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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II, claims 12-20 in the reply filed on 01/12/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the receptacle cover" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ehrenfels (US 5,239,129).
Regarding claim 12, Ehrenfels teaches an enclosure panel (Fig. 1 and 7) for a welding device (this limitation is considered intended use, therefore little or no patentable weight is given) comprising: a surface panel (17 or front surface of 15) comprising one or more apertures (aperture formed by walls 24-26) for one or more system components (27); a cover (30) comprising a hinge (32, 87) having one or more sloping sections (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11) and an indentation (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11) configured to channel liquid away from the one or more apertures for the one or more system components (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11); and a hinge guard (97, 99) configured to channel the liquid away from the one or more apertures for the one or more system components and to protect the hinge from external damage (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11).
Regarding claim 13, Ehrenfels teaches the enclosure panel of claim 12, wherein the hinge guard comprises one or more openings (as shown in Fig. 9 below) configured to evacuate liquid from within the hinge guard over the hinge and away from the one or more apertures for the one or more system components (as shown in Fig. 9 below).
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Regarding claim 14, Ehrenfels teaches the enclosure panel of claim 12, wherein the hinge guard comprises a void (space where coil spring 86 is located) configured to channel the liquid within the hinge guard toward the one or more openings (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11).
Regarding claim 15, Ehrenfels teaches the enclosure panel of claim 12, wherein the one or more system components includes a circuit breaker, an electrical outlet, welding studs, a compressed air outlets, or a data port (electrical outlet 27).
Regarding claim 16, Ehrenfels teaches an enclosure panel (Fig. 1 and 7) for a welding device (this limitation is considered intended use, therefore little or no patentable weight is given) comprising: an exposed surface panel (17 or front surface of 15) comprising one or more component apertures (aperture formed by walls 24-26); a cover (30) comprising a hinge (32, 87) having an inverted sloping section (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11) and an indentation configured to channel liquid away from the welding device and over an external surface of the cover (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11); and a liquid diverter (as shown in Fig. 9 below) arranged on the exposed surface panel (as shown in Fig. 9 below) and above the cover and configured to direct the liquid over a surface of the receptacle cover and away from the one or more component apertures (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11).
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Regarding claim 17, Ehrenfels teaches the enclosure panel of claim 16, wherein the liquid diverter comprises an overhang (as shown in Fig. 9 above) connected to the panel (as shown in Fig. 9 above) and configured to direct liquid over a front surface of the receptacle cover and away from the one or more component apertures (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11).
Regarding claim 18, Ehrenfels teaches the enclosure panel of claim 16, wherein the inverted sloping section includes two or more surfaces with different slope angles (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11).
Regarding claim 19, Ehrenfels teaches the enclosure panel of claim 16, wherein the one or more system components includes a circuit breaker, an electrical outlet, welding studs, a compressed air outlets, or a data port (electrical outlet 27).
Regarding claim 20, Ehrenfels teaches the enclosure panel of claim 16, further comprising a hinge guard (97, 99) to house the liquid diverter and the hinge (as shown in Fig. 9), the hinge guard configured to channel the liquid from the one or more component apertures (as shown in Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 11).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 4,994,631, US 4,973,797 and US 4,265,365.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALBA T ROSARIO-APONTE whose telephone number is (571)272-9325. The examiner can normally be reached M to F; 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Crabb can be reached at 571-270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALBA T ROSARIO-APONTE/Examiner, Art Unit 3761 01/28/2026
/STEVEN W CRABB/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761