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 .
Claims 1-12 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claims 2 and 6 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2, line 2: “a housing of the electoral device” should read “a housing of the electrical device”
Claim 6, line 9: “a housing of the electoral device” should read “a housing of the electrical device”
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Baldwin (US Patent 11,563,876).
Regarding claim 1, Baldwin discloses a plug-in electrical device (Col. 6, line 5, electrical wall plate 100), comprising: an electrical device (Col. 6, line 40, electrical device 10); an electrical plug (Col. 8, line 5, power connector 160); a mount (Col. 8, line 12, face plate 102), whereas the mount secures to an outlet (see Fig. 3); the mount is retractable (see Fig. 3); and the mount is comprised of an aperture (Col. 8, line 48, screw openings 151) configured to allow the passage of a body of a wall mounting screw (Col. 8, line 49, box mounting screw 152), and the mount is configured to be secured to the outlet by a head of the wall mounting screw (see Fig 1A).
Regarding claim 4, Baldwin discloses the plug-in electrical device of claim 1, further comprising: the plug-in electrical device configured to plug-in to one receptacle of a dual-receptacle outlet (Col. 9, line 3, electrical box 3), whereas the plug-in electrical device is configured to utilize only one receptacle in a dual-receptacle outlet (see Fig. 3); and the plug-in electrical device configured to allow access of a second receptacle in the dual-receptacle outlet (see Figs. 1A-3).
Regarding claim 10, Baldwin discloses a plug-in electrical device (Col. 6, line 5, electrical wall plate 100), comprising: an electrical device (Col. 6, line 40, electrical device 10); an electrical plug (Col. 8, line 5, power connector 160); a mount (Col. 8, line 12, face plate 102), whereas the mount secures to an outlet (see Fig. 3); and the mount is comprised of an aperture (Col. 8, line 48, screw openings 151) configured to allow the passage of a body of a wall mounting screw (Col. 8, line 49, box mounting screw 152), and the mount is configured to be secured to the outlet by a head of the wall mounting screw (see Fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 12, Baldwin discloses the plug-in electrical device of claim 10, further comprising: the plug-in electrical device configured to plug-in to one receptacle of a dual-receptacle outlet (Col. 9, line 3, electrical box 3), whereas the plug-in electrical device is configured to utilize only one receptacle in a dual-receptacle outlet (see Fig. 3); and the plug-in electrical device configured to allow access of a second receptacle in the dual-receptacle outlet (see Figs. 1A-3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9 allowed.
Claims 2-3, 5, and 11 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 2, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the plug-in electrical device of claim 1, further comprising: a housing of the electoral device; a mount tab; at least one mount rib; the housing of the electrical device comprised of a slot configured to accommodate the mount tab; and whereas the at least one mount rib configured to lock the mount into a full closed position, or a full open position, as recited in claim 2. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination.
Regarding claim 3, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the plug-in electrical device of claim 1, further comprising: a smart plug-in device, as recited in claim 3. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination.
Regarding claim 5, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the plug-in electrical device of claim 1, further comprising: a housing of the electrical device; a mount tab; the mount tab is configured to lock into a full closed position or a full open position; the housing of the electrical device comprised of a slot configured to accommodate the mount tab; and whereas the mount tab is configured to be fully enclosed within the housing of the electrical device in the full closed position, and a top of the mount is configured to be level with a top of the housing of the electrical device in the full closed position, as recited in claim 5. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination.
Regarding claim 6, allowability resides with the prior art not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching a plug-in electrical device, comprising: an electrical device; an electrical plug; a mount, whereas the mount secures to an outlet; the mount is retractable; the mount is comprised of an aperture configured to allow the passage of a body of a wall mounting screw, and the mount is configured to be secured to the outlet by a head of the wall mounting screw; a housing of the electoral device; a mount tab; at least one mount rib; the housing of the electrical device comprised of a slot configured to accommodate the mount tab; and whereas the at least one mount rib configured to lock the mount into a full closed position, or a full open position, as recited in claim 6. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination. Claims 7-9 are dependent on claim 6 and are therefore allowable for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 11, allowability resides, at least in part, with the prior art not fairly showing, suggesting, or teaching the plug-in electrical device of claim 10, further comprising: a smart plug-in device, as recited in claim 11. These limitations are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record taken alone or in combination.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See PTO-892 for details.
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/JEFFREY MOUNTAIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2834
/TULSIDAS C PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2834