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 Species 1 (claims 13-20) in the reply filed on 1/15/26 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)).
Thus, claims 21-24 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species 2, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse dated 1/15/26.
An OA on the merits of claims 13-20 as follows:
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed (e.g., Crimping tool).
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Also reference 31 represent camera (see ¶ [0057]) and also represent” a sensor” (see ¶ [0061]). Appropriate correction is requested.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(b) because they are incomplete. 37 CFR 1.83(b) reads as follows:
When the invention consists of an improvement on an old machine the drawing must when possible, exhibit, in one or more views, the improved portion itself, disconnected from the old structure, and also in another view, so much only of the old structure as will suffice to show the connection of the invention therewith.
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.
Note that there is no mechanical or electrical interconnection between the structure elements in order to assist the making of the tool as claimed in claims 13-20. The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show how the tool is made or formed at the best in light of the specification (see ¶¶ [0050-0053]) generally discloses the schematic of the tool but not the interconnect between the elements. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). 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 § 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.
Claims 13-20 are 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.
The phases:
“wherein the crimping tool (1) is designed in such a way that a cable end of the cable (4) inserted via a cable inlet opening (101) of the cable feed through (100) is fed from the cable transport device (20) in the direction (R) to the trimming and stripping device (21), the crimping device (22), and the printing device (23), and is then led out of the crimping tool (1) via a cable outlet opening (102) of the cable feed through (100) opposite the cable inlet opening (101)” (claim 13, lines 9-15) is awkwardly worded appears above directed to the operation of the cable associated with the tool which should be update to further define the tool (as claimed) rather than the function of the tool.
Claims 14-19 are also rejected under 112 for same rationale as that in claim 13 above.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 13-19 as best understood is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hornung et al (US 5025549) in view of Klobcic (US20060101635).
Hornung et al discloses the claimed crimping tool comprising:
a cable transport device 13/16 (see Figs. 3-4, and discussed in abstract);
a trimming and stripping device 22/24 (see Figs. 3-4);
a crimping device as shown in Fig. 3 as terminated machine 28; and
PNG
media_image1.png
754
632
media_image1.png
Greyscale
arranged successively in a direction as (downstream from L to Right) on a cable feed through as center hole of 18 of the crimping tool 28 with an axis (as center line of 28).
The Hornung is in silent regarding to “a printing device”. However, the Klobcic teaches such above feature in form of printer 5’ (see Fig. 1, and discussion in claim 1, about lines 8-12, respectively).
PNG
media_image2.png
327
582
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art the time of the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the of Klobcic’s teaching of a printing unit as described above onto the crimping machine of Hornung in order to form the crimping tool having the above printing unit for various known benefits include the characterizes and/or identification and distribution of unambiguous labels facilitate operation would result. The motivation for the combination can be found (see last three lines of ¶¶ [0003 and 0006], respectively.
As applied to claim 14, refer to Figs. 3-4 of the Hornung et al for the teaching of wherein the cable transport device 13 is provided by a friction wheel drive14/16 arranged adjacent to the cable inlet opening (as readable as entrance point between 14 and 16 rollers ) at the cable feed through with at least two wheels or rollers 14, 16 lying opposite each other at the cable feed through, wherein the friction wheel drive is set up such that the cable 11. Further, regarding to the phrase: “can be transported and positioned in the direction (R) and in the direction opposite the direction (R), and wherein the friction wheel drive (20) is set up to detect measured values for determining a length (L) of the cable (4)” is functionally intended use which does not further limit the claimed tool.
As applied to claim 15, refers to Figs. 3-4 of the Hornung et al for the teaching of “wherein the trimming and stripping device 21 has at least two knife blades 22, 22’, which are arranged opposite each other at the cable feed through, wherein the trimming and stripping device (21) is set up in such a way that in a first position (P1) of the at least two knife blades 22-22 as set forth in claim above.
