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 of Invention I, claims 1-10 in the reply filed on 26 December 2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 11-15 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 17 March 2023 and 04 February 2026 were filed prior to the mailing date of this office correspondence. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Part numbers 4, 5, 6, 7 has been used in Specification (see PG PUB) for “four conductive wires 4, 5, 6, 7”, “wire inserts 4 to 7”, “tube-wire insert 4 to 7”, “wire 4”, “wire 5” “wire 6”,
Part number 2 has been used in “tube portion 2”, “plastic tube portion 2”,
Appropriate correction with consistency in the part number or part name is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-3 and 7-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claims 1-3 and 7-10, the “;” inside the parenthesis should be “,”.
For example, claim 1, line 1: “an assembly (1; 25; 30)” should read:
-- an assembly (1, 25, 30) --
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Joachim (WO2010009926) in view of Tee (US 20160126163).
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Annotated Figs. 1 and 2, Joachim.
Regarding claim 1, Joachim teaches, a method for manufacturing an assembly (1; 25; 30) (connecting device 11, Fig. 1) consisting of a plastic tube portion (2) (electrically heatable hose 14, Fig. 1, elastomeric outer layer 7, see Anton (DE 10201920), one of the references incorporated by Joachim, para. [0005], elastomeric outer layer is plastic tube) having at least one tube-wire insert (4 to 7) (heating conductors 16, 17, see Fig. 1) and a terminal connector (3; 26) (connector 12), comprising the following steps:
- prefabricating an electrical conducting component group (21) (see Fig. 3, contact plates that electrically connect the heating conductor ends with plug pins, para. [0025]), conducting components (9 to 12) of which, in an assembled state, provide an electrical connection with the at least one tube-wire insert (4 to 7) (on each of the outwardly angled feet 23 and 24 of the contact plate 21 and 22, a heating conductor end is permanently soldered. The upper ends of the contact plates 21, 22 are each bent outwards at a right angle and each carries an electrical contact 26 on the respective horizontal surface 25 formed, para. [0034]),
- electrically contacting the conducting component configuration (8; 23; 27) with the at least one tube-wire insert (4 to 7) (two parallel plug contacts 27 are shielded by a cover 31 connected to the housing 19. The electrical connection point between heating conductor ends 16,17 and the electrical plug contacts 27 is now protected inside the housing 19 of the connector 12…the ends of the two plug contacts 27 protrude through two openings 32…which is designed to accommodate an external electrical connection 34, para. [0035]),
- connecting the terminal connector (3; 26) to the plastic tube portion (2) (one electrical heating conductor are inserted into the housing of the connector and electrically contacted, para. [0016], the end of hose 14 was pushed onto the connector 13 of plug connector 12, para. [0033]).
Joachim does not teach separating a conducting component configuration (8; 23; 27) from the conducting component group. However, Tee teaches, a method of manufacturing an assembly 100 in Fig. 3, including prefabricating an electrical conducting component group (see Fig. 3), conducting components of which, in an assembled state, provide an electrical connection (lead frame strip 100…a semiconductor die 120 has been attached to the die paddles 106 in each of the unit lead frames 102…the semiconductor dies 120 are electrically connected to the leads 108… leads 108 may form the power supply leads 108 in the packaged device…a liquefied molding compound 122 on each of the unit lead frames 102 such that the liquefied molding compound 122 encapsulates the semiconductor dies 120, Fig. 3, para. [0028-0029]), in which,
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Annotated Fig. 3, Tee.
separating a conducting component configuration from the conducting component group (lead frame strip 100 includes a plurality of unit lead frames 102…plurality of lead frame strips 100 may be formed from a single sheet, and the individual strips 100 may be singulated (i.e., separated) from this sheet, see Fig. 3, para. [0021-0023]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tee, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of manufacturing the assembly of Joachim in Fig. 1 and to include a step of separating the conducting component configuration from the conducting component group so that it enables fabricating a plurality of identical conducting component configurations on a lead frame during the assembly and to overmold each component configuration including power supply leads as Tee disclosed in para. [0023-0026]. Moreover, there is no indication in the instant invention that any surprising results were derived, or that any special steps were devised in order to separate conducting component configuration from the conducting component group. Such a combination would have been done by one of ordinary skill in the art without any need for experimentation and with reasonable expectations of success.
Regarding claim 2, Joachim in view of Tee teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Joachim further teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein the conducting components (9 to 12) of the prefabricated electrical conducting component group (21), in the assembled state, provide an electrical connection between the at least one tube-wire insert (4 to 7) and associated electrical terminals of the terminal connector (for the purpose of attaching the components to electrical plugs, the individual heating conductors 16 and 17 at the end of the hose 14 were exposed over a certain length, para. [0032]), wherein during electrical contacting of the conducting component configuration (8; 23; 27) contacting takes place with the at least one tube-wire insert (4 to 7) and with the associated terminal of the terminal connector (3; 26) (exposed ends of the heating conductor are fitted with electrical plug contacts and/or an electrical connection (plug) and then connected to a voltage source, para. [0007]).
