202DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Amendment filed on 04 March 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are now pending in the application.
Amendments to the Specification and claims 1-6 to overcome the informalities are acceptable. Therefore, the specification and claim objections have been withdrawn.
Amendments to the claims 1-6 to overcome the rejections under U.S.C 112(b) have been fully considered and the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) of claims 1-5 has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Page 11, filed 04 March 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 3-6 under 35 U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Annequin (US 20190173243).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 4, 8, 10, 12-13 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
New claims are reciting limitations which are directed to a “more specific embodiment than that which was originally presented”. Though, the specification does not describe “a pre-overlapped sleeve length” as recited in claims 7 and 18, and “no gap” in claims 9 and 20, from specification para. [0017] (see PG PUB) “FIG. 1 in that the sleeve 7 is compressed inward so that where the sleeve 7 that encloses a part of the contact holder 6 and a part of the cable 2, the position of the contacts 5 within the contact holder 6 is fixed with respect to the cable 2” one of ordinary skill in the art would have known that there is “a pre-overlapped sleeve length” and there is “no gap” between a front face of the conductive shield sleeve and the holder after crimping.
However, claim 4 recites the limitation “a braid-compression tool”. PG PUB para. [0024] describes, “the compression tool for pressing the sleeve 7”, which deemed to read as a compression tool for a sleeve, not a braid-compression tool and reacted. Therefore, there is no written description of a braid-compression tool in the original disclosure.
Further, the recited limitations in the claims: claim 8, a single-anvil crimp profile; claim 10, a zero-twist baseline; claim 12, twisting occurs between a fixation point; claim 13, sleeve is pre-keyed rotationally; claim 19, a single-anvil crimp profile, are not disclosed in the specification or the drawings does not have supports for these limitations. Furthermore, Applicant has not pointed out where the new claims are supported, nor does there appear to be a written description of the claim limitation ‘described above’ in the application as filed.", the support for the limitation is not apparent, and applicant has not pointed out where the limitation is supported.
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 4 and 11 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 limitation “a strain relief crimp land” and “a braid-compression tool” renders claim indefinite because it is confusing with the disclosed specification. What does “a strain relief crimp land” mean. See, PG PUB para. [0009] describes, “mounting and fixing the strain relief (compression of the sleeve on the cable sheath)”. Therefore, it is unclear what does “a strain relief crimp land” mean. Further, see PG PUB para. [0024], “the compression tool for pressing the sleeve 7”, which deemed to read as a compression tool for a sleeve, not a braid-compression tool and reacted.
Claim 11 depends on claim 4. Therefore, claims 4 and 11 are rejected.
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) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maier (WO 2020216835) in view of Annequin (US 20190173243).
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Annotated Fig. 11, Maier.
Regarding claim 1, Maier teaches, a method of making an assembly comprising a multiconductor cable (cable 1, Figs. 1 to 5 and 11) having an outer jacket (cable sheath 5, Fig. 1) and a plurality of electrical conductors (inner conductors 2, Figs. 1 and 2), a contact holder (contact part carrier 11, Figs. 4, 5 and 11) at one end of the cable, and a sleeve (shielding sleeve 17, see annotated Fig. 11) that partially surrounds the contact holder (the shield sleeve was already pushed onto the electrical cable or its cable sheath from the front beforehand and, after the contact carrier has been mounted, can be pushed over the contact carrier from behind, para. [0143]), the method comprising:
(a) axially pre-positioning the sleeve such that, prior to rotation, the sleeve overlaps both a rear portion of the contact holder and a forward portion of the outer jacket (the contact element carrier is only indirectly attached to the corresponding cable end, for example by...a shield sleeve is mounted on the contact carrier, for example slid on in a predetermined orientation and then the shield sleeve is pressed, preferably crimped, with the corresponding cable end, para. [0141]);
(b) with the cable held against rotation, rotating the contact holder relative to the electrical conductors to correct an angular orientation of a plug connector defined by the contact holder (shield sleeve 17 is already pushed onto the cable jacket 5 as part of a pre-assembly and can be pushed onto the contact carrier 1 1 from behind in the appropriate orientation after the contact carrier 1 1 has been rotated, para. [0216]), wherein the rotation twists the electrical conductors and draws a shield braid of the cable axially under the sleeve (cable shield braid 6, first remove the cable sheath from a cable in order to expose an outer conductor or shielding, for example a braided cable shield, para. [0078, 0217]), thereby producing a measurable axial length reduction (ΔL) between the contact holder and the cable end (while twisting the cable ends allows…the axial length of the exposed inner conductors with respect to the central axis is simultaneously shortened by the "twisting" of the inner conductors, para. [0033]); and
(c) without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve after step (b), crimping the sleeve in a pressing operation over the shield braid and the contact holder to fix the angular orientation and establish continuous EMI shielding through the sleeve (slid on in a predetermined orientation and then the shield sleeve is pressed, preferably crimped, with the corresponding cable end, para. [0141]).
