DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. See MPEP section 2163.03(V). Regarding claim 1, the invention as claimed including:
“a first lock on the first housing portion that includes a lever rotatable between an unlocked position where the second housing portion is removable from the first housing portion, and a locked position that secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment . . . a second lock that, in the staged position, further secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment”
was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
As disclosed (¶ 0020, ¶ 0021), housing 120 at surface 125 slides along surface 115 to reach the position in figure 3 (see arrow labeled “insertion direction” below). As shown in figure 3, stops 118 prevent housing 120 from being moved vertically perpendicularly to surface 115. Stops 118 prevent housing 120 from being removed by moving housing 120 further rightward in figure 3 past stops 118. ¶ 0023, ¶ 0024, ¶ 0025, and elsewhere, all state that lock 130 interacts with the second housing 120 to secure the housing portions together in “seated alignment. There is however, no description of what is preventing the housing 120 from being removed from housing 110 by sliding housing 120 back out along surface 115, in the direction of the arrow labeled “removal direction” below, which is the only direction possible to remove the housing 120. Nothing disclosed on the lever 130 prevents housing 120 from sliding back along surface 115. See figures 7A-8, annotated below. Feature 128 prevents the lever 130 from being moved to the unlocked position, but does not block housing 120 from sliding in the removal direction. CPA 140 blocks feature 128 from moving, but that does not block housing 120 from moving in the removal direction. The specification repeatedly asserts that lever/lock/CPA secures the housings 120/130 in “seated alignment,” but the specification does not disclose how the function is performed by the lever or CPA.
In other words, The housing 120 can only be inserted from left to right in figure 3 to reach the mounted position. The housing 120 can only be removed by sliding in the left direction in figure 3. The housing 120 cannot be removed vertically because flange 127 is locked under protrusion 118. The housing 120 cannot be removed by sliding housing 120 right in figure 3 because it is blocked by protrusion 118. The lever 130 and CPA in the locked position (figure 8) do not block the housing 120 from being sliding in the left direction, which is the only direction possible to remove the housing 120.
The same rejection applies to claim 9, with regards to the limitations “a locked position that secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment . . . forming a second lock that, in the staged position further secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment.”
The same rejection applies to claim 15 regarding the limitation “maintain the first lock in a locked position to secure a first housing portion and a second housing portion in seated alignment to . . . “a second lock that further secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment.”
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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 anticipatory rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 6, 9, 11, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yuan et al. US 2024/0429654 (“Yuan”).
Regarding claim 1, Yuan discloses an electrical connector, comprising:
a first housing portion 2 configured to receive a second housing portion 1 in seated alignment to form a housing of the electrical connector;
a first lock 3 on the first housing portion that includes a lever rotatable between an unlocked position where the second housing portion is removable from the first housing portion, and a locked position that secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment (¶ 0020) by mechanically opposing separation of the second housing portion from the first housing portion (see annotated figure 1, below, the bottom inner surface of the lever/lock 3, labeled LK1 below, inherently blocks movement of the second housing 1 in the vertical direction);
a connector position assurance (CPA) device 4 that, in a staged position (figures 1, 9), engages with the first lock to maintain the lever in the locked position; and
a second lock (arm 32 and the bottom surface CPA 4 engaging the top surface of slide groove 120 of the second housing 1 ) that, in the staged position, further secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment. See Yuan annotated figure 1 below. The bottom surface of CPA 4, (labeled LK2 below) engages the bottom wall (labeled SBW) of the slide groove 120 to secure the first and second housings together in the same sense that applicant’s CPA portion 150 is claimed to be the “second lock” securing the first and second housings together.
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Per claim 6, the second lock comprises an extender portion (e.g., the portion of CAP 4 in slot 33 and an engagement portion 33.
Per claim 9, Yuan discloses a method, comprising:
forming a first housing 2 portion;
forming a second housing 1 portion configured to be arranged in seated alignment with the first housing portion to form a housing of the electrical connector;
forming a first lock 3 on the first housing portion that includes a lever rotatable between an unlocked position where the second housing portion is removable from the first housing portion, and a locked position that secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment;
forming a connector position assurance (CPA) device 4 configured to engage, in a staged position, with the first lock to maintain the lever in the locked position; and
forming a second lock (arm 32 and the bottom surface CPA 4 engaging the top surface of slide groove 120 of the second housing 1 ) that, in the staged position further secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment. See Yuan annotated figure 1 above. The bottom surface of CPA 4, (labeled LK2 below) engages the bottom wall (labeled SBW) of the slide groove 120 to secure the first and second housings together in the same sense that applicant’s CPA portion 150 is claimed to be the “second lock” securing the first and second housings together.
Per claim 11, Yuan discloses the first housing portion comprises forming a ledge (labeled “ledge” below) on the first housing portion.
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Per claim 14, Yuan discloses forming the CPA device to interface with the second housing portion to maintain the lever in the locked position.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9-12, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Krivohlavek US 2024/0283181.
