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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant Argument:
Yang fails to disclose a seal member surrounding the at least one conductor at an interface of the connector body and the at least one conductor, as in claim 1.
Yang fails to disclose the seal retainer adapted to engage the conductor to restrict axial movement of the seal retainer along the conductor.
Examiner’s response:
Examiner does not agree, Yang does disclose a seal member (14) surrounding the at least one conductor (28) at an interface of the connector body (12) and the at least one conductor (28). In reference to Figure 1, seal member surrounding one conductor at the interface of the body. As in claim 1.
Yang does disclose the seal retainer (16) adapted to engage the conductor (28) to restrict axial movement of the seal retainer (14) along the conductor (28). As in claim 14 In reference to Figure 1, seal retainer to engaged with conductor to restrict axial movement of the seal retainer. For this reason rejection is still maintained.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang (EP 3168939 A1).
In Regards to Claim 1:
Yang teaches a high-voltage connector (10) comprising:
a connector body (12); at least one conductor (28) supported in the connector body (12), the at least one conductor (28) having a first end received in the connector body (12) and a second end extending from the connector body (12) for connection to a conductor of a cooperating connector; and a seal member (14) surrounding the at least one conductor (28) at an interface of the connector body (12) and the at least one conductor (28).
In Regards to Claim 2:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 1, wherein the connector body (12) includes a counterbore (86) surrounding the interface of the connector body (12) and the at least one conductor (28).
In Regards to Claim 3:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 2, wherein the seal member (14) is received in the counterbore (86) of the connector body (12).
In Regards to Claim 4:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 3, further comprising a seal retainer (16) at least partially received in the counterbore (86) for restricting removal of the seal member (14).
In Regards to Claim 5:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 4, wherein the seal retainer (16) is spaced apart from the seal member (14).
In Regards to Claim 6:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 4, wherein the seal retainer (16) engages the seal member (14).
In Regards to Claim 7:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 4, wherein the seal retainer (16) is secured to the connector body (12).
In Regards to Claim 8:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 4, wherein the seal retainer (16) is secured to the at least one conductor (86).
In Regards to Claim 9:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 8, wherein the seal retainer (16) is snap-fit to the at least one conductor (28).
In Regards to Claim 10:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 9, wherein the seal retainer (16) includes a seal retainer body (See Reproduced Drawing 1) having at least one flexible tab (92) adapted to be received in a recess (86) of the at least one conductor (28).
In Regards to Claim 11:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 4, wherein the seal retainer (16) includes a seal retainer body (See Reproduced Drawing 1) having a single opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1) for receiving a single conductor (28).
In Regards to Claim 12:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 4, wherein the seal retainer (16) includes a seal retainer body (See Reproduced Drawing 1) having multiple openings (See Reproduced Drawing 1) for receiving multiple conductors (28).
In Regards to Claim 13:
Yang teaches the high-voltage connector of claim 12, wherein the seal retainer body (See Reproduced Drawing 1) is a unitary one-piece structure.
In Regards to Claim 14:
Yang teaches a seal retainer (16) for retaining a seal member (14) of an associated high-voltage connector (10) having at least one conductor (28), the seal retainer (16) comprising:
a seal retainer body (See Reproduced Drawing 1) having at least one opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1) for receiving the at least one conductor (28), the seal retainer (16) adapted to engage the conductor (28) to restrict axial movement of the seal retainer (16) along the conductor (28).
In Regards to Claim 15:
Yang teaches the seal retainer of claim 14, wherein the seal retainer (16) includes a seal retainer body (See Reproduced Drawing 1) having at least one flexible tab (92) adapted to be received in a recess (86) of the at least one conductor (28) of the associated high-voltage connector (10).
In Regards to Claim 16:
Yang teaches the seal retainer of claim 14, wherein the seal retainer (16) includes a seal retainer body (See Reproduced Drawing 1) having a single opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1) for receiving a single conductor (28).
In Regards to Claim 17:
Yang teaches the seal retainer of claim 16, wherein the single opening (See Reproduced Drawing 1) is elongate in cross- section.
In Regards to Claim 18:
Yang teaches the seal retainer of claim 17, further comprising an axially extending flange (96) adapted to extend into a counterbore (86) of the associated high-voltage connector (10) surrounding the at least one conductor (86).
In Regards to Claim 19:
Yang teaches the seal retainer of claim 18, further comprising a radially extending flange (96) adapted to abut a surface of the associated high-voltage connector (10) surrounding the counterbore (86).
In Regards to Claim 20:
Yang teaches a method of assembling a high-voltage connector (10) comprising:
providing a connector body (12) having at least one conductor (86) supported in the connector body (12), the conductor (28) having a first end received in the connector body (12) and a second end extending from the connector body (12) for connection to contact of a cooperating connector; installing a seal member (14) at an interface of the connector body (12) and the at least one conductor (28); and installing a seal retainer (16) over the at least one conductor (28) and into contact with the connector body (12).
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Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NADER J ALHAWAMDEH whose telephone number is (571)270-0571. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9Am - 6Pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A Riyami can be reached at (571)270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NADER J ALHAWAMDEH/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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