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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/28/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the present application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Endara US 2020/0032937 (hereinafter Endara) in view of Egts US 11724057 (hereinafter Egts).
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Re. Cl. 1, Endara discloses: An apparatus (Fig. 3 or 15) comprising: a plurality of extensions (see annotated figure 3, parts of 110, 120, 130 located between the dashed lines) extending from a center of the bundle clip (see Fig. 3, where the straight black lines come together), each extension of the plurality of extensions partially forming a pair of cylindrical channels (see Fig. 3, forming an interior part of 110, 120, 130 Fig. 3 or 110a, 120a, 133a, Fig. 15) of a plurality of cylindrical channels to support a pair of cables of the plurality of cables (see annotated figure 3, within 110, 120, 130 or 110a, 120a, 133a Fig. 15); a plurality of walls (see annotated figure 3) extending from the plurality of extensions, wherein a pair of walls of the plurality of walls extend from each extension (see annotated figure 3), each wall partially forming a respective one of the cylindrical channels (see annotated figure 3); and wherein an opening of each cylindrical channel forms an entrance spacing between the pair of walls that is less than a diameter of a cable insert into the cylindrical channel (see Fig. 3, the device is capable of being used in the claimed intended use in the same manner as being used with the hoses, i.e. having cables with a greater diameter than the distance between the ends of the arms making the holders), and wherein the pair of walls are resiliently deflectable (by being made out of plastics or polymers as discussed in Paragraph 0022), to temporarily enlarge the entrance spacing during insertion of the cable and to return to re-establish the entrance spacing less than the diameter to retain the cable in the cylindrical channel (see Fig. 3, by being made out of the material cited in Paragraph 0022, i.e. plastic or polymeric, the device is temporary deflectable to increase the entrance spacing during insertion of a cable due to the flexible qualities of the materials, and thereafter flexing back to the original spacing).
Re. Cl. 2, Endara discloses: an interior surface of the wall extending to a second wall (see annotated figure 3, the interior surface of one of the walls extends to a second wall opposite the extension to form channels 110, 120, 130 respectively).
Re. Cl. 3, Endara discloses: an exterior surface of the wall extending to a third wall (see annotated figure 3, the exterior surface of one of the walls extends to a third wall in a different channel).
Re. Cl. 6, Endara discloses: the plurality of cables comprising at least three cables and filling the plurality of cylindrical channels (see Fig. 3 and 15, the device is capable of being used with cables filling 110/110a, 120/120a, 130/133a in the same manner as shown with the garden hose sections).
Re. Cl. 7, Endara discloses: a void (see Fig. 3, there is a void or space between the 110, 120, 130 or 81, Fig. 15) at the center of the bundle clip (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 15).
Re. Cl. 8, Endara discloses: an opening of the cylindrical channel forming an entrance spacing that is less than a diameter of a cable, of the plurality of cables, insert into the cylindrical channel (see Fig. 3, the distance between the tips of each channel of clamps 110, 120 and 130 is smaller than the maximum diameter of each of the clamps, therefore when a cable is inserted, the spacing would be less than the opening as shown in Fig. 12 for instance).
Re. Cl. 9, Endara discloses: the wall forming a flexible channel support (see Claim 11, as being made out of polymers, resin or plastic, the channel support would be flexible).
Re. Cls. 1 and 4-5, Endara does not disclose an edge of the wall having a double curvature shape comprising a convex curvature that is proximal to a center of the bundle clip and a concave curvature distal to the center of the bundle clip, wherein the edge is between an interior surface and an exterior surface of the wall; (Cl. 1) or a profiled edge between a side face of the bundle clip and a plurality of interior surfaces, including the interior surface, and between the side face and a plurality of exterior surfaces, including the exterior surface (Cl. 4) or a profiled edge between a side face of the bundle clip and a plurality of exterior surfaces, including the exterior surface (Cl. 5) Egts discloses a cable support (10, Fig. 1) which includes a cylindrical channel (see Fig. 8, where the nasal cannula is positioned), wherein an edge of the wall having a double curvature shape (see annotated figure 5, concave and convex shapes) comprising a convex curvature (see annotated figure 5) that is proximal to a center of the bundle clip (see annotated 5, closer to the center of 10) and a concave curvature that is distal to the center of the bundle clip (see annotated figure 5, closer to tops of 82,84); wherein the edge is between an interior surface and an exterior surface of the wall (see annotated figure 5); a profiled edge between a side face of the bundle clip and a plurality of interior surfaces, including the interior surface, and between the side face and a plurality of exterior surfaces, including the exterior surface (see annotated figure 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Endara device to have the curvature of the walls of Egts with reasonable expectation of success to reduce the amount of the cables obscured by the bundle clips. Such a modification would expose more of the cables from the bundle clips which would be useful to enable the user to inspect potential damage to the cables or reorganize the cables.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Endara in view of Egts as applied to claims 1-9 above, and further in view of Reddy US 2022/0044845 (hereinafter Reddy).
