.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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pai (US 8,777,644).
Regarding claim 1, Pai discloses a rotatable terminal module, comprising: a base (80), comprising a conductive sheet (22); a brake assembly (40), assembled on the base and comprising: a main body portion, having a receiving groove (42) and a locking portion (45), the locking portion being locked to the base; and a wing portion (41/43), being a bent sheet extending from a side of the main body portion towards the base (80, upward in Fig. 6a), wherein a bent section (above 40 in Fig. 6a) of the wing portion close to the base is defined as a sliding stop portion (41); and a terminal assembly (50), assembled on the base and comprising: a rotating shaft (51), pivoted to the base and having a protruding block (511), wherein as the rotating shaft rotates, the protruding block enters the receiving groove along the sliding stop portion or leaves the receiving groove and stays at the sliding stop portion (Figs. 6a and 6b), and when the protruding block (511) abuts the sliding stop portion (41), the wing portion deform elastically; and a conductive post (160), connected to the rotating shaft, and driving the rotating shaft to rotate, wherein when the protruding block is accommodated in the receiving groove, the conductive post abuts the conductive sheet, and when the protruding block leaves the receiving groove, the conductive post separates from the conductive sheet.
Regarding claim 2, Pai discloses the wing portion connected to the main body portion, and the sliding stop portion extends from a groove edge of the receiving groove in a direction away from the receiving groove (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, Pai discloses a top cover (10), assembled on the base, wherein the brake assembly is connected to the top cover (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Pai discloses the wing portion connected to the top cover (Fig. 3), the sliding stop portion formed on a side of the wing portion facing the receiving groove, and a gap (space) exists between the wing portion (43) and the main body portion (42).
Regarding claim 5, Pai discloses the main body portion further comprising a restraining block (not labeled, see Figs. 1b and 6a), and the restraining block extending from above corresponding to the receiving groove and connected to the top cover (Fig. 6a, seen upside-down).
Regarding claim 6, Pai discloses the top cover comprising a restraining arm (not labeled, under 511 in Fig. 6a), and the restraining arm is connected to the top cover and extends toward the main body portion, and abuts above corresponding to the main body portion.
Regarding claim 7, Pai discloses the restraining arm abutting above corresponding to the receiving groove of the main body portion (Fig. 6a).
Regarding claim 8, Pai discloses the main body portion further comprising a restraining block(not labeled, under 511 in Fig. 6a), and the restraining block is connected above corresponding to the receiving groove.
Regarding claim 9, Pai discloses an end (61) of the conductive post close to the rotating shaft further comprising an abutting portion, the protruding block and the abutting portion are disposed on a same side of the rotating shaft, when the protruding block is accommodated in the receiving groove (Fig. 1b), the abutting portion abutting the conductive sheet, and when the protruding block leaves the receiving groove, the abutting portion separates from the conductive sheet (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 10, Pai discloses the base comprising a recess (83), and the conductive post is accommodated in or leaves the recess selectively.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection, as applied.
In response to Applicant's arguments regarding the shape of the bent portion, i.e. sheet vs. columnar, please note that these terms are not mutually exclusive. The degree of flexibility, nor thickness is represented by the term sheet without accurately describing the physical attributes of the part. Nonetheless, please note that changing a dimension of an element is within the skill of a worker in the art.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at (571)727-2009.
The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833
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