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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a, 1) as being anticipated by Fisher (U. S. Patent 7,368,663).
Regarding claim 1, Fisher discloses a connecting terminal (see figures 1-3), adapted to connect a plurality of insulated wires 22, comprising: a terminal body 24 defining a receiving cavity 14, an inner wall of the receiving cavity 14 including a toothed structure adapted to pierce through insulation layers 22 of the insulated wires 18 in response to crimping of the terminal body 20; and an insulating cap 10 sleeved over the terminal body 20.
Regarding claim 2, Fisher discloses the terminal body 20 defines a cylindrical structure.
Claims 1, 6, 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a, 1) as being anticipated by Swanson (U. S. Patent 3,497,607).
Regarding claim 1, Swanson discloses a connecting terminal (see figures 1-4), adapted to connect a plurality of insulated wires 12, 14, comprising: a terminal body 24 defining a receiving cavity 20, an inner wall of the receiving cavity (near to the leadline 20) including a toothed structure 44 (see figure 4) adapted to pierce through insulation layers of the insulated wires 12, 14 in response to crimping of the terminal body 20; and an insulating cap 16 sleeved over the terminal body 20.
Regarding claim 6, Swanson discloses the insulating cap 20 is a plastic shell with one closed side and one open side.
Regarding claim 11, Swanson discloses an inner wall of the plastic shell 16 defines a recess.
Regarding claim 12, Swanson discloses the terminal body 20 defines a radially extending barb on an end thereof, the barb engaging with the recess to retain the terminal body 20 within the plastic shell 16.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Swanson.
Regarding claim 13, Swanson discloses the claimed invention except for the recess defines an annular groove formed into the inner wall. It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Swanson to provide such features so as to provide for standard design choice.
Claims 7-10 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Swanson in view of Schinske (U. S. Patent 3,113,553).
Regarding claim 7, Swanson discloses the claimed invention except for the plastic shell is made of a transparent or translucent material. Schinske discloses the plastic shell is made of a transparent (see column 3, lines 15-22). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Swanson to provide such feature as taught by Schinske so as to provide to see through the operating properly.
Regarding claim 8, Swanson discloses a stop is defined at a position proximate to the closed side of the plastic shell 16.
Regarding claim 9, Swanson discloses the stop cooperates with an end of the terminal body 20 to create an observation window (near to the leadline 32) between the closed side of the plastic shell 16 and the terminal body 20, the observation window (near to the leadline 32) enabling observation of an insertion position of a wire inserted into the receiving cavity of the terminal body 20.
Regarding claim 10, Swanson discloses an opening of the plastic shell 16 gradually expands from the closed side to the open side so as to accommodate wires of different specifications or numbers.
Regarding claim 16, Swanson discloses a connecting terminal 10, comprising: a terminal body 20 defining a cavity (near to the leadline 20) adapted to receive a plurality of insulated wires 12, 14, an inner wall of the cavity (near to the leadline 20) including a plurality to annular teeth 44 (see figures 4) arranged radially about the cavity (near to the leadline 20) and adapted to pierce through insulation layers of the insulated wires 12, 14 in response to crimping of the terminal body 22;, the cap 20 having at least one stop formed on a closed end thereof and extending toward an open end thereof, with the terminal body 20 inserted into the insulating cap 16 and abutting the at least one stop, a gap (near to the leadline 32) is formed between the closed end of the cap 16 and the terminal body 20. Swanson discloses the claimed invention except for a transparent or translucent insulating cap sleeved over the terminal body. Schinske discloses the plastic shell is made of a transparent (see column 3, lines 15-22). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Swanson to provide such feature as taught by Schinske so as to provide to see through the operating properly.
Regarding claim 17, Swanson discloses the gap (near to the leadline 32) defines an observation window positioned to enabling viewing of a wire 12, 14 inserted into the terminal body 20.
Regarding claim 18, Swanson discloses the at least one stop is arranged annularly about the closed end of the cap 16 and defines a circular observation window (see figure 2 near to the leadline 32).
Regarding claim 19, Swanson discloses an inner wall of the cap 16 defines an annular recess formed therein.
Regarding claim 20, Swanson discloses the terminal body 22 defines a plurality of barbs 44 on an end thereof, the barbs engaging with the recess to retain the terminal body 20 within the cap 16.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5 and 14-15 are 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.
None of the references discloses further comprising a weld formed along a length of the terminal body and joining two edges of the terminal body for defining the cylindrical structure, the insulating cap is a heat sink sleeve with one closed side and one open side.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG K DINH whose telephone number is (571)272-2090. The examiner can normally be reached M-F from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Riyami A Abdullah can be reached at 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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/PHUONG K DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831