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 .
35 USC 102 Rejections
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, 3-7, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 113300161.
Regarding claim 1, CN ‘161 (Figures 1 and 7) discloses a connection assembly with a longitudinal axis X, comprising: a first circular connector forming a receptacle 1, which in particular is designed to be secured to an electronic or structural equipment panel, and a second circular connector forming a plug 2, with the receptacle and the plug each comprising a housing; a device for coupling and/or locking of the plug and the receptacle in their mutual configuration of coupling, corresponding to a connection, having: a circular coupling and/or locking ring 21, fitted such as to be free in rotation around one out of the housing of the plug and the housing of the receptacle; at least one coupling and locking means arranged on the periphery of the locking ring, said means being designed to cooperate with a complementary coupling and locking means arranged on the periphery of one out of the housing of the receptacle and the housing of the plug, such that rotation according to an angular course of the ring makes it possible to couple the plug on the receptacle by translation along the longitudinal axis, then to lock them mechanically when they are coupled to one another; a mechanical transmission device having: a support 43 which is secured on, or is produced integrally with, one out of the housing of the plug and the housing of the receptacle, comprising an inner seat (unnumbered hole) which extends along an axis which is co-linear with, and distinct from, the longitudinal axis; a receipt unit 3 which is secured on, or is produced integrally with, the outer periphery of the ring; and a drive unit 41,44, which is fitted such as to rotate detachably or permanently in the inner seat of the support, the drive unit being designed to be rotated by a tool, in order to transmit its rotation to the receipt unit and thereby to the ring.
Regarding claim 3, CN ‘161 discloses the ring 21 is fitted around the housing of the plug 2.
Regarding claim 4, CN ‘161 discloses a de-multiplication ratio, of the speeds of rotation, between the receipt unit 3 and the drive unit 41,44, is less than 1, such that the transmission device increases the rotation torque applied by the drive unit to the ring 21.
Regarding claim 5, CN ‘161 discloses the mechanical transmission device comprising a gear train, includes, as a drive unit, at least one cylindrical gear 41 which is fitted such as to rotate, detachably, or permanently, in the inner seat, as a receipt unit, a circular engagement portion 3 which is secured on, or is produced integrally with, at least part of the outer periphery of the ring 21.
Regarding claim 6, CN ‘161 discloses the cylindrical gear 41 constituting a free end of the tool to be inserted detachably in the inner seat, and preferably while being in direct engagement contact with the circular engagement portion 3.
Regarding claim 7, CN ‘161 discloses the cylindrical gear 41 is fitted such as to rotate permanently in the inner seat, preferably while being in direct engagement contact with the circular engagement portion 3.
Regarding claims 15 and 16, CN ‘161 is applied as above.
35 USC 103 Rejections
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) 8, 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 113300161 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Vanzo 2009/0163066.
Regarding claim 8, Vanzo (see Abstract) discloses the coupling and/or locking device is of the bayonet type and comprises: at least one coupling and locking ramp (bayonet slot) arranged on the outer periphery of the housing of one out of the receptacle and the plug; and at least one coupling and locking lug (mating key) arranged on the inner periphery of the ring, and designed to engage in the said at least one ramp, and slide therein from a pre-coupling position reached by relative translation between the plug and the receptacle without action by the tool, to a coupling position, in which the plug and the receptacle are coupled to one another by means of rotation of the drive unit by the tool, and a locking position in the continuity of the coupling position, obtained by additional rotation, wherein the plug and the coupled receptacle are locked mechanically, and to form the locking device of CN ‘161 of the bayonet type thus would have been obvious, for good securement between plug and receptacle.
Regarding claim 10, Vanzo (front page) discloses a resilient return element 50, and to provide CN ‘161 with same thus would have been obvious, to rotate the ring automatically once the lug is engaged in the ramp, and bring the lug into the pre- coupling position, in which the lug cannot be released without the action of the tool.
Regarding claim 11, CN ‘161 (as modified by Vanzo) discloses the resilient return element is also put under increasing tension by the rotation of the drive unit from the pre-coupling position of the lug, to its coupling position and its locking position, such that inverse rotation of the drive unit by the tool returns the lug from its locking position to its coupling position, which unlocks the plug from the receptacle, with the relaxation of the resilient return element returning the lug automatically to a pre-coupling or disengaged position of the ramp, which uncouples the plug from the receptacle.
Claim(s) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 113300161 in view of Vanzo as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Gerow 5427542.
Gerow (Figure 2) discloses the lug comprises a roller 50 which is designed to slide with rotation around itself in the ramp, and to form the lug of CN ‘161 as a roller thus would have been obvious, to better slide in the locking ramp.
Claims Defining Over Prior Art
Claims 2 and 12-14 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art discloses or teaches, as a support, a hollow envelope which is secured on, or produced integrally with, the cover, delimiting the inner seat; nor the resilient return element being a torsion spring; nor at least one compression spring which is arranged between one out of the housing of the plug and the housing of the receptacle and the ring, in order to apply pressure of the housing of the plug against the housing of the receptacle, or vice versa, when they are coupled and/or locked together; nor the cover comprises a window which opens out, which, during the rotation of the ring, covers progressively a visible portion of the ring, thus constituting a visual indicator of the mechanical locking of the plug in the receptacle; in combination with the rest of the subject matter of the respective independent claim.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY F PAUMEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2013. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th.
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/GARY F PAUMEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834