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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because in Figure 3, the element number “3” shows different parts.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-12 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.
The term “capable of” in claims 1, 3-6, 10, 11 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “capable of” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2013/0038968).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a receptacle type ground fault circuit interrupter comprising:
a housing (1, 2),
wherein a first circuit board (11) is arranged in the housing (1, 2),
a plurality of sets of jacks (3) are provided in the housing (1, 2),
conductive sheets (10) aligned with the jacks (4) are arranged in the housing (1, 2),
a safety door assembly (2) capable of shielding the jacks (3) is arranged in the housing (1, 2),
a test key (5) and a reset key (4) are movably arranged on the housing (1, 2) in a penetrating manner,
the housing (1, 2) comprises an upper housing (2), a middle frame (6) and a lower housing (1) that are detachably connected,
the safety door assembly (see the drawing below) is arranged between the upper housing (2) and the middle frame (6),
the middle frame (6) forms a base of safety doors (see the drawing below),
an operation structure is arranged between the two sets of jacks (3), and
the operation structure comprises a linkage frame (see the drawing below) and contact bridges (8) movably arranged on left and right sides of the linkage frame (see the drawing below)
Although Chen does not explicitly disclose the safety door assembly is provided with an elastic member.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the safety door assembly is provided with an elastic member for the purpose of suitability of the intended use, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-12 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art does not teach or suggest the GFCI socket comprising the safety door assembly comprises the safety doors and fixing seats, the two sets of jacks are provided, first slots allowing the conductive sheets to be inserted thereinto are arranged in the middle frame, protruding portions are arranged at the positions, at outer rings of the first slots, of the middle frame, left sides of the fixing seats are provided with sixth through holes aligned with the left conductive sheets, right sides are provided with seventh through holes aligned with the right conductive sheets, the portions, on upper and lower sides of the seventh through holes, of the fixing seats are provided with first slopes, inner ends of the first slopes abut against outer side surfaces of the protruding portions, upper and lower sides of the safety doors are provided with second slopes in sliding fit with the first slopes, and the second slopes are in sliding fit with the first slopes to promote the safety doors to move to expose the conductive sheets.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Lisa Homza whose telephone number is (571) 272-3592.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached on (571) 272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Lisa Nhung Homza/
Patent Examiner - Art Unit 2837
June 23, 2025
/SHAWKI S ISMAIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837