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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because they have elements shown in cross section which are not properly crosshatched. Insulating members shown in cross section should be properly crosshatched. It is brought to applicant’s attention that the conventional crosshatch for insulating members shown in cross section consist of lines of two different thicknesses alternatively disposed.
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The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.84(h)(3) because section lines in drawings should refer to the view number of the sectional view where it is shown. Figure 7 should have section line 8–8.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 9-11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, “the other end” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 9, “the other end” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 10, “the inner side” lacks antecedent basis.
In claim 11, “the inner sides” lacks antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Endo et al. (US 11,909,151).
Regarding claim 1, Endo discloses a wire connection module, comprising: an outer member (6) having a receiving groove, wherein one of two ends of the outer member has a mating side (left side in Fig. 12), and the other end of the outer member has an assembling side (right side in Fig. 12); an insulated member (5) in the receiving groove; and a tail cap (8) mated with the assembling side of the outer member and assembled outside an outer portion of the outer member.
Regarding claim 2, Endo discloses the outer member having a plurality of combining portions (623), the insulated member has a plurality of positioning portions (at 522), and each of the combining portions is engaged with a corresponding one of the positioning portions.
Regarding claim 3, Endo discloses each of the combining portions is a groove (around 623), and each of the positioning portions is a protrusion (521, around 522).
Regarding claim 4, Endo discloses a terminal (4), wherein the insulated member has a terminal groove for being assembled with the terminal.
Regarding claim 5, Endo discloses the insulated member having a through hole (55) in communication with the terminal groove, and the terminal has a thorn portion (422) engaged with the through hole.
Regarding claim 6, Endo discloses an outer lateral surface of the insulated member has a recessed portion corresponding to an opening of the through hole (see Figs. 9 and 10).
Regarding claim 7, Endo discloses the mating side of the outer member having a mating ring portion (63, Fig. 12), the assembling side of the outer member has an assembling ring portion (61), and an outer diameter of the mating ring portion is less than an outer diameter of the assembling ring portion (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 8, Endo discloses the tail cap (8) having a fitting ring portion fitted over the assembling ring portion, and a length of the fitting ring portion is less than a length of the assembling ring portion (Fig. 18).
Regarding claim 9, Endo discloses a plug connector, comprising: a housing (2) having a plurality of receiving spaces (23), wherein the housing has a plurality of first mating surfaces respectively at inner sides of the receiving spaces; and a plurality of wire connection modules (100) respectively in the receiving spaces, wherein each of the wire connection modules comprises an outer member (6), an insulated member (5), and a tail cap (8); for each of the wire connection modules, the outer member has a receiving groove, one of two ends of the outer member has a mating side (left side in Fig. 12), the other end of the outer member has an assembling side (right side in Fig. 12), the insulated member is in the receiving groove, and the tail cap is mated with the assembling side of the outer member and assembled outside an outer portion of the outer member; an outer portion of each of the tail caps is positioned at a corresponding one of the first mating surfaces (inside 21, Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 10, Endo discloses that for each of the wire connection modules, the mating side of the outer member has a mating ring portion (at 63), the assembling side of the outer member has an assembling ring portion (at 61), an outer diameter of the mating ring portion is less than an outer diameter of the assembling ring portion (Fig. 12), the outer member has a bent portion (622) between the mating ring portion and the assembling ring portion; the housing comprises a plurality of stopping blocks (31 in Fig. 4), and each of the stopping blocks is at the inner side of a corresponding one of the receiving spaces and leans against a corresponding one of the bent portions.
Regarding claim 11, Endo discloses the housing having a plurality of second mating surfaces (not labeled, left of 622 in Fig. 4) respectively at the inner sides of the receiving spaces, each of the second mating surfaces is between a corresponding one of the first mating surfaces (inside 22) and a corresponding one of the stopping blocks, and the outer portion of each of the outer members is positioned at a corresponding one of the second mating surfaces (see Fig. 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009.
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