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
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities. Appropriate correction is required. Line 27 should recite “wherein the engaging portion of the first connector portion…”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 13-15, 17, 19, 21, 23, and 26-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Coleman et al. (“Coleman”; US 7,527,524).
Regarding claim 13: Coleman discloses a cable connector comprising:
a first connector portion (20) having a cable receiving end (at 29) and a second end (at 26) opposite the cable receiving end;
a second connector portion (40) having a first end (at 49), and a second end (at 46) that is structurally configured to be coupled with the second end (at 26) of the first connector portion (20);
a support portion (29) that is structurally configured to be positioned in the second connector portion (when fully connected, Fig. 7);
a cable gripping portion (50) that is structurally configured to be positioned partially in the support portion (29, when assembled);
an indicator portion (90, 92);
wherein the support portion (29) is structurally configured to move axially relative to the cable gripping portion (55) when the first portion (20) moves relative to the second connector portion (40, column 4, lines 54-63);
wherein the first connector portion (20) is structurally configured to engage with the second connector portion (40) such that rotation of the first connector portion relative to the second connector portion moves the first portion axially relative to the second connector portion (as it is a threaded connection that moves axially when tightened);
wherein the first connector portion is structurally configured to move the support portion axially relative to the second connector portion in response to the axial movement of the first portion relative to the second connector portion (column 4, lines 54-63);
wherein the indicator portion (90, 92) corresponds to an amount of radial compression of the cable gripping portion in response to axial movement of the support portion (column 4, lines 64-67); and
wherein the indicator portion is structurally configured to provide a visual stop indicator (via 90 and 92) reference point when the second connector portion moves in an axial direction and when the first connector portion is coupled with the second connector portion such that the cable gripping portion grips the cable with a predetermined amount of radial force based on an outer diameter portion of the cable so as to allow an installer to use the visual stop indicator reference point to prevent under-tightening and/or over-tightening of the connector on the cable (column 4, line 64 – column 5, line 21, as engagement and disengagement are forms of under- and over-tightening).
Regarding claim 14: Coleman discloses the first connector portion comprises a back nut assembly (21).
Regarding claim 15: Coleman discloses the second connector portion comprises a center body (44).
Regarding claim 17: Coleman discloses the cable gripping portion comprises a cable gripping ferrule (55).
Regarding claim 19: Coleman discloses the indicator portion comprises a plurality of indicator portions (90, 92).
Regarding claim 21: Coleman discloses the first connector portion (20) is structurally configured to include an engaging portion (26), the second connector portion (40) is structurally configured to include an engaging portion (48), and the engaging portion of the first connector portion is structurally configured to be engaged with the engaging portion of the second connector portion such that rotation of the first connector portion relative to the second connector portion moves the first portion axially relative to the second connector portion (as the threads are tightened).
Regarding claim 23: Coleman discloses the cable gripping portion (55) is structurally configured to include an angled portion (going from 54 to 55), the support portion (29) is structurally configured to include an angled portion that is structurally configured to contact the angled portion of the cable gripping portion, and the angled portion of the support portion is structurally configured to move relative to the angled portion of the cable gripping portion is response to axial movement of the support portion such that the cable gripping portion is moved radially inward (see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 26: Coleman discloses a cable connector comprising:
a support portion (29) that is structurally configured to move relative to a cable gripping portion (55) when a first connector portion (20) moves relative to a second connector portion (40, as they are separate components that are connected);
an indicator portion (90, 92) that is structurally configured to indicate an amount of radial compression of a cable gripping portion when the second connector portion moves in an axial direction (column 4, lines 64-67); and
wherein the indicator portion is structurally configured to provide a visual stop indicator (via 90 and 92) reference point when the second connector portion moves in an axial direction and when the first connector portion is coupled with the second connector portion such that the cable gripping portion grips the cable with a predetermined amount of radial force based on an outer diameter portion of the cable so as to allow an installer to use the visual stop indicator reference point to prevent under-tightening and/or over-tightening of the connector on the cable (column 4, line 64 – column 5, line 21, as engagement and disengagement are forms of under- and over-tightening).
Regarding claim 27: Coleman discloses the cable connector further comprises the support portion (29), and the support portion is structurally configured to be positioned in the second connector portion (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 28: Coleman discloses the first connector portion is structurally configured to move the support portion axially relative to the second connector portion in response to the movement of the first connector portion relative to the second connector portion (as the support portion moves with the first support portion).
Regarding claim 29: Coleman discloses the cable connector further comprises the cable gripping portion (55), and the support portion is structurally configured to move axially relative to the cable gripping portion when the first connector portion moves relative to the second connector portion (as the cable gripping portion is a separate component).
Regarding claim 30: Coleman discloses the cable connector further comprises the cable gripping portion, and the cable gripping portion is structurally configured to be positioned partially in the support portion (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 31: Coleman discloses the first connector portion is structurally configured to engage with the second connector portion such that rotation of the first connector portion relative to the second connector portion moves the first connector portion axially relative to the second connector portion (as tightening the two connector portions moves each portion axially).
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 16 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Coleman, in view of Del Negro et al. (“Del Negro”; US 5,586,910).
Regarding claim 16: Coleman discloses the support portion, but does not explicitly disclose the support portion comprises a support sleeve.
However, Del Negro discloses the support portion comprises a support sleeve (28, Fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the support portion of Coleman to include the sleeve of Del Negro in order to better secure the cable (column 5, lines 35-45).
Regarding claim 22: Coleman discloses the first connector portion and the support portion, but does not explicitly disclose the first connector portion includes a first surface that is structurally configured to contact the support portion, the first surface of the first connector portion is structurally configured to move the support portion axially into the second connector portion in response to the axial movement of the first connector portion relative to the second connector portion.
However, Del Negro discloses the first connector portion includes a first surface (34) that is structurally configured to contact the support portion, the first surface of the first connector portion is structurally configured to move the support portion axially into the second connector portion in response to the axial movement of the first connector portion relative to the second connector portion (as when the connector is tightened it is compacted into the structure of Fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the support portion of Coleman to have the design of Del Negro in order to better secure the cable (column 5, lines 35-45).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Coleman.
Regarding claim 18: Coleman discloses the indicator portion, but does not explicitly disclose the first connector portion is structurally configured to include the indicator portion on an outer surface of the first connector portion.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious, before the effective filing date of the invention to have the indicator portion on the outer surface of the first contact portion with a reasonable expectation for success are there are only two contact portions, and the indicator portion can effectively function as intended on either portion.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Coleman, in view of Morris (US 4,923,412).
Regarding claim 20: Coleman discloses the cable connector, but does not explicitly disclose a third connector portion that is structurally configured to be coupled with the first end of the second connector portion.
However, Morris discloses a third connector (28) portion that is structurally configured to be coupled with the first end (akin to the side of 68) of the second connector portion (14, Fig. 1-3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to modify connector of Coleman to include the third portion of Morris in order to better protect the connector from the elements (column 3, line 45).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-12 are allowed.
Claims 24-25 and 32 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
The prior art of record, alone or in combination does not explicitly teach, suggest, or render obvious, at least to the skilled artisan the cable connector of claim 1, specifically comprising:
wherein each of the plurality of indicator portions is structurally configured to correspond to a predetermined position of the first portion relative to the second connector portion; wherein each of the predetermined positions of the first connector portion relative to the second connector portion corresponds to a preferred assembled position for a particular outer diameter of a cable on which the connector is to be installed, in the context of the other components in the claim.
Claims 24 and 32 are allowable for reciting a similar limitation as claim 1.
Claim 25 is allowable due to its dependency on claim 24.
Conclusion
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/SEAN GUGGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834