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(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.
Claim 8 is 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, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 8, the limitation “each contact of the plurality of contacts . . .” is ambiguous as to whether it is referring to 1) the two contacts claimed in claim 1, line 6, or 2) the plurality of contact claimed in claim 8. It is treated as meaning the contacts of claim 8.
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 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Goerlitzer et al. US 9455509 (“Goerlitzer”).
Regarding claim 1, Goerlitzer discloses a terminal 1 for electrical cables (inserted into 15, 20), comprising:
a housing on which are provided at least two connections (at 10, 20) for electrically connecting in each case one electrical cable to one connection line (11, 21) arranged in the housing,
wherein the connection lines are electrically disconnected from each
other at a disconnection point at (12, 22) between two contacts (12,22), and
wherein the housing forms at least one receptacle (the receptacle holding element 3) at
which the contacts of the disconnection point of the connection lines are arranged such that they are electrically contactable by a component 3 attachable to the at least one receptacle.
Per claim 2, at least one insertion slope (labeled SLP in annotated figure 3 below) is formed on the receptacle.
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Per claim 3, there is at least one mounting region (labeled MR in annotated figure 1 below) for the a movable mounting of the component.
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Per claim 4 the mounting region (labeled MR above) has a substantially circular cross-section.
Per claim 5, the contacts (12, 22) are each formed on a slot (i.e., with a slot, labeled “SLOT” in annotated figure 3 above) .
Per claim 6, the receptacle is designed in the form of comprises a shaft (i.e. a vertical hole).
Per claim 7, the terminal (considering two adjacent series terminals 1 to be the “terminal”) includes a plurality of receptacles arranged in a row (figure 1, labeled Row in annotated figure 2 below).
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Per claim 8, one of the connection lines (e.g., the connection line labeled BCL above) comprises a bus connection line having a plurality of contacts (12, 22), each contact of the plurality of contacts being arranged at one receptacle of the plurality of receptacles.
Per claim 9, at least one of the connections is designed in the form of comprises a push-in connection.
Per claim 10, Goerlitzer discloses a system, comprising a terminal of claim 1;
and at least two different components (3, 4, 5, 6), each being selectively attachable to the at least one receptacle in order to electrically contact the contacts of the disconnection point of the connection lines.
Per claim 11, one component of the at least two different components is designed comprises a disconnection element with a contact blade (3a) for contacting the contacts of the connection lines,
wherein the disconnection element is attachable to the receptacle such that the disconnection element it is mounted so as to be movable between a contact position, in which the disconnection element electrically connects the contacts to each other, and a disconnection position, in which the disconnection element it -electrically disconnects the two contacts from each other.
Per claim 12 one component of the at least two different components comprises a passive or active electrical component.
Conclusion
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