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 as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference characters:“10”, “91” of fig. 2, “46”, “68” of Fig. 3, “61” of fig. 4, “68” of fig. 5, and “61” of fig. 6 are not mentioned in the description.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) 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. 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In, polarograph [00103], the reference numeral “30” is used for the conductor connection section and the pin receptacle section, Furthermore, in, polarograph [00103], the reference numeral “40” is used for the conductor connection section and the pin receptacle section. Appropriate correction are required
Throughout the specification, there is improper use of “offset”, seems to be changed to – distance-.
It appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and are replete with grammatical and idiomatic errors.
Applicant is kindly requested to review and correct the entire abstract, specification and claims. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1 and 13, line 1, “Socket” should be change to -a socket-.
Claims 2-12, and 14-16, line 1, “Socket” should be change to -The socket-.
Claim 17, line 1, “Connection” should be change to -a connection-.
Claims 18-20, line 1, “Connection” should be change to -The connection-.
Claim 12, line 3, “a lower cross sectional area than” should change to -a cross sectional area is smaller than-.
Claim 13, lines 9-10, “an offset greater than an offset of the corresponding pin receptacle sections” should be change to – a space is greater than a space between the corresponding pin receptacle sections.
Applicant is kindly requested to review and correct the entire abstract, specification and claims. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-11, 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tyler (US 8,419,486).
Regarding claim 1, Tyler, discloses a socket 100 for a high-voltage socket connector 240 (figs. 1 and 5), the socket 100 comprising: a conductor connection section 120 adapted for being connected to a conductor of a cable 248 (it is to be noted that a conductor of a cable is not positively claimed), and a pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively)adapted for receiving a pin 108 of a mating plug connector 260 along a mating direction, wherein the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively) is integral with the conductor connection section 120, and wherein the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively)includes at least two free ends (end of 164 and 166) that extend in opposite circumferential directions around the mating direction and at least in sections face each other.
Regarding claim 2, Tyler, discloses the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively) includes at least one open support ring section 172, 192 for radially and axially supporting at least one deflectable contact arm 184, 204 adapted for contacting the pin 108 in a mated state (fig. 4).
Regarding claim 3, Tyler, discloses the socket includes a radially open coding channel 128 adapted to fittingly receive a coding element (contact surface of 220, 222 of 108, and there is not particular structure of the coding element is defined) on the pin along the mating direction (it is to be noted that a conductor of a cable is not positively claimed).
Regarding claim 4, Tyler, discloses the coding channel (formed between first and second side walls 170, 176 and 156, 158 of contact spring 110) is open towards an open inner space of the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively).
Regarding claim 5, Tyler, discloses the open support ring section forms at least a part of the coding channel (being formed by the sidewalls of ring section).
Regarding claim 6, Tyler, discloses, the at least two free ends 176, 200 partially delimit the coding channel (formed between first and second side walls 170, 176 and 156, 158 of contact spring 110).
Regarding claim 7, Tyler, discloses the socket 100 includes at least two open support ring sections172, 192.
Regarding claim 8, Tyler, discloses the at least one contact arm 184, 204 is integral with the open support ring section 172, 192 (see fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Tyler, discloses the socket is monolithic.
Regarding claim 10, Tyler, discloses the at least one contact arm 184, 204 is part of a spring element 110, 112 that is separate from the conductor connection section 120 (see figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 11, Tyler, discloses the socket 100 is a stamped and/or bent part formed from a sheet (see claim 6).
Regarding claim 13, Tyler, discloses a socket connector 240 comprising: at least two sockets 100, each socket 100 including a conductor (see fig. 5) connection section 120 adapted for being connected to a conductor of a cable 248 (fig. 5), and a pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively) adapted for receiving a pin 108 (fig. 4) of a mating plug connector 160 (fig. 6) along a mating direction, wherein the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively) is integral with the conductor connection section 120, and wherein the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively) includes at least two free ends (end of 164 and 166) that extend in opposite circumferential directions around the mating direction and at least in sections face each other; wherein the conductor connection sections 120 of at least two sockets 100 are parallel and arranged at a space greater than a space between the corresponding pin receptacle sections 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively).
Regarding claim 14, Tyler, discloses the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively)includes at least one open support ring section 172, 192 for radially and axially supporting at least one deflectable contact arm 184, 204 adapted for contacting the pin 108 in a mated state (fig. 4).
Regarding claim 15, Tyler, discloses the socket includes a radially open coding channel (formed between first and second side walls 170, 176 and 156, 158 of contact spring 110, 112) adapted to fittingly receive a coding element (contact surface of 220, 222 of 108, and there is not particular structure of the coding element is defined) on the pin 108 along the mating direction (it is to be noted that a conductor of a cable is not positively claimed).
Regarding claim 16, Tyler, discloses the at least one contact arm 184, 204 is part of a spring element 110, 112 that is separate from the conductor connection section (see figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 17, Tyler, discloses a connection assembly comprising: a socket 100 including a conductor connection section and a pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively), the conductor connection section adapted for being connected to a conductor of a cable, the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively) is integral with the conductor connection section, the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively) includes at least two free ends that extend in opposite circumferential directions around the mating direction and at least in sections face each other; and a pin-shaped contact element for a plug connector, the pin-shaped contact element received in the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively) along a mating direction.
Regarding claim 18, Tyler, discloses the wherein the contact element includes a radially protruding coding element that extends parallel to the mating direction from a tip to a base of the contact element as discussed above.
Regarding claim 19, Tyler, discloses the wherein the pin receptacle section 122 and 106 (between two side walls 124, 126 and 110, 112 respectively) includes at least one open support ring section for radially and axially supporting at least one deflectable contact arm adapted for contacting the corresponding pin in a mated state as discussed above.
Regarding claim 20, Tyler, discloses the includes a radially open coding channel adapted to fittingly receive a coding element on the pin along the mating direction as discussed above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tyler.
Regarding claim 12, Tyler, discloses the socket includes a transition section between the conductor connection section and the pin receptacle section
However, Tyler does not disclose the transition section having a cross sectional area smaller than the conductor connection section.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the transition section having a cross sectional area smaller than the conductor connection section, and since a change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO 892.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A Riyami 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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/HARSHAD C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831