Regarding to recites “the two blades it cuts through or cuts off the cable (4), and in a second position (P2) it cuts into an insulation (41) of the cable (4), while the electrical conductor (40) of the cable (4) is not cut by the at least two knife blades (210), wherein the first position (P1) is suitable for trimming the cable (4) to length and the second position (P2) is suitable for stripping the cable (4) and exposing the electrical conductor (40), and wherein in the second position (P2) for stripping the cable (4), the trimming and stripping device (21) cooperates with the friction wheel drive (20)” directed to the operation of the blades in conjunction with the cable which does not further limit the structure of the tool. Since no structure inventive features existed therefrom.
As applied to claim 16, refer to Figs. 3-4 of the Hornung et al for the teaching of “wherein the crimping device 28 has at least two press elements which are arranged opposite one another on the cable feed through (see discussion in col. 7, lines 1-12 for above terminal applicator includes crimping die and anvil which readable as the broadly claimed “press elements” as claimed.
Regarding to recites “wherein the at least two press elements are driven by a piezo actuator in order to provide a crimping pressure, and wherein, by means of the piezo actuator, a crimping pressure or a crimping force of a crimping of a press element is also detected” is not understood since no connection between the tool elements and the above intended use feature of a “piezo actuator” and its associated operation setup as mentioned above.
As applied to claim 17 entirely is also met by the Klobcic (refer to discussion in end section of ¶¶ [0003 and 0006]). Furthermore, claim 17 directed to how the printing device is setup and the tool is networked in terms of signals and data which is/are not inventive structure features and should be deleted.
As applied to claim 18, refers to Klobcic (see Fig. 1, which depict the crimping tool includes sensors 5-5’ for assisting the operation process.
Further, regarding to” wherein for determining a cable length (L) and for positioning a cable end of the cable (4) in the trimming and stripping device (21) at the cable feed through (100), a measuring device (320) is provided adjacent to the friction wheel drive (20) and the trimming and stripping device” is clearly directed to the operation of the tool which does not further limit the claimed tool and should be deleted, since no structure inventive feature existed thereto.
As applied to claim 19 refer to refers to Klobcic (see Fig. 1, which depict the crimping tool has a camera 5, 17’ for assisting the operation process.
Further regarding to” wherein the crimping tool (1) interacts with a cell phone (6) which provides the production order parameters for reading with the camera (31) on its display, wherein the production order parameters comprise a length (L) and a diameter and a stripping length and a type of cable (4) and a contact type of the contact sleeve (5)” is clearly directed to the operation and no structure inventive features existed and should be deleted.
Claim(s) 20 as best understood is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hornung et al (US 5025549) in view of Klobcic (US20060101635) and further in view of Spina et al (FR 2602617).
The Hornung et al / Klobcic as modified and applied above does not teach the accommodated housing with a handle and that as set forth in claim 20. Regarding to this, the Spina et al discloses the housing includes a handle at one end of which an elongate head adjoins, and at another end of which a foot region (adjoins, wherein the head accommodates the cable feed through, the friction wheel drive 5, the trimming and stripping device 3/13, the crimping device 16, and (noted that the printing device as modified by Klobcic see reference 5 as discussed in base claim 13 above) and
PNG
media_image3.png
229
374
media_image3.png
Greyscale
wherein the handle (upper handle portion) accommodates a waste container 8 (barrel) for collecting cable offcuts and insulation cuttings from the trimming and stripping device 13 (see Fig. 1 and the discussion in light of the specification under the heading description of page 3 ¶¶¶ [0004-0007] and a magazine (as broadly as readable as 14) for feeding contact sleeves to the crimping device 13 and a control unit P of the crimping tool, and wherein the foot region accommodates a battery E for supplying power to the crimping tool (see Fig. 1 above). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having an ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to employ the Spina et al teaching above onto the modified invention of Hornung et al /Klobcic in order to form a tool which is portable and simple structure by utilizing the known and available concept.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINH N TRINH whose telephone number is (571)272-4569. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH ~5:00-3:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas J Hong can be reached at 571-272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MINH N TRINH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
mt