Regarding claim 1, Krivohlavek discloses an electrical connector, comprising:
a first housing portion (housing of connector 2, including housing 7) configured to receive a second housing portion 3 in seated alignment to form a housing of the electrical connector;
a first lock (5, 6, 9) on the first housing portion (2, 7) that includes a lever 6 rotatable between an unlocked position where the second housing portion is removable from the first housing portion, and a locked position that secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment by mechanically opposing separation of the second housing portion from the
first housing portion (slot 9 and pin 11 lock the housings together);
a connector position assurance (CPA) device 12 that, in a staged position, engages with the first lock to maintain the lever in the locked position; and
a second lock 13 that, in the staged position, further secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment by mechanically opposing separation of the second housing portion from the first housing portion, i.e., separation of the second housing portion from the first housing portion via movement of the lever is mechanically opposed by the second lock 13.
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Per claim 2, the first lock engages the second housing portion (see at element 9 securing element 11) to secure the first and second housing portions in seated alignment, and
wherein the second lock engages the first housing portion (at least at 14) in the staged position to further secure the first and second housing portions in seated alignment.
Per claim 3, the CPA engages the second housing portion to maintain the lever in the locked position (¶ 0036).
Per claim 4, the second lock engages a ledge (14, see figure 6, each side of the aperture 14 forms a ledge, labeled “ledge” in annotated figure 6 above) of the first housing portion when the CPA is moved from a pre-staged position to the staged position.
Per claim 6, the second lock comprises an extender portion (at lead line 13 in figure 6) and an engagement portion (at lead line 15 in figure 6).
Per claim 7, the extender portion extends the engagement portion to interface with and oppose a ledge presented by the first housing portion when the CPA is moved from a pre-staged position to a staged position.
Per claim 9, Krivohlavek discloses a method, comprising:
forming a first housing portion (housing of connector 2, including housing 7);
forming a second housing portion 3 configured to be arranged in seated alignment with the first housing portion to form a housing of the electrical connector;
forming a first lock (5, 6) on the first housing portion that includes a lever 6 rotatable between an unlocked position where the second housing portion is removable from the first housing portion, and a locked position that secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment by mechanically opposing separation of the second housing portion from the first housing portion;
forming a connector position assurance (CPA) device 12 configured to engage, in a staged position, with the first lock to maintain the lever in the locked position; and
forming a second lock 13 that, in the staged position further secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment by mechanically opposing separation of the second housing portion from the first housing portion, i.e., separation of the second housing portion from the first housing portion via movement of the lever is mechanically opposed by the second lock 13.
Per claim 10, Krivohlavek discloses forming the first lock to interface with the second housing portion in the locked position, and forming the second lock to interface with the first housing portion in the staged position.
Per claim 11 Krivohlavek discloses forming the first housing portion comprises forming a ledge (labeled “ledge” above) on the first housing portion.
Per claim 12, Krivohlavek discloses forming the second lock to interface with the ledge.
Per claim 14, Krivohlavek discloses forming the CPA device to interface with the second housing portion to maintain the lever in the locked position (¶ 0036).
Per claim 15, Krivohlavek discloses a Connector Position Assurance (CPA) device, comprising:
securing arms 32 arranged to fit within a channel 33 of a first lock of an electrical connector comprising a lever 6 in a pre-staged position of the CPA, and secure the CPA to the lever in a staged position of the CPA;
a tongue feature 13 configured to, in the staged position, maintain the first lock in a locked position to secure a first housing portion and a second housing portion in seated alignment to form a housing of the electrical connector (¶ 0036); and
a second lock (9, 11, and the rotational shaft labeled “RS” below) that further secures the first and second housing portions in seated alignment.
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered. The examiner’s response to the arguments regarding the 35 USC 112 rejection are as follows. Applicant argues that "rearward sliding" along the interface is blocked by the lever. It's not clear what is meant by "rearward sliding." The housing 120 can only be inserted from left to right in figure 3 to reach the mounted position. The housing 120 can only be removed by sliding in the left direction in figure 3. The housing 120 cannot be removed vertically because flange 127 is locked under protrusion 118. The housing 120 cannot be removed by sliding housing 120 right in figure 3 because it is blocked by protrusion 118. The lever 130 and CPA in the locked position (figure 8) do not block the housing 120 from being sliding in the left direction, which is the only direction possible to remove the housing 120.
Applicant’s regarding figure 8 have been considered. In figure 8, The CPA and lever could block movement of the housing 120 to the right, but this movement is impossible in any case because of protrusion 118 in figure 3. Clearly in figure 8, the CPA and lever do not block movement of the housing 120 to the left, which is the only direction possible to remove the housing 120. Applicant’s arguments have been considered but do not address the issue of the rejection. The fact that the specification simply states the limitation does not overcome the lack of explanation for how the limitation is met when the figures do not support the limitation.
The examiner’s response the arguments regarding Yuan are as follows. Applicant argues that Yuan only discloses a CPA and not a second lock. In this invention, the CPA and second lock are the same thing, the second lock is the CPA. Just as presented by Applicant’s invention, one surface of the Yuan CPA is considered to be the “second lock” as set out above and just as applicant considers one surface of this inventions CPA to be a “second lock.”
Applicant argues that Krivohlavek does not disclose a second lock. The examiner maintains that it does as set out above.
Applicant argues that the Office Action's anticipation rejections impermissibly collapse the claimed first lock and second lock into a single locking mechanism. The examiner disagrees; the elements are set out specifically in the rejections above.
Applicant argues that the examiner has not properly identified the claimed elements. The examiner maintains that all the claimed elements of the claims have been identified in the prior art.
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 ROSS GUSHI whose telephone number is (571)272-2005. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday, 8:30 - 5:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached on 571-272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROSS N GUSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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