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 1-3, 5-13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by French et al. (US 5,203,713).
Regarding claim 1, French et al. disclose a power distribution system comprising:
a plurality of wires (N1, N2, N3, N4, L1, L2, L3, L4, IG, SG, see Fig. 4D) extending between a first end and a second end;
a first power outlet (44) selectively positionable at any position along a length of the wires, the first power outlet including a first connection member connected to a first wire (SG) of the plurality of wires and a second connection member connected to a second wire (N1) of the plurality of wires; and
a second power outlet (45) selectively positionable at any position along the length of the wires, the second power outlet including a third connection member connected to the first wire (SG) of the plurality of wires and a fourth connection member connected to a third wire (N3) of the plurality of wires such that each power outlet is connected to a different group of wires of the plurality of wires.
Regarding claim 2, French et al. substantially disclosed the claimed invention except the first wire has a first voltage level, the second wire has a second voltage level, and the third wire has a third voltage level.
It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitation. Ex Parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (1987).
Regarding claim 3, French et al. disclose the first power outlet includes a fifth connection member connected to a fourth wire (L1) of the plurality of wires, and wherein the second power outlet includes a sixth connection member connected to the fourth wire (L3) of the plurality of wires.
Regarding claim 5, French et al. disclose the fifth connection member and the sixth connection member are integral (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 6, French et al. disclose the first connection member and the third connection member are integral (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 7, French et al. disclose each wire includes an electrical conductor and an insulation layer surrounding the electrical conductor, and wherein each connection member is configured to contact the electrical conductor within the insulation layer of the plurality of wires for electrically connecting each connection member to the plurality of wires (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 8, French et al. disclose each connection member includes a first end and a second end, the first end configured to contact the electrical conductor, and the second end configured as a terminal (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 9, French et al. disclose each power outlet is selectively positionable at any orientation relative to the plurality of wires such that each power outlet is configured to face in any direction relative to the plurality of wires.
Regarding claim 10, French et al. disclose a power receptacle including a housing (71, 72), and wherein both the first power outlet and the second power outlet are defined by the housing.
Regarding claims 11-13 and 1-16, these claims also rejected for the same rationale as the rejected claims 1-3 and 7-10.
Regarding claim 17, French et al. substantially disclosed the claimed power distribution system (same as the rejection of claims 1-3). However, the power distribution system does not being used with a furniture system.
It has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitation. Ex Parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (1987).
Regarding claim 18, French et al. disclose the power receptacle is a first power receptacle and the variable distance is a first variable distance, and wherein the power distribution system further includes a second power receptacle supported by the furniture system at any position along the length of the wires, the second power receptacle being located a second variable distance from the first power receptacle depending on a desired position of the second power receptacle on the furniture system (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 19, French et al. disclose the power receptacle is selectively positionable at any orientation relative to the plurality of wires such that the power receptacle is configured to face any direction relative to the plurality of wires.
Regarding claim 20, French et al. disclose the power receptacle is one of a plurality of power receptacles, and wherein the plurality of power receptacles is supported by the furniture system and between the first and second ends of the plurality of wires.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 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.
Conclusion
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/TRUC T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834