Maier does not explicitly teach, pre-overlapping the conductive sleeve; or without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve, crimping the sleeve in a pressing operation. Annequin teaches a method of making a cable assembly comprising a multiconductor cable, in which, pre-overlapping the conductive sleeve; and without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve, crimping the sleeve in a pressing operation (two half-shells 4, 5 are positioned around the conductive body 20 and the crimped central contacts 22, 23 and a portion of the cable beyond the stripped ends of the wires, see Figs. 6D, 6E and 7, two metal half-shells 4, 5 that are intended to be assembled together around the conductive body 20, para. [0075]). From the teachings of Maier para. [0141], “a shield sleeve is mounted on the contact carrier, for example slid on in a predetermined orientation and then the shield sleeve is pressed, preferably crimped, with the corresponding cable end”, one of ordinary skill in the art would have known that a pre-positioned shielding sleeve 17 has been crimped over the shield braid and the contact holder without axially translating the sleeve. Annequin teaches pre-overlapping the conductive sleeve; and without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve, crimping the sleeve in a pressing operation.
Therefore, in view of the teachings of Annequin, 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 making an assembly comprising a multiconductor cable of Maier and to crimp the sleeve without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve so that it enables directly attaching a contact holder to a multiconductor cable with a predetermined orientation. Further, the recited limitation “without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve” does not contribute over the prior arts because Maier teaches attaching a contact carrier by pressing directly onto the corresponding cable end. Moreover, there is no indication in the instant invention that any surprising results were derived, or that any special steps were devised in crimping without axially translating the sleeve. 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.
Note: "[E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process." See MPEP § 2113.
Regarding claim 2, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Maier further teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out without materially affecting process parameters and parts design, so that a rotation by +/- 100 is permissible based on predefined assembly tolerances (orientation of the inner conductors emerging from the respective cable ends can be rotated by 0 to 360 degrees…the reduction in length is only compensated to the extent that this is necessary within the tolerance specifications for the assembly of a respective cable type and/or a respective connector type during cable assembly…., provided that the tolerance specifications are still met, para. [0030-0036]).
Regarding claim 3, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Maier further teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out with adjusted process parameters and without changing parts design, and wherein the expected ΔL from step (b) is predetermined and compensated by increasing a conductor stripping length during removal of the outer jacket at the cable end prior to step (a) (an electrical cable is to be fitted with an electrical connector at both cable ends, specifications for a target rotation between the respective connectors or an alignment of the connectors to each other must usually be taken into account during cable assembly, para. [0008], device can be designed to take into account, in a processing step preceding the twisting or adjustment of the actual twisting VIST to the target twisting, a reduction in length AL caused by the subsequent twisting of the inner conductors 2, para. [0045, 0059, 0258]).
Regarding claim 4, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Maier further teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out with adjusted process parameters and modified parts design, including: extending a strain relief crimp land of the sleeve by an amount corresponding to a defined maximum rotation of ±1800; and repositioning a braid-compression tool toward a plug interface by the compensated ΔL, so that crimp locations remain fully seated over the strain relief (orientation of the inner conductors emerging from the respective cable ends can be rotated by 0 to 360 degrees, para. [0030], the control unit is provided to increase a predetermined stripping length, along which the inner conductors are to be exposed starting from their inner conductor ends, at at least one of the cable ends, taking into account the calculated length reduction, in order to at least partially compensate for the length reduction, para. [0034], the recited limitation of maximum length reduction is obvious from rotating respective cable ends between 0 and 360 degrees).
