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 .
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)(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.
1. Claim(s) 1-9,11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Arlitt et al. (US20200203878).
As to claim 1, Arlitt et al. discloses a terminal (figure 1 number 1) for electrical lines, comprising a housing (2) forming a mounting region (4) on which a disconnecting element (11) is mounted so as to move between a contact position, in which the disconnecting element (11) electrically interconnects two contacts (5,8), and a disconnecting position, in which the disconnecting element (11) electrically disconnects the two contacts (5,8) from each other, wherein two components (3,6) of the terminal (1) each form at least one portion of the mounting region (4).
As to claim 2, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein, in cross-section, the two portions of the mounting region describe a circular arc (figure 20 number 111b).
As to claim 3, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein the disconnecting element is mounted on the mounting region so as to pivot about a pivot axis (paragraph 0112).
As to claim 4, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein the housing (figure 20 number 2) forms a receptacle (10) within which the disconnecting element (11) is movable, and wherein the receptacle (10) extends in the housing (2) perpendicularly to the pivot axis (paragraph 0112).
As to claim 5, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein at least one of the housing parts has at least one outer wall which is closed at a point to which the pivot axis points (figure 20 number 15).
As to claim 6, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein one of the two components comprises a housing part in the a form of an upper shell, into which the second component can be insertable (figure 1 number 3).
As to claim 7, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein the housing part and a further housing part are latchable with one another in a form-fitting manner by latching hooks (paragraph 0068).
As to claim 8, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein the disconnecting element (figure 17 number 11) comprises a contact blade (90), which is insertable in an electrically contacting manner into at least one slot (15d) of a connection conductor, which is electrically connected to one of the contacts (5a).
As to claim 9, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein the disconnecting element (figure 17c number 11) comprises an engagement region (10) to which a tool (90) is applicable in order to move the disconnecting element (11) between the contact position and the disconnecting position by the tool (paragraph 0074).
As to claim 11, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein the housing forms multiple connections for electrically connecting one electrical line in each case, and wherein at least one of the connections comprises a form of a push-in connection (figure 1, number 1,3 paragraph 0050).
As to claim 12, Arlitt et al. discloses wherein the terminal comprises a form of a disconnecting terminal (paragraph 0049).
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.
2. Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arlitt et al. in view of Kleeberger et al. (US20040235344).
Arlitt et al. discloses the terminal described above. Arlitt et al. fail to disclose wherein the housing parts are comprise plastic injection-molded parts. Kleeberger et al. teaches wherein the housing parts are comprise plastic injection-molded parts for the purpose of providing preferred material for ease of manufacturing (paragraph 0017).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time applicant's invention was made to wherein the housing parts are comprise plastic injection-molded parts for the purpose of providing preferred material for ease of manufacturing (paragraph 0017).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANE J RHEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1499. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (10-6:30).
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/JANE J RHEE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1724