Re. Cl. 10, Endara does not disclose a rounded tip of the wall to prevent damaging the plurality of cables. Reddy discloses a cable support (Fig. 1) which includes a wall (102, Fig. 1) having a rounded tip to prevent damaging of cables (see 108, Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the tip of Endara to be rounded as disclosed by Reddy with reasonable expectation of success since Reddy states that such a modification substantially prevents damage to the cable or wire when the clip is attached (Paragraph 0035, Lines 1-4).
Claims 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Endara in view of Egts in view of Womack US 8744228 (hereinafter Womack).
Re. Cl. 11, Endara discloses: A system, comprising: a bundle clip (Fig. 3 or 15); wherein the bundle clip comprises: a plurality of extensions (see annotated figure 3, parts of 110, 120, 130 located between the dashed lines) extending from a center of the bundle clip (see Fig. 3, where the straight black lines come together), each extension of the plurality of extensions partially forming a pair of cylindrical channels (see Fig. 3, forming an interior part of 110, 120, 130 Fig. 3 or 110a, 120a, 133a, Fig. 15) of a plurality of cylindrical channels to support a pair of cables of the plurality of cables (see annotated figure 3, within 110, 120, 130 or 110a, 120a, 133a Fig. 15); a plurality of walls (see annotated figure 3) extending from the plurality of extensions, wherein a pair of walls of the plurality of walls extend from each extension (see annotated figure 3), each wall partially forming a respective one of the cylindrical channels (see annotated figure 3); wherein an opening of each cylindrical channel forms an entrance spacing between the pair of walls that is less than a diameter of a cable insert into the cylindrical channel (see Fig. 3, openings which lead into 110, 120, 130 or 110a, 120a 133a Fig. 15), and wherein the pair of walls are resiliently deflectable to temporarily enlarge the entrance spacing during insertion of the cable and to return to re-establish the entrance spacing less than the diameter to retain the cable in the cylindrical channel (see Fig. 3, by being made out of the material cited in Paragraph 0022, i.e. plastic or polymeric, the device is temporary deflectable to increase the entrance spacing during insertion of a cable due to the flexible qualities of the materials, and thereafter flexing back to the original spacing); a plurality of cables disposed within the plurality of channels (shown schematically in Figs. 6-14; Paragraph 0002).
Re. Cl. 13, Endara discloses: an interior surface of the wall extending to a second wall (see annotated figure 3, the interior surface of one of the walls extends to a second wall opposite the extension to form channels 110, 120, 130 respectively).
Re. Cl. 14, Endara discloses: an exterior surface of the wall extending to a third wall (see annotated figure 3, the exterior surface of one of the walls extends to a third wall in a different channel).
Re. Cl. 17, Endara discloses: the plurality of cables comprising at least three cables and filling the plurality of cylindrical channels (see Fig. 3 and 15, the device is capable of being used with cables filling 110/110a, 120/120a, 130/133a in the same manner as shown with the garden hose sections and discussed in Paragraph 0002).
Re. Cl. 18, Endara discloses: a void (see Fig. 3, there is a void or space between the 110, 120, 130 or 81, Fig. 15) at the center of the bundle clip (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 15).
Re. Cl. 19, Endara discloses: an opening of the cylindrical channel forming an entrance spacing that is less than a diameter of a cable, of the plurality of cables, insert into the cylindrical channel (see Fig. 3, the distance between the tips of each channel of clamps 110, 120 and 130 is smaller than the maximum diameter of each of the clamps, therefore when a cable is inserted, the spacing would be less than the opening as shown in Fig. 12 for instance).
