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 .
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 1-4, 7, 9-12, 15-17, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a, 1) as being anticipated by Zaguskin (U. S. Patent 6,390,841).
Regarding claim 1, Zaguskin, see figures 1-8c, discloses a connector holder 36 for an electrical connection assembly 24 for a wiring harness of a vehicle (see figure 1), the connector holder 36 comprising: a main portion 44 for attaching a first electrical connector 28 of the electrical connection assembly 24 thereto or having the first electrical connector 28 attached thereto, a second electrical connector 26 being connectable to the first electrical connector 24 along an assembly axis, the assembly axis extending along the attachment of the first electrical connector 26 to the main portion 44; at least two attachment portions 40, 42 for attaching the connector holder 36 to a base assembly part 18 of the electrical connection assembly 24; and at least two spring portions 54a-54d, each of the spring portions 54a-54d being connected to a respective one of the attachment portions 40, 42 and having a spring characteristic to allow movement of the main portion 44 in a movement plane oblique to the assembly axis when the connector holder 36 is attached to the base assembly part 18 by means of the attachment portions 40, 42.
Regarding claim 2, Zaguskin, see figures 1-8c, discloses the main portion 44 comprises a mount interface (see figures 8a-8c) for receiving a first electrical connector 28 of the electrical connection assembly 24 along the assembly axis and mounting the first electrical connector 28 to the main portion 44.
Regarding claim 3, Zaguskin, see figures 1-8c, discloses the main portion 44 comprises an interface aperture enabling access for electrical connection to the first electrical connector 28 when the first electrical connector 28 is attached to the main portion 44.
Regarding claim 4, Zaguskin, see figures 1-8c, discloses the movement plane is substantially perpendicular to the assembly axis.
Regarding claim 7, Zaguskin, see figures 1-8c, discloses the attachment portions 40, 42 are designed as pins, and wherein the pins particularly extend in length along the assembly axis or substantially perpendicular to the movement plane.
Regarding claim 9, Zaguskin discloses the connector holder 36 comprises at least four attachment portions 40, 42 and at least four spring portions 54a-54d.
Regarding claim 10, Zaguskin discloses an electrical connection assembly 24 for a wiring harness of a vehicle (see figure 1), the electrical connection assembly 24 comprising: a connector holder 36 comprising: a main portion 44 for attaching a first electrical connector 28 of the electrical connection assembly 24 thereto or having the first electrical connector 28 attached thereto, a second electrical connector 26 being connectable to the first electrical connector 28 along an assembly axis, the assembly axis extending along the attachment of the first electrical connector 28 to the main portion; at least two attachment portions 40, 42 for attaching the connector holder 36 to a base assembly part 18 of the electrical connection assembly 24; and at least two spring portions 54a-54d, each of the spring portions 54a-54d being connected to a respective one of the attachment portions 40, 42 and having a spring characteristic to allow movement of the main portion 44 in a movement plane oblique to the assembly axis when the connector holder 36 is attached to the base assembly part 18 by means of the attachment portions 40, 42, wherein the first electrical connector 28 electrically connects to the second electrical connector 26 of the electrical connection assembly 24, and wherein the first electrical connector 28 is attached to the connector holder 36.
Regarding claim 15, Zaguskin discloses a vehicle, comprising: an electrical connection assembly 24 for a wiring harness of the vehicle (see figure 1), the electrical connection assembly 24 comprising: a connector holder 36 comprising: a main portion 44 for attaching a first electrical connector 28 of the electrical connection assembly 24 thereto or having the first electrical connector 28 attached thereto, a second electrical connector 26 being connectable to the first electrical connector 28 along an assembly axis, the assembly axis extending along the attachment of the first electrical connector 28 to the main portion 44; at least two attachment portions 40, 42 for attaching the connector holder 36 to a base assembly part 18 of the electrical connection assembly 24; and at least two spring portions 54a-54d , each of the spring portions 54a-54d being connected to a respective one of the attachment portions 40, 42 and having a spring characteristic to allow movement of the main portion 44 in a movement plane oblique to the assembly axis when the connector holder 36 is attached to the base assembly part by means of the attachment portions 40, 42, wherein the first electrical connector 28 electrically connects to the second electrical connector 26 of the electrical connection assembly 24, wherein the first electrical connector 28 is attached to the connector holder 36, and wherein the wiring harness (see figure 1) of the vehicle is electrically connected to the first electrical connector 28 or the second electrical connector 26.
Regarding claims 11, 16, Zaguskin discloses the electrical connection assembly 24 further comprises: a further connector holder 14, wherein the further connector holder 14 comprises a receptacle connector interface for receiving the second electrical connector 26 along the assembly axis and mounting the second electrical connector 26 to the further connector holder 14.
Regarding claim 12, 17, Zaguskin discloses the further connector holder 14 comprises at least two further attachment portions 40, 42 for attaching the further connector holder 14 to the base assembly part 18.
Regarding claim 20, Zaguskin discloses the main portion 44 comprises a mount interface for receiving a first electrical connector 28 of the electrical connection assembly 24 along the assembly axis and mounting the first electrical connector 28 to the main portion 44.
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.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zaguskin in view of Li (U. S. Patent 10,116,071).
Regarding claim 5, Zaguskin discloses the claimed invention except for discloses the spring portions are configured as curved links between the main portion and the attachment portions. Li discloses spring portion at 23. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Zaguskin to provide such features as taught by Li so as to provide for better assembly.
Regarding claim 6, Zaguskin discloses the claimed invention except for the curved links comprise an S-formed or meander-formed curvature, or the curved links comprise a band or tape shaped profile. It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Zaguskin to provide such features as taught by Li so as to provide for better design choice.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zaguskin in view of EP 1445840.
Regarding claim 8, Zaguskin discloses the claimed invention except for the pins are designed as rotation pins, and wherein the rotation pins are able to rotate within pin apertures of the base assembly part, or wherein the pins comprise circumferentially provided supporting rings for supporting the connector holder on the base assembly part when the pins are inserted into pin apertures of the base assembly part. EP discloses 102 as design as rotation pins and wherein the rotation pins 102 are able to rotate within pin aperture (not shown) of the based assembly part 62, 82 and or the pins 102 having circumferentially provided supporting rings 56 for supporting the connector holder 94 on the base assembly part 62, 82 when the pins are inserted into pin apertures of the base assembly part 62, 82. It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Zaguskin to provide such features as taught by EP so as to provide for better assembly.
Claims 14 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zaguskin in view of Morita (U. S. Patent 10,833,443).
Regarding claims 14, 19, Zaguskin discloses the electrical connection assembly further comprises an electrical component, wherein the electrical component comprises the second electrical connector and a printed-circuit board connected to the second electrical connector. Morita discloses a printed circuit board 101 connected to the second electrical connector. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Zaguskin to provide such features as taught by Morita so as to provide the circuitry for connecting.
Claims 13 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zaguskin in view of Shawn (U. S. Patent 2,810114).
Regarding claims 13 and 18, Zaguskin discloses the claimed invention except for the receptacle connector interface or the second electrical connector comprises a funnel shape for guiding the first electrical connector for electrical connection to the second electrical connector mounted to the further connector holder. Shawn discloses a funnel shape at 50. It would have been obvious to ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Zaguskin to provide such features as taught by Shawn so as to provide for insure the proper alignment.
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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/PHUONG K DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831