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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I and Species III (Figures 11-16 and claims 1-4 and 6-11) in the reply filed on 18 February 2026 is acknowledged.
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on 27 September 2022 and 20 January 2023. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 6-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable over Brown (US 3,320,575 A).
Regarding claim 1, Brown discloses a cable coupling (see Fig. 3) comprising:
a ferrule (38, 42, 44, 46) having a proximal end and a distal end (see annotated Figure 3 below), and defining an interior aperture (see Fig. 3) extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the ferrule (see Fig. 3), the ferrule further having at least one inclined surface along an outer region of the ferrule (see Fig. 1);
a compression die (48) having a proximal end and a distal end (see annotated Figure 3 below), and defining an interior aperture extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the compression die (see Fig. 3), the compression die further having a threaded region accessible along an outer surface of the compression die (see Figs. 1 and 3);
an adapter die (36-37) having a proximal end and a distal end (see annotated Figure 3 below), and defining an interior receiving region (hole portion of 36-37 accepting 54) accessible from the distal end of the adapter die (see Fig. 3), the adapter die further having an enlarged head (A in annotated Figure 1 below);
a threaded nut cap (10, 12, 18) defining a proximal end and a distal end (see annotated Figure 3 below), and defining an interior aperture (see Fig. 3) extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the nut cap (see Fig. 3), the nut cap further having a threaded region (26 in Fig. 3) accessible along the interior aperture of the nut cap (see Fig. 3), the nut cap further having a capture region sized and shaped to engage and contact the enlarged head of the adapter die upon assembly of the cable coupling (see Fig. 3).
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Figure 1. Annotated Figure 3.
Regarding claim 2, Brown discloses wherein the ferrule (38, 42, 44, 46) includes a first inclined surface (B in annotated Figure 1 below on portion 38 of the ferrule) adjacent the proximal end of the ferrule (see annotated Figure 3 above), and the adapter die (36-37) defines a tapered interior region (area located within 37) of the receiving region of the adapter die (see Fig. 3), the tapered interior region exhibiting a mating configuration corresponding to the first inclined surface of the ferrule (see Fig. 3).
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Figure 2. Annotated Figure 1.
Regarding claim 3, Brown discloses wherein the ferrule (38, 42, 44, 46) includes a second inclined surface (46) adjacent the distal end of the ferrule (see Fig. 1 and annotated Figure 3 above), and the compression die (48) defines a tapered interior region of the interior aperture of the compression die (see Fig. 3), the tapered interior region exhibiting a mating configuration corresponding to the second inclined surface of the ferrule (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Brown discloses wherein the ferrule (38, 42, 44, 46) further defines a slit (see Fig. 1) extending between the proximal end and the distal end (see annotated Figure 3 above) of the ferrule (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Brown discloses wherein the compression die (48) and the threaded nut cap (10, 12, 18) each includes a wrench flats region (C in annotated Figure 1 below).
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Figure 3. Annotated Figure 1.
Regarding claim 7, Brown discloses wherein the ferrule (38, 42, 44, 46) exhibits a cross sectional shape selected from the group consisting of circular (see Fig. 1), square, triangular, oval, and polygonal.
Regarding claim 8, Brown discloses wherein the ferrule (38, 42, 44, 46) includes at least one outwardly extending finger (D in annotated Figure 1 below and E in annotated Figure 3 below).
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Figure 4. Annotated Figure 1.
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Figure 5. Annotated Figure 3.
Regarding claim 9, Brown discloses wherein the ferrule (38, 42, 44, 46) includes a pair of fingers (D in annotated Figure 1 above and E in annotated Figure 3 above) at the proximal end and the distal end of the ferrule (see annotated Figure 1 above and see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 10, Brown discloses wherein the at least one finger (D in annotated Figure 1 above and E in annotated Figure 3 above) engages mating features (interior surfaces of the compression die and adapter die) in the interior region of the compression die (48) and the interior region of the adapter die (36-37), which upon engagement preclude loosening of the threaded nut cap (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, Brown discloses wherein the adapter die (36-37) includes at least one axial extension (F in annotated Figure 1 below), and the compression die (48) includes at least one axial receiving region (see Fig. 3), wherein the at least one axial extension and the at least one axial receiving region are directly coupled together (see Fig. 3).
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Figure 6. Annotated Figure 3.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY A HALL whose telephone number is (571)272-5907. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 8:00am to 4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber Anderson can be reached on 571-270-5281. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZAH/Examiner, Art Unit 3678
/AMBER R ANDERSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3678
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