers and/or one or more jacket layers can be included in the arrangement. Furthermore, the insulated conductors of each conductor set can be jointly insulated as shown in Fig. 19. Gundel also mentions that the configuration and placement of the ground conductors is optional and rearrangeable.
Regarding Claim 34, Gundel discloses that each cable group (i.e. conductor sets 4/1404) has a pair of adjacent insulation cables (i.e. insulated conductors 6/1406) (Fig. 1; Paragraphs 0036).
Regarding Claim 35, Gundel discloses that the ground wire (i.e. ground conductors 12/1412) is located on either side of the adjacent insulation cables (Fig. 4c; Paragraphs 0043, 0085, 0087, 0089).
Regarding Claim 36, Gundel discloses that the plurality of cable groups (i.e. conductor sets 4/1404) include six cable groups (Fig. 1, 5d, 5e, 15a-15f Paragraph 0004-0007, 0035-0042, 0046). Gundel does not explicitly limit the number of conductor sets.
Regarding Claim 37, Gundel discloses that the ribbon cable is a high-speed data transmission ribbon cable (i.e. high speed transmission lines) (Paragraph 0105-0106).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant’s amendment has cancelled all previous claims and replaced them with broader claims that don’t contain the conflicting limitations that were rejected in the 35 U.S.C. 112(a) rejection. Therefore, the 35 U.S.C. 112(a) rejection is moot. The Applicant continues to argue that Gundel does not teach the gap arrangement as claimed. However, as stated before, all embodiments of Gundel require a minimum separation d1 between the pinched portions of the shielding films so there is always a gap in those pinched portions between each conductor set and an adjacent conductor set and also between each of their respective ground conductors. Also, since the adhesive is optional, when it is not included the separation between the pinched portions which Gundel requires will be present. Additionally, Gundel states throughout the disclosure that the optional adhesive layers can be selectively removed or placed and may extend fully or partially between the cover portions. The adhesive layers are also described as being able to be discontinuous.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RHADAMES J ALONZO MILLER whose telephone number is (571)270-7829. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10am-6pm PST.
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/RJA/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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