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 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 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ehret et al. (7,997,930).
Regarding claim 1, Ehret et al. disclose an electrical connector assembly, comprising:
an electrical connector, comprising a casing (18, Fig. 1) and a coupling component (32, Fig. 1), wherein the coupling component is rotatably disposed on the casing, and the coupling component has at least one first ratchet tooth (38, Fig. 1); and
a rotatable sleeve (2, Fig. 1), rotatably disposed on the casing (Fig. 9), wherein the rotatable sleeve has at least one second ratchet tooth (an end of 58, Fig. 1), the at least one second ratchet tooth of the rotatable sleeve is meshed with the at least one first ratchet tooth of the coupling component merely along a first direction for rotating the coupling component relative to the casing (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 2, the rotatable sleeve comprises an outer annular portion (42, Fig. 1) and at least one flexible portion (58) connected to each other, the at least one second ratchet tooth is located on the at least one flexible portion; when the rotatable sleeve is rotated along a second direction opposite to the first direction, the at least one first ratchet tooth presses against the at least one second ratchet tooth so as to deform the at least one flexible portion (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 3, the at least one first ratchet tooth comprises a plurality of first ratchet teeth (two teeth (38) that divided by 56, Fig. 3B) arranged along a circumferential direction of the coupling component, the at least one second ratchet tooth comprises two second ratchet teeth (58, Fig. 4B), the at least one flexible portion comprises two flexible portions, the two flexible portions are located opposite to each other, and the two second ratchet teeth are respectively located on the two flexible portions, and the two second ratchet teeth respectively correspond to two of the plurality of first ratchet teeth located opposite to each other (Fig. 9).
Claims 1, 4 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Montena (7,798,849).
Regarding claim 1, Montena discloses an electrical connector assembly, comprising:
an electrical connector, comprising a casing (82, Fig. 4) and a coupling component (20, Fig. 4), wherein the coupling component is rotatably disposed on the casing, and the coupling component has at least one first ratchet tooth (24, Fig. 4); and
a rotatable sleeve (22, Fig. 4), rotatably disposed on the casing (Fig. 6), wherein the rotatable sleeve has at least one second ratchet tooth (28, Fig. 4), the at least one second ratchet tooth of the rotatable sleeve is meshed with the at least one first ratchet tooth of the coupling component merely along a first direction for rotating the coupling component relative to the casing (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 4, Fig. 4 shows the rotatable sleeve has an outer annular surface, a first tool hole (40) and at least one second tool hole (another 40), the first tool hole and the at least one second tool hole are respectively recessed from different sides of the outer annular surface and expose different portions of the coupling component.
Regarding claim 7, Fig. 4 shows the first tool hole and the at least one second tool hole ae respectively recessed from two opposite sides of the outer annular surface.
Regarding claim 8, Fig. 4 shows the rotatable sleeve has an outer annular surface and a plurality of anti-slip structures (40) located on the outer annular surface.
Regarding claim 9, the rotatable sleeve is made of plastic material (column 7, lines 60-61).
Regarding claim 10, Fig. 4 shows the coupling component has an inner threaded structure (62).
Claims 1 and 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen (9,859,669).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses an electrical connector assembly, comprising:
an electrical connector, comprising a casing (10, Fig. 2a) and a coupling component (13, Fig. 2a), wherein the coupling component is rotatably disposed on the casing (Fig. 2c), and the coupling component has at least one first ratchet tooth (132, Fig. 2c); and
a rotatable sleeve (12, Fig. 2a), rotatably disposed on the casing (Fig. 2c), wherein the rotatable sleeve has at least one second ratchet tooth (122, Fig. 2c), the at least one second ratchet tooth of the rotatable sleeve is meshed with the at least one first ratchet tooth of the coupling component merely along a first direction for rotating the coupling component relative to the casing (Fig. 2c).
Regarding claim 4, Fig. 2c shows the rotatable sleeve has an outer annular surface (Fig. 2a), a first tool hole (a FIGURE A below) and at least one second tool hole (the FIGURE A below), the first tool hole and the at least one second tool hole are respectively recessed from different sides of the outer annular surface and expose different portions of the coupling component.
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Regarding claim 5, the rotatable sleeve further has an end surface (122, Fig. 2b), the end surface is connected to a periphery of the outer annular surface, and a distance from the first tool hole to the end surface is different from a distance from the at least one second tool hole to the end surface.
Regarding claim 6, the at least one second tool hole comprises two second tool holes (the FIUGRE A above), and distances from the two second tool holes to the end surface are different from each other.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/06/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Ehret et al., Montena and Chen are not disclosed “a rotatable sleeve, rotatably disposed on the casing, wherein the rotatable sleeve has at least one second ratchet tooth, the at least one second ratchet tooth of the rotatable sleeve is meshed with the at least one first ratchet tooth of the coupling component merely along a first direction for rotating the coupling component relative to the casing”.
The Examiner disagrees.
Claim 1 is claimed “a first ratchet tooth” and “a second ratchet tooth” and “the at least one second ratchet tooth of the rotatable sleeve is meshed with the at least one first ratchet tooth of the coupling component merely along a first direction for rotating the coupling component relative to the casing”. Since no functional languages or any details of a first tooth and a second tooth have been disclosed; therefore, any tooth can be a ratchet tooth.
Although Ehret et al., Montena and Chen disclose the second ratchet tooth of the rotatable sleeve is meshed with the first ratchet tooth of the coupling component more than one direction, but at least they read on the limitations of “…along a first direction”.
For the above reasons, it is believed that the rejection should be sustained.
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 THANH TAM T LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2094. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdul Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THANH TAM T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 02/09/26.
thanh-tam.le@uspto.gov