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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 11-12 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by El Ouardi et al. (12,500,383).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, El Ouardi et al. disclose a connector assembly, comprising:
a housing (300, Fig. 3C); and
a terminal assembly (100, Fig. 3C) received within the housing, the terminal assembly comprising:
an adapter plate (50, Fig. 3A) comprising a plurality of slots (not labeled), the adapter plate configurable in a first configuration and a second configuration based on an electrical loading threshold of the connector assembly;
one or more terminals (20 and 40, Fig. 1B) positionable within the plurality of slots of the adapter plate, the one or more terminals comprising:
a blade (pointed at 20 and 40, Fig. 1B) extending from a first side of the adapter plate (Fig. 3A); and
one or more pins (22 and 41, Fig. 1C) extending outward from a second side (not shown) of the adapter plate opposite the first side;
wherein the one or more terminals positionable in a first subset of the plurality of slots to provide the first configuration, and
positionable in a second subset of the plurality of slots to provide the second configuration,
wherein the first and second configurations differ by terminal size based on the electrical loading threshold.
Regarding claims 2 and 18, Fig. 3A shows the adapter plate is configurable in the first configuration and the second configuration based on an electrical loading threshold of the connector assembly comprises a maximum loading threshold of an application.
Regarding claims 4 and 12, Fig. 3A shows the adapter plate is configured to secure the one or more terminals in a rigid orientation to prohibit rotational movement of the one or more terminals within the adapter plate.
(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.
Claims 1, 3, 9-11 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kocher (5,630,720).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Kocher disclose a connector assembly, comprising:
a housing (162, Fig. 5); and
a terminal assembly received within the housing, the terminal assembly comprising:
an adapter plate (250, Fig. 5) comprising a plurality of slots (72 and 252-258), the adapter plate configurable in a first configuration and a second configuration based on an electrical loading threshold of the connector assembly;
one or more terminals (10 and 70, Fig. 5) positionable within the plurality of slots of the adapter plate, the one or more terminals comprising:
a blade (10, Fig. 5) extending from a first side of the adapter plate (Fig. 3); and
one or more pins (32-38, Fig. 5) extending outward from a second side (Fig. 3) of the adapter plate opposite the first side;
wherein the one or more terminals positionable in a first subset of the plurality of slots to provide the first configuration, and
positionable in a second subset of the plurality of slots to provide the second configuration,
wherein the first and second configurations differ by terminal size based on the electrical loading threshold.
Regarding claims 3 and 17, Fig. 2 shows the terminal assembly is selectively coupled between a connected position and an unconnected position, and wherein the terminal assembly abuts an inner wall (at 12) of the housing when the terminal assembly is in the connected position.
Regarding claim 9, Fig. 5 shows the one or more terminals comprises at least one of a first terminal (70) having a single pin, a second terminal (10) having four pins.
Regarding claim10, Fig. 1 shows the plurality of one or more slots are arranged in a grid pattern.
Claims 1, 5-8, 11, 13-16, 19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Achammer et al. (8,292,639)
Regarding claims 1, 11 and 16, Achammer et al. disclose a connector assembly, comprising:
a housing (12, Fig. 5); and
a terminal assembly received within the housing, the terminal assembly comprising:
an adapter plate (56, Fig. 4) comprising a plurality of slots (not labeled), the adapter plate configurable in a first configuration and a second configuration based on an electrical loading threshold of the connector assembly;
one or more terminals (21 and 23, Fig. 5) positionable within the plurality of slots of the adapter plate, the one or more terminals comprising:
a blade (pointed at 21 and 23, Fig. 5) extending from a first side of the adapter plate; and
one or more pins (124, Fig. 5) extending outward from a second side of the adapter plate opposite the first side;
wherein the one or more terminals positionable in a first subset of the plurality of slots to provide the first configuration, and
positionable in a second subset of the plurality of slots to provide the second configuration,
wherein the first and second configurations differ by terminal size based on the electrical loading threshold.
Regarding claims 5 and 13, Fig. 5 shows a printed circuit board (40) received within the housing opposite the terminal assembly and comprising one or more apertures positioned therein;
wherein the one or more pins are coupled to the printed circuit board through the one or more apertures to permit a flow of energy from the blade through the one or more pins to the printed circuit board.
Regarding claim 6, Fig. 5 shows the terminal assembly is received within a first side of the housing and the printed circuit board is received within a second side of the housing, the first side opposite the second side.
Regarding claims 7 and 14, Fig. 5 shows the one or more pins are spaced apart by a first distance, and wherein the one or more apertures are spaced apart by the first distance.
Regarding claims 8 and 15, Fig. 5 shows the one or more pins and the one or more apertures are aligned along a contact plane.
Regarding claim 19, Achammer et al. disclose a connector assembly, comprising:
a housing 12, Fig. 5);
a terminal assembly received within the housing, the terminal assembly comprising:
an adapter plate (56, Fig. 4) configurable in a first configuration and a second configuration based on an electrical loading threshold of the connector assembly; and
one or more terminals (21 and 23, Fig. 5) received within the adapter plate, the one or more terminals comprising:
a blade (pointed at 21 and 23, Fig. 5) extending from a first side of the adapter plate; and
one or more pins (124, Fig. 5) extending outward from a second side of the adapter plate opposite the first side; and
a printed circuit board (40, Fig. 5) received within the housing opposite the terminal assembly and comprising one or more apertures (not labeled, Fig. 5) positioned therein;
wherein the one or more pins are spaced apart by a first distance, and wherein the one or more apertures are spaced apart by the first distance; and
wherein the adapter plate comprises one or more slots (not labeled, Fig. 4), the one or more terminals positionable within the one or more slots, wherein the one or more terminals positionable in a first subset of the one or more slots to provide the first configuration, and positionable in a second subset of one or more slots to provide the second configuration, wherein the first and second configurations differ by terminal size based on the electrical loading threshold.
Regarding claim 21, Fig. 5 shows the electrical loading threshold of the connector assembly comprises a maximum loading threshold of an application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-19 and 21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 THANH TAM T LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2094. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdul Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THANH TAM T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 01/31/26
thanh-tam.le@uspto.gov