DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Amendment filed on 04 May 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are now pending in the application.
Amendments to the claims 1, 11 and 14 to overcome the informalities are acceptable. Therefore, claim objections have been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 7, 11-13 and 17 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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 10-14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jean (FR 2745116).
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Annotated Fig. 1, Jean.
Regarding claim 1, Jean teaches, a cable (electric cable, Abstract, Figs. 1 to 3) comprising:
a center conductor (electrical conductor 12, Fig. 1);
a dielectric core layer (insulating sheath 14), the dielectric core layer including at least one layer formed of silicon dioxide fibers (insulating sheath 14 formed of braided fibers 16. More specifically, fibers 16 are fibers of a mineral material preferably made up of silica., para. [0008], silica is dielectric material);
the silicon dioxide fibers being braided around an outer surface of the center conductor and forming a braided dielectric core layer over the center conductor (electrical conductor 12 and the metallic protective sheath 10 is ensured by an insulating sheath 14 formed of braided fibers 16. More specifically, fibers 16 are fibers of a mineral material preferably made up of silica, para. [0008], silica is silicon dioxide); and
an outer conductor layer (metallic protection sheath 10, Fig. 1) formed over the braided dielectric core layer.
Regarding claim 11, Jean teaches, a method of forming a cable (electric cable, Abstract, Figs. 1 to 3) comprising:
providing a center conductor (electrical conductor 12, Fig. 1);
braiding at least one layer of silicon dioxide fibers around an outer surface of the center conductor for forming dielectric core layer over the center conductor (electrical conductor 12 and the metallic protective sheath 10 is ensured by an insulating sheath 14 formed of braided fibers 16. More specifically, fibers 16 are fibers of a mineral material preferably made up of silica, para. [0008], silica is silicon dioxide); and
forming an outer conductor layer (metallic protection sheath 10, Fig. 1) over the braided core layer to form the cable.
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Jean teaches the recited limitations with respect to claims 1 and 11. Jean further teaches, further comprising a strength member layer (end-to-end assembly of the tubes 18, see annotated Fig. 1 below) formed over the outer conductor layer.
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Jean teaches the recited limitations with respect to claims 1 and 11. Jean further teaches, further comprising a jacket layer (weld bead 20, see annotated Fig. 1 below, Fig. 2A, he end-to-end assembly of the tubes 18 forming the metal protective sheath 10 can be carried out by fitting these tubes end-to-end and by welding, para. [0009]) formed over the strength member layer.
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Annotated Fig. 1, Jean.
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Jean teaches the recited limitations with respect to claims 1 and 11. Jean further teaches, wherein the braided dielectric core layer includes a plurality of sublayers formed of silicon dioxide fibers, the sublayers being braided successively over the center conductor to form the braided dielectric core layer (the thickness of the sheath 14 depends both on the diameter of the fibers 16 used and on the number of layers of braided fibers on the electrical conductor 12…each of the insulating sheaths 14 is obtained by directly braiding the mineral material fibers, in one or more layers, around each of the electrical conductors 12, para. 0009-0010]).
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Jean teaches the recited limitations with respect to claims 1 and 11. Jean further teaches, wherein the outer conductor layer formed over the braided core layer includes a semi-rigid conductive tube, the center conductor and braided dielectric core layer being inserted inside the semi-rigid conductive tube (mineral fibers 16 have been braided onto the electrical conductor 12 to
form the insulating sheath 14, the conductor covered with this sheath is inserted into the metallic protective sheath 10 along the axis of the latter, para. [0009]).
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) 7 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jean as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Rogers (US 20210249158).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Jean does not teach the recited limitations. However, Rogers teaches, a coaxial cable 100 in Fig. 1 to 2C, comprising a center conductor (center conductor 110, Fig. 1) a dielectric core layer (AES wool dielectric layer 108), an outer conductor (106), wherein the outer conductor layer formed over the braided core layer includes a conductive tape wrapped around the braided dielectric core layer (the outer conductor 106 may be a metallic wrap, para [0061], it is obvious that the metallic wrap is a tape). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Rogers, 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 coaxial cable of Jean and to replace the outer conductor 10 in Fig. 1 with an outer conductor 106 as Rogers taught in Fig. 1 so that it enables forming a firm layer of an outer conductor as Rogers disclosed in para. [0062].
Claim(s) 8-9 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jean as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Bufanda (US 20040118591).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Jean does not teach, the conductive tape includes at least one of a layer of copper and stainless steel. However, Bufanda teaches, a cable including a center conductor 22 in Fig. 2, a dielectric core layer 24 and a bimetallic outer conductor 26 in which,
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Annotated Fig. 2, Bufanda.
the outer conductor 26 is at least one of a layer of copper and stainless steel (see annotated Fig. 2 below, outer conductor 26 is bimetallic, including an outer conductive layer 30 and an inner conductive layer 32. The inner conductive layer 32 is made of copper or copper alloy, while the outer conductive layer 30 may preferably be made of a less expensive metal such as stainless steel, para. [0016]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Bufanda, 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 coaxial cable in Fig. 1 of Jean and to replace the outer conductor 10 in Fig. 1 with a bimetallic outer conductor 26 as Bufanda taught in Fig. 2 so that it enables to reduce the skin effect and signal losses due to any surface abnormalities as Bufanda disclosed in para. [0005].
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Jean does not teach the recited limitations. However, Bufanda further teaches, wherein the conductive tape has a copper layer on one side and a stainless steel layer on a side opposite the copper layer, the conductive tape wrapped around the braided dielectric core layer with the copper layer facing the center conductor (inner conductive layer 32 is made of copper or copper alloy, while the outer conductive layer 30 may preferably be made of a less expensive metal such as stainless steel, see annotated Fig. 2, para. [0016]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Bufanda, 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 coaxial cable in Fig. 1 of Jean and to replace the outer conductor 10 in Fig. 1 with a bimetallic outer conductor 26 as Bufanda taught in Fig. 2 so that it enables to reduce the skin effect and signal losses due to any surface abnormalities as Bufanda disclosed in para. [0005].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 and 15-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for indicating allowable subject matter:
Claims 5 and 15 would be allowable for disclosing a cable and a method of forming a cable, wherein at least two of the sublayers of silicon dioxide fibers are braided using differing braiding parameters to provide improved coverage of the braided dielectric core layer over the center conductor.
Though, prior art of record Jean teaches a silicon dioxide braided dielectric core layer, including a plurality of sublayers formed of silicon dioxide fibers, the sublayers being braided successively over the center conductor to form the braided dielectric core layer, Jean fails to teach, at least two of the sublayers of silicon dioxide fibers are braided using differing braiding parameters to provide improved coverage of the braided dielectric core layer over the center conductor.
Though, prior art of record Rogers teaches a silicon dioxide braided dielectric core layer, Rogers fails to teach plurality of sublayers of silicon dioxide fibers are braided using differing braiding parameters to provide improved coverage of the braided dielectric core layer over the center conductor.
Prior arts Bufanda does not teach a braided dielectric core layer.
Therefore, claims 5 and 15 would be allowable. Claims 6 and 16 would be allowable for the same reasons.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE K. ABRAHAM whose telephone number is (571)270-1087. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30 EST.
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, THOMAS J. HONG can be reached at (571) 272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSE K ABRAHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 3729 /THOMAS J HONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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