The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because they fail to meet many of the standards of 37 CFR 1.84:
The lines are not solid black - 37 CFR 1.84(a)(1).
Figs. 13-17 are each two figures and should be labeled accordingly and discussed in the specification separately.
If these separate figures remain on the same sheet, the exploded views must be bracketed - 37 CFR 1.84(h)(1).
Reference numerals are often not sufficiently large - 37 CFR 1.84(p)(3).
Many of the reference numerals with subscripts are not found in the specification (i.e. 364 in Fig 5) - 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claims 1-6 remain rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Caveney, et al. Caveney shows an RJ45 plug assembly 100 comprising a communications cable 10 having a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors and a housing 20/40/60/82. The housing has a plurality of sloped surfaces 35/36 such that when conductors of the communications cable are straightened and aligned prior to insertion into the housing, the sloped surfaces route a first pair of conductors to a top of the housing and a second pair of conductors to a bottom of the housing. Contrary to applicant’s arguments the definition of housing is not restricted to the exterior of a connector. Absent any specific definition, the housing can be reasonably interpreted as including, at least, all of the insulative parts.
Applicant has not separately argued dependent claims 2-6.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Renee Luebke, whose telephone number is (571) 272-2009 and who can normally be reached between 11am and 5pm.
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.
The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/renee s luebke/ Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2831
Prosecution Insights