Regarding claim 5, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Maier further teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve is a conductive shield sleeve crimped over a folded-back shield braid of the cable and electrically coupled to the contact holder and/or a mating connector to provide continuous shielding across a mated interface (cable 1 has a cable sheath 5 and a cable shield braid 6 running under the cable sheath. A shielding foil can optionally run above the cable shield braid 6. Below the cable shield braid 6, the inner conductors 2 run within a filler layer 7, para. [0204]).
Regarding claim 6, Maier teaches, a method of making an assembly comprising a multiconductor cable (cable 1, Figs. 1 to 5 and 11) having an outer jacket (cable sheath 5) and conductor ends (cable ends 3, 4, Fig. 1) projecting therefrom, respective contacts on the conductor ends of conductors of the cable, a holder (contact part carrier 11, Figs. 4, 5 and 11) receiving the contacts, and a conductive shield sleeve at least partially surrounding the holder and extending back over the outer jacket (the shield sleeve was already pushed onto the electrical cable or its cable sheath from the front beforehand and, after the contact carrier has been mounted, can be pushed over the contact carrier from behind, para. [0143]), the method comprising the steps of:
(i) pre-overlapping the conductive shield sleeve over the holder and the outer jacket (a shield sleeve is mounted on the contact carrier, for example slid on in a predetermined orientation and then the shield sleeve is pressed, preferably crimped, with the corresponding cable end, para. [0141]);
(ii) rotating the holder relative to the conductors to a target angular orientation and thereby twisting the conductors and shortening a length of the assembly (cable shield braid 6, first remove the cable sheath from a cable in order to expose an outer conductor or shielding, for example a braided cable shield, para. [0078, 0217, while twisting the cable ends allows…the axial length of the exposed inner conductors with respect to the central axis is simultaneously shortened by the "twisting" of the inner conductors, para. [0033]); and
(iii) crimping the conductive shield sleeve without subsequent axial repositioning to lock the angular orientation and complete a continuous shield path from a cable braid to the holder (slid on in a predetermined orientation and then the shield sleeve is pressed, preferably crimped, with the corresponding cable end, para. [0141]).
Maier does not explicitly teach, pre-overlapping the conductive sleeve; or without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve, crimping the sleeve in a pressing operation. Annequin teaches a method of making a cable assembly comprising a multiconductor cable, in which, pre-overlapping the conductive sleeve; and without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve, crimping the sleeve in a pressing operation (two half-shells 4, 5 are positioned around the conductive body 20 and the crimped central contacts 22, 23 and a portion of the cable beyond the stripped ends of the wires, see Figs. 6D, 6E and 7). From the teachings of Maier para. [0141], “a shield sleeve is mounted on the contact carrier, for example slid on in a predetermined orientation and then the shield sleeve is pressed, preferably crimped, with the corresponding cable end”, one of ordinary skill in the art would have known that a pre-positioned shielding sleeve 17 has been crimped over the shield braid and the contact holder without axially translating the sleeve. Annequin teaches pre-overlapping the conductive sleeve; and without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve, crimping the sleeve in a pressing operation.
Therefore, in view of the teachings of Annequin, 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 making an assembly comprising a multiconductor cable of Maier and to crimp the sleeve without axially translating the pre-positioned sleeve so that it enables directly attaching a contact holder to a multiconductor cable with a predetermined orientation.
Regarding claims 7, 10-11 and 18, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claims 1 and 6. Maier further teaches,
7. The method of claim 1, wherein a pre-overlapped sleeve length exceeds a minimum overlap with the contact holder by at least 2 millimeters to accommodate ΔL.
10. The method of claim 3, wherein the conductor stripping length is increased by ΔL+ 0.5 mm relative to a zero-twist baseline.
11. The method of claim 4, wherein a maximum expected length reduction (ΔLmax) corresponds to 1800 rotation and > 2 millimeter strain relief extension.
18. The method of claim 6, wherein a pre-overlapped sleeve length exceeds a minimum overlap with the holder by at least 2 millimeters to accommodate shortening of the length of the assembly.
