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 .
This is a final Office Action for serial number 18/231,538, Hybrid Cable Hanger System, filed on August 8, 2023.
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) 1-6, and 8-9, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 5,992,802 to Campbell.
Regarding claim 1, Campbell ‘802 discloses a hybrid cable hanger system (Fig. 3), comprising: at least one stackable enclosure (10, 12) wherein the at least one stackable enclosure comprising a center aperture (40) within a circular holder (56, 58, 60, 62) on the exterior of the enclosure coupled to a set of alternating clamp fingers for gripping a cable; installation holes (54 – #10/#12) positioned to secure secure rubber parts of the cable against the set of alternating clamp fingers, wherein the center aperture is positioned between the installation holes; and a fastener (86, 90) to apply the clamping pressure to the enclosure through the center aperture and sets the variable size of the set of alternating clamp fingers.
Regarding claim 2, Campbell ‘802 discloses wherein the fastener comprises a nut and bolt setup (86, 90).
Regarding claim 3, Campbell ‘802 discloses wherein the circular holder is shaped in a circular zigzag groove pattern (44, 20, and 48 – top surface in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, Campbell ‘802 discloses wherein the at least one stackable enclosure further comprises an external reinforcement rib (42) and an internal reinforcement rib (30, 32) to enhance the structural strength of the enclosure.
Regarding claim 5, see 112 rejection, Campbell ‘802 discloses wherein the exterior of the at least one stackable enclosure further comprises a groove cut (between “42” – top portion) to allow the serrated grooves to clamp multiple enclosures in a staggered manner when “they” are tightened (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Campbell ‘802 discloses wherein the at least one stackable enclosure comprises a mail limiting shaft (52) which fits with an opposing female limiting hole (54) and are symmetrically to prevent the enclosure from being misaligned.
Regarding claim 8, Campbell ‘802 discloses wherein the at least one stackable enclosure comprises two sets of alternating clamp fingers (contact surfaces opposite ends of the circular holder) on opposite ends of the stackable enclosure, wherein the center aperture within the circular holder (56, 58, 60, 62) is located between the two sets of alternating clamp fingers (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 9, Campbell ‘802 discloses wherein the two sets of alternating clamp fingers on opposite ends hold the same size cables (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, Campbell ‘802 discloses wherein the two sets of alternating clamp fingers on opposite ends hold the different size cables (Fig. 5).
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campbell ‘802.
Campbell ‘802 discloses wherein at least one stackable enclosure is composed of PVC (col. 3, line 23), but do not disclose one of the following materials: polyproplylene or nylon. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the PVC to any preferred materials like Polyproplylene or nylon, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in this art to select a known material with any polymers and commonly used in manufacturing, involves only routine skill in the art.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campbell ‘802 in view of U.S. Patent No. 7,530,536 to Hashimoto.
Campbell ‘802 fails to disclose wherein the two sets of alternating clamp fingers on opposite ends includes a rubber sleeve within one set of the alternating clamp fingers on opposite ends. Nevertheless, Hashimoto ‘536 discloses a rubber (3) for fitting and holding pipes through hole. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the alternating clamp fingers of Campbell ‘802 to include a rubber sleeve because one would have motivation to provide a fitting and holding pipes as taught by Hashimoto ‘536.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed August 19, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument that Campbell fails to disclose installation holes positioned to secure rubber parts against the set of alternating clamp fingers. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Attention is directed to Campbell’s reference, Figure 1, Campbell discloses two installation holes (54) on opposite sides of the enclosure, and wherein the cable (106) has a rubber coating (Fig. 3), and the center aperture is positioned between the installation holes.
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.
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/TODD M EPPS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632 November 24, 2025