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
Claims 1-11 are objected to because of the following informalities: “comprising a crimper” (claim 1, lines 2-3) should be changed to: --comprising: a crimper--. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-5 and 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent 5,752,405 to Gerst et al.
Regarding claim 1, Gerst et al disclose a crimping device (see Fig. 5) for securing a crimp barrel (47) on a conductor of a cable (45), the crimping device comprising: a crimper (44); an anvil (72) that interacts with the crimper; a cutter (70) (58) having a receiving surface configured to receive a cable (47) dielectric enclosing the conductor (not shown, see Col. 1, lines 49-51 discussed the conductor with insulation and crimping arm); a cutter actuator (58) configured to press the cutter (70/78) down at a reversal point and to be actuated jointly with the crimper (44); and a holding sheet (42) having a molded portion on a side facing toward the receiving surface of the cutter (78), and wherein the molded portion of the holding sheet and the receiving surface of the cutter substantially fully encompass the cable dielectric when the cutter actuator is at the reversal point (see Figs. 5 and 8).
Regarding claim 2, Gerst et al disclose the cutter actuator (58) is configured to
press the cutter down at the reversal point counter to a bias of a spring clement (80, see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 3-5, Gerst et al disclose the receiving surface of the cutter (78) has a circle-segment-shaped cross-sectional profile, and wherein a radius of curvature of the cross-sectional profile and is adapted to a radius of the dielectric is formed as a surface portion that projects with respect to an adjoining surface of the cutter (see Fig. 1B).
Regarding claim 7, Gerst et al disclose the cutter (78) is formed in one piece as a wire erosion part (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8, Gerst et al disclose a tension spring (not label) configured
to force the holding sheet in a direction of the receiving surface of the cutter so that the holding sheet is ahead of the cutter actuator (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 9, Gerst et al disclose a catch is formed on the cutter
actuator, and wherein the catch (bolt) is received in a slot (60/62) in the holding sheet so as to be guidable between two end positions (see Fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 10, Gerst et al disclose A method for crimping a crimp barrel onto a conductor of a cable using the crimping device according to claim 1, the method comprising: deforming at least one portion of the crimp barrel by moving the crimper relative to the anvil in such a way that the deformed portion of the crimp barrel is secured on the conductor of the cable; and reducing a diameter of the cable dielectric while moving the crimper relative to the anvil (see Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 11, Gerst et al disclose the diameter is reduced at ambient
Temperature (inherent, because not heat applied to the terminal is mentioned).
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gerst et al.
Gerst et al shown the curvature of both the molded portion and the receiving surface (see Fig. 1B) except for the corresponding curvature of both to the radius of the dielectric or are approximately 10% to approximately 20% smaller than the radius of the dielectric. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention by choosing any desired curvature of the molded portion and the receiving surface such as the corresponding curvature of both to the radius of the dielectric or are approximately 10% to approximately 20% smaller than the radius of the dielectric, since it has been held that where the general conditions (i.e., curving surfaces) of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Prior art references cited for their general teaching of apparatus for crimping electrical terminal to the end of electrical cable/wire.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DONGHAI D NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4566. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-5:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas J. Hong can be reached at 571-272-0993. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DN/ /DONGHAI D NGUYEN/March 7, 2026 Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729