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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/15/2026 has been entered.
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 1 and 3-20 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the conductors surrounded by the metal sleeve" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim discloses the metal sleeve essentially completely fills the space between the outer surface of “the welded conductor” and the outer surface of the cable insulation of “the first and second conductors”, but does not disclose conductors surround by the metal sleeve.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the jointed cable conductors" in lines 11-12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 3-20 depend from a rejected base claim, incorporate the indefinite language though dependency and are rejected for the same reasons as the base claim.
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)(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, 3, 5-7, 9-13 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ladie et al. [US2014/0124263, of record, previously cited, “Ladie”].
Ladie discloses a method for connecting a first and a second conductor (12a, 12b) for use in a prefabricated cable accessory, the method comprising: electrically connecting the first and second conductors (12a, 12b) by welding them together, and filling a space between an outer surface of the welded conductor and an outer surface of a cable insulation (16a, 16b) of the first and second conductors
With respect to claim 3, Ladie discloses the arranging comprises placing two radial halves of the metal sleeve together on the welded conductor and joining them together (paragraph 0093).
With respect to claim 5, Ladie discloses the two halves of the metal sleeve have rounded edges (Figure 4 shows rounded edges on the insert 40).
With respect to claim 6, Ladie discloses the radial halves are essentially identical (paragraph 0093).
With respect to claim 7, Ladie discloses the metal sleeve (40) is a solid cylinder longitudinally cut into two radial halves, wherein the metal cylinder has an inner diameter matching an outer diameter of the welded conductor and an outer diameter matching an outer diameter of the cable insulation of the first and second conductors (Figure 4; paragraphs 0092, 095, 0097, 0098).
With respect to claim 9, Ladie discloses aligning the two radial halves by introducing one or more guiding pins into one or more holes of the two radial halves (paragraph 0093).
With respect to claim 10, Ladie discloses adding an additional electrical connection between the metal sleeve and the welded conductor (paragraph 0096).
With respect to claim 11, Ladie discloses adding the additional connection includes screwing connecting wires between the metal sleeve and the welded conductor (paragraph 0096).
With respect to claim 12, Ladie discloses the prefabricated cable accessory is one a cable joint and a cable termination (paragraph 0001).
With respect to claim 13, Ladie discloses the conductors comprise solid structure made of a metal operating under Direct Current (DC), or Alternating Current (AC) voltage or current (paragraph 0002, 0007, 0083).
With respect to claim 17, Ladie discloses placing two radial halves of the metal sleeve together on the welded conductor and joining them together (paragraph 0093).
With respect to claim 18, Ladie discloses the metal sleeve (40) is a solid cylinder longitudinally cut into two radial halves, wherein the metal cylinder has an inner diameter matching an outer diameter of the welded conductor and an outer diameter matching an outer diameter of the cable insulation of the first and second conductors (Figure 4; paragraphs 0092, 095, 0097, 0098).
With respect to claim 19, Ladie discloses aligning the two radial halves by introducing one or more guiding pins into one or more holes of the two radial halves (paragraph 0093).
With respect to claim 20, Ladie discloses the conductor is aluminum or copper (paragraph 0083).
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.
Claims 4 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ladie in view of Goetter [US4549040, of record, previously cited].
Ladie discloses a method for connecting. Applicant is referred to paragraph 6 for a detailed discussion of Ladie.
With respect to claim 4, Ladie discloses joining two radial halves of the metal sleeve, but fails to disclose screws to joining the radial halves together. Goetter discloses a method of splicing cables together including joining two radial halves (12) together and utilizing screws (46) passed though holes (34) in each radial half (Figure 2). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the method of Ladie by securing the radial halves tougher using screws and holes in each half as taught Goetter in order to ensure a strong connection between the radial halves.
With respect to claim 14, Ladie discloses the two halves of the metal sleeve have rounded edges (Figure 4 shows rounded edges on the insert 40).
With respect to claim 15, Ladie discloses the radial halves are essentially identical (paragraph 0093).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ladie in view of Cox et al. [US2016/0226158, of record, previously cited, “Cox”].
Ladie discloses a method for connecting. Applicant is referred to paragraph 6 for a detailed discussion of Ladie. Ladie discloses two radial haves but fails to disclose built-in screws for making electrical contact to the welded conductor and mechanically fixing the metal sleeve at intended position.
Cox discloses a method of connecting. Cox discloses each of the two radial halves (40 and 30) comprises built-in screws (60) for making electrical contact to the welded conductor and mechanically fixing the metal sleeve at intended position (Figure 1; paragraphs 0099-102).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the method of Ladie by including built in screws and holes in each of the two radial halves as taught by Cox in order to prevent movement and damage the conductor within the metal sleeve.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ladie, Goetter, and further in view of Cox.
Ladie as modified discloses a method for connecting. Applicant is referred to paragraph 8 for a detailed discussion of Ladie as modified. Ladie discloses two radial haves but fails to disclose built-in screws for making electrical contact to the welded conductor and mechanically fixing the metal sleeve at intended position.
Cox discloses a method of connecting. Cox discloses each of the two radial halves (40 and 30) comprises built-in screws (60) for making electrical contact to the welded conductor and mechanically fixing the metal sleeve at intended position (Figure 1; paragraphs 0099-102).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the method of Ladie by including built in screws and holes in each of the two radial halves as taught by Cox in order to prevent movement and damage the conductor within the metal sleeve.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/15/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant asserts Ladie does not disclose or suggest arranging the conductors surrounded by the metal sleeve in the prefabricated cable accessory by pulling the prefabricated accessory over the jointed cable conductors. Applicant asserts Ladie builds up layer by layer and is thus not a prefabricated unit/joint that can be pulled over jointed cable conductors.
Ladie discloses a casing (100) is slid over the jointed zone (paragraph 0116-118). It is noted applicant’s arguments use the terms “prefabricated unit” and “prefabricated joint”, but the claim recites “prefabricated cable accessory” the casing of Ladie satisfies the requirement of a prefabricated cable accessory given it’s the broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the disclosure.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 DANIEL MCNALLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2685. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Orlando can be reached at 571-270-5038. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL MCNALLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
DPM
February 5, 2026