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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yen (US 11,417,980).
Regarding claim 1, Yen discloses a polarized quick plug, including an inner seat (104), a first plug plate assembly (200), a second plug plate assembly (300), and a housing (102), the first plug plate assembly and the second plug plate assembly being disposed on the inner seat, the housing covering the inner seat, characterized by: the inner seat having a first slot (170) and a second slot (172) at two sides thereof respectively, the inner seat further having a first fuse groove (162) and a second fuse groove (164) at a left side and a right side of an intermediate portion of the inner seat, the first fuse groove being capable of receiving a main fuse (150), the second fuse groove being capable of receiving a reserve fuse (152); the first plug plate assembly including a first contact plate (200) and a first breaking plate (400), the first slot including a front slot and a rear slot, an end of the first contact plate being inserted into the front slot, an opposite end of the first contact plate extending in front of the inner seat, an end of the first breaking plate being inserted into the rear slot, an opposite end of the first breaking plate extending behind the inner seat, the first contact plate (200) and the first breaking plate (400) being adapted for being electrically connected by the main fuse (150) received in the first fuse groove (162); the second plug plate assembly including a second fixed plate (300) inserted into the second slot, a second contact plate (302) disposed on a front end of the second fixed plate and extending in front of the inner seat, and a second breaking plate (304) disposed on a rear end of the second fixed plate and extending behind the inner seat; the inner seat having a groove (164) for receiving a cable at a rear end thereof, the first breaking plate and the second breaking plate being arranged in the groove, a rear cover (132, 140) being disposed on the rear end of the inner seat to secure the cable, ensuring the first breaking plate and the second breaking plate piercing the cable secured (i.e. securing the cable for stable piercing by the breaking plates); the housing being formed with a window (at 106) which is located corresponding to the first fuse groove and the second fuse groove, the housing further having a movable plate (106) to selectively cover the window (see Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Yen discloses an end of the first contact plate having a front contact portion (202) which is bent (at 204) and enters the first fuse groove, an end of the first breaking plate has a rear contact portion (404) which is bent and enters the first fuse groove, a side of each of the front contact portion and the rear contact portion contacting the fuse has an arc contact face (209, 409).
Regarding claim 4, Yen discloses each of the first breaking plate and the second breaking plate being tapered toward and end thereof (at 402, towards right side of Figs. 6 and 7) and is perpendicular to the rear terminal face of the inner seat, the first breaking plate and the second breaking plate arranged staggeredly (Figs. 3, 6 and 7).
Regarding claim 5, Yen discloses the housing formed with a receiving groove therein whose shape corresponds to a shape of the inner seat, the inner seat is received in the receiving groove, the inner seat and the housing are fixed together by glue or structural engagement (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Yen discloses the housing having a sliding groove (108) therein, the movable plate (106) slidably arranged in the sliding groove.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yen in view of Chen (US 7,448,900).
Regarding claim 2, Yen discloses the first slot formed by a first wall and a first inner plate, the second slot is formed by a second wall and a second inner plate. Chen teaches an inner plate (top of 13 in Fig. 1) having an inclined guiding surface at a top of a side facing the first slot. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to form the first inner plate with a first inclined guiding face and the second inner plate with a second inclined guiding face, as taught by Chen, in order to provide a softer transition along the inner plate.
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yen in view of Loomis (US 2022/0200176).
Regarding claim 7, Loomis teaches the groove (32A) formed by the rear terminal face of the inner seat and the housing, an inlet of the groove is located at a lateral face of the housing, the rear cover (30) slidable with respect to the housing, an inner side of the rear cover has a protruded portion (at center, not labeled) for inserting into the groove, a partition rib (center of protruded portion) arranged on an intermediate portion of the protruded portion (Fig. 2A). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use a rear cover with a protruded portion, as taught by Loomis, in order to fit in the desired environments.
Regarding claim 8, Yen, as modified by Loomis, discloses the housing including an upper cover plate, a lower cover plate, and lateral cover plates at two sides, each of a rear end of the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate is protruded to form the sliding track (Loomis 28), the rear cover has sliding pieces at two side thereof to cover the sliding tracks.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yen and Loomis, and further in view of Wang (US 6,537,101).
Regarding claim 9, Wang teaches the use of a protruded portion (next to 23 in Fig. 1) with an inclined face (Figs. 3 and 4) at a front end thereof, the protruded portion further has a triangle stopping protrusion (left side in Fig. 3) at a rear end thereof. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed to use an inclined protrusion, as taught by Wang, in order to facilitate assembly of the rear cover.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection, as applied.
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 FELIX O FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-2003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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/FELIX O FIGUEROA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833