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 .
35 USC 102 Rejections
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Martin
4643513.
Regarding claim 1, Martin (Figures 1 and 2) discloses an electrically conductive device, comprising: a body portion 50,36 mounted on a first object 26; a motion portion 46 movably fitted in contact with the body portion; and a resilient component 40 disposed at the body portion; wherein the body portion and the motion portion are electrical conduction component to form a conducting path of an electric current between the first object and a second object 60 through the body portion and the motion portion.
Regarding claim 2, Martin discloses the motion portion has a head portion 46, with the second object 60 disposed between the head portion and the body portion, two ends of the resilient component 40 abut against the body portion and the motion portion respectively such that the body portion and the motion portion resiliently clamp the second object through the resilient component, allowing an electric current to be conducted between the first object 26 and the second object, or another end of the motion portion has a contact portion adapted to be in contact with the second object to allow an electric current to be conducted between the first object and the second object, or the head portion is not in contact with the second object.
Regarding claim 3, Martin discloses the electrically conductive device is mounted on the first
object 26 to conduct an electric current to a second object 60, the first object has a first electrically
conductive element 28 for conducting an electric current, and the second object has a second
electrically conductive element 60 for conducting an electric current, or the body portion 50,36 is mounted on the first object to conduct an electric current to the second object.
Regarding claim 5, Martin discloses the body portion 50,36 is mounted on the first object 26, and the motion portion 46 resiliently presses against, engages with, grips, pushes or abuts against a second object 60 through compression of the resilient component 40, allowing an electric current from the first object to be conducted to the second object.
Regarding claim 6, Martin discloses the electrically conductive device is mounted on the first
object 26 to conduct an electric current to the second object 60, or the motion portion 46 separates from the second object while conducting an electric current, so as to start or stop conduction of an electric current, or the electrically conductive device is mounted on the first object so as to be hot-plugged to or hot-unplugged from the second object 60, or the motion portion starts or stops the conduction of an electric current upon the hot-plugging or hot-unplugging, or the motion portion starts or stops the conduction of an electric current while there is electrical conduction between the first object and the second object.
Regarding claim 7, Martin discloses the motion portion 46 enables an electric current to be
passed to the second object 60, position-limits the second object or comes into contact with the second
object, or the motion portion has a pressing portion for pressing against the second object or a second
electrically conductive element of the second object when the motion portion position-limits or comes
into contact with the second object.
Regarding claim 8, Martin discloses the motion portion 46 has a control portion with a first height and a second height, the first height being greater than, less than or equal to the second height, or the control portion 16 is rotated to move the motion portion 46 so as for the motion portion to come into contact with, be hot-plugged to or hot-unplugged from, or snap-stop a second object 60.
Regarding claim 9, Martin discloses the motion portion 46 has a pressing portion (lower surface)
or a clasping portion required for pressing-enabled electrical conduction, clasping-enabled electrical
conduction or position-limitation-enabled electrical conduction, or transmission of an electric current
between the first object 26 and the second object 60 is enabled by the motion portion, the electrically
conductive device, the body portion or the resilient component.
Regarding claim 10, Martin discloses a position-limiting portion 64 is disposed between the body
portion and the motion portion 46 and adapted to effectuate position limitation, or the motion portion
has a restraining portion, with the resilient component penetratingly disposed at the restraining portion
to enhance stability of the motion portion.
Regarding claim 11, Martin discloses another motion portion 34 corresponding in position to the
motion portion 46, with the resilient component 40 disposed between the motion portion and the other
motion portion.
Regarding claim 12, Martin discloses the motion portion 46 is fitted to a control portion such that the control portion and the motion portion move or undergo motion to start and stop an electric
current or signal, or the resilient component 40 abuts against a conductor portion such that the
conductor portion comes into contact with, interferes with, abuts against, resiliently comes into contact
with, resiliently interferes with or resiliently abuts against the body portion 50,36 or the motion portion
46 to effectuate electrical conduction.
Regarding claim 13, Martin discloses the motion portion has a head portion and a neck portion,
the neck portion passing through an admission portion of the second object 60, or the head portion and the neck portion (each a portion of the right end of 46) that engage with a movement portion of the second object 60 to effectuate electrical conduction between the first object 26 and the second object, or the admission portion is larger than the head portion, or the movement portion is larger than the neck portion but smaller than the admission portion, or the admission portion is a through-hole, slot portion, opening portion, slotted portion, closed opening or open opening, or the motion portion 46 has a head portion, a fixed connection portion and a neck portion, the neck portion passing through an admission portion of the second object, or the head portion is lifted to allow the fixed connection portion to engage with a fixation portion of the second object, effectuating electrical conduction between the first object and the second object, or the admission portion is larger than the head portion, or the movement portion is larger than the neck portion but smaller than the admission portion, or the movement portion is smaller than the fixed connection portion, or the fixation portion is larger than the fixed connection portion.
35 USC 103 Rejection
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.
Claim(s) 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Martin.
It would have been an obvious matter of design to form motion portion 46 of Martin as an
insulating portion, for weight and cost savings.
Response To Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed April 13, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Martin discloses 26 as the first object and 46 as the second object.
Finality
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 GARY F PAUMEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2013. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher Koehler can be reached at 571-272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GARY F PAUMEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
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