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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2/24/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1, 3-4, 6-8, 11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 9,557,507) in view of Welborn (WO 2023/229927).
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses a cable retainer assembly comprising: a body (20, 30, 50) having a proximal end, a distal end positioned opposite the proximal end, and a body length extending from the proximal end to the distal end; a plurality of projections (Fig. 12) extending laterally about the body in a circumferential direction along the body length of the body; a plurality of slots (21, 31, 51) defined between each of the plurality of projections; a plurality of cross members (not labeled, see Fig. 9 for example) extending perpendicularly from each of the plurality of projections.
Welborn teaches a cross member (at 20, Fig. 4) being tapered such that a distance between the slot and the cross members (extending inward in Fig. 6) decreases from the proximal end (right in Figs. 4 and 5) of the body to the distal end (left in Figs. 4 and 5) of the body; and a wedge (14) configured to be received by the slots; wherein the wedge is tapered, such that each of the wedges is retained in the slots when the wedge translates from the proximal end of the body towards the distal end of the body, and a first end (left in Fig. 4) of the wedge extends (inward) from the proximal end of the body when the wedge is retained in the lost. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a tapered wedge, as taught by Welborn, in order to securely and individually retain the wires in each slot.
Regarding claim 3, Liu, as modified by Welborn, discloses each of the plurality of slots extending along the body length of the body (Figs. 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 4, Liu, as modified by Welborn, discloses each of the plurality of cross members extending along the body length of the body (Figs. 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 6, Liu, as modified by Welborn, discloses each of the plurality of wedges are tapered such that a wedge thickness of each of the plurality of wedges decreases from a first end of each of the plurality of wedges to a second end of each of the plurality of wedges (Figs. 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 8, Liu discloses a central opening (22, 52) that receives an attachment mechanism (10), wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to secure the cable retainer assembly to an attachment location (intended use).
Regarding claim 11, Welborn teaches a wedge length of the wedge different than the body length of the body (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 20, Welborn discloses a method of securing cables within a cable retainer assembly, the method comprising:(a) securing the cable retainer assembly to an attachment location using an attachment mechanism (16) that extends through an opening (40) of the cable retainer assembly; (b) inserting a first cable (200) of a plurality of cables into a first slot (24) of a plurality of slots defined between a plurality of projections that extend from a body of the cable retainer assembly; the cross members extending perpendicularly from the projections, each of the cross members being tapered such that a distance between each of the plurality of slots and each of the plurality of cross members decreases from a proximal end (right side in Fig. 4) of the body toward a distal end (left side in Fig. 4) of the body; (c) securing a first wedge (14) of a plurality of wedges to at least a portion of the first cable; (d) translating the first cable such that the first wedge is drawn into the first slot; (e) securing the first wedge within the first slot, such that the first cable is secured within the first slot of the body of the cable retainer assembly and at least a first end (right/middle side in Fig. 4) of the first wedge (14) lies flush (Fig. 4) with a proximal face of the body when the wedge is retained in the first slot (Fig. 4); and (f) repeating steps (a) - (e) such that each of the plurality of cables are secured within each of the plurality of slots of the cable retainer assembly (on both the abstract and the background, Welborn discloses multiple termination and cables).
Liu teaches a plurality of slots defined between projections that extend laterally from a body of the cable retainer assembly in a circumferential direction, the body including a plurality of cross members extending perpendicularly from each of the projections (Fig. 9). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to arrange the slots and projections in a circumferential direction, as taught by Liu, in order to provide an efficient arrangement of cables in the retainer.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu and Welborn, and further in view of Kim (US 3,766,514).
Regarding claim 7, Kim teaches each of the plurality of wedges includes a plurality of teeth positioned on at least one surface, the plurality of teeth being configured to engage a cable. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use teeth, as taught by Kim in order to increase friction and retention power.
Claims 12-15 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 9,557,507) in view of Welborn (WO 2023/229927) and Quesnel (US 6,389,213, previously cited).
Regarding claim 12, Liu discloses a cable retainer assembly comprising: a body (20, 30, 50) having a proximal end, a distal end positioned opposite the proximal end, a body length extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a plurality of sides extending along the body length; a plurality of channels (21, 31, 51) formed in each of the plurality of sides; a plurality of slots (21, 31, 51) defined within each of the plurality of channels.
Welborn teaches a slot being tapered; and a wedge (14) configured to be received by the slot; wherein the wedge is tapered, such that the wedge is retained in the slots when the wedge translates from the proximal end of the body towards the distal end of the body. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a tapered wedge, as taught by Welborn, in order to securely and individually retain the wires in each slot.
Quesnel teaches a cable retainer assembly with a plurality of channels, wherein at least one of the plurality of channels defines an opening (receiving 26) that receives an attachment mechanism (18), and the attachment mechanism is configured to secure the cable retainer assembly to an attachment location. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a retainer mechanism, as taught by Quesnel, in order to provide a secure dead end connection.
Regarding claim 13, Liu, as modified by Welborn, discloses each of the plurality of slots extending along the body length of the body.
Regarding claim 14, Liu, as modified by Welborn, discloses that each of the plurality of wedges are tapered such that a wedge thickness of each of the plurality of wedges decreases from a first end of each of the plurality of wedges to a second end of each of the plurality of wedges.
Regarding claim 16, Liu discloses at least one of the plurality of channels defines an opening (21, 51) that receives an attachment mechanism (10), wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to secure the cable retainer assembly to an attachment location (intended use).
Regarding claim 17, Liu, as modified by Welborn, discloses at least a first end of each of the plurality of wedges extends from the proximal end of the body when each of the plurality of wedges are retained in each of the plurality of slots.
Regarding claim 18, Welborn teaches that at least a first end of each of the plurality of wedges lies flush with a proximal face of the body when each of the plurality of wedges are retained in each of the plurality of slots.
Regarding claim 19, Welborn teaches a wedge length of each of the plurality of wedges being different than the body length of the body.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu, Welborn and Quesnel, and further in view of Kim (US 3,766,514).
Kim teaches each of the plurality of wedges includes a plurality of teeth positioned on at least one surface, the plurality of teeth being configured to engage a cable. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use teeth, as taught by Kim in order to increase friction and retention power.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/24/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
Please note that Welborn teaches a body having projections (extending vertically at the top of Fig. 6) that extend along the body length, and the wedge extending form a proximal end (right/middle side) corresponding to a wide end of the channel in a retained configuration (Fig. 4). Please note that Figure 4 shows the cross member being tapered (thinner on the right side) to provide a wider channel opening.
Please note that the left side of the wedge (14) extends inward beyond the right face of the projections.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 16 and 20 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection, as applied.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
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