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 with traverse of Species I in the reply filed on 1/20/2026 is acknowledged. However, the Applicant has not included an actual traversal and admits that the claims are directed to independent or distinct inventions. The Applicant merely categorically states and alleges that they should be examined together since this can be done without serious burden and doing so serves the public interest, but provides no detailed reasoning.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/07/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the examiner has considered the information disclosure statement.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5 & 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Molinero Benitez (US Patent Application Publication # 2021/0296796).
Regarding Claim 1, Molinero Benitez discloses a sealing adapter bushing assembly (i.e. electrical connector assembly 90) for a power control module (PCM) in an electric vehicle (EV), comprising:
an adapter bushing base (i.e. header 116), configured to be received within an opening in a housing (i.e. housing 12) of the PCM;
a terminal seal (i.e. gasket or ring seal 130) engaged with a surface (i.e. inner wall of cavity 126) of the adapter bushing base and is configured to engage a surface (i.e. bushing annular groove 128) of a terminal (i.e. bushing 102) of the PCM; and
a housing seal (i.e. gaskets or seal rings 134) engaged with a surface (i.e. within grooves 132) of the adapter bushing base and is configured to engage a surface of the housing (Fig. 5-12; Abstract; Paragraphs 0055-0076).
Regarding Claim 2, Molinero Benitez discloses a terminal (i.e. bushing 102) including a terminal groove (i.e. bushing annular groove 128) shaped to receive the terminal seal (i.e. gasket or ring seal 130) (Fig. 6-7; Paragraph 0060).
Regarding Claim 3, Molinero Benitez discloses that the adapter bushing base (i.e. header 116) includes a housing seal groove (i.e. grooves 132) shaped to receive the housing seal (i.e. gaskets or seal rings 134) (Fig. 6-7; Paragraph 0060).
Regarding Claim 4, Molinero Benitez discloses that the adapter bushing base (i.e. header 116) includes an annular shoulder (i.e. flange 118 & socket 122), with a surface, including the housing seal groove (i.e. grooves 132), facing an inner surface of the housing (i.e. housing 12) (Fig. 6-7; Paragraphs 0059-0063).
Regarding Claim 5, Molinero Benitez discloses that the adapter bushing base (i.e. header 116) includes a housing groove (i.e. grooves 132) that engages an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the housing (i.e. housing 12) (Fig. 6-7; Paragraphs 0059-0063).
Regarding Claim 8, Molinero Benitez discloses that the adapter bushing base (i.e. header 116) includes a retaining groove (i.e. mounting pattern 120 & gorrove 136) configured to receive a retaining clip (i.e. retainers 138 & fasteners) that axially biases the sealing adapter bushing assembly to compress the housing seal (i.e. gaskets or seal rings 134) (Fig. 6-7; Paragraphs 0059-0063).
Regarding Claim 9, Molinero Benitez discloses a sealing adapter bushing assembly (i.e. electrical connector assembly 90) for a power control module (PCM) in an electric vehicle (EV), comprising:
an adapter bushing base (i.e. header 116), configured to be received within an opening in a housing (i.e. housing 12) of the PCM, having an annular shoulder (i.e. flange 118 & socket 122) with a surface confronting an inner surface of the housing and a housing groove (i.e. grooves 132) shaped to engage the inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the housing;
a terminal seal (i.e. gasket or ring seal 130) engaged with a surface (i.e. inner wall of cavity 126) of the adapter bushing base and is configured to engage a surface (i.e. bushing annular groove 128) of a terminal (i.e. bushing 102) of the PCM; and
a housing seal (i.e. gaskets or seal rings 134) engaged with the surface of the annular shoulder and the inner surface of the housing (Fig. 5-12; Abstract; Paragraphs 0055-0076).
Regarding Claim 10, Molinero Benitez discloses a terminal (i.e. bushing 102) including a terminal groove (i.e. bushing annular groove 128) shaped to receive the terminal seal (i.e. gasket or ring seal 130) (Fig. 6-7; Paragraph 0060).
Relevant Cited Art
The cited art in PTO-892 was found during the examiner's search, but was not relied upon for this office action. However, it is still considered pertinent to the applicant's disclosure.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RHADAMES J ALONZO MILLER whose telephone number is (571)270-7829. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10am-6pm PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached at (571) 272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RJA/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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