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 under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show:
Figure 1-4, fails to shows a conductive shell and a thermally reactive material that may include a plurality of substances, and each substance may be configured to produce one of the different colors, as described in the summary of the invention in pages 1-2.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KUO et al. (US Patent Application Publication 20190168572 A1).
As per claim 1, KUO teaches a system (figure 6) comprising: an electrical connector 100, comprising: an electrically insulating housing (1, 2) that defines an interior region (within 1, 2); a conductive shell 3 on the insulating housing (1, 2); and an electrical conductor 8 in the interior region (within 1, 2); and a thermal sensing apparatus (4, 8 , 18) comprising: a temperature sensor 4; and a temperature display (10, see paragraph 11) visible from an exterior (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) of the electrical connector 100, wherein the temperature display (10, see paragraph 11) is configured to provide a persistent indication (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) of a maximum temperature (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) measured by the temperature sensor 4 after the temperature measured (with 4, see paragraph 11) by the temperature sensor 4 has decreased relative to the maximum (see paragraph 11, to ensuring proper operation of 200).
As per claim 2, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the temperature display (10, see paragraph 11) comprises an analog dial (see paragraph 27) and a temperature scale (see paragraph 27), and the dial remains at a position associated with the maximum temperature (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) measured by the temperature sensor 4 after the temperature measured (with 4) by the temperature sensor 4 decreases (see paragraph 11, to ensuring proper operation of 200).
As per claim 3, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the dial moves relative to the temperature scale (see paragraph 27) only when the temperature measured (with 4) by the temperature sensor 4 increases (see paragraph 11, to ensuring proper operation of 200).
As per claim 4, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the temperature display (10, see paragraph 11) comprises a thermal indicator (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) that has a plurality of changeable display characteristics (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28); each of the plurality of changeable display characteristics (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) corresponds to one of a plurality of ranges of temperatures (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28); each changeable display 10 characteristic is configured to transition to a changed visual appearance (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) in response to the temperature sensor 4 measuring a temperature in the corresponding range of temperatures; and each changeable display 10 characteristic is configured to maintain its changed visual appearance (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) after transitioning to the changed visual appearance (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28).
As per claim 5, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein each changed visual appearance (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) is a different color (along 10, see paragraph 31).
As per claim 6, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the thermal indicator (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) comprises a thermally reactive material (along end portion of 4 shown in figure 2), the thermally reactive material (along end portion of 4 shown in figure 2) comprising a plurality of substances (along end portion of 4 shown in figure 2), each substance being configured to produce one of the different colors (along 10, see paragraph 31).
As per claim 7, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the electrically insulating housing (1, 2) further comprises a connection interface (along 20, end portion of 4 shown in figure 4) that extends through the conductive shell 3, and the thermal sensing apparatus (4, 8 , 18) is attached to the electrically insulating housing (1, 2) at the connection interface (along 20, end portion of 4 shown in figure 4) with the temperature display (10, see paragraph 11) facing outward relative to the interior region (within 1, 2).
As per claim 8, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the thermal sensing apparatus (4, 8, 18) is removably attached to the connection interface (along 20, end portion of 4 shown in figure 4).
As per claim 9, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the temperature sensor 4 measures a temperature (with 4) in the electrical connector 100 that varies with the temperature of the electrical conductor 8 such that the maximum temperature (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) measured by the temperature sensor 4 is an indication (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) of the maximum temperature (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) of the electrical connector 100.
As per claim 10, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the temperature sensor 4 measures a temperature in the electrical connector 100 that varies with the temperature of the electrical conductor 8 such that the maximum temperature (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) measured by the temperature sensor 4 is an indication (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) of the maximum temperature (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) of the electrical conductor 8.
As per claim 11, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the temperature sensor 4 measures an ambient temperature (along 4) of an environment (along 4) that surrounds the electrical connector 100.
As per claim 12, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the temperature sensor 4 measures an ambient temperature (along 4) of an environment (along 4) that surrounds the electrical connector 100 and a temperature internal to the electrical connector 100.
As per claim 13, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the temperature sensor 4 measures a temperature of the insulating housing (1, 2).
As per claim 14, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein at least part of the temperature sensor 4 is in the insulating housing (1, 2).
As per claim 15, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the thermal sensing apparatus (4, 8, 18) comprises an apparatus housing (along 4, 8, 18), and the temperature display (10, see paragraph 11) is visible from the exterior (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) of the apparatus housing (along 4, 8, 18).
As per claim 16, KUO teaches an electrical connector 100, wherein the temperature sensor 4 comprises a thermocouple (see paragraph 13).
As per claim 17, KUO teaches a thermal sensing apparatus (4, 8 , 18), comprising: a housing (1, 2); a temperature sensor 4; a temperature display (10, see paragraph 11) visible from an exterior (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) of the housing (1, 2), the temperature display (10, see paragraph 11) configured to provide a persistent indication (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) of a maximum temperature (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) measured by the temperature sensor 4 after the temperature measured (with 4) by the temperature sensor 4 has decreased relative to the maximum temperature (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28); and a connection interface (along 20, end portion of 4 shown in figure 4) configured to attach the housing (1, 2) to a corresponding interface (along end portion of 4 shown in figure 4) on an electrical connector 100, wherein, when the housing (1, 2) is attached to the electrical connector 100, the temperature measured (with 4) by the temperature sensor 4 is associated with the electrical connector 100.
As per claim 18, KUO teaches a thermal sensing apparatus (4, 8, 18), wherein the temperature display (10, see paragraph 11) comprises an analog dial (see paragraph 27) and a temperature scale (see paragraph 27), and the dial remains at a position associated with the maximum temperature (along 10, see paragraph 10 and 28) measured by the temperature sensor 4 after the temperature measured (with 4) by the temperature sensor 4 decreases (see paragraph 11, to ensuring proper operation of 200).
As per claim 19, KUO teaches a thermal sensing apparatus (4, 8, 18), wherein the dial moves relative to the temperature scale (see paragraph 27) only when the temperature measured (with 4) by the temperature sensor 4 increases (see paragraph 11, to ensuring proper operation of 200).
As per claim 20, KUO teaches a thermal sensing apparatus (4, 8, 18), wherein the connection interface (along 20, end portion of 4 shown in figure 4) is configured to attach to an insulated housing (1, 2) of the electrical connector 100.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON R BURGOS-GUNTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0574. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00PM, Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A. Riyami can be reached on (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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/Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831