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 Invention I, Claims 1-21, in the reply filed on 11 December 2025 is acknowledged.
The traversal is on the ground(s) that the search would not be overly burdensome (see Applicant’s “Remarks/Arguments” received 11 December 2025 at the second paragraph). This is not found persuasive because no reasons are provided rebutting the examiner’s assertion that the search would be overly burdensome (see Office Action mailed 28 October 2024 at paragraph 5).
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 23-26 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 28 January 2025 complies with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the examiner has considered the information disclosure statement; please see attached forms PTO-1449.
Drawings
The drawings submitted have been reviewed and determined to facilitate understanding of the invention. The drawings are accepted as submitted.
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.
Claims 12-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, regards as the invention.
Independent Claim 12 describe “a rear wall” at line 6 and “a front wall and rear wall” at line 10. From the current claim language, it is not clear whether the rear wall of line 10 is intended to be the same rear wall of line 6.
Claims 13-22 depend from Claim 12 and fail to remedy the claim indefiniteness.
For examination purposes, The rear walls described at lines 6 and 10 of Claim 12 will be considered to refer to the same wall.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 are allowed.
Claims 12-22 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
Independent Claim 1 describes a fiber optic connector including:
a retention body having a diameter of a central portion greater than a diameter of a front portion, and
the front portion of the retention body disposed within the longitudinal passageway of the housing such that front wall and the flange define a primary groove.
Independent Claim 12 describes a fiber optic connector including:
a retention body comprising a first end with a reduced diameter portion at the first end,
a diameter of a central portion of the retention body greater than a diameter of a front portion such that the central portion defines a front wall, and
the front portion of the retention body disposed within the longitudinal passageway of the housing such that the front wall and the flange define a primary groove
These limitations represent subject matter not described or reasonably suggested, in conjunction with the further limitations of the present claims, by the prior art of record.
Claims 2-11 and 13-22 depend from Claims 1 and 12, respectively, and therefore contain at least the same allowable subject matter.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2121/0278602 to Bookbinder et al. (“Bookbinder”) stands as the closest prior art of record.
Regarding Claim 1, Bookbinder describes a fiber optic connector assembly (see Figs 1-4 and 10-11) comprising:
a housing (106) comprising a rear end and a front end with a longitudinal passageway extending from the rear end to the front end (shown in Figs 2, 10), wherein the rear end comprises a flange (at 108);
a retention body (110) comprising a central portion, a front portion (112) extending from the central portion in a first direction, and a rear portion (114/115) extending from the central portion in a second direction, wherein:
a diameter of the central portion (shown in Figs 4, 10, 11) is greater than a diameter the rear portion such that the central portion defines rear wall (adjacent 140, shown in Fig 11), and
a boot (130) having an insertion end, wherein the boot is disposed over a portion of the rear portion of the retention body (at 134, shown in Figs 3, 10, 11) such that the insertion end of the boot and the rear wall of the retention body define a secondary groove (103).
Further, regarding Claim 12, Bookbinder describes a fiber optic connector assembly (see Figs 1-4 and 10-11) comprising:
a housing (106) comprising a rear end and a front end with a longitudinal passageway extending from the rear end to the front end (shown in Figs 2, 10), wherein the rear end comprises a flange (at 108);
a retention body (110) comprising a first end, (at 112), a rear wall (adjacent 140 as shown in Fig 11), and a second end extending from the rear wall (shown in Figs 10-11), wherein:
a diameter of a central portion is greater than a diameter of a rear portion such that the central portion defines rear wall (shown in Figs 10-11), and
the second end of the retention body comprises an engagement groove (between 11 and the slanted wall of 110 as shown in Figs 3-4); and
a boot (130) having an insertion end and a barb (end portion of 134) at an interior surface of the insertion end, wherein the boot is disposed over a portion of the rear end of the retention body such that the insertion end of the boot and the rear wall of the retention body define a secondary groove (103, shown in Figs 10-11) and the barb is disposed within the engagement groove (shown in Figs 3 and 10-11).
Bookbinder does not describe or reasonably suggest the above-identified allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
The prior art cited in the attached form PTO-892 are made of record and considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art describes various multi-part optical connectors with housings, retention bodies, and/or boots.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY RAHLL whose telephone number is (571)272-2356. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am-5:00pm.
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, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached at 571-272-2397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JERRY RAHLL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874