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 2,4, and 5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claims 2 and 4, the use of the phrase “designed as” is inappropriate, because this phrase alludes to a process which should not be recited in an apparatus claim. For purposes of examination the claims will be interpreted as if this phrase was omitted from the claims.
In claim 5, line 2, “the plane” lacks antecedent basis.
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 – 8, 10, 14 – 16, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. No. 10,707,594 (“Wu”).
Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses a contact piece for a contact insert of a plug connector, the contact piece comprising:
a base section (22/23);
a contact pin connection (233); and
a conductor receptacle (space between 211/212 and 221/231) with a conductor seating section (211/212) to clamp an electrical conductor with the aid of a clamping spring (30/40), the conductor seating section being bent away from the base section and is fixed on the base section via a support contour (the bend between 22/23 and 211/212 is a supportive structure).
Regarding claim 2, Wu discloses the contact piece is a single piece (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, Wu discloses wherein the contact pin connection and the conductor receptacle are oriented with respect to each other such that a conductor insertion direction of the electrical conductor and a contact pin insertion direction run at an angle to each other (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 4, Wu discloses wherein the contact pin connection is a contact pin (233), which includes at least one contact pin arm protruding from the base section (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5, Wu discloses the support contour is arranged in a plane of the conductor seating section (a plane along 212 includes the bend where 212 and 23 meet).
Regarding claim 6, Wu discloses wherein the conductor seating section has at least two support contours arranged opposite each other (the supportive bends between211/22 and 212/23 are opposite each other across space 214), which fix the conductor seating section onto the base section in its bent state (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, Wu discloses the contact piece has a spring receiving section (231) with a spring receptacle (232) to fasten a clamping spring on the contact piece (40).
Regarding claim 8, Wu discloses wherein the contact piece is configured to receive at least two clamping springs (23/40).
Regarding claim 10, Wu discloses wherein the conductor seating section, a rear wall of the base section, and the spring receiving section are arranged with respect to each other in a U-shaped or C-shaped manner (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 14, Wu discloses a contact insert (assembly of 20/30/40) for a plug connector, the contact comprising the contact piece according to claim 1 (see above) and a clamping spring (30/40) inserted into the contact piece.
Regarding claim 15, Wu discloses wherein the clamping spring has an open spring contour (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 16, Wu discloses a plug connector (1) that comprises the contact insert according to claim 14 (see above).
Regarding claim 22, Wu discloses a distribution block (1) that comprises at least two contact pieces (the left and right sides of 20) and at least two clamping springs (30/40), the contact pieces having a base section (22/23) and a conductor receptacle (space between 211/221 and 212/231)with at least one conductor seating section (211/212) connecting the at least two contact pieces to each other (the seating sections are connected through 213 which connects the left and right sides) for clamping electrical conductors via the clamping springs (see Fig. 1), the conductor seating section being fixed on the base sections of the contact pieces via a support contour (the bends between 23/212 and 22/211, and portion 213, define a supportive contour structure fixing the seating sections on 22/23).
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 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of EP 2442403 A1 (“Ramm”).
Regarding claim 9, Wu does not disclose that the base section, the contact pin connection, the conductor seating section, and/or the spring receiving section are at least partially coated.
However, Ramm teaches connectors with clamped connection areas and pin connection areas, and teaches coating the surfaces of contact surfaces with a metal alloy (see the translation, page 5). It would have been obvious to coat surfaces which are contact surfaces of Wu, including at least the contact pin connection, conductor seating section, and base section, because this reduces resistance through the connector and also improves corrosion resistance.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11 – 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims
Claims 17 – 21 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 11, the prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed contact piece for a contact insert of a plug connector, including a base, contact pin connection, and conductor seating section bent away from the base and fixed via a support contour to the base and/or contact pin, wherein the support contour is a latching contour, along with the remaining elements of the claim.
Regarding Claim 17, the prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed cut sheet section to manufacture a contact piece for a plug connector, the cut sheet section, in an unbent planar state, comprising: a base section; two material tongues, which extend essentially in parallel to each other, and protrude from the base section in a first direction; and a material strip to form a conductor seating section, the material strip extending between the material tongues essentially in parallel thereto, along with the remaining elements of the claim.
Stolze discloses a contact formed of a cut sheet, with two material tongues in parallel, but does not disclose a material strip between the tongues essentially in parallel thereto. Wu ‘795 discloses a contact with a base and seating section 131, and a latch section near 161, but does not disclose the seating section fixed to the base or contact pin by the latch section.
The prior art, when taken alone, or in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
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 PAUL D BAILLARGEON whose telephone number is (571)272-0676. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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/PAUL D BAILLARGEON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831
/renee s luebke/ Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2831