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 1-2, 6-8, 12-14 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu (9,112,326).
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses an interchangeable plug (1, FIG. 1) for a power adapter (2) comprising:
a first coupling mechanism (12 and 13) raised above a rear surface of the interchangeable plug and configured to be releasably coupled to a first engagement mechanism (241 and 242) of the power adapter when the interchangeable plug is mounted on the power adapter; and
a second coupling mechanism (16, FIG. 1) raised above the rear surface of the interchangeable plug and configured to be releasably coupled to a second engagement mechanism (27) of the power adapter when the interchangeable plug is mounted on the power adapter, wherein:
the first coupling mechanism and the second coupling mechanism are separate and located on opposite ends of the interchangeable plug.
Regarding claim 2, a first hook (13, FIG. 1) of the first coupling mechanism is received by a first latch (241) of the first engagement mechanism of the power adapter.
Regarding claim 6, the first engagement mechanism and the second engagement mechanism of the power adapter are located at opposite sides of adapter prongs of the power adapter (FIG. 1).
Regarding claims 7-8, 12-14 and 18-20, the features in the method claims identical to those of the apparatus claims. Therefore, a method for providing an interchangeable plug for a power adapter alone is not a patentable feature.
Claims 1, 3, 7, 9, 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chien (10,996,695).
Regarding claim 1, Chien discloses an interchangeable plug (20, FIG. 4) for a power adapter (10) comprising:
a first coupling mechanism (27, FIG. 3) raised above a rear surface of the interchangeable plug and configured to be releasably coupled to a first engagement mechanism (29, FIG. 4) of the power adapter when the interchangeable plug is mounted on the power adapter; and
a second coupling mechanism (other 27 of other side, FIG. 3) raised above the rear surface of the interchangeable plug and configured to be releasably coupled to a second engagement mechanism (other 29 of other side, FIG. 4) of the power adapter when the interchangeable plug is mounted on the power adapter, wherein:
the first coupling mechanism and the second coupling mechanism are separate and located on opposite ends of the interchangeable plug.
Regarding claim 3, a second hook (27, FIG. 3) of the second coupling mechanism is movable to be received or released by a second latch (29, FIG. 4) of the second engagement mechanism along a single direction along which adapter prongs of the power adapter extend when the adapter prongs are in a folded position;
the second hook of the second coupling mechanism is movable toward or away from the first coupling mechanism to be received or released by the second latch of the second engagement mechanism;
the second latch of the second engagement mechanism is movable to receive or release the second hook of the second coupling mechanism along the single direction.
Regarding claims 7, 9, 13 and 15, the features in the method claims identical to those of the apparatus claims. Therefore, a method for providing an interchangeable plug for a power adapter alone is not a patentable feature.
Claims 1, 4-5, 7, 10-11, 13 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang (7,300,297).
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses an interchangeable plug (30, FIG. 7) for a power adapter (20) comprising:
a first coupling mechanism (323, FIG. 7) raised above a rear surface of the interchangeable plug and configured to be releasably coupled to a first engagement mechanism (261) of the power adapter when the interchangeable plug is mounted on the power adapter; and
a second coupling mechanism (33 and a hole, not labeled, FIG. 7) raised above the rear surface of the interchangeable plug and configured to be releasably coupled to a second engagement mechanism (28) of the power adapter when the interchangeable plug is mounted on the power adapter, wherein:
the first coupling mechanism and the second coupling mechanism are separate and located on opposite ends of the interchangeable plug.
Regarding claim 4, adapter prong contacts (243, FIG. 3) configured to be electronically coupled to adapter prongs (24) of the power adapter when the interchangeable plug is mounted on the power adapter and plug prongs (325, FIG. 3) electronically coupled to the adapter prong contacts (FIG. 8).
Regarding claim 5, when the interchangeable plug comprises one alignment structure (321, FIG. 7), the one alignment structure is raised from the rear surface of the interchangeable plug and configured to be received in an adapter-prong channel (21) of the power adapter for the adapter prongs when the interchangeable plug is mounted on the power adapter.
Regarding claims 7, 10-11, 13 and 16-17, the features in the method claims identical to those of the apparatus claims. Therefore, a method for providing an interchangeable plug for a power adapter alone is not a patentable feature.
Conclusion
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 01/16/26
thanh-tam.le@uspto.gov