Re. Cl. 20, Endara discloses: A method comprising: inserting a plurality of cables into a plurality of channels (110, 120, 130, Fig. 3) of one or more bundle clips (see Fig. 3 and see Fig. 6-14 and discussed in Paragraph 0002), wherein a bundle clip of the one or more bundle clips comprises: a plurality of extensions (see annotated figure 3, parts of 110, 120, 130 located between the dashed lines) extending from a center of the bundle clip (see Fig. 3, where the straight black lines come together), each extension of the plurality of extensions partially forming a pair of cylindrical channels (see Fig. 3, forming an interior part of 110, 120, 130 Fig. 3 or 110a, 120a, 133a, Fig. 15) of a plurality of cylindrical channels to support a pair of cables of the plurality of cables (see annotated figure 3, within 110, 120, 130 or 110a, 120a, 133a Fig. 15); a plurality of walls (see annotated figure 3) extending from the plurality of extensions, wherein a pair of walls of the plurality of walls extend from each extension (see annotated figure 3), each wall partially forming a respective one of the cylindrical channels (see annotated figure 3); wherein an opening of each cylindrical channel forms an entrance spacing between the pair of walls that is less than a diameter of a cable insert into the cylindrical channel (see Fig. 3, openings which lead into 110, 120, 130 or 110a, 120a 133a Fig. 15), and wherein the pair of walls are resiliently deflectable to temporarily enlarge the entrance spacing during insertion of the cable and to return to re-establish the entrance spacing less than the diameter to retain the cable in the cylindrical channel (see Fig. 3, by being made out of the material cited in Paragraph 0022, i.e. plastic or polymeric, the device is temporary deflectable to increase the entrance spacing during insertion of a cable due to the flexible qualities of the materials, and thereafter flexing back to the original spacing).
Re. Cls. 11-12, 15-16 and 20, Endara does not disclose a plurality of bundle clips; an edge of the wall having a double curvature shape comprising a convex curvature that is proximal to a center of the bundle clip and a concave curvature distal to the center of the bundle clip; wherein the edge is between an interior surface and an exterior surface of the wall; at least one module connected to the plurality of cables and comprising a plurality of adapters corresponding to the plurality of cables and to the plurality of channels of the bundle clip (Cl. 11); a panel comprising the module, a rack comprising the panel and a cabinet comprising the rack (Cl. 12); a profiled edge between a side face of the bundle clip and a plurality of interior surfaces, including the interior surface, and between the side face and a plurality of exterior surfaces, including the exterior surface (Cl. 15) or a profiled edge between a side face of the bundle clip and a plurality of exterior surfaces, including the exterior surface (Cl. 16); or an edge of the wall having a double curvature shape comprising a convex curvature that is proximal to a center of the bundle clip and a concave curvature distal to the center of the bundle clip; wherein the edge is between an interior surface and an exterior surface of the wall; installing the plurality of cables to a set of telecommunications equipment (Cl. 20). Egts discloses a cable support (10, Fig. 1) which includes a cylindrical channel (see Fig. 8, where the nasal cannula is positioned), wherein an edge of the wall having a double curvature shape (see annotated figure 5, concave and convex shapes) comprising a convex curvature (see annotated figure 5) that is proximal to a center of the bundle clip (see annotated 5, closer to the center of 10) and a concave curvature that is distal to the center of the bundle clip (see annotated figure 5, closer to tops of 82,84); wherein the edge is between an interior surface and an exterior surface of the wall (see annotated figure 5); a profiled edge between a side face of the bundle clip and a plurality of interior surfaces, including the interior surface, and between the side face and a plurality of exterior surfaces, including the exterior surface (see annotated figure 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Endara device to have the curvature of the walls of Egts with reasonable expectation of success to reduce the amount of the cables obscured by the bundle clips. Such a modification would expose more of the cables from the bundle clips which would be useful to enable the user to inspect potential damage to the cables or reorganize the cables.
