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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “comprise”, “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In Line 16, it should be –the main body--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-6 and 17 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the holder sleeve" in Line 24. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17, Line 1, recites the limitation “wherein and the retaining portion”. The limitation seems to be incomplete.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 7-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chastain et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0033551). Regarding Claim 7, Chastain discloses a cable connector comprising: a first portion (76) having a rearward end (89) and a forward end (78) opposite the rearward end; a second portion (24) configured to be coupled with the forward end of the first portion; an outer conductor engager portion (60) configured to be supported within the first portion and having a rearward end portion (Fig. 3); a retaining portion (40) configured to be received in a groove (70) in an outer surface (outer front surface of 62) of the outer conductor engager portion; wherein the rearward end of the first portion is configured to receive a cable (not shown); wherein the retaining portion includes a main body (41) and an engagement portion (54) that is configured to protrude radially outward from the main body of the retaining portion; and wherein the main body of the retaining portion is configured to engage the outer surface of the outer conductor engager portion and the engagement portion is configured to engage an inner surface of the first portion, thereby retaining the outer conductor engager portion in the first portion to prevent the outer conductor engager portion from separating from the first portion before first portion is coupled with the second portion and electrically connecting the outer conductor engager portion to the first portion to provide an electrical path from the cable to the first portion even before the first portion is fully tightened to the second portion.
Regarding Claim 8, Chastain discloses the electrical path being provided when the first portion is fully tightened to the second portion and during operation of the connector, wherein the connector comprises a coaxial cable connector (Abstract), and wherein the electrical path is provided when the first portion is loosely tightened to the second portion and during operation of the connector.
Regarding Claim 9, Chastain discloses the electrical path being provided when the first portion is partially tightened to the second portion and during operation of the connector (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 10, Chastain discloses the electrical path being provided when the first portion is separated from the second portion and during operation of the connector (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 11, Chastain discloses the first portion comprising a back nut housing (76), the second portion comprises a front nut assembly (24), the retaining portion comprises a retaining ring (100), and the engagement portion comprises a plurality of tabs (112), and wherein the connector comprises a coaxial cable connector (Abstract).
Regarding Claim 12, Chastain discloses the engagement portion being configured to be biased outwardly against the first portion such that the retaining portion is biased against the groove in the outer surface of the outer conductor engager portion (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 13, Chastain discloses a compression assembly (20) that is configured to radially compress an outer conductor of the cable against the outer conductor engager portion.
Regarding Claim 14, Chastain discloses the compression assembly including a tubular gripping ferrule (60) that radially surrounds at least a portion of the outer conductor engager portion and a tubular holder sleeve (76) that radially surrounds at least a portion of the gripping ferrule, and the gripping ferrule is configured to be driven in an axial direction into engagement with the holder sleeve when the first portion is threadedly coupled with the second portion so as to cause the gripping ferrule to radially compress around the outer conductor engager portion.
Regarding Claim 15, Chastain discloses the first portion including an inner surface having an annular groove (82) that is configured to receive the engagement portion of the retaining portion and to limit axial movement of the outer conductor engager portion relative to the first portion, and wherein the inner surface of the first portion comprises an annular lip that is configured to engage the engagement portion.
Regarding Claim 16, Chastain discloses a connector comprising: a first coupler portion (76) configured to receive a cable (not shown); a second coupler portion (24) configured to be coupled with the first coupler portion; an outer conductor engager portion (60) configured to be supported in at least a portion of the first coupler portion; a retaining portion (40) configured to be received by the outer conductor engager portion during assembly of the connector; and wherein the retaining portion is configured to engage the outer conductor engager portion so as to retain the outer conductor engager portion in at least a portion of the first coupler portion and restrict the outer conductor engager portion from separating from the first coupler portion before the second coupler portion is coupled to the first coupler portion and electrically connect the outer conductor engager portion to the first coupler portion so as to provide an electrical path from the cable to the first coupler portion during operation of the connector.
Regarding Claim 17, Chastain discloses the retaining portion being configured to engage the first coupler portion (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 18, Chastain discloses the first coupler portion comprising a back nut housing portion (76), the second coupler portion comprises a front nut assembly (24), the outer conductor engage portion comprises a tubular mandrel, and the retaining portion comprises a retaining ring.
Regarding Claim 19, Chastain discloses the electrical path being provided when the first coupler portion is fully tightened to the second coupler portion and during operation of the connector, and wherein the connector comprises a coaxial cable connector (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 20, Chastain discloses the electrical path being provided when the first coupler portion is loosely tightened to the second coupler portion and during operation of the connector, when the first coupler portion is partially tightened to the second coupler portion and during operation of the connector, and when the first portion is separated from the second portion and during operation of the connector (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 21, Chastain discloses the outer conductor engager portion being configured to be supported within the first coupler portion (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 22, Chastain discloses a compression assembly (20) that is configured to radially compress an outer conductor of the cable against the outer conductor engager portion.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art discloses connectors, similar to Applicant’s claimed invention, having coupler portions, retaining portions and engagement portions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN A LEON whose telephone number is (571)272-2008. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
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, Renee S Luebke can be reached on 5712722009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWIN A. LEON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833