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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the first cover plate and the second cover plate" in lines 1 and 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 203707391 U.
In regard to claim 1, CN 203707391 U discloses an electrical connector 38, comprising:
an insulating body 40 defining a first receiving space (see annotated drawing below), a first mating port 401 and a second mating port 403; both the first mating port 401 and the second mating port 403 communicating with the first receiving space; the first mating port 401 being configured to receive a first mating module; the second mating port 403 being configured to receive a second mating module; the insulating body 40 comprising a top wall portion (see figures 3 and 4) defining a first opening 409 which communicates with the first receiving space; and
a first terminal module 42 installed into the first receiving space through the first opening 409; an opening direction of the first opening 409 being different from opening directions the first mating port 401 and the second mating port 403.
In regard to claim 2, CN 203707391 U discloses the opening direction of the first mating port 401 extends along a first direction (see annotated drawing below); the opening direction of the second mating port 403 extends along a direction opposite to the first direction; the opening direction of the first opening 409 extends along a second direction (see annotated drawing below) which is parallel to a thickness direction (see annotated drawing below) of the insulating body 40; and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.
In regard to claim 3, CN 203707391 U discloses a projection 44 of the first terminal module 42 along the thickness direction of the insulating body 40 completely falls into the first opening 409.
In regard to claim 10, CN 203707391 U discloses the insulating body 40 defines a second receiving space (see annotated drawing below); both the first mating port 401 and the second mating port 403 communicate with the second receiving space; the insulating body 40 comprises a bottom wall portion (opposite the top wall, see fig. 6); the bottom wall portion defines a second opening 417 communicating with the second receiving space; the bottom wall portion is arranged opposite to the top wall portion; and the electrical connector 38 comprises a second terminal module 46 which is installed into the second receiving space through the second opening 417.
In regard to claim 11, CN 203707391 U discloses an electrical connector 38, comprising: an insulating body 40 defining a first receiving space (see annotated drawing below), a second receiving space (see annotated drawing below), a first mating port 401 extending through the insulating body 40 along a first direction (see annotated drawing below), and a second mating port 403 extending through the insulating body 40 along a direction opposite to the first direction; the first mating port 401 and the second mating port 403 being configured to receive a first mating module 42 and a second mating module 46, respectively, along opposite directions; the insulating body 40 comprising a top wall portion (see figures 3 and 4) defining a first opening 409 which communicates with the first receiving space and a bottom wall portion (opposite the top wall) defining a second opening 417 which communicates with the second receiving space; a first terminal module 42 installed into the first receiving space through the first opening 409 along a second direction (see annotated drawing below); and a second terminal module 46 installed into the second receiving space through the second opening 417 along a direction opposite to the second direction.
In regard to claim 12, CN 203707391 U discloses a projection 44 of the first terminal module 42 along the second direction completely falls into the first opening 409; and wherein a projection 48 of the second terminal module 46 along the second direction completely falls into the second opening 417.
[AltContent: textbox (2nd direction)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (thickness direction)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: connector][AltContent: textbox (2nd receiving space)][AltContent: textbox (first receiving space)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
PNG
media_image1.png
656
846
media_image1.png
Greyscale
[AltContent: textbox (1st direction)][AltContent: arrow]
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(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 203707391 U in view of Robbins (US 3086189 A)
CN 203707391 U does not disclose the first cover plate and the second cover plate are fixed to the insulating body 40.
Robbins teaches the cover plate 12 is fixed to the insulating body 11.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the invention of CN 203707391 U by constructing the cover as taught by Robbins in order to protect the terminals from outside environment.
Official Notice is taken that both the concept and the advantages of providing a fastening mechanism for holding two members together which include hot melting are well known and expected in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-9, 13-19 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THO D. TA whose telephone number is (571)272-2014. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8AM-4:30PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher M Koehler can be reached at (571) 272-3560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
Tdt
2/12/2026
/THO D TA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834