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 .
This office action is a response to the restriction requirement filed on 6/29/2026.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I, claims 1-17, in the reply filed on 6/29/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the claims of Group I and Group II are directed to closely related apparatus and method subject matter involving the same crimp tool technology. The Restriction Requirement does not establish that examination of the apparatus claims and method claims together would impose a serious search or examination burden. This is not found persuasive because the Group I and II are distinct and have acquired a separate status in the art as shown by their different classification and the Group I and II require a different field of search.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 18-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 6/29/2026.
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.
The following title is suggested: --CRIMP TOOL HAVING NON-LINEAR CRIMPING FORCE--.
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 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dierks et al. (US PAT. 9,564,727).
Dierks et al. teach a crimp tool for crimping a prepared wire into a corresponding contact wire barrel, as per claim 1 and claim 10) the crimp tool comprising: a circular cam (139, Fig. 4) having an aperture therein, the aperture forming an inner camming surface; a cam handle (131, Fig. 4) extending from the circular cam; a lower handle (119, Fig. 4) pivotably connected to the cam handle at the circular cam; an indentor holder (141, Fig. 4, as per claim 11) mounted within the aperture of the circular cam, the indentor holder having a plurality of radially extending channels; and a plurality of indentor elements (105, Fig. 4, as per claim 12) slidingly engaged with the plurality of radially extending channels (as per claim 13); wherein the inner camming surface having a plurality of curvilinear ramps (5, Fig. 5)) for the plurality of indenter elements to slide along as the circular cam rotates from an open position (Fig. 4) to a closed position (Fig. 5) (see also col. 3, line 34 to col. 5, line 16).
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Re. claims 2 and 14: The plurality of curvilinear ramps having at least one change in ramp geometry as shown in Fig. 4.
Re. claims 3 and 15: The plurality of curvilinear ramps comprises a first portion having a first rate of change in radius, and a second portion having a second rate of change in radius less than the first change in radius as shown In Fig. 5.
Re. claims 4 and 16: Rotation of the circular cam from an open position to a closed position (Fig. 1) is configured to drive the indentor elements radially inward as shown in Fig. 4.
Re. claim 5: A plurality of spring elements (142, Fig. 5) is forcing distal ends of the plurality of the indentor elements to maintain continuous contact with the inner camming surface.
Re. claim 6: The distal ends of the plurality of indentor elements comprise a rounded head (15, Fig. 5) to continuously maintain contact with the inner camming surface.
Re. claim 7: The inner camming surface comprises a plurality of recesses associated with each ramp of the plurality of curvilinear ramps and configured to receive a respective rounded head of the plurality of indentor elements therein when the circular cam is in the open position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.
Re. claims 8 and 17: A force exerted by proximal ends of the plurality of indentor elements on a contact wire barrel changes as the circular cam rotates to the closed position as shown in Fig. 1.
Re. claim 9: The indentor holder remains stationary relative to the circular cam that is configured to rotate when the cam handle is compressed towards the lower handle as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.
The Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kelly et al. (PGPub 2022/0216662 A1), Kelly et al. (US PAT. 11,289,866), Weber et al. (US PAT. 10,615,557), and Schwartzman et al. (US PAT. 7,461,448) are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to a crimp tool for crimping a prepared wire into a corresponding contact wire barrel.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL D KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-4565. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 6:00 AM-2:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas 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.
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/PAUL D KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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