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 Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation “the lower guiding portion first faces” should read “the lower wire guiding portion first surface faces”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 18, the limitation “the slot includes a tapered wall that extends toward the slot axis and the well” renders the claim indefinite, because claim 11 recites two wire locking features that each comprise a slot extending along a slot axis, making it unclear which slot includes the tapered wall that extends towards the slot axis and the well. For purposes of examination the indefinite limitation has been deemed to claim wherein each of the slots of each of the plurality of locking features include a tapered wall that extends towards the axis and the well of each of the plurality of wire locking features
Regarding claim 20, the limitation “the lower guiding portion” lacks proper antecedent basis, and is unclear if this is the same as the “lower wire guiding portion”.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claims 1 and 17, the most relevant prior art of record is Carrillo (US 2004/0162465), who discloses locking slots 302 sharing a common entry slot 304 and a locking arm 250 parallel to the angled head, however, Carrillo does not disclose, teach or fairly suggest, singly and in combination a second wire locking feature on the lower wire guiding portion second surface in combination with a wire contacting feature extending from the upper wire guiding portion second surface to bias the wire toward the upper wire guiding portion second surface.
Regarding claim 11, Carrillo also does not disclose, teach or fairly suggest a wire contacting feature extending from the wire guiding upper portion toward the facing wire guiding lower portion to bias the wire toward the wire guiding portion, since locking arm 250 extends parallel to the angled head.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN PATRICK DOUGHERTY whose telephone number is (571)270-5044. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm (Pacific Time).
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/SEAN P DOUGHERTY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3791