Re. Cls. 11-12 and 20, Endara discloses that the bundle clip can be used with various structures including cables (Paragraph 0002) but Endara in view of Egts does not disclose a plurality of bundle clips; at least one module connected to the plurality of cables and comprising a plurality of adapters corresponding to the plurality of cables and to the plurality of channels of the bundle clip (Cl. 11); a panel comprising the module, a rack comprising the panel and a cabinet comprising the rack (Cl. 12); installing the plurality of cables to a set of telecommunications equipment (Cl. 20). Re. Cl. 11, Womack discloses a system (Fig. 7, 9), comprising: a plurality of bundle clips (130, Fig. 7) comprising a bundle clip (see Fig. 8), wherein the bundle clip comprises: a plurality of cylindrical channels (136, Fig. 5) of the bundle clip to secure a plurality of cables (see Fig. 7, 9); a plurality of cables disposed within the plurality of channels (see Fig. 7, 9); and at least one module (108, Fig. 7-9) connected to the plurality of cables and comprising a plurality of adapters (112, Fig. 3) corresponding to the plurality of cables and to the plurality of channels of the bundle clip (see Fig. 7, 9). Re. Cl. 12, Womack discloses a panel comprising the module (see Fig. 3); a rack comprising the panel (see Fig. 3, 100); and a cabinet comprising the rack (Col. 2, Lines 62-64 or Col. 4, Lines 3-8). Re. Cl. 20, Womack discloses a method (Fig. 7, 9) comprising: inserting a plurality of cables (152, Fig. 7) into a plurality of channels (36, Fig. 5) of one or more bundle clips (see 130 Fig. 7, 9), and installing the plurality of cables to a set of telecommunications equipment (see Fig. 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the combined Endara and Egts device in the cable scenario disclosed by Womack with reasonable expectation of success since Endara states that the device can be used with cables (Paragraph 0002) and Womak discloses that it is known to use bundle clips in telecommunications systems for cable organization and securing (Col. 2, Lines 6-12).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/28/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Re. Applicant’s argument that Endara fails to disclose the claimed snap-in retention structure now recited in independent claim 1, the Examiner disagrees. Endara discloses that the device is made out of various materials including plastics and polymers (see Paragraph 0022). Plastic and polymeric materials are flexible in nature and therefore would enable for the claimed widening and resilient deflectability as required by claim 1 in the Examiner’s position. For instance, plastic material forming a c-shape curve would be able to resiliently widen and then return to their original state so long as the user deforms the material within its elastic deformation range does not deform the plastic enters its plastic deformation range. Furthermore, Endara discusses press fitting hoses through the entrance openings to secure the device to the hoses (see Paragraph 0057) and press-fitting a pressurized hose, conduit, etc. would deform the arms such that the opening widens during assembly. Applicant further contends that opening is “about 90 degrees” is structurally insufficient to meet the amended limitation. The Examiner disagrees since the opening being at 90 degrees would still be consistent with the opening spreading upon a cable entering into the device. For such a configuration to be structurally insufficient, the opening would likely need to be greater than 180 degrees such that the cable could simply pass through the opening without any change in positioning of the arms. Applicant’s argument has been considered but is not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that Egts is nonanalogous art, it has been held that a prior art reference must either be in the field of the inventor’s endeavor or, if not, then be reasonably pertinent to the particular problem with which the inventor was concerned, in order to be relied upon as a basis for rejection of the claimed invention. See In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 24 USPQ2d 1443 (Fed. Cir. 1992). In this case, Applicant’s invention is generally drawn towards a device which clamps onto cables in order to provide a degree of protection (i.e. from snagging and getting caught during installation; as discussed in Paragraph 0011 of the Applicant’s specification). Egts discloses a cable clamp which functions to protect the cable (see Fig. 1 and Col. 4, Lines 19-24). Therefore, it is the Examiner’s position that the Egts reference is at least reasonably pertinent to the particular problem in which the Applicant was concerned and thus analogous art. Applicant’s argument has been considered but is not persuasive.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Bulloch US 2020/0108200, Cripps US 9534708, Hicks US 2014/0259620, Martinez US 2007/0120023, St. John US 2015/0034776, and Walter US 2011/0042529 disclose other known cable bundle holders which are presented to the Applicant for their consideration.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E GARFT whose telephone number is (571)270-1171. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at (571)272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER GARFT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632