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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-5, 7-11 and 13 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1-5, 7-11 and 13 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 term “substantially conical” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially conical” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. As stated, it is unclear to what extent the cross-.
As claims 2-5, 7-11 and 13 are dependent upon claim 1, they inherit the above deficiencies.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "plate-shaped first housing part" in lines 2-3 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if the Applicant is referring to a different first housing part from the first housing part described in claim 1, or adding claim limitations to the structure of said first housing part – although it appears that Applicant intended to recite “the first housing part is designed to be flat or plate-shaped” as recited in claim 3. For the purposes of examination, Examiner will interpret “plate-shaped first housing part” to mean “a portion of the first housing part that is flat”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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 1-5, 7-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Finzer
(US 20140335717 A1).
In regard to claims 1-5, 7-11 and 13, Finzer discloses:
[claim 1] a sensor unit [connector 1] comprising an electronics unit [signaling circuit, abstract], a first housing part [portion A of the locking device 30, shown in Images 1-2 on page 8 below] and a second housing part [housing 10] connected thereto [shown at least in Fig. 1],
wherein the first and second housing parts form an interior between them [opening 11, apertures 12, gap 13; shown in Fig. 2] and, directed away therefrom, each of them has a housing part outer side [shown in Fig. 1],
wherein the electronics unit is connected to the first housing part and projects into the interior {connector pads 36, shown in Image 1, connected by electrical lines 37 to electronical components/LEDs 35 (para. [0026] describes the variety of components that might make up electrical components 35)},
wherein a contact area [central body 33] passing through the first housing part is provided [Fig. 4/Image 2 shows central body 33 passing thru the top and bottom portions of the front plate 31 which is part of the first housing part],
wherein the electronics unit has at least one circuit board {para. [0027] describes a printed circuit board for carrying at least the signaling circuit} with at least two circuit board portions connected to one another in an electrically conductive manner [Image 1 shows connector pads 36 connected to a plurality of electrical components 35 via electrical lines 37],
wherein a first circuit board portion is arranged between the contact area and a second circuit board portion in an electrically conductive manner [connector pads 36 (first circuit board portion) located on the central body 33 (contact area) and between the proximal end of the contact portion (by the front plate 31) and the second circuit board portion (electrical components 35) shown in Image 1] ,
a support structure [land 34] which is fastened to the first housing part [shown in Images 1-2] and makes contact with the electronics unit [shown in Images 1-2],
wherein the support structure has guide webs [ridges that form recess 38 and cutouts (outlined features 2 in Image 1)] which are guided in a guide of the second housing part, wherein the guide is formed as a groove [gap 13; land 34 shown guided into gap 13 in Figs. 2-4],
wherein the width of the guide web increases continuously in the direction of a main plane of the first housing part [plane coinciding with the front plate 31; Image 2/Figs. 3-4 show features 2 increasing in a vertical direction towards the plane, Image 1/Fig. 6 shows the features 2 increasing in a transverse direction towards the plane] and the guide narrows continuously in terms of its width facing away from the main plane [Image 2/Figs. 3-4 show features 2 decreasing in a vertical direction away from the plane, Image 1/Fig. 6 shows the features 2 decreasing in a transverse direction away from the plane] so that a non-positive, frictional clamping connection is formed between the second housing part and the support structure {para. [0024] describes that the retention members 14 are blocked in engagement by the land 34, shown in Fig. 3, forming a non-positive, frictional clamping connection ("…the retention members 14 can be considered as a primary locking of the terminals 50, that are blocked by a secondary locking, namely by the locking device 30", para. [0024]}}, and
wherein the guide web and the guide have a substantially conical profile in cross section {portion B, including features 2 of Image 1, shown as having a proximal end (end by line 1) narrower than a distal end (end away from line 1) in both the vertical and transverse directions, as shown in Images 1-2; gap 13 is shaped to allow the land 34 to fit between the retention members 14 and the wall of the opening 11 (shown in Fig. 3/Image 2, described in para. [0024] that the gap 13 narrowing in the vertical direction from side 2 to side 4 of Fig. 1; housing 10 is decreasing in the transverse direction as the horizontal direction extends from side 2 to side 4, meaning gap 13 is also narrowing in the transverse direction as shown in Figs. 1-3)};
[claim 2] that the first circuit board portion transmits electrical voltage and/or current applied to the contact area in an operating state to the second circuit board portion {para. [0026], "a voltage between the terminals 50 is received by the connection pads 36 and forwarded via the electric lines 37 to the signaling means"};
[claim 3] that the first housing part is designed to be flat or plate-shaped [front plate 31] in such a manner that it covers a smaller part of the part of the electronics unit projecting into the interior than the second housing part [Images 1-2 show that the front plate 31 of the portion A cover none of the electronics in the vertical direction];
[claim 4] that the first housing part covers less than 30 of the part of the electronics unit projecting into the interior [Images 1-2 show that the front plate 31 of the portion A cover none of the electronics in the vertical direction];
[claim 5] that a circuit board portion of the electronics unit is oriented parallel to a main plane of the plate-shaped first housing part [central body 33 is flat portion, read as a plate-shaped portion of a first housing part, with a main plane extending in a horizontal direction; contact portions 36 are oriented parallel to the main plane of central body 33] and is fastened therewith to the first housing part [Images 1-2 show the contact portions 36 mounted to the central body 33], and/or the two circuit board portions are arranged orthogonal to one another {alternatively, axially aligned terminals 50 (another circuit board portion, as connection with the contact portions 36 forms an electrical connection, described in para. [0025]) are received in the apertures 12 (see Figs. 2-3 and 5), such that they are mounted with the socket portion of the terminals 50 arranged in the transverse direction, and orthogonally to the mounted contact portions 36 (para. [0025] describes the orthogonal contact)};
[claim 7] that a molded seal is arranged between the first and second housing parts [electrical seal gasket 94, shown in Image 1/Figs. 1-4];
[claim 8] that the contact area is designed to be bordered by a molded extension of the first housing part [features 3 (Images 1-2) show a molded portion of portion A that borders the central body 33 in the vertical direction];
[claim 9] that the first housing part has at least one connection possibility for mechanically connecting the sensor unit to a machine unit {para. [0023] describes the through holes 32 for connecting to a complementary connector, paras. [0005]-[0006] described as the connector 1 in connection to the complementary connector on a vehicle or machine};
[claim 10] that the second housing part has a visual indicator {paras. [0022] and [0026] describe the housing as transparent to allow for visual indication of the signaling circuit};
[claim 11] that the first housing part covers less than 10% of the part of the electronics unit projecting into the interior [Images 1-2 show that the front plate 31 of the portion A covers none of the electronics in the vertical direction]; and
[claim 13] that the visual indicator is formed by an illuminant arranged on the circuit board {para. [0026] describes the electronic components may be one or more LEDs} and a light guide ending in the second housing part {clearance 17 functions as a light guide, see Fig. 5} and/or an illuminant formed by a transparent portion in the second housing part {paras. [0022] and [0026] describe the housing as transparent to allow for visual indication of the signaling circuit}.
PNG
media_image1.png
562
776
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Image 1 – Finzer Fig. 6, Annotated
PNG
media_image2.png
531
780
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Image 2 – Finzer Fig. 4, Annotated
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Caines (US 20060082975 A1). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL QUINN whose telephone number is (571)272-2690. The examiner can normally be reached T-R 07:00-19:00, F 07:00-11:00.
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, JOHN BREENE can be reached at (571)272-4107. 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.
/DANIEL M QUINN/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/NATALIE HULS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
