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
Claims 19-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 11/24/25.
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 10-18 is 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 10 recites “environmentally a cable”. It is unclear as to what is being claimed. For the purposes of this examination, the examiner is interpreting the claim to be claiming “environmentally seal a cable”, as disclosed in Para. [0009] of the current specification.
Claim 12 recites “each compression mechanism” in line 1; however, claim 1 recites “a compression mechanism” in line 7. Claim 12 must be amended to read --the compression mechanism--.
Claims 11-18 are rejected for depending on a rejected claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Geens et al. (WO2021/152145A1).
Regarding claim 1, the Geens et al. (hereinafter Geens) reference discloses an end cap (114) for a cable closure, comprising:
an end cap body (body of 114) having a central hub (Figs. 2,6,7) and a plurality of cutouts (136);
a plurality of extensions (122,130,132) extending from the central hub, wherein each of the plurality of extensions comprises a plurality of walls (e.g. walls of 122 in Fig. 6); and
a plurality of mechanism positioning elements (130,132) configured to house at least a portion of a compression mechanism (138), each mechanism positioning element having a base (base of 130,132), at least one wall (walls of 130,132 shown in Fig. 7) that extends from the base, and a compression mechanism opening (opening holding 138),
wherein the compression mechanism opening is configured to house at least a portion of the compression mechanism (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 2, the Geens reference discloses a plurality of ground openings (136) disposed within the central hub for mounting of grounding elements.
Regarding claim 3, the Geens reference discloses each compression mechanism opening further comprises a plurality of ribs (e.g. annular ribs of 138 in Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 4, the Geens reference discloses each mechanism positioning element has a plurality of ribs (e.g. ribs of 130,132 shown in Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 5, the Geens reference discloses the plurality of walls comprises extension sidewalls, an extension front wall coupled to the extension sidewalls, and an extension rear wall coupled to the extension sidewalls (e.g. different walls of 130,132 in Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 6, the Geens reference discloses at least one outer connector mount (e.g. at last one hole created by walls of 130 shown in Fig. 6) is disposed between at least some of the plurality of sidewalls (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 7, the Geens reference discloses at least one inner connector mount (e.g. at last one hole created by walls of 132 shown in Fig. 6) is contained with the central hub (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 8, the Geens reference discloses at least one cable entry segment (e.g. segments at 136) positioned between two extensions, wherein the at least one cable entry segment includes at least one cable entry opening (136).
Regarding claim 9, the Geens reference discloses at least one blind/dummy segment (e.g. at least one wall segment of 132) positioned between two extensions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GILBERT Y LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-5894. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-430pm.
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/GILBERT Y LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675