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
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 6-8, 10, 13-15, 34, 36-37, 45, 47, 50, 53 and 60 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Moore et al. (9,653,859).
Regarding claim 6, Moore et al., Fig. 4 shows a connector system (22, Fig. 3) for use in a power distribution system of a motor vehicle, the connector system comprising:
a female connector assembly including:
a female housing (30, Fig. 4) having an arrangement of side walls that define a female housing receptacle (32);
a female terminal assembly (34) residing within the female housing receptacle of the female housing, wherein the female terminal assembly comprises a plurality of conductive side walls defining a female receptacle; and
a female interlock (FIL) assembly comprising a female interlock holder (36) retaining a female interlock receiver (42A and 42B), wherein the female interlock holder is disposed within the female receptacle of the female terminal assembly to define a fully assembled female state (column 4, lines 45-55).
Regarding claim 7, a male terminal assembly (28, Fig. 3) configured to be received by the female terminal assembly (Fig. 3), wherein the FIL assembly is configured to be coupled to an interlock circuit (column 4, lines 61-67 and column 5, lines 51-58) that prevents electrical current from flowing through the female terminal assembly prior to connection of the female terminal assembly to the male terminal assembly.
Regarding claim 8, a male interlock (MIL) assembly (62A and 66, Fig. 4) configured to be received by the FIL assembly, wherein the FIL assembly is configured to be coupled to the interlock circuit that prevents electrical current from flowing through the female terminal assembly prior to connection of the FIL assembly to the male interlock (MIL) assembly and the male terminal assembly (column 4, lines 61-67 and column 5, lines 51-58).
Regarding claim 14, the female housing includes at least one sloped wall (not labeled, a protrusion that protrudes on an outer side wall of 30, Fig. 4) configured to compress an extent of a male terminal assembly, when the male terminal assembly is inserted into the female terminal assembly.
Regarding claim 10, Fig. 4 shows a connector system for use in a power distribution system of a motor vehicle, the connector system comprising:
a female connector assembly (22, Fig. 3) including:
a female terminal assembly (30) defining a female receptacle (32); and
a female interlock (FIL) assembly having a female interlock receiver (36) that is positioned within the female receptacle of the female terminal assembly to define a fully assembled female state, wherein the female interlock receiver of the FIL assembly resides within a female interlock holder (34) that is located within the female receptacle of the female terminal assembly in the fully assembled female state (column 4, lines 45-55).
Regarding claim 13, the FIL assembly further includes a retainer (46, Fig. 4) that secures the female interlock holder and the female interlock receiver in the female terminal assembly in the fully assembled female state (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 15, a female shielding assembly (34, Fig. 4) configured to be coupled to an electrical component in the power distribution system, and wherein the FIL assembly is positioned within said female shielding assembly.
Regarding claim 34, the connector system is PCTS compliant.
Regarding claim 36, Figs. 3 and 4 show a connector system for use with a component in a power distribution system of a motor vehicle, the connector system comprising:
an intermediate female connector assembly (22, Fig. 3) including:
a female terminal assembly (30) comprising an interior extent and an exterior extent, wherein the female terminal assembly defines a female receptacle (32); and
a female interlock (FIL) assembly (34) positioned within the female receptacle of the female terminal assembly to define a fully assembled female state;
a first male connector assembly including a first male terminal assembly (62A and 64A) couplable to the interior extent of the female terminal assembly;
a second male connector assembly including a second male terminal assembly (62B and 64B) couplable to the exterior extent of the female terminal assembly; and
a male interlock (MIL) assembly (14A and 14C) positioned within the second male terminal assembly to define a fully assembled male state; and
wherein the female receptacle of the female terminal assembly is dimensioned to receive both a portion of the first male connector assembly and a portion of the second male connector assembly in a fully connected state (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 37, the FIL assembly is configured to be coupled to an interlock circuit (column 4, lines 61-67 and column 5, lines 51-58) that prevents electrical current from flowing through the female terminal assembly prior to connection of the FIL assembly to the male interlock (MIL) assembly.
Regarding claim 45, a first male housing (a right half of (58), Fig. 4) having an arrangement of side walls that surround the first male connector assembly and a second male housing (a left half of (58), Fig. 4) having an arrangement of side walls that surround the second male connector assembly.
Regarding claim 47, a first portion of an intermediate female housing (30, Fig. 4) of the intermediate female connector assembly includes at least one sloped wall (a protrusion that protrudes from an outer wall of 30) configured to compress an extent of the first male terminal assembly, when the first male terminal assembly is inserted into the female terminal assembly, and wherein a second portion of the intermediate female housing includes at least one sloped wall configured to compress an extent of the second male terminal assembly, when the second male terminal assembly is inserted into the female terminal assembly.
Regarding claim 50, a connector position assurance assembly (70, Fig. 4) that is configured to ensure a sufficient coupling between the intermediate female connector assembly and both of the first male terminal assembly and the second male terminal assembly (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 53, Fig. 4 shows the FIL assembly includes a receiver (40B) that resides within a holder (36) that is located within the female terminal assembly in the fully assembled female state, and wherein the FIL assembly includes a retainer (46, Fig. 4) that secures the holder in the female terminal assembly in the fully assembled female state (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 60, Fig. 3 shows the second male terminal assembly is positioned within the female terminal assembly to define the fully connected state; and in the fully connected state, a first extent of the MIL assembly is positioned within the female terminal assembly and a female housing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18, 28, 30, 32 and 55 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 6-8, 10, 13-15, 34, 36-37, 45, 47,50, 53 and 60 (applied the same prior art but different rejection) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANH TAM T LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2094. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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, Abdul 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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/THANH TAM T LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 02/21/26
thanh-tam.le@uspto.gov
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