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 allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). 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, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/06/26 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claims 9 and 32 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claims 9 and 32, the claims do not end with a period. Therefore, claims 9 and 32 are amended to include periods, see below.
9. (Original) The insulator of claim 7 wherein the second insulator portion is structurally configured to include a first body portion, a second body portion, an outer flange portion, and a radially extending portion; wherein the first body portion is structurally configured to extend forward from the outer flange portion, and the second body portion is structurally configured to extend rearward from the outer flange portion; and wherein the radially extending portion is structurally configured to extend radially outward from an outer perimeter of the first body portion and forward from the outer flange portion;.
32. (New) The insulator of claim 31, wherein the second insulator portion is structurally configured to include a first body portion, a second body portion, an outer flange portion, and a radially extending portion; wherein the first body portion is structurally configured to extend forward from the outer flange portion, and the second body portion is structurally configured to extend rearward from the outer flange portion; and wherein the radially extending portion is structurally configured to extend radially outward from an outer perimeter of the first body portion and forward from the outer flange portion;.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 31, 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Banning et al. (Patent No. US 4,906,207).
As to claim 31, Banning discloses an insulator structurally configured to enhance electrical performance of a coaxial cable extender 10 (fig. 1) comprising:
a first insulator portion 103 structurally configured to receive a portion of a center conductor portion 101 of a coaxial cable extender;
a second insulator portion 107 structurally configured to receive at least a portion of the first insulator portion;
wherein the second insulator portion comprises a higher dielectric constant than a dielectric constant of the first insulator portion such that the insulator is structurally configured to enhance electrical performance of the coaxial cable extender (col. 2 line 66 – col. 3 line 7); and
wherein the insulator is structurally configured to maintain an electrical impedance of a radio frequency signal traveling from a center conductor portion of a coaxial cable connector to the center conductor portion of the coaxial cable extender at a predetermined level (¶0007 of the instant application discloses that “The second material may comprise a higher dielectric constant than the first material such that the insulator may be structurally configured to maintain an electrical impedance of a radio frequency signal traveling from a center conductor portion of a coaxial cable connector to the center conductor portion of the coaxial cable extender at a predetermined level to reduce return losses at the coaxial cable extender so as to enhance electrical performance of the coaxial cable extender.” Therefore, the limitation is inherently met by Banning since the structural limitation, i.e. the second insulator portion having a higher dielectric constant, is met.)
As to claim 38, Banning discloses a coaxial cable extender comprising: a housing portion 105 structurally configured to receive the insulator of claim 31.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-18 are allowed.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance: The Examiner agrees with the Applicant's Remarks filed on 8/21/25.
Regarding independent claim 1, the prior art or record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim, a combination of limitations disclosing a first insulator portion including a receiving portion structurally configured to receive a receiving portion of a center conductor portion of a coaxial cable extender; a second insulator portion structurally configured to be received in a bore of a coaxial cable extender; wherein the receiving portion of the center conductor portion of the coaxial cable extender is structurally configured to radially expand when receiving a center conductor portion of a coaxial cable connector; wherein the first insulator portion is structurally configured to deform so as to permit radial expansion of the receiving portion of the center conductor portion of the coaxial cable extender; wherein the second insulator portion is structurally configured to include a first body portion, a second body portion, an outer flange portion, and a radially extending portion; wherein the first body portion is structurally configured to extend forward from the outer flange portion, and the second body portion is structurally configured to extend rearward from the outer flange portion; wherein the radially extending portion is structurally configured to extend radially outward from an outer perimeter of the first body portion and forward from the outer flange portion; wherein the second insulator portion includes a receiving portion that is structurally configured to receive at least a portion of the first insulator portion; wherein the first insulator portion comprises a first material and the second insulator portion comprises a second material, and wherein the second material comprises a higher modulus of elasticity than the first material such that the second insulator portion is structurally configured to limit radial expansion of the first insulator portion; and wherein the second material comprises a higher dielectric constant than the first material such that the insulator is structurally configured to maintain an electrical impedance of a radio frequency signal traveling from a center conductor portion of a coaxial cable connector to the center conductor portion of the coaxial cable extender at a predetermined level to reduce return losses at the coaxial cable extender so as to enhance electrical performance of the coaxial cable extender. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding independent claim 7, the prior art or record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim, a combination of limitations disclosing a first insulator portion including a receiving portion structurally configured to receive a receiving portion of a center conductor portion of a coaxial cable extender; a second insulator portion structurally configured to be received in a bore of a coaxial cable extender; wherein the receiving portion of the center conductor portion of the coaxial cable extender is structurally configured to radially expand when receiving a center conductor portion of a coaxial cable connector; wherein the second insulator portion includes a receiving portion that is structurally configured to receive at least a portion of the first insulator portion; wherein the first insulator portion comprises a first material and the second insulator portion comprises a second material; and wherein the second material comprises a higher dielectric constant than the first material such that the insulator is structurally configured to reduce return losses at the coaxial cable extender so as to enhance electrical performance of the coaxial cable extender. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Claims 32-37, 39-41are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding dependent claim 32, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claim 31, a combination of limitations that discloses wherein the second insulator portion is structurally configured to include a first body portion, a second body portion, an outer flange portion ,and a radially extending portion; wherein the first body portion is structurally configured to extend forward from the outer flange portion, and the second body portion is structurally configured to extend rearward from the outer flange portion; and wherein the radially extending portion is structurally configured to extend radially outward from an outer perimeter of the first body portion and forward from the outer flange portion. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding dependent claim 36, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claim 31, a combination of limitations that discloses wherein the receiving portion of the second insulator portion is structurally configured to receive the at least a portion of the first insulator portion in a friction fit relationship. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding dependent claim 37, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claim 31, a combination of limitations that discloses wherein the first insulator portion is structurally configured to deform so as to permit radial expansion of the portion of the center conductor portion of the coaxial cable extender; and wherein the second insulator portion comprises a higher modulus of elasticity than a modulus of elasticity of the first insulator portion such that the second insulator portion is structurally configured to limit radial expansion of the first insulator portion. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Regarding dependent claim 39, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in combining with other limitations within the claim and limitation recited in claim 31, 38, a combination of limitations that discloses a center conductor portion structurally configured to include a receiving portion at a rearward end thereof; and wherein the receiving portion of the center conductor portion of the coaxial cable extender is structurally configured to expand radially to receive a center conductor portion of a coaxial cable connector. None of the reference art of record discloses or renders obvious such a combination.
Conclusion
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/AMOL H PATEL/ Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847