Regarding claim 3, Joachim does not teach the recited limitations. However, Tee further teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein the prefabrication of the conducting component group and the separation of the conducting component configuration (8; 23; 27) is performed by
- producing a lead frame (20) (lead frame strip 100, unit lead frames 102, Fig. 3, para. [0021]) comprising the conducting component configuration (8; 23; 27) (plurality of leads 108, tie bar 112, see Fig. 1) and a frame carrier component (22) (lead frame 102, Fig. 5), and
- by punching out the conducting component configuration (8; 23; 27) from the lead frame (20) (outer surface 118 of the electrically conductive material may be punched in each unit lead frame 102, para. [0048]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tee, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of manufacturing the assembly of Joachim and to include punching out the unit lead frames so that it enables fabricating a plurality of identical conducting component configurations on a lead frame during the assembly.
Regarding claim 5, Joachim in view of Tee teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Joachim further teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tube-wire insert (4 to 7) is stripped before the electrical contacting (individual heating conductors 16 and 17 at the end of the hose 14 were exposed over a certain length, para. [0032]).
Regarding claim 6, Joachim in view of Tee teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Joachim further teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein, prior to the electrical contacting, a surface coating, at least in portions, of the at least one tube-wire insert (4 to 7) is carried out (electric heating conductor typically has a metallic core and an electrically insulating sheath, para. [0002], see Anton (DE 10201920), one of the references incorporated by Joachim).
Regarding claim 7, Joachim does not teach the recited limitations. However, Tee further teaches, the method according to claim 1, comprising equipping at least one of the conducting component configuration (8; 23; 27) and the terminal connector (3; 26) with an electronic component (17; 28) (semiconducting dies 120, Fig. 3). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tee, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of manufacturing the assembly of Joachim and to include an electronic component 120 so that it enables controlling the current flowing through the conducting tube-wire.
Regarding claim 8, Joachim in view of Tee teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Joachim further teaches, the method according to claim 1, comprising an additional mechanical connection of the plastic tube portion (2) to the terminal connector (3; 26) (the contact plates 21', 22' downwardly extending extensions 36 are present, which are fixedly arranged in the base body of the connector 12, for example by injection molding, para. [0036]).
Regarding claim 9, Joachim in view of Tee teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Joachim further teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein the terminal connector (3; 26) is manufactured as an injection molded part (housing of the connector is made of plastic and manufactured by injection molding, para. [0018]).
Regarding claim 10, Joachim in view of Tee teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Joachim further teaches, the method according to claim 9, wherein injection molding of the terminal connector (3; 26) takes place after electrical contacting of the conducting component configuration (8; 23; 27) with the tube-wire insert (4 to 7) (the feet 23' and 24' of the contact plates 21', 22' downwardly extending extensions 36 are present, which are fixedly arranged in the base body of the connector 12, for example by injection molding, para. [0036], in which it is obvious that the injection molding is done after the electrical contacting components 16 and 17 are connected to the connector 12).
Claim(s) 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Joachim in view of Tee as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Payton (US 20080190427).
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Annotated Fig. 1, Payton.
Regarding claim 4, modified Joachim does not teach, the plastic tube portion is manufactured by extrusion. However, Payton teaches an assembly in Fig. 1, including a plastic tube portion 3, having at least one tube-wire insert (see the heater wire 11 in Fig. 3), electrical conducting components 11, in which, the method according to claim 1, wherein the plastic tube portion (2) having the tube-wire insert (4 to 7) is manufactured by extrusion (transportation pathway or inspiratory conduit 3, para. [0069], transportation pathway means is an extruded plastic tube, and said pathway heater is at least two conductive wires embedded within, throughout or about the wall of said tube, para. [0039]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Payton, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of manufacturing the assembly of Joachim and to replace the hose 14 in Fig. 1 with an extruded plastic tube as Payton taught in Fig. 1 so that it enables fabricating embedding the conducting components inside the plastic tube while manufacturing the assembly.
Conclusion
Prior art Munkelt (US 20200338295) teaches, a method for manufacturing an assembly consisting of a plastic tube portion having at least one tube-wire insert and a terminal connector; prefabricating an electrical conducting component group; separating the conducting component configuration and electrically connecting the component configuration.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE K. ABRAHAM whose telephone number is (571)270-1087. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30 EST.
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/JOSE K ABRAHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 3729