Though, Maier does not teach the recited design values, from the teachings of Maier in para. [0046-0047 and [0211], one of ordinary skill in the art would have known that selecting a desired overlap of a sleeve with contact holder, a stripping length and an expected length reduction are of design choice, unless otherwise defined.
Regarding claim 8, Maier does not teach, single-anvil crimp. However, Annequin further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein step (c) employs a single-anvil crimp profile that forms both braid compression and holder retention in a single stroke (jaws of a crimping tool for simultaneously crimping the central contacts 21, 22, para. [0012]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Annequin, 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 making an assembly comprising a multiconductor cable of Maier and to include crimping jaws so that it enables directly attaching a contact holder by a single crimp to a multiconductor cable with predetermined orientation.
Regarding claim 9, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Maier further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein no gap remains between a front face of the sleeve and the contact holder after crimping (see the cable after crimping in Fig. 11).
Regarding claim 12, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Maier further teaches, the method of claim 1, further comprising fixing the conductors against pull-out within the contact holder prior to step (b) so that twisting occurs between a fixation point and the outer jacket (cable clamping jaws 15 are shown for fixing the electrical cable 1 to its cable sheath 5 in the area of the first cable end 3 in order to secure the electrical cable 1 against twisting during the twisting of the contact part carrier 1 1, para. [0215]).
Regarding claim 13, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Maier further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is pre-keyed rotationally to the contact holder such that step (b) results in a known final orientation (the target rotation and the actual rotation are recorded before the inner conductor ends are exposed or made accessible in a subsequent process step. Optionally, the target rotation and the actual rotation are recorded before one or more process steps for stripping a cable component, para. [0026]).
Regarding claim 14, Maier does not teach, a single pressing operation. However, Annequin further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises crimping the sleeve in a single pressing operation over the shield braid and the contact holder to fix the angular orientation and establish the continuous EMI shielding through the sleeve (jaws of a crimping tool for simultaneously crimping the central contacts 21, 22, para. [0012]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Annequin, 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 making an assembly comprising a multiconductor cable of Maier and to include crimping jaws so that it enables directly attaching a contact holder to a multiconductor cable with a predetermined orientation.
Regarding claim 15, Maier does not teach, a single pressing operation. However, Annequin further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises crimping the sleeve in the pressing operation over the shield braid and the contact holder to simultaneously fix the angular orientation and establish the continuous EMI shielding through the sleeve (jaws of a crimping tool for simultaneously crimping the central contacts 21, 22, para. [0012]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Annequin, 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 making an assembly comprising a multiconductor cable of Maier and to include crimping jaws so that it enables directly attaching a contact holder to a multiconductor cable with a predetermined orientation.
Regarding claim 16, Maier does not teach, a single pressing operation. However, Annequin further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises crimping the sleeve in a single pressing operation over the shield braid and the contact holder to simultaneously fix the angular orientation and establish the continuous EMI shielding through the sleeve (jaws of a crimping tool for simultaneously crimping the central contacts 21, 22, para. [0012]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Annequin, 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 making an assembly comprising a multiconductor cable of Maier and to include crimping jaws so that it enables directly attaching a contact holder to a multiconductor cable with a predetermined orientation.
Regarding claim 17, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 6. Maier further teaches, the method of claim 6, wherein step (iii) crimping the conductive shield sleeve without subsequent axial repositioning simultaneously locks the angular orientation and completes the continuous shield path from the cable braid to the holder (first secure the shield sleeve to the cable end
in a twist-proof manner, for example by crimping, para. [0152]).
Regarding claim 19, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 6. Maier further teaches, the method of claim 6, wherein step (iii) employs a single-anvil crimp profile that forms both braid compression and holder retention in a single stroke (jaws of a crimping tool for simultaneously crimping the central contacts 21, 22, para. [0012]).
Regarding claim 20, Maier in view of Annequin teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 6. Maier further teaches, the method of claim 6, wherein no gap remains between a front face of the conductive shield sleeve and the holder after crimping (see Fig. 11).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/JOSE K ABRAHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 3729 /THOMAS J HONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3729